Iggy floated everything through the portrait door and up to his room. "Hi," he told his cousin as he flopped onto his bed. "Long day, but I have a uniform again."

"Wow." Denver looked at all the stuff. "This is intense. What is it? And where are you putting it?"

"Well, first, I'm putting my old, non-fitting clothes down into the basket by the fire for anyone who wants them. Then I'm going to put up my clothes, band all the new books, and then go make that potion. It shouldn't be more than three hours or so." He grinned. "Wanna help?"

"Sure, why not. It beats doing homework." He came over to help Iggy empty out his drawers, then helped him put everything away. "Your dad bought you all new stuff?"

"Yuppers, and since I'm not growing right now, it's really nice," Iggy told him. "If I grow like daddy did, I won't have another growth spurt for three whole years." Someone knocked on the door. "We're dressed," he called. The Head Girl came in. "Hey. I just got back."

"New books?" she asked, pointing at the boxes.

"New hobby. Someone sold their entire alchemy library and my dad snatched it up for me. Oh, and I've got some new mythology books on top there." He put away his quidditch uniform and sat on the bed, pulling the first box over to look down inside. "Bands," he said, pulling them out in bunches. "Ah, books. And loose papers. Gee, what fun." He started banding the books, shrinking them down so he could put them in his case as well. Unfortunately, it was just a little too full. "I guess these go in the bottom of my trunk then," he sighed, letting his cousin put them in there for him. "Did you want to steal any of my old shirts? I'm putting them downstairs in a minute."

The Head Boy walked in, pompous ass that he was, and strutted up to the bed. "More books?" he sneered. "I'm surprised your parents can afford to run their little shop."

"The store makes a ten percent profit annually," Iggy told him coolly. "And yes, someone's personal library. All nicely stored away." He finished that box and put the papers into a pile to be sorted through at another time. "Did you really need something or were you just bothering me?" He smiled at the Head Girl. "Can you please shove the next box back this way?" It was moved for him. "Thanks." He started working on them, finding many more loose papers. "Looks like I'll need another binder, but I think dad has one of those." The Head Boy continued to glare at him. "I should warn you, glaring only makes me laugh," he said as he worked. The Head Girl laughed so he looked at her. "It does. I grew up playing with Simone." She laughed a little bit harder. "Oh, next weekend, I won't be here. I've been summoned to the colony to talk to them about my educational plans." She nodded. "It shouldn't be longer than Sunday though."

"That's fine, Iggy."

"Why don't you just live with them? Or better yet, with your parents?" the Head Boy sneered.

"Because living in the dorms is all part of the experience of going to school here," Iggy said, talking down to him. "Or haven't you noticed that?"

"I don't like you."

"Then it's a good thing you're only here for another five months," Iggy said happily. "After that we can both get on with our lives in peace and happiness." He looked at the book he was working on. "Hey, Flammel," he said happily, showing it to Denver.

"You're taking up *alchemy*?" the Head Boy asked in derision. "Everyone knows it doesn't work."

Iggy looked up at him. "Let me guess, you never heard the story of Harry Potter's first year here?" He smirked. "There was a working Philosopher's Stone until it was destroyed at the end of his first year. Maybe if I can create another one, I can use it for the healing properties it's supposed to have. It'd be a great comfort to a lot of people." The Head Boy stormed out. "Buttmonkey," he muttered. The Head Girl laughed. "I know, but he is. One of these days, someone's going to prove to him that he's not all that."

She smiled at him. "I know, Iggy, but like you said, only five more months." He nodded. "Be careful, he hates you for some reason."

"Because I caught him trying to hit on Ana the other day and nearly hurt him," Iggy told her. She looked stunned. "Yup, him. Not only was he hitting on a third year, he was hitting on a third year who had told him repeatedly to leave him alone. Unfortunately, she didn't want the stress so she hasn't reported him to Ron yet. Or her father."

Denver looked up. "She got something over break that made her run crying to her room but Simone never figured out what."

"Oh, I'm sure of where it came from at least," Iggy told him. "And if he touches her again, I'm going to brain him. I don't care if I get in trouble, she doesn't want his attention and I'm going to make sure she doesn't have to suffer through getting it." The Head Girl nodded. "I'd be careful if I were you, I saw him watching you walk away yesterday."

"Being friends with you already showed my side," she told him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Be careful. We can't afford to lose you." He nodded and she left them to their binding and repacking. She walked down to the common room and smiled at her friends and Prefects. "We've got to talk," she told them. She knew one of them would spill it back to him, but it would be a very clear warning and the girl would be protected. Even next year, when she wouldn't be there. They huddled together and talked about the problem, coming up with three solutions. One, to tell Professor Weasley anyway. Two, to put the other girls on notice by having one of their 'sensitive/you can come to us for anything' talks. Three, to talk to Ana personally and see if she really wanted the help or if they had to do it subtly. Number three was implemented first, the group of them heading up to the girl's dorm.

Ana opened the door, tears still on her cheeks. "What?" she asked, wiping them off quickly.

"Honey, we heard something's going on," the Head Girl told her, walking inside with her posse. One of them stayed to guard the door while they talked about it. "Tell me and it'll stop."

"You can't stop him," Ana told her. "He's too powerful."

The girl snorted. "Did you ever hear about what happened to your older sister her first year?" Ana shook her head. "The then-captain of the quidditch team tried to make a drug that would rob her of her will to say no, and was planning on raping her. Him and three of his friends. Fortunately, they were caught stealing the materials. Your uncles went off on the whole house, told us off and made us afraid for our very lives because of this. They can stop this bloke too, no matter who he is."

Ana looked down at her lap. "He's just saying things so far."

"It's obviously upsetting you, honey, and it needs to come out. We can fix it if you tell us."

"The idiot is harassing me," Ana said quietly. "He makes me feel dirty and nasty. He stares at my chest and he just patted me on the ass as I walked by." She started to cry again. "I don't want to get in trouble though."

"Shh," one of the Prefects told her, giving her a hug. "You're not in trouble, he is. He's in a lot of trouble as of this moment. Do you want us to talk to your Uncles for you? Would that make it easier?" Ana nodded. "Then we will, dear. You stay up here or go help Iggy." Ana nodded and left, and the senior girls formed a pack of doom, the Head Girl going to break the bad news. She walked down the stairs and glared at the boy trying to stop Ana from going up the boy's side. "She's allowed to help Iggy with his new books and clothes." The boy got out of her way and gave her a helpless look. "I know and it's being handled. Let Iggy and Denver help her for right now. Go find Simone and send her up there too." She left the tower, going to talk to the Head of the House. She found him lounging on the couch in a pair of jeans and a ratty t-shirt, with one of the kids asleep on his chest. "Ron, can I talk to you, in private?" she asked. "It's...a bad thing that's going on over there." He put the baby down and led her up to his room, closing the door gently. "I and my girls just found Ana crying." His face hardened. "The Head Boy's been harassing her. Saying things, trying to touch her. She thinks she's in trouble so I just sent her to Iggy, but there's going to be a brawl soon. How do I help her make a formal complaint?"

"You just did," he assured her, giving her a smile. "Let me handle this." She nodded. "Why don't you go back and keep the common room calm and I'll go talk to the idiot myself. And if I have to, I can keep the other Malfoys from killing him before he gets to a judgement panel." She nodded so they left together, and found Iggy waiting on them in the common area. "I'm handling it."

"Good, because we just locked Simone in our bathroom," Iggy told him. "We expect to need a new door in about five minutes. You might want to work fast. Denver's locked in there with her."

Ron smiled at him. "Let them out and lock them in your room. Tell them I'm dealing with it." Iggy nodded and headed back upstairs. Somewhere a door slammed. "I'm going to talk to him. You keep things down here from turning into a fight." He walked to the Head Boy's room and tapped gently. "Philip?" The door opened and he stepped it, letting it close behind him. "I want a straight answer. Have you been harassing Anastasia Malfoy-Weasley?"

"Do you think you're impartial enough to ask that question?" he sneered. "She is your niece after all."

"If I have to ask you again, it's going to be in front of a dismissal panel," Ron said impatiently. The boy looked stunned. "Now, answer the question or we'll go to the Headmaster and you can answer it for him and Professor Snape. Your choice."

"The little tart wants the attention," he sneered.

"That's what I thought you'd say." He slugged the boy then drug him out of the room, the tower, and down the hall to the headmaster's office. No one got in his way and the few kids who saw them winced and turned their heads. The door opened for him and he dragged the boy up the stairs once they quit moving. "He wanted to confess to something," he said, planting the boy in the chair.

"Striking a student is not proper conduct," Albus said gently, but sounding very determined. "I know your temper, Ronald, but this wasn't necessary. You could have stunned him."

"Or I could have killed him," Ron agreed. He smiled. "He deserves it. I'll take my reprimand with a smile, or I'll take being fired the same way, sir."

Albus nodded. "I understand. Would you be so kind as to tell her father for me?" Ron nodded. "Thank you. Have someone send down the rest of his Prefects as well if you wouldn't mind. Is Anastasia all right?"

"She was bloody well crying, I think that about says it all." The boy groaned. "Besides, Draco said she started crying over break for no reason that he could find. I think we know why now. May I have permission to search her things?"

"Granted. Or you can have someone more level-headed talk to the girl. Poppy is around right now if you wanted it to be her."

"I'll get my mum up here."

Albus smiled. "I said level-headed, Professor Weasley. Your mother does not fit into that category when one of her family is bothered." Ron beamed. "Get your father."

"My father would probably tell her not to make waves," Ron pointed out. "He's been like that a lot recently."

"Then definitely get someone calmer to come talk to the girl."

"Okay, I'll get Charlie. He's good at serious things." He turned and walked out, keeping himself from swatting the idiot on the way. He went to the teacher's lounge and flooed back to his parent's house. "Charlie?" he called. His brother came in from the back yard. "We're having a house problem and we need someone calm to take a statement from a girl. Needless to say, it's not me."

"Is the girl all right?" Molly asked as she joined them.

"One of the older boys picking on a third year about her breasts and such. Making comments and the like. He tried to touch her from what I think. I punched the git out, so the Headmaster asked for someone calm." He smiled at his big brother. "That seems to be you."

"All right, I wanted to get a good look around anyway," Charlie agreed, smiling back. "Let's go." He followed Ron back to the school. "Which niece was it? Ana or Ravena?"

"Ana and the others are on the war path. Iggy's got them all right now." He whispered the password. "I'm off to tell the parent." He winced. "If I don't come back, look for me." He disappeared again, for Draco's house. He landed in the study and looked around at all the books, all with that used look about them. "Damn, he really does read and study."

"Most usually," Draco said from his desk in the corner, making Ron jump. "Social call?" He put down his pen and looked up, seeing the shaking head. "The reason my daughter was crying?"

"The Head Boy has been making comments. I've got permission to search her stuff for evidence."

Draco stood up. "Comments?"

"About her body, things like that." The pale face hardened. "He's in front of the headmaster and Charlie's asking her to make a statement." He stepped closer. "She thought she'd be in trouble, Draco. She's scared and very upset. I think he tried to touch her because the Head Girl looked ready to kill him too."

"Then we'll go back and I'll help your brother talk to my daughter. Why didn't she come to me?" He slammed his fist into the desk.

"Because of that. She doesn't want either of you in trouble," Ron said with a shrug. "Just a guess. Oh, and *you* get to tell Xander, I'll hold him down."

"We'll tell him tonight while he's in the nest. There's a long tradition of no violence in the family's nest." He grabbed his robe off the back of his chair and walked over to the floo. "Shall we?" Ron nodded, letting him go first. They headed up to Gryffindor tower together, and Simone met them at the door. "It's being taken care of," Draco told her, giving her a hug. "Where's your sister?"

"Hiding in Iggy's room. One of his *buddies* just tried to say something mean to her." She pointed at the lump in front of the fireplace. "As you can see, it offended me," she told Ron. "Detention or suspension, sir?"

"Neither," Ron said with a shrug. "You get to tell Xander and keep him from killing someone."

"That's mean," she protested. "Cruel and unusual punishment rules prevent things like that."

"Yay." He led Draco up to Iggy's room, looking around at the boxes. "Packing?" he asked as they walked in.

"Some stupid idiot sold his complete alchemy library and daddy bought it for me," Iggy told him quietly, from Denver's bed, where he was holding Ana gently. "Is the Prefect dead yet?"

"Not yet," Draco promised. He tipped his daughter's face up, giving her a smile. "Would you like to tell me now so I can go threaten the stupid fuck?" She shook her head. "I know you didn't encourage him."

"He said I did."

"Then he's not only wrong, he's a liar. You're you, you do nothing that encourages attention of that sort. If he can't tell that then it's *his* problem, not yours, Anastasia."

Ron sat down at the head of the bed, stroking her hair gently. "Did you make an official complaint?" She nodded. "Then we can do something about him and his friends. Not only are they out of power, they're in deep shit. If he touched you and you told him to leave you alone, then that's grounds for expulsion."

"They changed the rules after what happened to me," Simone said from the doorway. "Uncle Charlie's back and he brought Grandma." Ron and Draco both winced. "He said that the Headmaster wanted her here. Ana, I'm supposed to escort you and dad to the infirmary." Iggy's face hardened. "I know, but it has to be looked at. For official purposes of the report. You can come guard the door if you want with Denver." Ana slid out of the bed and everyone crowded around the girl. "Uncle Ron and dad, you're wanted upstairs as soon as we get to the infirmary. Grandma will stay with us and Uncle Charlie. Professor Snape was hurrying that way already."

Ron nodded, following the poor girl out. Once Ana was safely up there, he headed back to his boss to look into this. He found Oliver Wood up there as the unaffected teacher. "Hey," he said, shaking his hand. "This sucks badly, doesn't it?"

"Tell me about it," Oliver said, glaring at the boy. "And in my former house too."

"Not just yours," Snape told him. "This is the second boy this year. The other was a Ravenclaw." He looked down at the boy. "He's asked for a trial."

"Ana's not up to it," Ron told him.

"She'll be put under truth serum if she has to testify. We can memory charm her afterwards if both she and her father agree to it." He grimaced. "It will also call for her mother to be here."

"She's almost better," Ron told him. "Due to be let out next week sometime." He looked at the boy. "You sure of this, Philip? If it comes down to it, you'll be under truth serum and forced to tell everything you've done to her." The boy nodded, still sneering. "Still think you didn't do anything?"

"She's asking for it."

Charlie stopped Ron before he could hit the boy again. "No, it lets him come after us for money," he whispered. "Calm down." He pulled Ron away. "Someone has to tell your co-head." Ron shook his head. "Yes, they do."

"Yes, they do," Dumbledore agreed. "I've called him up from town. He was in the lab." Ron shuddered. "I'll do it if you want."

"No, I'll do it, he won't hit me," Charlie said. He looked at the doorway. "Malfoy?"

"Getting some air. Ana started to cry as soon as we walked into the infirmary again and he's in a fine rage." He looked at boy, then at Snape. "Today?" Snape nodded. "Charlie, go get Ginny, I'll get Draco and tell him how bad it's going to get. Mum can protect the kids. What about the unconscious one in the common room?"

"He's being brought to the hearing room right now," Dumbledore told him. "Go find the father." Ron nodded and left, taking Charlie with him. "I know you've never done this before, Professor Wood, but it's necessary that we have someone affiliated with the house so no inter-house bias can be used, but who is unaffected by this matter." Oliver nodded. "Then go with Professor Snape, he'll explain to you your duties on the way down." They left together, taking the idiot with them. "Oh, dear," Dumbledore sighed. Xander had met up with Draco outside and had just now heard. He heard an explosion and winced. That didn't bode well for the boy.

***

Ana leaned against her father's chest on Xander's couch, eyes heavy with sleeping potion. "Is he really gone?" she asked again.

"He's really gone," Draco assured her. "His mother threatened to kill him and everything." She nodded and drifted off, safely held. "Hopefully the boy is not only gone, but gone from the country as well," he muttered. He looked over at Xander, whom had also been dosed with a sleeping potion after the trial.

"He's gone for good," Ron assured him. "His father works in Russia and he's being sent there according to his mother on the way out. She was already hitting him too." That made Draco smile. Coldly, but it was a smile. "She was worried that you were going to have her and her husband fired from their jobs, that was one of the things she was yelling at him as they climbed onto their broom. That and that she hoped you wouldn't have him killed in Diagon some day."

"Too bad it was too late to have him expelled from the community," Draco sighed. "I would have taken a lot of pleasure from breaking his wand, eighteen or not." He looked around. "The second one this year?"

"I hadn't heard of it, but Ravenclaw tends to keep any bad things inside. Whereas Gryffindor tends to have it spilled because of who and what we are. I still like Oliver yelling at the brat."

Draco nodded. Wood had said many of the things he had wanted to say, and he wasn't even a parent. "I'm thankful that he's gone."

"Him and two of his best friends," Ron said, smiling at that. "And the new Head Boy helped throw their shit out a window." He snickered. "That was a pretty sight, watching that one boy pick some of his things off the whomping willow."

"It seemed fitting that he be beaten for it since his father smirked and congratulated him," Draco agreed. "Him I'll do something about. The former Head Boy's mother has nothing to fear from me. Her reaction I trust as authentic. She was shocked and horrified by what her son had done. And I think that letter about killed her when it was read into evidence. No, she reacted properly, by hitting him repeatedly. I'll let her continue that," he said with a smirk.

"It's too bad we couldn't reach that one boy's parents tonight. I don't like the thought of him celebrating at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Oh, he won't be. When Snape drug him there, he had a word with the barkeeper. Tom knows what he did and whom he did it to."

"Did you hear? Someone set off one of the twin's super stink bomb in the Leaky Cauldron after the train left. Drove everyone out for two days."

Draco smirked. "I smelled when I went there to check on some things."

"Did you really put money in their account for Iggy?" Draco nodded. "Why?"

"Because there's a long history of sponsorship for the gifted among us. Iggy is one of them. Besides, the more I think about it, the more I realize that being gryphon-born back five hundred generations means something. He could find the cure to something that Simone or any of the others might catch because of their heritage." Ron nodded, that made sense. "Did he really get a full alchemy library?"

"Complete with notes," Ron told him. "Even a book by Flammel."

"Huh. I'm not so sure he'll need sponsorship."

"You really think he's that good? It's a different field."

"But they're similar so it should transfer," Draco told him. "My father and grandfather messed about a bit with it."

"Ever-lasting life?" Ron suggested. Draco nodded. "I guess that's understandable. I wouldn't want it myself. I couldn't imagine spending five hundred years like this."

"It keeps you in good health," Draco told him. "Flammel was more spry than Dumbledore when he died."

"You knew him?" Draco nodded. "How?"

"We floated in the same social circles. It wasn't a close friendship, but he'd know us on sight." He laughed bitterly. "My father even tried to get him to make an extra stone for him."

"There's a horrible thought," Ron said, starting to shudder. Draco nodded and settled his daughter more closely against his side. "Why don't you take her up to your bed? Or the nest? She looks uncomfortable."

Draco stood up and lifted his daughter. "Thank you, Ron, for telling me personally." He carried her up to the nest, knowing it would comfort her more. He found his son already in there and curled up behind him. Anastasia snuggled in and sighed in her sleep, apparently content for now.

Downstairs, Ron wondered if it was wrong to want to kill the boy. Would that make him as bad as Draco's father or did he actually have to do it to be that evil? He got up and went to call someone calmer than he was. "Harry? Got a few to talk?"

"Sure, let me come over." He smiled and Ron felt some of his anger evaporating.

***

Iggy looked up as Snape walked into the dungeon, saluting him. "Studying Herbology since it's quieter down here."

"Make the other side," Snape told him, putting down the page.

Iggy looked at him. "If I do that, she'll know. She has to touch it of her own free will." The older man nodded. "She'll start to hear and feel everything in you until the bond settles down." He stood up. "Is that what you really want, Severus?"

He nodded. "It is. She does too, but she's frightened of the recognition for some reason."

Iggy shrugged. "Okay, I'll make it for you. It is the ritual way after all. I'll even think up a reason to get her to touch the serum. I'll need a little bit of yours before I can pour hers into the container and I'll need another crystal like yours." One was put onto the desk beside his books. "It'll take me about a week to brew it down. Give me my big cast silver one please."

"It brews that far down?" Iggy nodded. "What goes into it?"

"I'm not allowed to give you the whole potion, only the history. If you know, then it can be broken. That's what the potion and ritual said and I believe it." Severus nodded and left him alone to start the potion in privacy.

Iggy went to get his large silver cauldron, pulling out bundles of herbs and the testes of a bull to start the preparation work. First, the filtered water, then everything finely minced. Then the last ingredient, one ounce of virgin siren's blood. As he slowly stirred the thin mixture, he thought about how great this would be for those two. Now if only he had the stuff to make a set for his uncle.

***

Melvin looked over at the other team, then at his fellow chasers. One of them was too sick to play, but had demanded the right to. "Why don't you sit this one out?" he suggested.

"Because I'm fine. Your cousin won't hurt me that much." He gave her a skeptical look. "She won't."

"This is Agatha we're talking about," Melvin reminded her. "She likes to hurt people, enjoys it even." The girl shook her head so he left it alone. He moved into position, taking the lead spot so she wouldn't have to get run over first. "Ready?" he called. He got nods of assent. "Positions."

The rest of the team moved into position, waiting on the Slytherins to settle into theirs. Agatha kept glaring at the chaser, then at her captain. "Let her be replaced," she called finally. The referee looked at her. "She's obviously sick, where's the fun in hurting her?"

The ref looked at the other captain. "Is your team ready to play?" He nodded. So he looked at the girl. "You're sure?"

"She said she is."

Agatha glared and flew a little closer to the helpless chaser. "You might as well sit this one out," she sneered. "You can't play like that."

The girl straightened up. "I'm a match for you any day, Agatha Potter. Let's play." They stared each other down but eventually the girl looked away. "I'm playing."

"You stupid shit," Agatha told her. "If you wanted help with that, you should have asked us. We could have fixed it for you." She flew back and talked to the beaters, who shrugged. Then she moved into position. "We'll play."

Oliver looked at the girls, then shook his head. Some days he didn't understand girls, not at all. He tossed the quaffle and got out of the way, watching as the teams streaked off after Melvin. He wondered what was up with the girl. Hopefully she'd be all right, she was always very nice and shy, even if she looked like she was wearing a tent most of the time. He winced as the girl was knocked from her broom, motioning over Iggy, as the temporary medical person on the field, to come get her. She wasn't moving but it wasn't technically a foul. He flew with the teams, keeping an eye on Iggy until the girl was carried away. He hoped she was all right.

***

Iggy walked into the infirmary with the girl strapped to the bed and found his mentor and the head of her house already in there. "She needs more help than we can give her, and I don't think you want to call her parents," he said as he settled her in. Both adults looked at him. "You know how I can tell things, like where Simone is and why Denver's been such an asshole recently?" Snape nodded, he had witnessed that before. "Well, it's actually a family thing. There are two Ravenclaws who are cousins, even though they won't admit it, and I can do that here too." The head of the girl's house opened her mouth. "The baby's a bit more like her than it should be. You don't want to call the family this time I think."

"There are officials for that," Snape told him. "Is she hurt badly?"

"The beater hit her in the stomach. She's bruising and bleeding. I'd send her on, even if Madam Pomfrey were here."

"All right, we'll send her on," Madam Sprout told him. "Please call the ambulance, we'll handle the rest." Iggy nodded and went to make the call. "Would he know?"

"It's one of the odder healer gifts," Snape told her. "The boy is a healer, even though he excels in my area. It's shown up before with Tara." She nodded. "Can you have a bag packed for her?"

"Of course." She hurried off to go have that done.

Snape sat down to wait, he would go since he was the most senior person at the school while Dumbledore and Tara were at meetings with the Minister of Magic. It would be up to him to call in the officials if what Iggy said were true. The paramedics portkeyed in and rushed over. "The girl was pregnant, she's miscarrying. She took a bludger to the stomach." They winced and continued to work. "I'm coming along also, and we're not calling her parents." They paused long enough to look at him, but it wasn't really any of their business beyond notifying them of it.

***

Iggy finished the potion and scooped a good dollop of Snape's potion out, spreading it on the bottom of the container for Tara's. "She gets more," he told himself, pouring the thick liquid carefully. He smoothed the top for the sake of appearance then closed the small crystal cauldron, saying the final incantation over it. He put Snape's back on his desk, then grabbed the other two to take with him. He found his mentor on the way to his rooms. "Drink this." Snape uncapped it. "While looking at her," he said quickly. "Don't do it and look at me, bad and strange things will happen and my fathers would hurt you." He glanced around. "Stay out here." He tapped on the portrait and walked in. "Hi, Auntie Tara. I have something for you." She gave him a bright smile. "Here we are," he said, putting it down in front of her.

"That looks familiar," she said, smiling at him. "Why do I get one?"

"Because you're supposed to have one too for the spell circle to be complete." She shrugged and picked back up her book. "There's one step left; I need you to energize it for me. That means you have to touch it and then rub some on your lip, or another soft and absorbing membrane." She frowned. "Just trust me, okay? If you do this, it'll make not only me, but my daddy very happy. Even the kids will be." She shook her head so he grabbed her hand and picked up the small cauldron, opening it up. He positioned it in front of her finger and let it drop into the goo. "There, now please rub it on something soft and absorbing," he told her.

"Iggy," she sighed in exasperation, but he gave her a begging look so she did it. "There, better?" He nodded, starting to smile. "What was this?" she asked.

He stood up. "A very old bonding potion created by an outcast Celtic witch eons ago. Any time now you should start to hear and feel strange things from Severus, but don't worry, it wears off in a week or so." He hurried away before she could jump up and catch him, running like his life depended on it. Because it did.

"Severus," Tara snapped.

He walked in and drank the potion, looking down at her. "There, now not even you can counter it." She glared at him and flicked the door closed. "I won't have it, Tara. Not only does it look like I'm more of a horrible person than everyone expects, I won't have our children being given pitied looks by everyone."

"So you do this against my will?"

"Yes." He smiled. "I am within my rights by law. I could have petitioned to have the children removed from your care until you agreed to marry me." He crossed his arms but continued to smirk. "In a year, I'll let you dissolve it if you wish."

She screamed in frustration. "How could you do this!"

"Easily. Ignatius came up with the original idea, I'm simply following it to its fruition. Now we are joined and I don't have to kidnap you to somewhere and force you to marry me to restore my reputation."

She sat down, staring at him in shock. "It's completed?" She shook her head. "This started with *your* gift?" He nodded. "Dammit."

"I still say you sound like a toad when you say it that way." He sat beside her and picked up her hand to kiss. "You are mine. We can make an official announcement later, once you're used to the fact." She glared at him. He kissed her on the forehead. "Whenever you're ready to accept the inevitable."

"Why don't you men realize that we women don't need coercion and force? This is why I didn't want to date a man in the first place, besides the fact that most of them don't attract me, you men do this! Is this some facet of having a dick? Because if it is, our son is losing his really damn quick!"

He smiled. "I love it when you get angry. You seem to glow." He got up and walked away, heading to his private study. "I'll be here whenever you're ready to talk about it, Tara." He paused before disappearing. "It was much nicer than what I *could* have done."

"Evil bastard," she said angrily.

"Thank you." He disappeared into his study, letting her fume in peace. He had noticed that part of her felt very content with this action. "Perhaps you should meditate."

"Perhaps I should castrate you too, then I could have a woman again."

He laughed. She was so cute when she was angry.

***

Draco looked over at Tara, then at her bonded spouse. He smiled at her. "Is it complete?" She growled at him, actually snarled. He kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Tara. It makes me happy that you've finally settled down with him."

"I didn't need the help. It's not an automatic requirement!"

"It is in this community, which you choose to live in," Draco reminded her gently. She looked at him. "Not only is it expected, it is the only correct way to be and anything other than it hurts you both greatly. You've been hurting him now for over a year and I was about to have to take action myself." She opened her mouth and he tapped her on the back of the hand. "It is necessary if you continue to stay here. I know for a fact that the Board of Directors was going to call for your resignation again, and nothing anyone did could have stopped it. Now, you and he are both safe, as are your children. Besides, this makes him happy and that usually makes you happy."

"You guys tricked me."

"It was necessary because you were ignoring the harm you were causing. Had you paid attention to those around you, you might have seen the looks Severus was getting from everybody. He chose you and you kept brushing him off like there was something wrong with him. Everyone thought he was too evil before this happened, and you made sure they knew you thought so too." She shook her head. "Yes, you did. By your lack of enthusiasm to join with him, everyone knew that you were spurning him because of what he had been. And now they'll finally start to see him as some of us privileged few do. This was a good thing for the both of you." He patted her hand and let her go. "Thank you for stopping the arguments now."

"You manipulative bastard," she hissed.

He raised an eyebrow. "That's nearly the definition of my family name. How astute of you to realize that." He smiled. "Acquiesce or have everyone know it was your fault and not his." She got up and stormed off. "I'll take that as a yes," he called after her. Snape raised an eyebrow. "I was pointing out the fallacies of her argument based on her current residence." He glanced around at the others enjoying dinner. "I'm sure we'll see her being more reasonable about it in a few days."

"As long as you keep Ignatius away from her," Remus reminded him gently. "I managed to get him out of her way earlier, it might be a good idea to continue that trend."

Draco nodded. "I'm not worried about that part. My daughter will protect him. Even if his father does take her side."

Snape smirked. "He congratulated me and tried to calm her down earlier with sympathy. Separately of course to keep her calm."

***

Tara stormed into Xander's house and slammed the door. "I want to hurt your son."

"Iggy's staying far away from you until you calm down," Xander told her, looking up from his solitary meal. He pointed at the couch and she shook her head, starting to pace. So he put down his soup and grabbed her, putting her into his lap to hold. "I know this is upsetting, Tara, but they didn't do it to hurt you. They did it to make you happy for a change." She opened her mouth and he put a finger over her lips. "Think about it, don't react on an emotional level. Are you happy to be joined with him?" She slumped. "Then why fight it?"

"Because they took the decision from me. If they had told me about it, then I might have agreed."

Xander smiled. "Honey, you're in love with this free image of yourself, this perfect Goddess-like creature who only needs love. But you don't. You're a proper witch now and ...." Lightening flashed outside, making him grimace. "Not that you weren't before, but now you're really a proper witch. You use your wand all the time and you've gotten accustomed to living this life. It's time for you to live up to their standards, not the ones for the witch you started out as." She shook her head. "Yes, it is. Ginny beside the point, it doesn't happen like that around here. These witches and wizards always form bonds, strong ones. It's almost unheard of to see a divorce between them and that's because they understand each other. If you think about it, you've hurt Severus greatly by keeping part of yourself away from him for so long. He might even think that you're using him to have someone there and have powerful children." He let her go, but she didn't move off his lap, deciding to cuddle in instead. "You're a big witch now, act like it, sweetie. Tell him that this wasn't about him, this was about you being scared of him turning into a bastard like your father. Or better yet, tell him about your father," he said with a shrug.

"I'm not sure I can."

"Do you want me to tell him about your birthday?" She shook her head. "It would take some of the hurt look out of his eyes."

"He doesn't look hurt," she protested weakly.

"He does," Xander disagreed gently. "Every time he looks at you he gets this hurt and depressed look. He does love you, but I think he's doubting that you feel the same way."

"I do, but I don't want a *man*."

He laughed. "Sweetheart, Sev is so far away from your definition of a man it's nearly not even the same species. Besides the deeper voice and the dick, he's not go anything in common with it." She nodded, relaxing against him. "Now, you can either go talk to him, or I'm having Iggy knock you out and sending you both to Vegas, where we'll pretend to be you and get you two married."

"You and who?"

"Ron and Draco have both been trying to figure out how to help you get over this lump. Ron found two different wizard's chapels in Vegas. Draco's worked out a plan to get you both there, and has had help making some Polyjuice so we can pretend to be you long enough to get you both married."

She sighed. "You're good friends, but I was dealing with it."

"Not dealing with it," he corrected. "You were ignoring it and it was killing him, honey. You've got to go tell him these things. And hey, maybe my son will get safer in the process."

"Or people could die."

"People might die anyway," Xander pointed out. "It's not like Willow and Buffy didn't nearly kill the bastard for what he tried to do to you." He gave her a squeeze. "Drag the man from dinner and talk to him. Tell him why you're scared and let him give you good, reasonable points why it's not so." She nodded and slid off his lap, going to do that. Xander smiled and picked up his soup, sipping quietly. "I am good," he sighed.

Later that night, part of the castle shook, and it wasn't even Xander and George. A few of the teachers were curious, but not enough to check on it. The few who knew what it was, just shook their heads and sighed. That was going to be a fight of epic proportions.

***

Ron walked into the Headmaster's office, smiling at him. "Am I in trouble again?" he asked as he took a seat.

"No, we've gotten a request to have you help someone." He handed over the letter, watching as the young Professor read it. "For obvious reasons, I'm sending you instead of him." Ron nodded and folded it up, putting it into his pocket. "I know you going will be a difficulty, with the children and all, but they do sound desperate."

"I can go, there's people I trust to watch them for a few weeks." Ron straightened up. "Who'll be taking over my classes?"

"Whichever of them that you wish," Dumbledore told him. "I'll leave that up to you, and give you the chance to get them up to speed." Ron nodded. "I can send a reply back that you're on your way tomorrow if you wish."

"Please. This shouldn't be too bad." He stood up. "I'll arrange for things now and announce the teacher change." He smiled. "Plus, if I fly, I'll get some time to think." His boss nodded so he walked away, going to talk to someone first. He flooed to Draco's house, smiling as he walked out onto the back lawn, as directed by one of the house elves. He whistled, bringing him down. Damn he was fast! "I'm being called to help a town," he said, handing over the letter.

Draco wiped off his forehead as he read it, then looked at him. "Did you want me to watch your children?"

"And my students if you want. Harry's good, but not that good. I think he'd be petrified of teaching."

Draco nodded. "I can fill in for you. Two weeks?"

"Hopefully. It's a minor demon from the sound of it." Ron ran his hands through his hair. "He didn't even tell Xander."

"It's probably better considering they want to capture him for the crime of turning his back on the American Aurors." Draco handed back the letter. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. That'll give me time to pack, talk to the kids, and give you my notes." Draco nodded. "Sorry about it if it hits a game."

"I have one next Wednesday night, but I can make it. If it runs long, that's the purpose of a study hall." He smiled. "You're sure? You don't want Potter to fill in, or to watch your kids?"

"I think he's great, but he's struggling with that whole Hermione thing right now. How is she doing?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You could go see her."

"If I do, I'll end up hitting her for hurting her son and him."

"Good point." Draco led the way into the kitchen, getting them beers from the refrigerator. "She's about to be released into supervised custody. From what I hear, they think she's actually changed and that she's reformed." Ron shook his head. "You don't think so?"

"Considering the first thing she did was beat up on Harry? No." He sipped his beer, then gulped it. "Damn, I needed that. This is really heady, people are asking me for help."

"I know." Draco grinned. "Feeling better now?"

"Scared spitless," he admitted. Then he shrugged. "I know what I'm doing, it'll be fine." He glanced around. "Are you coming over now or later?"

"Let me shower and I'll be up. We'll have dinner in town and you can give me your notes." Ron nodded and jogged off, going back to his waiting class. "Well," Draco said, smirking. "That was rather nice of Dumbledore." He walked away, going to put up his broom and get a shower. He smelled now.

***

Xander looked over as Draco and Lucien came out of the fireplace with a bag. "Going somewhere?"

"Ron's been called away to help someone with a minor demon." Xander's face fell. "Sorry, but they wanted him this time. We're filling in for him."

Lucien walked over and crawled up into his uncle's lap. "Where's Maeve?"

"With her mommy and Severus."

"Oh." He gave him a pitiful look. "Can I have her? I'll give her back later."

Xander smiled. "Sure, if you can go get her, you can have her." He let the little boy go, watching as he wandered off.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Draco said as he sat down. "One never knows what's wandering the corridors around here."

Xander whistled, bringing one of the eager chicks. "Go track the baby. Make sure he gets to Snape." The bird flew off, going to watch the boy. If he could do this, he could brag about it and find a mate. He cooed at the baby as he caught up to him, then headed down a hallway, showing him where they should go play. The baby squealed but continued on his path, so the chick had to come back and help him go where *he* wanted to go. In the end, it worked out. The two children ran into each other and clutched at each other, babbling in some strange language that only the two of them knew. The chick got to snuggle up to the nice one, who always had fruit in her pocket.

"Here you go, Horace, very nicely done," Tara told him with a smile. She looked down at the two kids. "Lucien, why are you back?"

"Daddy teach for Uncle Ron," he said happily. "We be here *weeks*!"

"Oh." She frowned and looked at her mate. "Ron's going somewhere?"

"The American Aurors sent a letter requesting his help with a small demon uprising in Sunnydale. For obvious reasons, Xander wasn't told." He looked at the children, who were still babbling. "Go play in the tower or in Slytherin."

"Oooh, Ravena," Lucien said with a grin. "We can go see sissy?" Snape nodded. "Thank you!" He led his bestest friend off to the Slytherin house, opening the door with a shouted word. One of the bigger kids looked down at them and grimaced. "Get out of my way! We're going to see sister!" He strode on, pushing past the idiot who didn't know enough to get out of his way. He was a Malfoy, didn't that idiot know enough to get out of his way?

"Ravena, visitors!" the sixth year boy called.

She came down the stairs and looked at the little people. "Hi," she said with a smile. "Want to come upstairs? I'm brushing Hemlock and you can pet him." They followed her up the stairs, going to help do the exciting stuff with her kitty cat.

The sixth year boy shook his head. "That boy is trouble," he said, going to bug his girlfriend for some.

***

Agatha stormed into the house, one child under each arm. She handed them both to Draco. "They were singing," she told him, then she left in a huff.

Draco smiled at them. "Did you have fun annoying your cousin?" The kids both nodded. "Why don't you two play with the triplets, we'll be spending a lot of time with them for the next few weeks. Let William finish his nap." He let them go, watching as they ran off. Draco returned to the notes, nodding as he came to familiar sections. "When did you add sexual demons?"

"It keeps the sixth years' attention long enough to shove the other stuff down their throats," Ron said with a shrug. "It's about time to add another one. I try for one every few months to draw out the tease." He handed over the next set, sorted by day and class period. "These are the fourth years' and you're going to have some trouble. It's the werewolf lecture." His substitute looked at him. "At least one kid every year goes after Remus and I promised to try and stop them. You're going to have to keep that promise and try to keep him in good health. Especially since this year's comes right after a full moon. Last year's was during and some brilliant idiot got it into his head to go hunting for him. Fortunately, he didn't know about the tunnels and wasn't willing to go through the forest. We put a watcher on the road so he couldn't go that way."

"What's the usual punishment?"

"Three day in-tower suspension. Without food if you can talk the house elves into it. Though last year, Xander found the kid first so he came in crying and begging for your former Head to punish him instead," he admitted with a smile. "His mother owled Xander and he sent a howler back to her about her son's plan. Her son got a howler the next day and made an apology in front of the whole school one morning." He looked at the rest of the pile of notes. "The rest is pretty normal. The average stuff, following the book. There's a few places where I tell stories, and I've included them in case you wanted them." He shrugged. "I usually end up sitting on the desk so I can see who's goofing off. We have one artist in the fourth years, Hufflepuff girl named Sandy. She draws about every class, and if she's bored they become very ornate. She did a colored one in one of Black's classes from what I heard." Draco smirked and shook his head. "She's usually my indication of boredom. If she pulls out more than two pens at the start of class, it's going to be a bad day." He grabbed his mug of milk and drank most of it. "I hate this stuff."

"Then why do you drink it?"

"Because I had Iggy make me something to protect and hide me on the flight over. I'm not even going to try and portkey over there. There's no telling where I'd end up."

"What sort of demon is it?"

"A small band of problems. All of them are fighters, they have slime shooting capabilities. They took out Wesley's last slayer a few weeks back. I checked with him and his next one is in London. No chance of getting her over there to help for at least another month because of her age. She's ten."

Draco shuddered. "I'm sorry, Ron."

"It won't happen," Ron sighed. "I've got to keep believing that. Minnie won't be called and everything will be fine. Otherwise I'll go bonkers and have to hurt the lot of them." He finished off his milk. "I told the kids I was going to help Wesley and Willow, so they'll probably want to call them sometime. They know though so it'll be all right." He stood up. "That's about all. Except the fact that Ray has some medicine right now for a rash. One of those dry, itchy spots." Draco nodded. "It's easy enough to see, it's on his outer thigh and he has to be reminded to leave it alone constantly if the medicine's not on it. Are you sure you can handle the three of them and Lucien?"

"I'm sure, even though I won't be alone with them. Xander and George will still be around most of the time." Ron nodded. "Don't worry. You'll come home and they'll be happy and demand presents. Children that age are resilient." Ron nodded again. "Hug them if you want; I'm sure they'd like it." Ron smiled and headed to go hug the kids. "Mine did when I first had to let them go for a bit," Draco muttered, reading over the notes to refresh his memories. He found some new creatures and decided to pick up one of the student's textbooks to read through. Interesting.

***

Andrea looked across the winter landscape. She may have had the sight spell turned off again, but she could imagine what it looked like. Melvin had described it to her just a few moments ago. She scooted closer to him, leaning against his side. She liked the guy, she really did, but she was wondering if he was an idiot at the moment. Maybe being clueless ran in his family? "Melvin, do you like me?" she asked.

"I like you a lot," he told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders under her cloak. "If you wouldn't paste me for it, I'd even ask you to date me."

"Why would I paste you for it?"

"Because you told all the other kids that we're too young."

"Oh." She pinched him hard, on the tit by accident. "I said that because most of them *are* too young, emotionally. And Ana's too young physically. I personally feel more than old enough to not only date, but go steady." She didn't get to see the way his face lit up. "So, how about it?"

"I'd love to," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I wanted to ask you at the Christmas Ball, but you were so tired that night and I was worried that it would make you really upset and ruin the holiday for you." She pinched him again in the same spot. "Ow!"

"Good. I would have loved for you to have asked me then, you idiot." He chuckled. "Seriously, Melvin, I like you more than enough to not only date you but go steady. Now, was that a yes?"

"Yup, it's a yes," he said, smiling down at her. She tipped her face up so they shared their first kiss.

Which was interrupted by a cleared throat behind them. "Don't make me tell your father," Ron told them with a smile. "Percy will shit and then come up here to have that talk with you."

Melvin grinned. "He already stammered through it, Uncle Ron. Twice actually because he didn't get anything out the first time."

"We promise, Professor Weasley, we won't do anything illegal on school grounds. We will follow the underwear rule and won't even snog." Melvin gave a subvocal whimper. "Where we can be caught," she amended.

He nodded. "Good. I appreciate that. Percy really would die if you got pregnant before the finish of school. Plus, he's adamant that his son be *married* before children arrive." Melvin's eyes became wide. "Have you told him yet?"

"Only that I wanted to ask her out," Melvin admitted. "His exact words were, 'she's a wonderfully nice girl and will not hurt you. You had better do the same for her'." Andrea giggled. "It's really okay with you if we go steady?"

"I'd enjoy watching you," Ron told him. "Just remember your promise so I don't have to tell your parents. Got it?" They both nodded. "Then continue on, without the kissing in plain sight. Dumbledore just walked past that area."

"I know, I felt his amusement. He thought we were already a couple." Ron rolled his eyes and walked away. "You know, that telepathy thing is really handy," Melvin told her. "Uncle Ron was thinking about all sorts of things that he *could* have caught us doing and had to keep censoring himself. I didn't know you could do some of those things."

She punched him on the stomach. "Gee, just what I needed to think about," she told him. "Thank you ever so much for those mental pictures."

He nuzzled her ear. "I can do any of them that you want, precious. Uncle Draco managed to pin me down to have that talk with me as well, and he was quite graphic about everything." She slapped at him. "What?"

"No sex, Melvin. Not for a very long time. Kissing yes, sex no."

"Okay," he sighed. "But I still have a teenage boy mind and it occasionally goes there."

She smiled up at him. "I don't mind that at all. It's a nice thing to think about and anticipation is the ultimate form of foreplay for some of us. We can tease each other for a very long time," she finished with a grin.

"You're evil, Andrea." He kissed her hard, pulling her against him. Storm barked and growled, trying to get him off his mommy. "You, shut it," Melvin told him. "I'm not hurting her, I'm kissing her."

"Yes, and what a pretty sight it was," Iggy said as he walked past them. "Uncle Ron's right behind me." He grinned. "Dating officially finally?"

"Going steady," Melvin said proudly.

"Wonderful news. Wait until the dads hear about that!" He winked. "You two behave and tell me if you need *anything* mixed up." They both nodded. "I mean it, Andrea. Don't make the mistake of some other girls."

"Yes, Iggy. I'll come to you if I need any special potions made up, even though we've just agreed to hold off on that."

"As Simone says, that's what hands are for," Iggy agreed. He saluted and ran off.

She giggled. "That is so true."

"Girls can do that?" Melvin asked in awe.

She nodded. "You should hear some of the noises from the other girls at night," she teased, pinching him on the tit again. "Want to go sit beside a fire and cuddle with me while we study?"

"Love to. Lead the way, dear."

"Do you always call your girlfriends pet names?"

"I don't know, you're my first. If you don't like then I won't, but I like calling you those. It makes you blush." She blushed again. "Just like that, precious."

She swatted him and picked up Storm's handle. "Come," she told him. "To the house. Maybe there's cocoa."

"Mmmmm, chocolate," Melvin said, grinning down at her. "Chocolate and sweat."

"Melvin!" Ron snapped. "You don't use hot chocolate like that, you use the stuff you put on sundaes, and you don't do it on school property."

"Yes, Uncle Ron, and thank you," Andrea told him, giggling as she walked off.

Melvin looked at his uncle. "You're supposed to use the thicker sauce?" Ron nodded. "Isn't that messy?"

"Yes, but that's why someone makes plastic sheets, Melvin. Don't worry and talk to Draco, he'll tell you *all* about that stuff."

"He already did, but he only said chocolate," Melvin said with a blush.

"I'll tell him you need the specifics," Ron said with a grin. "Go catch up so you can snuggle. Even Simone thinks that you're cute." The boy ran off, catching up to his new girlfriend. "Ah, young love," Ron said with a sappy grin. "It was such fun at that age." He walked back into the house and stopped long enough to tell Draco something by whispering in his ear.

"I'll talk to him again tonight," Draco agreed, not looking away from his magazine.

"I'm sure he'll need it, he was just thinking about using hot cocoa."

"Only when your lover is chilled," Draco noted. Ron stared down at him until he looked up. "It's part of the fun of having sex outside in the winter time, getting warm afterwards." Ron shivered and walked away, heading up to his room. "I can watch the children if you want some time alone."

"No thanks. It's naptime."

Draco smirked. "Yes, naptime was one of my favorites too," he told the magazine. "Really, are muggles too stupid to figure that position out?" He turned the page to the next position in the '19 positions to make him go wild in bed' article. "Know that one." Flip. "Know that one." Flip. "Never did that one in that position, but the alternate was quite pleasant." Flip. "Know that one. Really, that one's easy to figure out, it's over the back of the couch, or on the table or somewhere like that."

***

Ron landed in the memorial park and looked around. It had been a long flight, but he had gotten to think over a lot of stuff and decide on a course of action. He stepped off his broom and looked around, noticing a few slightly familiar people. "Must have met them at the reunion." He smiled as an auror walked up to him. "You called?"

"We thought we'd be getting your mentor," the auror said, looking around.

"He's just coming off knee surgery and he did vow to never come near this place again unless the world was ending," Ron reminded him, still smiling.

"Very well then. What's your field?"

"I'm the Defense teacher at Hogwarts."

One of the slightly familiar people walked over to them. "You're Xander's brother-in-law, right?" Ron nodded. "Why are you here?"

"I got a letter saying that you lot needed help so here I am. Something about demons shooting slime and killing a slayer?"

"Oh, that," Amy said, nodding. "I've seen them, they're not that bad. They managed to surround her and they hunt in packs. What can you do?"

"Stop up their slime shooters for starters," Ron told her. He pulled the sword on his back. "And after that, I figured I'd do it Xander's way." She laughed. "He's fine by the way."

"Good. What happened this time?"

"More fixing on his knee. They had to replace half of it because it was growing stuff." He put the sword back in its scabbard. "So, where are they? I left Malfoy in charge of my students."

The auror looked at him. "What makes you think you're qualified?"

Ron looked him over, then stared him down. "You greasy stupid git, I trained directly under Xander and Buffy Summers. She was my mate until she died." He looked impressed. "Now, can we get on with this? I want to check something out that I saw on the way over. It looked like a real sphinx had taken up in Vegas." He put his broom over his shoulder. "Shall we?" he asked Amy, walking away with her.

"You're that Ron?" Amy asked. He nodded. "How are you doing? Even we heard what her Watcher did to her."

"The triplets and I are good, but I still miss her. It's a daily struggle not to go beat Giles senseless, or some sense into him."

"He came back?" she asked, mouth hanging open.

Ron nodded. "Came back a few years back, during that convergence time. He passed out in the school no less. Xander and I both had to be restrained a few times before he was carted back to the Watchers." He looked her over. "Are you going to Willow's wedding this summer?"

"Probably. I got the invitation, but I'm not sure about the timing. Summer solstice is usually a busy time around here."

"Hmm. I didn't look up the date. Is it on solstice?"

"Two days after. According to the note she included, Wesley refused to have it on Solstice. He'd give her a lot, but not that much." Ron nodded. "So, you know Wesley too?"

"Yup, and Amelia. Cute little bugger. Powerful like her ma. Has better sense though, very strong willed. Any word on who the father is?"

"Not a clue," Amy admitted. She pointed off to the left. "Vampire." Ron flicked his wand and the head came off, dusting it. "Wow. That's handy. Can I get one of those?"

"You'd have to ask Ollivander. Tara's the only one of your type that he's fit so far." He frowned as they came upon a small group of vampires in the middle of the street, Spike in the front of them. "I thought you were in town at home."

"I was," Spike said, putting out his cigarette. "I came over to retrieve something for the slimy bastard." He smiled. "How're the bints?"

"Active, hyper, and noisy." Ron walked over and pulled out his wallet, showing off the latest pictures. "Xander said Gwen's a little Buffy and Minnie's a little Buffy the Vampire Slayer," he said proudly. "Tara agreed."

Spike smiled and touched Minnie's head. "She'd like that." He looked at his posse. "Why're you here?"

"Slime shooters. You?"

"Necklace of Incara."

"The Ministry has it," Ron told him with a shrug. "It's in the museum. I was showing the tots it last month." He smiled and nodded Amy closer. "This is Amy Madison, Xander left her in charge."

Spike laughed. "I remember you as a rat," he said with a sneer.

She created a ball of power in her hand. "Unless *you* want to become one, I'd stop now," she warned. She took Ron's arm and led him away. "Come on, before those aurors come back. Are they all idiots or just the ones out here?"

"I think it's a common problem," Ron told her. "Ours like to show up after the fight and claim responsibility."

"So it's part of the makeup of the type of person who becomes an auror. Got it." She smiled at him. "Triplets? Buffy had triplets?"

Ron nodded. "Two girls and a boy." He showed her the pictures. "Gwen, Minnie, and Ray."

"Wow. They're cute as buttons," she said with a smile. "How old?"

"Nearly three. They like to pick on Xander's youngest two and Malfoy's youngest."

"You get along with Malfoy? I ask because I remember him as a somewhat evil looking man. Gorgeous and sexy, but evil and cruel."

"He can be. We've come to an understanding over the years. He's had most of his kids with my sister Ginny. He adores his children and anyone who might dick with that gets it. Otherwise, he's settled down a lot since he was an evil bastard. It still comes out every now and then though."

"Is he single?"

"You'd have to ask my sister that question," Ron said with a shrug. "She refuses to marry him, no matter what. Speaking of marrying, Tara just got through a complete bonding spell with her man."

"The tall, dark, greasy looking guy?" Ron nodded. "Why did she choose him? I thought she liked girls."

"She still does, but she couldn't find anyone. She said she ignores the fact that's he's male and somehow he fits her other criteria. Apparently he understands her on some levels. Xander's oldest had to get pushy with them to make them official."

"Xander's oldest is how old?"

"Thirteen and a potion's whiz. Braun is recruiting him." She looked suitably impressed. "He made them some bonding potions and didn't tell them what it was." She burst out laughing. "So, Xander will want to know how his hellmouth has been."

"Quiet. Whatever you guys did at the reunion has slowed it down a lot. The evil's dropped and a lot of hidden things have been found recently. The hellmouth was used to mask a lot of artifacts."

"Hmm. Wonder if Gringotts has been here yet," he mused. She looked up at him. "My brother used to be one of their best treasure hunters. He worked in Egypt for about ten years before he got hurt. Now he's working with Ginny on some special gryphon curses that need to be broken."

"Wow. You guys do interesting things. My type of witch would never even be asked."

"Point, but it's not all fun and games either. Xander got burned and his knee replaced in one great spell to kill some of the Watchers coming after my kids. Tara's gotten backlashed a few times while doing stuff. Bill, the one who was in Egypt, was hurt so many times his medical file is only summarized." He shook his head. "And my poor older brother Charlie is insane. He went back to work with dragons, still suffering from a head injury. Damn near got himself killed last month because he's still dizzy from it."

"Maybe it's good to lead a sedate life then," she agreed with a slight smile. "There they are, coming out of their temporary den. What did you want me to do to help?"

"Can you cast a strong light spell? Something blinding? They've got a third photosensitive eye on their chests and it'll stun them long enough for me to clog up their main defenses." She nodded and started to chant, moving away from him, but watching him work. Man, was he smooth. And then he pulled the sword. She hadn't seen anything like that in years. Not since she had caught Buffy working out while she had been a rat. Maybe she'd go to Willow's wedding after all.

***

Ron walked up to the sphinx and smiled. "You all right?" he asked it.

"Mostly. I'm chained here. It's not always comfortable."

Ron looked it over, shaking his head. "How old are you?"

"Three-sixty."

"Still a baby then," Ron sighed. "Have you been seen by one of the Magical Creature's people?" The sphinx shook it's head. "Then let me find you one to talk to. This is inhumane. Have you at least eaten?"

"They give me a sheep every day and a cow once a week," the sphinx said in disgust. "It's always the same. Not even virgin ones, old stringy ones."

"We'll see what we can do about that," Ron assured it. He had already mapped out where the local Ministry office was and headed there, forcing himself to walk past the rows of gleaming machines inside the casino that hid the Ministry. He found the Magical Creature's office and tapped on the door, walking inside when it was opened. "I'd like to make a report," he told the woman who had answered.

"All right. You're a Brit?"

"Ron Weasley, Hogwarts professor. I flew over to help with a hellmouth problem." She winced. "Small demon uprising. Oh, and you might want to warn someone that some artifacts have been found recently since the hellmouth's calmer." She dove for a phone and he filled out the long form, putting in as much detail as he could and giving them a good reason to check it out. He handed it back to the woman with a smile. "I've done my good deed for the day. I'm going home now."

She looked him over. "Not going to stay to gamble? This is a wizarding establishment."

"I can't afford to, I've got kids." He grabbed his broom and left, only stopping to play one round of slots.

***

Draco looked over as the fireplace flared up, showing Ron's head. "Where are you?"

"Las Vegas," Ron sighed. "I think I need help. Every time I walk past those machines it's like a compulsion. I can't get out of here and I'm going to go broke soon."

Draco sighed. "Fine, I'll come help you."

Xander cleared his throat. "Ron, real compulsion?" Ron nodded. "Have you reported it?"

"The local Ministry runs this place," Ron told him. "They said there's nothing wrong."

"Then someone should come save you," Draco agreed. "Do you have traveling floo access or just calling?"

"This one is calling, but there's a portkey and a floo point here. This is a wizarding establishment."

"And probably the mafia too," Xander said cheerfully. "How was my hellmouth?"

"Calm. So calm the hidden things are being uncovered. Get me out of here?"

"We're coming, Ron," Xander said, standing up.

"Not a chance," Draco told him coolly. "If you appear in America, they'll torture you for denying them your brilliance. I'll go. You watch the children." He stood up and walked out of the tower, going to arrange for some travel time. He portkeyed over and landed in the reception area. "I'm here to meet with my brother-in-law," he said coldly. The receptionist looked him over, seeming to sneer. "I'd stow it, mudblood, before I have to bring down my whole family on you." He walked away, having spotted Ron at the pay floos. "Come along."

Ron picked up his broom and bag, following him back. He could still feel the pull of the machines. "Just get me out of here," he begged.

Draco grimaced. "What's wrong with you?"

"It's a compulsion," Ron reminded him. He led the way to the slot room, showing it to him. That was all it took, Draco walked inside to a machine as well. They were both there when Arthur showed up ten hours later and dragged them away by their ears. "Thanks, dad," he said as they landed in the family home.

"That compulsion was stronger than the law allows," Arthur said with a frown. "Are you boys all right?" They both nodded. "Then go back to work. I'm blocking that address from the family's floos." He watched as they went back to the tower, shaking his head. His boss was going to hear about this. Trapping young wizards that way wasn't legal, even in America. A complaint would have to be made. He went to do that, ranting and raving about that gaudy place and the local Ministry ignoring it.

His boss looked at him like he was insane. Arthur never got that upset over anything. It definitely deserved a call to his counterpart in the United States.

***

Ron looked at Xander, giving him a sheepish look. "Sorry."

"It's all right, lots of people get lost in Vegas," Xander said with a wave of his hand. "Was it a compulsion?"

Draco sat down with a groan. "A heavy one. I still feel like a card game."

"I can't," Ron told him. "I'm broke until next month."

Draco stood up. "I think I'll play strip poker with Ginny. She should enjoy it." He left them there.

Xander smiled at Ron. "So, give. How was it?"

"Calm and peaceful. Like I said, a lot of the things hidden there under the mist of magic the hellmouth was putting out have been found. Saw Spike and bragged about the kids." Xander raised an eyebrow in a silent question. "He was there to retrieve one of the artifacts." He scratched his palms. "I know I would have won with one more yank of the machine."

"Those games are made so that almost no one wins," Xander reminded him. "Go play solitaire or poker with yourself." Ron headed up to his room. Xander sat and fumed. How dare they do that to his family! They would have to pay!

In that casino, the next seven pulls of the slot machines all won large amounts of money. A few gryphon-borns looked up in shock, having felt the wave of anger, but they weren't going to say anything. That was some strong magic! Anger bombs indeed.

***

Xander looked out over his classroom. Then he looked at the kids playing in the corner. Then he looked back at the classroom, who were mostly looking pissed. "What? Their sitter is sick. Get over it, the real world has noise in it, not silence. Been there, done that, and it creeps people out." He glared at them and they went back to their tests, scribbling furiously. Except for the one girl in the back who was staring out the window. "Stephanie," he called quietly. "Are you done?"

"No, just wondering what the big, dark blot over the town is," she said, pointing at the cloud.

Xander walked over to the window and looked. "Huh." He sent a dirty thought at his husband to see if he was wearing his special necklace, and got a laugh in return. So he asked about the cloud. "Locusts?" he said when he heard the answer. "Why are there locusts?" He pointed at one of the kids he trusted, his own. "Watch the littler ones. I'm going to the Headmaster."

"He already knows," Iggy said, after glancing up. "He said to stay in here. There's nothing you can do that won't result in long-term damage to the town." He handed over his test, smiling at him. "I refuse to answer one question for the reason of ethics."

"Hey, it can be counted as wrong," Xander agreed. He held it out with a smile. "Thirty seconds to reconsider." His son snatched it back and finished writing the answer to the question about vampires. "I'm not telling you to use the knowledge, just making sure you have it if you have to use it some day."

Snape walked in and looked out the window. "What is that?"

"Locusts," Xander told him. "So said the hubby." Snape looked at him. "Lover's crystal?" he reminded.

"I had forgotten you'd made one of those," Snape said quietly. "What are we going to do."

"I got ordered to stay here because I might hurt something," Xander told him. He smiled at the dirty look he got. "What? The only thing I could think of would be to burn them and that's pretty dangerous."

"Shh!" one student hissed. "Shut up and take it outside. Sirs."

Xander nodded at the hallway, taking the other teacher out there. He slammed the door for good measure and heard the groan, grinning. "What would bring locusts here? This isn't the area for them."

"I don't know, but I suspect your mate." Xander shook his head. "Are you sure?"

"George's first response was that it wasn't them. Are we thinking spell?"

"It'd have to be," Snape told him. "What else would draw that blight to this area?"

"That's a very good point," Tara said as she joined them. "It's a magically driven swarm. Someone sent it to us. The shields around the school are protecting us and we are to stay here, Xander. Having you burn them might help, but you could torch the whole town."

"What about creating a spot of void?" Iggy asked as he walked out and handed over his test. "You know I know how to slay a vampire," he said in disgust. "I should have automatically gotten credit for it."

"I've never seen you slay one," Xander told him. He suddenly smiled. "Your other father says that he's never seen you do it either and he had better never see you try." He patted his son on the head. "Go watch the little creatures. They should be about ready to get up." Iggy nodded and headed back inside. "Is creating void dangerous?"

"It will basically create a spot of burning in the air," Tara told him. "When it explodes, it will suck in the surrounding air, creating a vacuum as well. Anything in there would be suffocated and fried both. Someone tried it recently, that's why we had those meetings."

A wail went up inside the classroom and Xander went to investigate, picking up the child yelling at the kids by the back of her robe and carrying her away. He smiled as he handed her to Tara. "She was yelling at your daughter."

"She's noisy and disruptive," the girl shouted, trying to get free. She was only a foot shorter than the professor, and her feet weren't touching the ground at the moment. "You should find someone to watch them."

"Not only are you talking about things you have no idea of," Snape told her coldly, "you have just managed to earn yourself two detentions from each of us. We will make sure that your attitude is adjusted by the end of them all."

Tara laid a hand on his arm. "Xander, send her upstairs to air out her complaint. I can bring the kids to class with me, we're doing gust spells next class."

"Most likely, you'll be helping with that then," Xander told her. "Besides, I don't have a class next period. It'll be fine, Tara." He dropped the student. "March before I make you." She huffed and walked off, going to complain.

"I'm worried about her," Tara said, frowning. "What will she do when she starts to work in the real world, where there's noise and loud things like dropping file cabinets."

"Maybe she'll go work for Percy, he's got a quiet office," Xander said dryly. He looked back inside and torched two test papers because he caught them cheating. "Go turn yourselves in," he said harshly. They ran off, going to do that before he could do something worse to them. "Anyone else?" He got a few head shakes from the rest of the students.

"Nice job," Tara said with a smile. "We're meeting during the next class, Albus just called." He nodded. "Bring the kids with you." She walked away with Snape, talking about the problem.

***

Xander held up the paper so his husband and his husband's brother could see the headline. Joke Store Brings Locusts Down on Town. "I think you'll need to make a statement."

Fred snatched the paper to read the article. "Ours is in there. We didn't ask for them, we didn't send them, and we didn't encourage the person who did send them. If that guy hated us so much, he should have told us so directly, not endangered the town." He gave it to his twin. "I wonder if he's been arrested yet."

"It says he was picked up but released on bail," George said, turning the page. "Oh, look, Iggy's store is having a sale." He handed over the notice for the bookstore's sale. "Let's keep that from the son, shall we?"

"I'd hate to be the one to have to go through his book collection when he dies," Fred noted. Xander nodded. "Has he made any progress with his new alchemy stuff?" Xander nodded. "Good progress?"

"A little bit. He got a spell to work the other day because he figured out what the book wasn't saying."

"It's my book!" Iggy yelled, coming through the door arguing with his cousin. "You wrote your name in my book!"

"It's mine! Uncle Charlie gave this to me for Christmas!" Simone argued. "Get your hands off my book before I beat you senseless!"

"It's mine, you nasty bitch! I bought it! It's part of my set!"

"It is not! It's part of mine!"

"You said earlier yours didn't have hippogryphs and this one does, so it's my copy!"

"There's six more of them around here, pick up one of the other ones," George yelled. The fighting only paused for a second.

"You've ruined one of my books by writing in it, I'll never get it cleaned now!"

"Enough!" Draco yelled from the couch, where he had been napping. He got up and snatched the book. "It's mine now, get over it."

"Well, someone hasn't gotten laid recently," Simone snorted.

"Allowance, now," Draco ordered, looking pissed. "You won't be needing it, you're both fucking grounded to the tower this weekend!" Iggy gasped. "Yes, you too." Simone handed back the allowance she had barely gotten that morning. "Now go be decent children somewhere else."

"I still say he needs laid," Simone said as she walked away with her cousin.

"Gee," Xander said dryly. "Nice work."

"I'm agreeing with your daughter," George told him. "Maybe you should go get laid." Draco glared at him. "Don't give me that look, I can still put you over my knee and spank you."

Fred put a hand on his brother's arm. "Don't, he might like it in the mood he's in." He looked at the younger man. "What did Ginny do this time?"

"She dumped him again and tried to make fun of him," Xander said, turning to pat Draco gently on the back. "Go back to your nap, son. It's all right." Draco shook his head. "Yes, it is. The kids stopped. You just saved the town another Simone exposure. It'll be okay."

Draco shook his head. "It's not. Guess what happened today," he told them. Fred shrugged. "Someone came in to get a family heirloom evaluated for gryphon taint, something we do a lot of. She saw me and then sneered, at me, because of Ginny and her problems." He threw the book across the room. "I didn't think it could get worse, but it now has."

"Then take her to court," George told him. "Get her custody removed. At least then this whole public drama you two have going on will be done."

"People will even be sympathetic," Fred agreed. "Your side will get out and she'll look bad. The family can take it."

George looked at him. "Wouldn't we have to stick up for her?"

Xander shook his head. "Nope. Ginny's gone too far this time, it's hurting him."

"Iggy?" Fred suggested.

"No," Xander said, shaking his head. "Remember how upset Tara was? Ginny will blow up the school if he does that to them." Draco nodded. "Why don't you take a few days off and go somewhere? Go lay on a beach or something?"

"Because I have a game on Saturday," Draco reminded him.

Ron jogged down the stairs. "What's wrong?" he asked, his smile disappearing.

"Someone snarked on him because of what Ginny's doing," Xander told him. "Got any suggestions?"

"Chains and a civil servant?" Ron suggested. Draco shuddered. "Sorry. Thought you wanted it resolved that way."

"Originally, now I'm not so sure." He looked up. "One day, a single day, after she dumped me again, she was seen snogging in public and everyone applauds her for it."

"Changing your name is the only way to get rid of that," Fred told him. Draco glared at him. "It is."

"Why don't you come with me tonight?" Ron suggested. "I was going to go pub crawling since Tara wanted to watch the kids for me."

"It keeps Severus from jumping her," Xander said at the confused look the twins were wearing. "He's been very happy with the whole mated for life thing." He patted Draco again. "I agree, go pub crawling, get it out of your system. Come back tomorrow once your hangover is gone and we'll plan something so mean and nasty together that she'll come begging you to take her back." Draco gave him a hopeful smile. "We'll work on it tonight and give you ideas tomorrow." The younger man nodded and got up to go change. "Ron, watch out for him," Xander reminded him.

Ron rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to abandon him somewhere." He looked over as Draco came down the stairs dressed as a muggle. "I was going to hit some of the wizard pubs." A robe was grabbed. "Nice touch, you don't look like you at all," he said with a smirk. "Come on, I'll even buy dinner." He dragged Draco through the floo, going to stop for dinner first.

Xander looked at the twins. "Helping me or not?"

"If mum hears, we're dead," Fred pointed out.

"And? She's been nagging Ginny again," George told him. "What can she do, kick us out of the family for sticking up for Draco?"

"I don't think so, but this is mum we're talking about," Fred said.

Xander used his wand to call over a little cellphone. "Arthur Weasley's office," he said into it, connecting to the floo. He loved the new device. It was so much easier than sitting beside a fireplace. "Hey, dad, we've got a question. No, Draco was smirked and derided for what Ginny's doing again. If we stick up for him and make Ginny sorry will mum get mad and yell at any of us? If not, is she willing to help?" He laughed and hung up. "Your father said he'd like to beat some sense into her at the moment and to have fun. That your mother will help us if it's a good enough plan, and that she was going to stop doing Ginny's laundry for her because of her being caught in public with her panties around her ankles. Apparently someone blew up the picture from the Prophet and sent it to her."

"I think she's trying to relive her teenage years," Fred said thoughtfully.

"I can help her get back there," Xander said sweetly. The twins looked at him. "What? It's a good place to start."

Iggy walked in and slammed the door. "Don't talk to me," he said as he walked up the stairs.

"Still?" George asked. "This bad mood has gone on long enough." Something upstairs crashed. "If that was mine, you're in trouble," he yelled.

Iggy came down the stairs. "Do you know what Aunt Ginny did this time?" The adults nodded. So crossed his arms. "What are we doing about this? Ana's telling everyone it's a spell."

"That's an idea," Xander said thoughtfully. The twins looked at him. "Way back when, in high school, I was secretly dating Cordy."

"Bitch," George muttered.

"Yup, her," Xander said, giving him a smile. "Trust me, she was an energy sucker long before she got turned. We'd fight and then go make out in closets. Well, the stupid woman dumped me on Valentine's Day." Fred sucked in a breath. "Yup, she was that bad. I had just blown some major money on a gift too. I gave it to her and she announced she was breaking up with me. She took the gift for a few days too." He got comfortable. "Anyway, I decided I wanted to get back at her. Do something to get her back to my side so I could dump her. So I had one of the friendly witches in town, Amy Madison not Willow, cast a love spell using the gift I had given her. Only it buggered," he said with a smile. "Turned every woman in town *but* her onto me. They chased me down. Some tried to grope, some tried to lock me in a room, and when it didn't work, they got jealous. Like Willow grabbed an axe while chanting the phrase 'if I can't have him no one can' sort of jealous. The whole town, no matter how old or undead, chasing after little eleventh grade me." George started to smile. "Think about it. If she wants to rebel and play around, give her what she wants," he said with a smile.

"I can do that," Iggy said. "There's an extreme attraction potion in one of the books I'm not supposed to get into downstairs."

"If you're not supposed to be in there, how do you know?" Fred asked.

"Someone else was trying to break into it so I asked why," Iggy said with a smirk. His Uncle's mouth fell open. "And with my beloved Lord and Master being so busy tonight trying to get some, then gee, I wonder who'll be in the lab."

"Iggy, I don't want you in trouble. Ask him first," Xander told him. "He thinks of Draco as a nephew or so." His son nodded and jogged off. "Can I change her back to a sixteen-year-old again anyway?"

"No, dear, that would be overkill," George told him in his most patient tone. "You can deage her some other time." He smiled at his twin. "Do you think it's mean enough for the might-as-well-be-son?"

"I think he'll adore it, he can sit in the office and smirk at her," Fred told him.

"Or sneer, he does that very well," Xander pointed out.

***

Iggy carried the book he needed down to his mentor's apartments, tapping gently on the entry painting. Tara opened the door and looked at him. "I need permission," he said with a smile. "We're going to have a ...talk with Aunt Ginny." She let him in and he put the book down in front of his teacher.

"Did I not tell you to never touch that book?" Snape asked, not looking up from his reading. Iggy leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Oh." The journal dropped from his fingers. "Who came up with that plan?"

"Guess," he said with a smile. "The person it happened to."

"What spell is Xander wanting to curse Ginny with?" Tara asked as she sat down across from them.

"Did he ever tell you about when he was dating some bitch named Cordelia?" Tara frowned at him. "She was the one who tortured him, Aunt Tara, I'm allowed to call her that."

"Point, but not around the children." She pointed at where they were watching in the corner.

"Hey, guys, you can't say that word," Iggy told them. They went back to playing. "Problem solved. No one ever thought to tell Simone that," he said when she opened her mouth. He looked at Snape. "May I?"

Snape licked his lips. "That spell could backfire very badly. She could get hurt." Iggy nodded. "Did he have a plan for that?"

"The office. Limited environment and Uncle Draco would be there." Snape's eyes narrowed. "Did you see her picture in the paper today?" He waited while Tara and he looked through it, then nodded when Tara gasped. "Needless to say, the rest of the family has had enough. Someone blew that picture up and sent it to grandma too."

Snape crumpled the paper in his fist. "You may, but make it half-strength. She'll spend most of the day panicking but more safe than not. Full-strength is too strong and she could be attacked."

"Yes, sir," Iggy said. "Now all I need is something to put it onto and something for a counter-charm." He picked up the book and headed down to the dungeon to get it done. She deserved it, and would hopefully learn from it before her children were hurt.

***

Draco woke up with a groan. His head hurt. His body hurt. His toenails hurt. It must have been one hell of a night, if only he could remember it. Slowly things started to come to his attention. He was in bed. Always a good. Not his because the sheets were coarse and the mattress was lumpy, but a bed was always a good sign. He was naked, so he was probably going to spend the next few days trying to piece together the night, just so he would know if he should worry or not. The last thing that came to his attention was that someone was in bed with him and they were groaning too, in a very deep voice. A familiar deep voice. He turned his head, wincing at the pain of his skin stretching. Oh, damn. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Just kill me now."

Ron sat up and looked around, eyes watering in the weak sunlight. He looked at the person lying next to him, then checked under the sheet. "Fuck me."

"Are you sore in odd places?" Draco asked.

"No."

"Then nothing happened." He forced himself to get up and grab what he thought were his clothes. He soon found he had the wrong underwear and shirt because they were too tight for him and he had been wearing loose clothes last night so they switched. "How do you feel?"

"I hurt," Ron told him. "You?"

"The same." He grunted with the effort of pulling on his shirt. "Breakfast?"

"No thanks, my stomach hurts." Ron checked his wrist but his watch was missing. "What time is it?"

Draco looked at his own wrist but it was empty. "Not a clue." He looked out the window. "Diagon, so we're in the Leaky Cauldron. No noise so it's not too late." He checked around the room and found their watches. "If we hurry, we can make it to first period," he noted, handing over the one that wasn't his, and the necklace. "What's that?"

"Locket. A birthday present I never got to give her." Ron snapped on his watch and checked himself over. "Do you have your wallet?"

"No." Draco shrugged. "It's not like there was anything in there except money and pictures. I doubt someone wanted pictures of our children." He walked over to the door and opened it, finding a tray outside it. "Our wallets and juice," he said in appreciation. He tossed Ron his and grabbed one of the glasses of juice to gulp.

Ron grabbed the other and the tray, following the other man down the stairs. "Of all the places I expected to wake up, that wasn't it." Draco shot him a glare. "Think about it. Did you want to wake up there?" He put the tray on the bar. "Do we owe you anything?"

"No!" Tom called. "But I'm sending the tape to your house. You're late."

"Thank you," Draco called. He finished his juice and put it on the bar, following Ron to the floo. He came out the other side green and reeling. "Oh, that was a bad idea," he moaned. "I'm going to bed." He stumbled out of the staffroom and headed for his bed.

Ron finished throwing up in the ash pot and pulled himself back together. He stumbled out of the room, heading down to his classroom. He ran into his brother-in-law coming out of it. "How late am I?"

"Very." Xander looked him over, shaking his head. "The things you do in your spare time, Ron. You'd think that you liked the guy." He grinned and walked away. "Iggy said he's not making you a cure so you'll have to go to the infirmary."

"Wonderful," Ron grunted, heading into his classroom. Someone clapped. "No noise or you're getting an exam," he threatened. He found a copy of the paper on his desk and stopped to look at it, turning white. "Shit!" He balled it up and threw it in the corner. "No one says a thing or I'll have to hurt the lot of you," he warned as he sat on the front of his desk. "Where were we?"

"Wereowls?" one girl suggested. The kids nodded.

"Thank you. Just like all the other weres...."

***

Draco walked into his room and fell face-first onto his bed, narrowly missing the paper sitting on his bed. He heard it crinkle and lifted his head enough to notice what it was. He shoved it off, he'd look at it later.

"Read it," George called as he walked past the door. "You'll want to have an excuse ready for your meeting at ten."

"Bloody intolerable butt muncher," Draco muttered, not up to his usual par due to his hangover. He reached down and grabbed the paper, reading the section it had been opened to. What he saw made him finally get sick to his stomach.

"I'm calling in sick for the next year," he muttered as he tossed the paper aside and wiped his mouth off. "Either that or dead once he reads that."

***

Iggy walked into the tower, holding up the small locket and a bracelet with a matching charm on it. "Done," he said proudly. "The hardest I've done outside the bonding spells."

Draco lifted his head up from the couch, barely, and looked at him. "What's that?" he asked as the bracelet was put on him. "It's not really my style."

"It's the counter for that one," Xander said, giving his son a proud smile. "You can have an extra book on us if you want," he promised. He got down onto the floor and told Draco the story of the love spell, making him look at him funny. "And that's for Ginny."

Draco's eyes lit up. "That's what we're doing?" Xander nodded, looking very smug. "Wonderful. Maybe I'll go in tomorrow after all." He took the necklace. "Have we tried it?"

"Yup. I put it on Simone and stuck her in a room with ten test subjects. Including Uncle Percy. They all reacted. She didn't even have to beat any of them up, though I did have to tell someone that I looked pitiful in leather because I'm too thin to pull off the look when asked." His father looked at him. "One of the test subjects was bi," he said simply. His father nodded. "So, can I give it to her?"

"If you'd like," Draco agreed. "Let me write you a card." He smirked evilly and grabbed a pen and parchment. "This is going to be fun to watch."

***

Iggy tapped on Ginny's office door and walked in. "Delivery, Aunt Ginny." He handed over the box, watching as she opened it.

"Cheap, not his usual style," Ginny noted, putting it back into the box. She noticed Iggy still standing there. "Another problem?"

"I think it'd make him smile if you wore it tomorrow, and he hasn't done that in days," Iggy told her. "Having to not beat the snot out of the boy who asked if Ana could mimic the position you were in for that photograph taxed all his patience and will power."

"Who asked that?" she said coldly.

"Two of the older boys. Uncle Ron made it known that it was some sort of bad spell backlash and would be wearing off so they wouldn't get pinched in the halls again either. It was really nice. Anastasia took her Creature's textbook to someone this time. Even Agatha stuck up for you, though she said you were just a slut and that your daughters had learned from their father and not you." Her mouth opened. "Aunt Ginny, not to be rude, but I don't want to be seen in public with you until this has blown over. You're presently starting to impact my future because I got a letter from one of the board members at Braun wanting to know if I was really related to you. Since I thought my future depended on it, I lied." He looked down at her shocked look. "Really, what do you expect? Uncle Draco's probably the only person in the family who will talk to you now. He only got you that because he was shopping to relieve stress." He waved and left, heading back to his studies.

She fingered the small locket, then put it on. How dare that kid! Especially when Draco had been photographed with her brother. Still, it was nice of him to think of her and it made her feel pretty.

***

Draco continued to read his book as Ginny ran in and shut the door, leaning against it. "Not having a good time?" he asked as he turned the page.

"The janitor, that really old guy, just leered at me and asked if I'd like to ride his broom," she panted. "And that's the nicest I've gotten so far." She locked the door and walked over to her desk, sitting down with a sigh and putting her head down on it. "Today is starting out weird."

"I'm sure it will get better." He wrote a note out of the book and moved on. "Henson called."

"What did they want?"

"Something spectacular for a special. It got given to them on short notice and they've barely got a script." He turned the next page. "What else happened?"

"Why do you care?"

He put down his book and turned to look at her, putting his feet back up on the desk. "Because it's obvious you want to rant and my research is presently boring." He gave her one of his patient 'I'm waiting' looks.

"It started this morning with the neighbors. Those people we thought were such nice muggles offered to let me join in while he was screwing his wife against the patio doors. Your son clapped by the way." She sat up and started to force herself to relax. "Then there was the diner for breakfast. Someone I never met bought my breakfast and snack muffin." She looked around but it wasn't anywhere. "Shoot, I wanted that too."

"You probably dropped it on your jog in. What else?"

She looked at him. "How did you know there was something else?" she asked.

"Because you're like an open book to me," he smirked. "You're still agitated, you're still vibrating in your chair and I doubt that you have something over there helping you out, and you're still huffy sounding." He picked up his book. "If you don't want to tell me, I can always go back to work."

"Fine," she snarled. "I was walking through the Leaky Cauldron to get into Diagon so I could get the amulet we had fixed. Two people pinched me and another tried to grope me. And did you know that Iggy had to deny knowing me?"

Draco nodded. "I saw the letter and helped him draft his response. I found that much more amusing than the boy who asked Simone how much you charged." She glared at him. "You brought it on yourself, Virginia," he reminded her gently. He flipped open the book and went back to work, making notes.

Ginny watched him for a few minutes, noticing something was flashing on his wrist. "What's that?"

"A trinket." He pushed it back up his sleeve. "Nothing important." His wrist was rudely grabbed and the anti-charm looked at. "Do you feel better?"

"It matches mine," she noted. He looked up and nodded. "Why are we wearing matching jewelry?"

"Because I felt like it. Simone thought it looked cute." He pulled his hand back. "Anything else you wanted to know?" He went back to his reading. She grabbed his wrist again and touched her locket to the charm, watching as sparks happened between them. "Hmm," he said, then shrugged. "I did find it in a wizard shop." He went back to his reading as someone knocked on the door. "That must be your first client."

She huffed and went to open the door, finding a skinny young guy standing there in a formal robe holding a large bouquet of flowers. "Yes?" she asked carefully.

"You're a beautiful woman. I'd rather marry you," he said.

She slammed the door in his face. "What is going on?"

"Karma?" he suggested with a small sneer. "For that whole embarrassing photograph thing perhaps?"

"Oh, yeah, because the tasteful one of you and Ron was *so* much better," she said derisively. She walked back to her desk and had just barely sat down before the door opened. "Oh, Bill," she sighed in relief. "What are you doing in here today?"

"I come bearing a message from the rest of the family," he said as he closed and locked the door. "Straighten up or get out." Her mouth opened. "Mum's ready to disown you and so is dad. You've gone too far this time and we're out of patience. You can either straighten up or you're out." He looked at Draco. "And you, what were you doing with my brother?"

"If I had any clue, I'd tell you," he admitted. "I was severely drunk at that time and don't remember much after a round of pool." He started to look thoughtful. "Though, I seem to get flashes of dancing on a bar top for some reason." He shook his head. "I was drunk and depressed over her latest stunt. You can tell them I said that."

"Stunt!" she shrieked.

"You're the one who left me and took up with the brainless boycunt you were fucking in that photograph," Draco reminded her. She screamed in outrage. "It wasn't me who was found with her panties around her ankles and a head up her skirt."

"Do you wear panties?" Bill asked.

"Thongs," Draco said with a small smile. "Want to see? I found a very cute pair today."

"No thanks," Bill told him. "I'd have to hurt you if you tried. So what will it be, Ginny, expulsion or straightening up?"

"This is none of *any* of your business."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Draco said as he opened his briefcase and tossed something toward her. "For you. Because you've hurt my children for the last time." He looked at Bill. "Is Lucien with Tananda again?" Bill nodded. "Good. Xander had enough on his mind today trying to stop the creatures hitting on Ravena."

Ginny read the form and sat down hard. "You can't do that! Draco, you can't take my children from me!" He looked at her, looking calm and in control. "You can't, I had them."

"And now they've had it with you," he told her. "If you'd reread it, you'd notice that I didn't file it, Simone and Denver did. They gave it to me."

"How did they file a legal notice?" Bill asked.

"When the first house exploded, they got to know most of the retainers the family keeps. That particular one is the family attorney and is more than allowed to help them with any legal matters they may run into. He noted that he thought it was in their best interests in the formal paperwork he filed." He looked at his former girlfriend. "You'll have a chance to contest of course, but then you'll have to answer questions about what you've done since we broke up." The door slammed open and two men rushed in, heading for Ginny. "Out!" he shouted. They flinched away from him. "Out, right this instant." One of them ran for it. The second pointed at Ginny and whimpered. "No, you have to wait your turn. I'm sure she'll get to you sometime." He nodded and left.

"Who do you think you are? I don't sleep around indiscriminately!"

"No, I'm sure you schedule them so you make sure each one gets enough time," he retorted.

"All I'm trying to do is live my life, something I didn't get a chance to when I was the right age thanks to you and that bloody infertility spell!"

"It's not like they told me what they were doing or to be careful!" he shouted back. "Do you think I liked becoming a father at that age? And yet, I still manage to comport myself credibly. Unlike you, I've not only learned discretion, but I practice it."

"Hey!" Bill shouted. "Stop it. It's not helping anything, Draco."

"You're taking his side!" she snapped.

"He's in the right. Mum called you no better than a whore this morning," he told her coldly. "Now, you know your choices, what will it be?"

"Fuck the family, I don't need them." Draco burst out laughing. "What?" she sneered. "You're more than welcome to them."

He pointed at the papers. "Perhaps you should finish reading them," he said with a sneer.

She sat down and picked up the legal forms to finish reading it. "Half my monthly income is being snatched away?" He nodded. "Why?"

"For the children's future solvency," he said with a cold sneer. Not something he usually looked at her with. "To make sure that they can survive once they're adults. Not that I'd be kicking them out, but it is your problems that are hurting them so it's your money that's being taken. Don't worry though, I'll turn them into my perfect children within days now that you're not coddling them."

"You can cure Simone's mouth?" Bill asked in awe. Not even his father could do that. Or his mother and her amazing soap bubbles.

Draco smiled at him. "Of course I can. I do know what my daughter wants above all else and can easily give in to her. If she behaves. She understands that and is more than willing to cooperate at this point in time. By the time she's tired of it, she'll be firmly indoctrinated into proper behavior." He flicked his wand at the scrying mirror. "Look at them if you don't believe me."

Bill walked over and looked at his niece, who was appropriately dressed in female clothes, including a skirt. She was wearing a normal girl bra, hose, and heels. He looked at Draco. "Damn. What does she want in exchange?"

Draco smirked. "She doesn't want me to tell anyone, but it's easily enough done." He looked at his former girlfriend. "Did you want to see?"

She stood up and walked over there, staring at her daughter. "That's not Simone."

"Isn't it?" Draco asked. He stood up. "Yes, that was the outfit I had her put on this morning. That's her. Ana is in Transfiguration this period." The portal changed, showing his perfect princess and Agatha Potter facing off. "Not again," he sighed, flicking his wand at his daughter, who jumped on the mirror. Agatha smirked so he got her harder, making her yell. They got the hint and separated to their desks and the teacher looked at them, giving them both a stern lecture. Draco zapped him too when he started to yell at Anastasia, making him clutch his rear and run from the room. "There, that's much better," he purred, changing the screen to show Denver actually wearing his tie in the proper position instead of hanging loosely around his neck. Then it went to Ravena, who was serving tea gently to some girl in her house. "I had forgotten about her doing that today," he said, going back to his desk. "Did you want to see more?"

She shook her head and the mirror clouded up again, losing the pictures. "You can't take half of my wages, Draco, they don't need it." He shrugged, still smirking. "If it's taken, then I can't make my house payments."

"Pity."

"You can't do this to me," she warned.

"I didn't, your children did. I didn't even have to ask." He put his feet back up. "Now, if you've decided to be reasonable, we'll discuss this like the adults we should be." She sat down behind her desk, hands in plain sight. "Thank you. Bill, did you need more?"

"No, I'll tell mum that you're handling it." He smiled at his sister. "Wise choice. What perfume are you wearing? You smell nice."

"I'm not." He shrugged and left them alone. "What's going on, Draco."

"I don't know, perhaps your recent escapades are tainting your being. They say that succubus can be made instead of being born that way." He smiled. "Are you ready to stop this nonsense now?"

She nodded. "I only wanted to have the fun that I missed when I was young."

"Then have someone turn you back into an eighteen-year-old for a few hours," he said dryly. She looked stunned. "Never thought about that?" She shook her head. "And yet, we have some of the best time twisters in the family at the moment. Xander would have gladly helped you had you asked." She nodded and leaned back. "Will you do that?" She nodded again. "Good. Onto the next point. I will help you pay your bills until you're ready to contest the decision, as long as you continue to have appropriate behavior."

"I'm not sleeping with you."

"I don't want you to," he noted. She gave him a hurt look. "I don't know where you've been, woman. I don't want anything of the sort from you."

"I was faithful while we were together." He looked like he could care less. "At least I didn't keep my whorehouse memberships."

He snorted. "Kept but never used. At least I'm discrete when I need to scratch that itch." The door slammed open and more men rushed in, this time muggle police officers, who started to strip. "Get out!" he shouted. "This is not your place of employment!"

"Shut it or be arrested," one of the cops told him with a dangerous smirk. "You can't stop us."

"I bloody well can," Draco told him, stunning them all. "That's one less distraction. As I was saying, I never used any of those services. Keeping them was naturally cheaper and I knew you'd do something like this some day. It was a wise investment." He smiled. "I think I'll bring the boys there to teach them how to be gentle lovers. They could use the practical skills." He shook his head. "Back to my next point. You can contest it, and I won't fight you, as long as you've showed that you're not going back to that behavior and that all this flinging about is over with. We will go back to the shared arrangement we had before or else I will take them permanently and you'll not see them until they graduate." He waved a hand around the room. "You can continue to work here and I'll even help you, but I am not your servant, your lapdog, and not your assistant. I never was and I never will be." She nodded, looking down at her desk. "Also, if you do anything that would give dear cousin Agatha any ideas, you'll regret it. As of two hours ago, you're broke, your reputation is ruined, and everyone knows that it wasn't my fault that we're not official. Do you understand your current predicament."

"I hate you," she told him.

"I don't care at the moment. I may care later, when I sit down with my children for dinner, but until then I am done with my emotional attachment to you." He looked over as a shadow fell across the doorway. "Yes?" he asked.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm from the Unmentionable's department," he said in quiet voice. "We have reports of an attraction spell gone wrong?"

Draco shrugged. "Why come to me?"

"We traced it to this office."

"You shit," Ginny yelled. "You did this to me. The necklace!" She tried to take it off but the clasp was gone.

Draco shook his head. "A taste of your own medicine, done at a strength that made it annoying, not dangerous." He took off his bracelet and tossed it over, then stood up showing how unaffected he was.

She sat down and stared at him. "Draco?"

He shook his head. "I'm through being hurt by you. Never again, Ginny." He walked over and took the necklace off for her, dropping it into her hand. "Never again." He walked out of the office. "You can have her."

"Thank you, sir." The officer of the Ministry walked in and closed the door. "He did this because you hurt him," he told her, taking the necklace and the anti-charm, putting it into a special bag of holding. "If you wouldn't mind, I'll have to erase their memories. You can come back in ten minutes." She got up and left, trying to find any dignity she could. He turned to look at the stunned muggles, then sighed. "This was a lot of trouble for one errant spouse," he complained. "I thought the one Professor Harris had went through would teach him not to do such things." He unfroze the first one and started in on his memories.

***

Ginny went to talk to her older brothers, they all knew how she really was and would help her figure it out. Charlie was too busy to talk to her and she had upset one of the dragons because it was in an empathic stage. Percy had decided to not speak to her. Bill had made himself clear so she didn't even try him, and Ron was in class so she couldn't talk to him. That only left those other two, the troublemakers. They understood her better than most anyone and would be able to help her figure this out for herself. She flooed to the store and waited while most of the customers bought something and left, and only a few had given her sideways looks. "Fred, can you talk?" he asked.

He looked at her. "I'm not sure I should. You'll start to give us a bad reputation as well." She sniffled. "Sorry. What can I do to help you refind yourself?"

"I didn't know I was lost."

He laughed. "I suppose the endless stream of young men didn't clue you off?" She pulled a stool over to sit on. "Ginny, you're in there somewhere, we'll get down to the real you yet."

"I thought I was having fun," she admitted. "Like I was finding something that I had lost a long time ago, the fun in my life." He shook his head. "I know I was wrong, but the love spell? How long has that been on me? Was it on there when the picture was taken?"

"It's been on you since Iggy gave you that necklace," he told her. "Getting your photo taken with your new toy's head up your skirt was all you, sister dear." She slumped. "What were you thinking?"

"It seemed exciting," she said weakly.

"There's public and then there's right beside the door to the ice cream shop in Diagon," George told her as he came up from the basement. "Sixteen eggs. All hard now. There's one bad one but she's being adamant that it's not." He leaned on the counter. "Ginny, you did this to yourself and you'll have to figure it out for yourself. We can point you in a direction, but we can't make you see the road signs."

"Muggle reference," Fred said automatically. George handed over a knut. "Thank you." He put it into the jar under the counter, which was very full. "He's right though, you've got to rebuild your reputation before your own business goes under."

"I think Draco's trying to take it over anyway," she admitted. She looked around. "Aren't you guys usually more busy about now?"

"I flipped the sign," Fred told her.

George nodded. "You're definitely bad for our business and we can't afford to go under."

Xander popped in behind Ginny and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go talk," he said coldly. He drug her out back and slammed the door so hard it stuck. "I don't know what's wrong with your mind, Ginny, but I'm not letting you hurt anyone else. If you want to go to hell quickly, I'll open the portal for you. You're not taking my husband or the rest of the family with you." She opened her mouth. "Don't even try. Do you know where your father spent most of his morning?" She shook her head. "In front of the Minister of Magic trying to explain you so he wouldn't get fired. Percy did something similar with his boss, trying to prove that the rest of us weren't like you, especially not him." She started to pout. "I don't care what sort of youth you're trying to refind, but I'm not letting you hurt those I love. Not George, not Percy, and definitely not my son. Because if I have to, I'll let him change his name and let Snape formally adopt him so you can't taint him anymore." She opened her mouth. "If you had come to me, I might have done something for you, turned you back to eighteen for a few hours or something, but not now. Now you're on your own. I don't want you near any of my children. Got it?"

George came around the end of the building. "You're making her choose?"

"No, I'm making a statement." Xander looked at him, then back at her. "As I was just telling her, I don't care if I have to let Snape adopt Iggy so he can go to school, I'm not letting her ruin it for him. The same as I'm not letting her ruin the chances any of the rest of you have."

"So you're making me choose?" George asked. Xander shook his head. "It sounded like it."

"Not yet," Xander said honestly. "If it continues, I might. I'm not letting her hurt our children. I can suffer through telling Maeve why she has an aunt she can't see or talk to, and I'll suffer through losing my name on my son's if it means he can go do what he's meant to do."

"Why are you pushing him so much?"

"Gee, let's count off the points. 1.9 GPA at graduation. Lack of job prospects. Superb family life that allowed me to forget them most of the time. Want me to go on?"

George gave him a short kiss on the cheek. "He'll keep going, we're not letting him languish in the house. I promise, it won't affect him."

Xander pulled out a letter and handed it over. "He got this earlier. The other son had to help him write a response because he was frantic and couldn't think."

"I'm sorry, Xander," Ginny told him.

"You will be," he agreed. "You're not hurting my family, not at all."

"I was here first," she pointed out.

He looked down at her. "And look how well that's worked out, Ginny. Gee, let's see what you have left to look forward to. Some sort of STD, a slowly decreasing line of admirers are you quit being so pretty and so willing to do stupid shit, a lot more of the punks you used to date, and oh, yeah, losing your children. Look like a bright future to you?"

"Xander," George said quietly, calming his husband down. "I agree, Ginny. Fred may like you still but I'm not letting you hurt my family." She looked hurt. "I'm not choosing yet, but if you force me to, I'm choosing my sons and daughter. They're part of me that I'm not denying." She turned and walked off. He stopped Xander from raising his wand. "No, let her go. She needs to think now. We may have gotten through, let it happen, Xander." He gave him a hug. "It'll be okay. They didn't cancel his interview." He used his husband's wand to break open the door. "Fix that later, would you please?" he asked with a bright smile. "Come see, there's a new baby shark in the tank." He led his husband inside, letting him watch the fish while he calmed down.

Fred looked back at him. "Are you going to make him choose?"

Xander looked out at him and shook his head. "I don't want to, Fred, but I'm not letting him get hurt by this. I won't allow Ginny back into the tower until she's better. I'm not risking my son's future so she can relive her past."

Fred nodded. "I understand." He smiled. "Is the baby still floating up near the top?"

"A diver just now scooped it up and took it to a nursery tank." He walked out into the store. "I don't want to hurt him," he said quietly. "You're allowed over all you want." Fred nodded. "I'm going to go to class."

"Who has the kids?"

"The Headmaster is spoiling them rotten," Xander told him with his usual grin. "Are you coming with me tomorrow or is George?"

"We can both go if someone will come watch the store," Fred told him. "More x-rays?"

"And instructions for slowly getting back into shape." Xander waved and headed back up to the school, taking the long, slow way because it was a nice day.

***

One of the Slytherin boys had said something about overhearing a fight in her family and it had Agatha thinking strange thoughts. So when she ran into Willow in the hallway, she was frowning.

"What's wrong this time?"

"Thinking about something someone overheard," she admitted, then shrugged. "Time for tea?"

"Please." She smiled and let the girl lead her into the room they used to have their weekly meetings. Dumbledore had pointed out that this was the correct time to get a good female influence in the girl's life so he had given them permission to have tea weekly. "What was overheard? Gossip is always a stress-reliever."

Agatha poured them both cups of tea. "Something Xander said."

"Ah. Always of the confusing. What was he going off about this time?"

"Ginny. The boy overheard him saying something about why he was pushing Iggy." She started to frown again. "What's a GPA?"

"It's the average of all your scores from school," she told her. She picked up her tea and took a little sip to check it for flavor. The house elves must have made it, it was really strong, so she dropped two sugar cubes into the cup. "Instead of your system of 'exceptional, satisfactory, and fail' the Americans use an alphabetical system. A, B, C, D, and F. Highest to lowest. Mostly done in increments of ten percent."

"So, how do you get a number out of those?" She sipped her tea and got comfortable, kicking off her shoes and curling up in the chair. "He said something about having a 1.9."

Her brow wrinkled. "He did? No, he didn't!" She shook her head. "I helped him too much for him to have that low of a GPA." She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he was exaggerating." She took another sip of her tea now that the sugar had melted. "Agatha, don't believe everything he says. He's had a funny way of seeing the world for a while now."

Agatha nodded. "Then again, there's at least two sides to reality too, depending on who saw it happen," the girl pointed out.

Willow smiled. "Very true, but Xander seems to see things very strangely." She took a longer sip. "What else did he say?"

"Something about a bad family life and lack of job prospects."

"Well, yeah, he did have those," she agreed. "If he had applied himself that might have been different."

"How would he have? Didn't he spend almost every night out with you and Buffy?" Willow nodded. "Then how did he have time to do homework?"

"We all managed. I helped them some when it was critical." She shrugged. "Xander always thinks things are worse than they were. He could have gotten into college if he had tried. He had an excellent SAT score." She waved a hand. "Besides, he never put forth any effort." She took another drink. "What else did he tell you?"

"Well, Iggy said something about you and him cheating on your mates with each other." The older woman started to cough. "Sorry. They went to Professor Maclay for verification because they almost got into a fight in potions."

Willow wiped her mouth, and her shirt. "I wish he wouldn't tell things like that."

"Actually, Iggy said that Spike told him the whole story, but then he had asked his father. I asked him because Spike's a really fascinating creature."

"He is that," she said darkly. "How do you know Spike? I can't imagine Xander invited him over for tea or dinner with his family."

"His phoenix is nesting under the joke shop so he's around now and then. He was telling stories during out last trip into town."

"Oh." Willow grimaced. "Again, two sides. Yes, we were groping each other and were officially seeing other people, but it wasn't that serious."

"Then why did that Cordy person nearly die?"

"Spike."

"Oh." Agatha nodded, that made sense. He was a vampire after all. "So, what was he like?"

Willow shook her head. "Don't ask. He's apparently gotten better, or George is willing to settle for less, but it was momentary insanity. I'm not sure why I did it." She picked back up her cup of tea, pouring some more into it. "Anything else going on?"

"Not really. Everything's been going slowly, but I'm sure that's because it's nearly spring." Willow nodded. "How're the wedding plans?"

"Better. Wesley took some of the planning off my shoulders and is doing his own guest list. He's taken care of the places as well, so I don't have to hunt for places. Hopefully he'll pick somewhere nice that I won't object to, but I'll talk to him this weekend about that. When can I get you fitted for your dress?"

"I'm more than willing to let you take me out of here for a day," Agatha pointed out. "It's not like my father will mind. I'm sure he'd sign the slip happily and hand you some money."

Willow looked the girl over. "More than a little, honey. We'll have to find something to compliment your looks and your form. Speaking of which, would you like me to take you bra shopping? After talking with your father last week, I'm sure he'd be thankful."

"Please. Am I ready for one? I'm still fairly small."

"Yes, but this is the time to start, so that you don't have problems when they get larger." Agatha nodded, smiling again. "Did you like the first book?"

"I thought it was interesting but some of the language was fairly distracting. I think I'd rather sit down and have you explain some of the terms to me. I tried asking Professor Maclay and I think I nearly broke her. She started to splutter and then ended up yelling for her husband. He came in and had a discussion with me about it, so I explained it to him. He said no one there could really help me because it's not something that Tara practices or has studied."

"I figured as much," Willow agreed. "We'll sit down after the wedding and work on it. Your father agreed that you could stay on after the wedding." Agatha grinned at that. "Of course, we're going to be setting out rules of conduct around the house, but it should be fine."

"What about a honeymoon?"

"We're going once all you guys are back in school. We can't get away until then, there's a small prophecy happening in August we'll have to handle for the new Slayer." Agatha nodded, that made sense to her. "So, give with the juicy gossip."

***

Willow couldn't get what Agatha had said out of her head so she logged onto her computer to check some things out. She hacked into the California School Board's office and sighed as she settled down to search the records.

Someone put a mug of tea next to her and kissed the back of her neck. "Are you breaking a site again?" Wesley asked, sounding amused.

"Something Agatha said Xander said is bugging me," she admitted, giving him a smile. "Xander said something about nearly not graduating, but I helped him."

Wesley sat next to her. "You could have asked it if it was in his file." She groaned. "We did keep a complete record for all of you, Willow." She turned off her computer and turned to look at him. "It's true, he didn't. He had a few good years in there, then his grades started to slip in tenth grade." She opened her mouth. "Listen to the rest please." She closed her mouth and nodded. "By twelfth grade, he was definitely on the edge of ruin. Whatever you were doing to help him wasn't enough. He had to take a competency test to manage to graduate, and there's a note in his file that he might have had to *convince* a few teachers to help him with that. That's an unconfirmed report, but his grades were very poor."

"But I let him copy off me all the time."

"No, you didn't," he reminded her. "You let Buffy copy off you all the time. By the end of tenth grade, you weren't helping him that much, even though he was the one who didn't have the time to waste with helping you." She shook her head. He nodded. "He took lessons to help him fight better, Willow. He really didn't have time to help you fight. And then it gets worse. The official documents are quite illuminating. I wish I had seen them before I came over, I might have acted differently and been of some real help."

"So I really screwed him up?"

"Apparently. Now, how did you hear about this?"

"Someone told Agatha that they overheard Xander saying something about it." Wesley groaned.

"What?"

"Think of what your son will do with this information."

She sighed. "I'll owl him and tell him to behave."

"It may already be too late, Willow. He's not one to let this information sit around." He stood up. "You might want to go have a talk with the boy before he does something that gets him killed by Xander's family." She nodded and headed for the floo fireplace.

He sat down and sipped at the tea. "How could you have been so blind?" he muttered. "Even Rupert saw it." He shook his head and changed his thoughts to his upcoming wedding. He had graciously taken some of the stress off her because he had felt her drawing on chaos magic to help her do the simple tasks. He couldn't imagine what the larger ones would bring if he hadn't.

***

Xander looked out across the students as he sat down and saw a few of the Slytherins giving him funny looks. He looked at their master, who shook his head. "What happened this time?"

One bold little creature, a Gryffindor no less, walked up to them. "Is it true you nearly didn't graduate high school?" she asked.

Xander glared at her. "No. I passed enough."

"Then how did you get here?" she asked.

"Practical knowledge." She nodded and went back to her seat, telling the others around here. He tossed down his napkin. "I think I'm going to go eat in my rooms. Before I hurt something." He walked out, heading up to his rooms. He found the Headmaster on his couch. "I figured you'd heard."

"You really did that badly?"

"I thought you would have checked that before you hired me," Xander told him, crossing his arms.

"I did, that you passed." He handed over a file. "This came to us today."

Xander sat down and looked at it. "Why is my permanent record here?"

"Because someone went over and retrieved it," Albus told him gently. "I have kept it up in my office."

Xander tossed it down and held his head. "Does that mean I'm fired?"

"No." Albus smiled when he looked at him. "You were hired because you had practical knowledge. Many people had average grades, and many more have things in their records that they're not proud of." Xander picked up the file and flipped through it again. One of the pages was taken and torn up. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Do you really want to hear the rant?"

"Not really. Would you like me to show this to George for you? Before he hurts one of the students for trying to pick on you?"

"No, I'll do it." The file was put back down. "I was doing the best I could on two hours of sleep a night, fighting nearly every night, and working part time. I'm glad I got that much, sometimes."

"Now I understand why you push your children." He stood up. "Do you want me to start a counter rumor? I can't really stop this one with an announcement."

"If it'd work," Xander said, looking up at him. "I'm eating up here tonight."

"Just be sure to eat something. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for you." Xander nodded so he left him alone. He found most of the older children in the hall and stopped them. "He wants to be alone," he said gently.

"Daddy used to do badly in school?" Iggy asked.

Dumbledore shook his head. "Nothing is that simple, Ignatius, as you very well know. If you do go in there, ask him what his day was like back then. I'm sure he's ready to explode, but you might get an answer." He left, going to talk to the other teachers. Unfortunately, Tara had already heard and had reamed one of the Slytherins a new one for criticizing him. Snape had to pull her off them and was leading her out of the Great Hall when he got there. He frowned. "Perhaps an announcement is in order." He walked in and everyone looked at him. "We will drop this subject. Professor Harris is more than qualified to teach here and we do not believe the American schools' version of grading is appropriate to the classes he teaches. It will stop now," he ordered. A few mouths opened. "Continuing this discussion will get you detentions with Mr. Filch. Do be considerate." He walked up and took his seat, picking up his napkin. He looked at the other professors. "Think about what he did every night. It wasn't like he had time to do homework."

Black shut his mouth. "If you say so."

"I do and I also say you will leave him alone about it. He meets my criteria for being here, that is what is important." Black nodded and looked down at his plate. "Remus, would you please help Tara calm down later? Or Xander, either one you can help would be appreciated."

"Yes, Headmaster. I imagine Xander's devastated at the moment."

"And then some. His record did not show what he went through at all. Mere grades should not be the standard of judging a person." He picked up his fork and cut into his steak. "Do eat. Tomorrow will be another day of classes."

"Yes, Headmaster," the rest of them said, tucking back in.

***

Xander looked over as the fireplace discharged someone. "Go away."

Draco frowned at him. "What did I do?"

"You're not here because of the Board of Regents?"

"No. I quashed them earlier by pointing out that you weren't taught those things in classes and that we really didn't trust the Americans to know their own asses, much less acceptable students. Since we're getting a transfer over because of similar issues, they agreed." He sat down and gave him an expectant look. "What happened?"

"Slaying. Practice. Work." He shrugged. "A lot of hours spent doing things that weren't conductive to doing homework." The fire discharged his husband. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I know. I heard actually. Tara just called and said I should come give you a hug." He did so. "Are you sure?"

"I'd rather be eaten at the moment."

"All right. Want me to come up tonight after all?"

"No, you and Fred need the time to brainstorm. Tell him I said hi and that I'm hiding. Don't talk to any reporters or anything." His husband smiled so he gave him a squeeze. "Can we just forget this?"

"Of course." George gave him another kiss. "You're sure?" Xander nodded. "Then I'm down there whenever you're ready to talk to me." He stood up and looked at Draco. "Don't upset him." He left again, going back to the shop.

Draco pointed at the file. "Is that it?"

"Most of it. Disciplinary record and transcripts." Xander lifted his wand and set it on fire. "There, now I don't have to look at it." He stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow after I get back." He headed up to the nest, going to curl up with Maeve, who usually slept in it, and William if he could coax him into it.

Draco frowned and used his wand to recreate the file, reading it slowly. How had they missed this? It explained so much of his reasoning behind pushing his son. When he was done, he incinerated it again. He noticed some papers sitting on the floor and picked the pieces up, slowly piecing it together. What he saw made him frown worse and get up to show it to his 'step-father'. George deserved the right to know.

***

Around midnight, Xander was woken up by someone climbing in with him. And whomever it was, was really cold, which was what was waking him. "Who?" he asked, opening his eyes. "Shit!" He shifted back, glaring at the ghost now sitting beside him. "Do you have a reason for coming back?"

Buffy smiled at him. "Yup. I have to learn something before I can be reborn and come back to bug you." She looked down at the little girl. "Who's that?"

"Maeve. Please don't touch her, you're cold." Buffy pulled her hand back. "So, what am I supposed to teach you?"

"Oh, it's not you, I'm going to pick it up while I'm around."

He nodded slowly. "So why did you wake me up?"

She grinned. "Because your nightmares are annoying." He grimaced. "Sorry, Xan." She shrugged. "It's boring being me."

"So go visit Ron or the kids," he suggested. Her face lit up. "They're in the other hallway. The kids are all together. Ron's got his own room. If you go bug him, I can almost swear he'll appreciate it more than I am at the moment." She made to hit him but stopped before she could make contact with his arm. "Don't start. I had a bad day and you're just the cap to it."

She nodded. "I saw. How did you do that bad? Willow helped me."

"Gee, Buffy, do you not remember our last two years in high school?" She nodded. "Do you remember me begging Willow and her telling me to do it myself? And me pointing out that I didn't exactly have time once?" She nodded. "Then you know why I did so badly. Two years of that. And while I'm thankful I can teach a class on two hours of sleep, I don't want to do it tomorrow because I have to see the doctor about my knee before I go do that."

"Yeah, saw that too," she said, frowning. "That was mean."

"You'd think, since I was saving your kids, that you'd be a bit grateful, Buffy."

"Um, yeah, I am, but I only get to see bits and pieces. All I got told was those were Watchers."

He nodded. "Watchers coming to finish trying to kill your kids."

"Oh." Her face fell and she started to pout. "I'm sorry I sucked so badly in your life."

"S'okay. Just go bother Ron for right now so I can sleep." She nodded and floated off. "Why me?" he whispered, grabbing his precious daughter to hold. He lifted his head and found his son standing beside the bed. "Did she scare you?" He nodded. "Come on back here, William, and I'll cuddle you some more." He scrambled into the nest, shoving his sister out of the way so he could get the majority of the lovies being given. "I'm sorry. You never got to know Auntie Buffy so I'll have to tell you about her." He yawned. "Tomorrow. We'll tell stories tomorrow after I get back." William nodded and snuggled under the blankets, hiding his face against his father's chest, and his butt shoved his sister further away. She sniffled and slapped him, then got back under the blankets. It was cold! She smiled up at her daddy and he smiled back. "Sleep, Maeve, it's all right. We'll talk tomorrow." She nodded and forced her brother onto his back so she could sleep on him. He was her favorite pillow. Xander yawned and held onto both of his children. This was just getting better and better.

In the other room, Ron was woken by a cold set of lips against his cheek. He blinked at the woman beside his bed, then his lips pursed. "Not going to say hi?" He opened his mouth. "Yup, it's me," she said happily. "I'm here for a few weeks or so."

He smiled. "Buffy." She nodded. "Sorry, sleep deprivation and all that."

She giggled. "I remember, Ron, trust me." She looked around the room. "Which way to the kids? I want to look at them before I yell at you over making the kids rhyme."

"Sorry, but it's the best I could do and I had to name him right there," Ron told her, sliding out of the bed. He grabbed his robe and walked her to the nursery, letting her look at his hellions. "Tara said Gwen's just like you and that Minnie's just like the slayer part of you," he told her.

She smiled sadly. "I don't get to watch you guys, only the scoobies on occasion." She turned away from them. "Want to talk? Tell me everything?"

"Sure." He led the way back to his room, watching as she hovered in the air like she was sitting on a stool. "Where did you want to start?"

She smiled. "How about their first birthday? Did you do the cake thing?"

He grabbed his photo album and opened it to show her.

***

Down another hallway, Dumbledore sat up in his bed and looked around his room. Something was wrong. He flicked on the candle beside his bed, glancing around. Nothing in his suite of rooms. He stretched himself out, searching the school. Xander was having another nightmare. Nothing unusual there, but he hardly ever woke him with it, unless he was broadcasting again. But not tonight. That wasn't it. He searched the rest of the tower, checking on the children first. If something had happened to them, it would hurt the whole school. Especially if Xander destroyed it in his grief.

No, they were fine.

He checked the next room and paused. One of the ghosts was bothering Ron? He checked the other ghosts, coming up with one extra. A new ghost? Not a student because most of them were asleep and that probably wouldn't have woken him. He summoned the head ghost, the Bloody Baron, to his chambers to talk to him. He put on his robe while he waited, going to sit on his couch instead of on his bed. When the ghost floated in, he was frowning. "What is the identity of the new ghost?"

The old man, who scared nearly everyone in the school, shook his head. "She did not stop in and greet me, as protocol demanded," he said haughtily. "All I know is that she is powerful and she is connected to that tower somehow."

Dumbledore frowned more. "Connected to the tower and female?" He leaned back and thought about it. "Do you know anything else about her?"

The Bloody Baron nodded. "She's a slight blonde creature. Reeks of death. Slytherin might have approved of her."

Dumbledore sat up. "Buffy!" The ghost frowned and he went to find the picture he had of Harry, Ron, and Buffy that Harry had given him a few years back. "Is this her?" he asked.

The ghost floated over and looked at it, nodding. "That it is. Who is she?"

"A former Slayer."

The ghost looked impressed. "Then we will welcome her later. Once she has connected with them."

Dumbledore nodded. "Please, and instruct her in the rules. We don't want her to go help in any of the classes. Thank you." The ghost nodded and left him to his thoughts. "Why is she back now?" he muttered, settling himself down to think. He came to the conclusion that he was probably going to have a problem with Xander soon, because they hadn't been close in years and from his nightmares it was only going to get worse. He sighed. It looked like he was going to have another spring with a missing teacher. He checked on Ron again, and grimaced. "Possibly two," he told himself. He shook himself. They would handle it when it was necessary, not before. He hoped she wasn't here to hurt the children or any of that family. They were too close to do much to, unless she managed to exacerbate Xander's present distress.

If she did, then they would definitely be missing one teacher and he would have to do something.

Maybe someone would suggest that she go haunt Willow. They seemed to stay close no matter what had happened.

He settled himself in for a most difficult operation. He was going dream walking into Xander's mind to talk to him. He needed more information to make plans. Xander met him at the doorway of his mind with an axe. "Do calm down, I'm just stopping by for a visit." He smiled in his most reassuring manner. "I wanted to talk to you, Xander, see how bad this was going to become."

"Can I just stay in here for the next month? She's still not seeing what she did. Tried to tell me that Willow had helped me in high school."

"I understand. Show me, Xander, so I can protect you." He created a chair as a video screen went up. The young man disappeared and the memories started with a skateboard and running into a familiar blonde.

***

George woke up the next morning, already frowning. Why had he seen all that? Xander had refused to tell him that much about his life before they'd met. And why had Dumbledore been in the dreams? He touched the crystal around his neck, noticing it was warm. He heard movement in the next room so he got up and went to knock on Fred's door. His twin opened the door, frowning at him. "Did you have strange dreams?"

"No, I've got a bouncy Ron," he said, opening the door farther. "Tell him."

"Buffy came back," Ron told him, still bouncing even though he was sitting. "She's come back to learn something, but she doesn't know what."

George walked in and stopped him from moving. "Did she talk to Xander?" Ron nodded. "Did she hurt him?"

Ron pulled away from him. "She wouldn't do that, they were friends."

"Yeah, and she never told him he was useless either," George told him. Ron opened his mouth. "They had moved back from friends, Ron. He felt about her like he did Willow. Obligated."

Ron stood up. "No way. You're wrong."

"I saw his memories from high school last night."

Fred opened his mouth. "Why?"

"I don't know, but apparently I wasn't the only one," George said with a frown. "Dumbledore was in there too." Fred looked interested. "All I know is that Xander's still upset and this can't be a good time for this."

"Upset why?" Ron asked.

"That's right, you missed dinner," George sighed. He rubbed his forehead. "Yesterday, I asked Xander why he pushed Iggy. He told me some things. Like the fact that he barely graduated high school. Someone overheard and Willow helpfully told someone what it meant. It's all over the school. One of your beloved students asked him about it at dinner."

"Oh, damn," Ron sighed, sitting down again. "And she shows up last night to say hi." George nodded. "Is he okay?"

"He's distressed and upset. Getting more upset by the moment. You, um, might want to floo back before he yells at her for bothering the kids," he noted. Ron hurried out to go back to the house. George looked at his twin. "Are you getting that sinking feeling?"

"I'm not married to the man," Fred pointed out with a shrug. "I feel fine. How does he feel?"

"Like the world's about to end. It's getting worse by the minute." He looked down at his pajamas. "I'll come back in a few minutes, I think he could use some calming down. Are you coming to his appointment?" he asked as he walked out of the door, heading for the floo fireplace. He came out in their house and smiled at his mate. "You called?" he asked, walking over to give him a hug. "Calm down. I saw," he whispered. Xander nodded and clutched him. "It's okay. Get ready for the doctor's, dear." He swatted Xander as he stood up. "Remember, you're going to be stripping down partially today so wear proper clothes."

Draco looked up from where he was sipping tea and glared at him. "Some of us are trying to eat." He glared at the ghost next. "You, go bother your children, not us." She frowned at him. "I know three different banishment spells," he told her.

"Draco!" Ron shouted.

"Ron, it's very early. Some of us don't like mornings or chipper people on the best of mornings, but the nights when the nightmares come back strong and strange they are just a bit too much."

"Someone needs laid," Buffy snorted, floating away to go look at the kids. "Oh, you're a little Xander," she cooed.

"Yes, he was," George said, sitting down. "Strange how?"

"Strange, like I was reliving a certain person's past," he said, shooting a look up the stairs. Ron frowned at him. "Yes, him."

"Why?"

"Dumbledore saw it too," George told him, reaching over to touch his hand. "Do you want to talk about it."

"Whoa," Buffy said, coming back. "You *saw* Xander's memories?" They nodded. "How?"

"Easily. Dumbledore asked," Xander said as he came down in a pair of jeans and a shirt, carrying his robe over his bent arm. "Draco, are you coming?" Draco nodded. "Then breakfast is on me. I'm not hitting the Great Hall for the next few weeks or else I'll scream at one of the kiddies." George smiled at him. "Go get dressed and I'll buy." George hurried up the stairs to get changed. "Buffy, you need to find one of the local ghosts because there are rules for the ghosts." She nodded. "Thank you. Ron, Dumbledore wants to talk to you and Tara after breakfast, before classes. He just called over to remind me I'm supposed to be back in time for my last class." Ron nodded, giving him a hopeful smile. "Buffy, please leave me alone. I'm already having a bad week and I'm doubting that you're going to make it better right now." He walked past him, heading for the floo fireplace. He stopped to pick up his kids, sliding on the carrier for William. "Come on, guys. Draco, grab Lucien?"

"They can come to class with me," Ron offered, giving him a short hurt look. Xander shook his head. "You're sure?"

"It's nice today, they could use the fresh air and you've got enough to deal with right now." He watched as Draco put on Lucien's backpack, then smiled as George came down the stairs already dressed. "You ready?"

"Dear, muggles," George reminded, taking the robe from him and tossing it onto the couch. "Let's go." He grabbed Maeve and put on her carrier, then grabbed the diaper bag Ron thoughtfully packed. "Ron, we'll have dinner tonight," he said, giving him a short smile. "You behave and listen out for Harry, he's running the shop today." He left, going to pick up Fred at the store, then to the Leaky Cauldron. This called for a long family meeting and everyone should be up by now.

Buffy looked around at the comfy living room. "I don't know why he's not happier."

"Xander has weeks like that sometimes, nothing ever seems to please him or make him happy," Ron told her, giving her a happy smile. "Let me get the kids up and you can play with them for a few minutes before I take them up to Poppy." He jogged up the stairs to get the triplets up and dressed in record time. "Guys, this is your mother," Ron told them as he brought them back down. He found the Bloody Baron standing there. "Where's Buffy?"

"She will be right back. Severus and Tara stepped in and wanted to talk to her." He looked at the children, then at the door. "She is their mother?"

Ron nodded. "She delivered them hours before she died."

"I see." He smiled at Gwen, making her cry. Minnie glared at him. "Interesting. I'm sure she has a long story to tell." Ron nodded. "I'll talk to her while you're in class."

"Okay," Ron said, knowing better than to argue with that ghost.

***

Arthur looked at the gathered family. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing that Xander looked nearly dead to the world. "Xander, should I hold William?"

"No, I've got him," Xander said, putting his head down. His plate was moved for him. "Thanks."

William patted his father's face. "Being squished." He got a kiss. "Okay." He settled down to listen.

"Bottom line is, Buffy's back in ghost form," Fred told them. Percy shuddered.

"What's worse, she's upset Xander," George said quietly. "For whatever reason, Dumbledore dream walked into his head and had him show him what had went on. Draco and I both saw it."

Draco wiped off his mouth and stole Xander's sausage from his plate. "It wasn't pretty. Telling him he was useless and not necessary after he had saved her life a few times. The anger's still building and it's not good. He's going to explode soon."

"Is it that bad?" Percy asked. George and Draco both nodded. "Can't you kick her out?"

"Ron's still living in the tower," Fred reminded him. Percy shook his head. "He's happy about this. He doesn't understand."

"And you're feeling torn," Arthur finished. The twins nodded. "It's normal I guess, but what do you need our help with?"

"I have a feeling that this is enough to make someone leave for a while. He's so close to the snapping point."

"He can come stay with me for a few days," Percy offered.

"I don't think it's going to be that planned," Fred told him. "I managed to get some sort of resonance from their bond last night and I'm depressed by proxy." George nodded. "We're not talking a causal vacation."

"Then we'll be listening for him," Arthur agreed, smiling at the missing son as he walked out of the fireplace. "Ron, how are things?"

"You know?"

Arthur nodded. "George told us she showed up."

Ron glared at his older brother. "Gee, thanks."

"Ron, sit. There's things you don't know."

"She's his friend."

"No, she's not," George told him. "She shoved him away a bit too often. Even if they're closer, they're about as close as he and Willow are. Not really friends but not really apart either."

Ron shook his head. "No, they're not. She said so."

"Ron, there's two sides to this story and this side isn't that pretty," Fred told him. Ron opened is mouth. "Sit and listen, little brother. It's not that pretty." Ron pulled a chair over and sat down. "Xander's memories got shown last night."

"They're bad?" Ron asked. "Beyond the fighting?"

"The fighting with the demons was the happiest part," Draco told him. Ron looked at him. "Really. Did you hear about him and Willow getting together?" Ron nodded. "Did whomever told you tell you that he was blamed for it? Even though her lips were there too?"

Ron shook his head. "No. Buffy said she forgave them both."

"Yeah, because not talking to him, and when she did making fun of him, was so supportive and forgiving," George told him. Ron slumped a little. "We're sorry, Ron, but this isn't meant to hurt you. I know you're happy, but this isn't a happy timing for some of us."

"You think she'll help the kids make fun of him?" Ron asked. "No one mentioned it this morning when I was in there."

"Dumbledore told them not to," Draco told him. "Xander told me. George, you need to make him eat, he missed dinner. He was so upset he went to bed around dark."

George nodded. "I heard. He'll be fine. I'll get him a granola bar or something." He stroked over Xander's back. "Ron, we're not trying to make you unhappy, but this isn't going to be pretty. Xander's stretched so thin right now."

"So you're going to choose him over me?"

"We don't want to have to pick a side at all," Fred told him. "We'd like to be happy for you and careful with Xander, but we'll need some help from you for that. You've got to keep her away from him."

"Why?"

George gave a bitter chuckle. "Because she said last night that she still didn't realize how much time he took to help her. Like he was some sort of accessory that she had to drag out every now and then."

"Oh." Ron shook. "Okay. I'll do what I can. She shouldn't be here for too long."

"Hopefully," Fred agreed. "What does she need to learn?"

"We don't know. They never told her, just that she had to learn something. She's going to be reborn, hopefully into the family."

"There's a reason to get sterilized," Draco muttered. Ron shot a glare at him. "I don't think I could handle having her as a child. She's a bit...chipper."

"Simone would hate her," Percy agreed. "Has anyone told the other children?"

"Not yet," Ron sighed. "I was counting on the gossip streams that flow around the school. She's already been told she can't visit classes."

"Yeah, and she listened so very well," Draco reminded him. Ron shrugged. "Who's taking over Xander's classes today?"

"Tara. She's got a free period then."

"We're supposed to be back in time for his last class," George told him. "If you want, you can go teach it. I'm sure Xander wouldn't mind. He'll probably be exhausted and all that."

"If necessary," Draco agreed. He looked at his might-as-well-be father-in-law. "What about you?"

"I think I can separate the two. Ron, I am happy for you. I know you've been trying to deal with her death since it happened and haven't gotten over it fully. Hopefully you'll be able to use this time to set some things to rest." Ron nodded. "But please, watch out for Xander. There's been a few people who're already pushing to have his classes stripped from him because of what he is. This isn't going to make it any easier."

Draco coughed. "His high school academic record came to light last night. The Board of Regents was stunned, but the point that he's there because he has practical knowledge soothed them for now. From what I hear, Black nearly got onto him as well."

"He and I are going to have a talk," George told him. "He's been picking on your daughter again. Even Remus is giving him angry looks."

"Wonderful," Ron sighed. "Just what the school needs. A fight." He glanced around. "What else can I do?"

"Just work on your grief," George told him. Fred nodded. "Between that and keeping her away from him, that's more than enough."

"We can talk to the house," Fred agreed. "Oliver and Harry will help and I bet that Iggy and Simone had to beat someone last night."

Bill looked at the rest of the people. "I never considered him that fragile."

"He's still carrying some scars from his former life," Ron told him. "He still has nightmares from high school. Frequently recently," he said thoughtfully.

"I noticed," Draco told him. Everyone looked at him. "For some reason, I'm getting a few images off him."

"Well, you are a born," Arthur told him. "It's one of their traits. We used to identify gryphon-born by that skill." He smiled. "You can shield yourself. The book you need is in the library and Iggy knows where it is because he was reading it last year." Draco nodded. "Have you picked up anyone else?"

"Percy when his valve blew, while we were looking for Gwen." William struggled. "Shh, William. You can get out and run around soon."

"Baffroom," he whined.

George helped him out and took him to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror and noticed a spirit sitting there. "What do you want?"

"I heard people talking about me," she said with a shrug. "I don't think I hurt him that badly."

"Really?" he asked bitterly. "Maybe you should go back and watch yourself. Perhaps what you have to learn is saying you're sorry for hurting people by being yourself." William came out and he helped him wash his hands. "Did you clean yourself?" The boy nodded so he picked him up, taking him back to the table. "She heard," he said as he sat down. William stayed in his lap. "She doesn't think she did anything to hurt him."

"Fuck me," Charlie sighed. Arthur shot a glare his way. "Sorry, but it sums it up nicely." The twins nodded. "We don't know anything more about what she needs?"

"Not at all," Ron told him. "I can suggest she go visit Willow."

"It might be more healthy for the remainder of the week," Arthur agreed. "I'm sure she'll come back at night, once you're in your room."

"Yeah, probably," Fred agreed. "How did the new lock spell work?"

"Good," Ron said with a faint smile. "Now nothing can go out, but I didn't block things coming in. The lock is keyed to my wand, so it can't be picked by anyone. It should solve any future problems of things going missing."

"Again?" Arthur asked.

"One of his robes went missing the other day," Fred told him. "I'm sure it was a student though."

Ron nodded. "It appeared on the couch the next morning." He picked up his brother's extra piece of toast and nibbled on it. "That's all I have to do?" Everyone nodded. "Then I can probably do that." He checked his watch. "I've got to get to class. Isn't his appointment soon?"

George checked his husband's watch. "Thirty minutes," he agreed. He nudged Xander gently, and the big brown eyes opened, looking at him. "We've got to go to the doctor's," he said gently.

Xander sat up, rubbing his eyes. He started to pat his stomach and looked around but William reached over and gave him a hug. "Hi, you." He gave him a kiss and put him back into the carrier. "Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

"Make yourself a sandwich," Fred suggested, pushing his plate of fried eggs over. He really didn't feel like eating at the moment. He grabbed the diaper bag and stood up, tossing down some money.

"I've got it," Xander told him.

"You still have to get some money changed," Ron reminded him. Xander frowned at him. "You said so the other day."

"I've got it," George told him.

"When did you get here?"

"While you were taking a nap." Ron grinned at him. "Is it okay if I hog her for a while?"

Xander nodded. "Yeah, that'd be fine. Thanks." He stood up and tossed down a few coins. "Come on, let's call a cab and go." He leaned on his husband, still so tired.

Bill waited until the couple, his twin, and their 'son' walked away. "That's not Xander."

"It is, he's just tired," Ron told him. "The nightmares have broken through his sleeping potion recently and he's refusing to go up in strength."

"Oh." Charlie looked at the door. "How often does he take it?"

"Nightly," Ron sighed, leaning on the table. "He's even woke me up a few times from across the tower."

His father patted him on the back. "Xander is used to hardship and there's only three more months until school's out."

"Yeah, but if he doesn't sleep until then, he'll spend all summer in bed sick," Charlie pointed out. "Can't someone make something stronger?"

Ron nodded. "Every once in a while Iggy slips him something stronger. Xander usually glares at him the next morning, but even those have been broken through. He needs to work through some of that or get memory charmed or something."

"Doing so might mean that he'd lose the lessons he had learned," Bill told him. Ron nodded. "Think about how bad that could be. We might see a happy and cheerful Xander."

"Unfortunately, memory charms don't stop nightmares usually," Charlie put in. "They can make them worse." His brothers looked at him. "Yes, I know this from experience." He finished his juice. "I should get back before I'm assigned one of the nasty chores. This working in the office stuff sucks." He put down some money and left through the floo, Percy right behind him.

"Maybe he's going to change jobs too," Bill said, sounding optimistic. "He sounds tired of his life as well."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Dad, is it really okay?"

"It's fine, Ron. You can be happy about this and still help shield Xander from the worst of it." He gave his son a soft smile. "You behave today." Ron nodded and left. "What's your schedule like today?" he asked his remaining son.

"Hectic. I've got three sigils to deal with and one of them's not in any book." He scraped everyone's plate onto his and dug in. "At least the office will be quiet today. Ginny's disappeared for a few days and Draco will probably spend all day helping Xander do whatever." He took a bite. "I never thought I'd see that from him."

Arthur looked smug. "Not many do. Most of the world still sees him as this arrogant young man with a chip on his shoulder. Only the family gets to see anything other than the surly nature he puts forward. We should probably feel thankful, but I'm wondering if this is really good for him. He's obviously gotten close to Xander over the years."

"Xander did say he adopted him," Bill said. "Maybe he's infecting Draco a bit."

"Possibly. Now if only he could help Ginny as well."

Bill coughed. "From what Fred said, he yelled at her and gave her an ultimatum himself. Even said he'd be willing to give Iggy to Snape so that his future isn't affected."

"Yes, this has been enlightening," Arthur said quietly. "Maybe we should encourage them to take a sabbatical."

"Who'd teach his classes?" Bill asked.

Arthur shrugged. "Ron could, if they could find someone to take his position for a bit." He finished his tea. "I'd better get going. Have a nice day at the office, Bill." He left, going through the floo to the Ministry.

Bill scraped that plate onto his too. So what if he was getting fat? He'd work it off with his running.

***

Xander looked at his doctor as he made notes. Everyone had been kicked out of the office for a soda and to calm the cranky kids down. "How am I?"

"Much better. Everything looks fine, Xander, except for you." He put down his file and looked at the young man. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Nightmares."

"Don't you have something for that?"

Xander nodded. "And I take it every night. They still break through." He scrubbed his face with his hands. "Can we do something about that? I'm not resting."

"I noticed. You look tired. What else happened?" He crossed his arms when Xander gave him a quizzical look. "You look like someone died, Xander."

He laughed bitterly. "Possibly my career because someone overheard me saying that my high school career wasn't that great. Oh, and let's not leave out the dead friend coming *back*," he said dryly.

The doctor patted him gently. "I'm not sure about the ghost thing, never having run into one myself, but I can give you something to help you sleep. It's within my abilities to prescribe something for that."

"Will it counteract the pain stuff?"

"Are you still taking it?" Xander nodded. "When were you going to get off it?"

"When the cramps stop."

"Okay. Let me check the muscles again." He lifted Xander's legs, gently probing at the muscles. "You're so tense I can't even budge that one," he admitted. He put Xander's leg back down. "You need to have a lot less stress, young man. This isn't healthy for you." Xander nodded. "Didn't you say heart conditions ran in your family?"

"My brother-in-law has one, but as far as I know no one in my immediate family had one. Strokes are more common for us. High blood pressure. Alcoholism. Which isn't sounding so bad at the moment for a disease." The doctor nodded. "I'll be okay."

"I know you will because I'm going to give your husband orders to make you relax." He smiled. "A good backrub will help not only you relax, but could be beneficial to your relationship." Xander nodded. "Do you want a 'scrip?" Xander nodded. "Then I'll give you something that's guaranteed to knock you out. I can also give you an anti-anxiety pill if you want."

"I don't think I need it." The doctor gave him a 'get real' look. "Tell George," Xander sighed. "I'll let him decide on that."

"That's fine. Let me go get them and we'll discuss your further treatment options. It's time to get you back into shape, young man. You're getting pudgy." He smiled. "No offense."

"None taken. I am getting fat and out of shape. Then again, I'm not supposed to be fighting anymore either."

The doctor laughed. "I doubt you've fully given up on it." Xander shrugged. "You may have changed the arena of your fight, but you do still fight. Now you're training the next generation while giving them a good example. You've still got a few good years left." He left him alone, going to get the rest of the family. By the time he came back, Xander was sleeping on the examination table, and most everyone gave him a sappy look. That cheered him up, they'd be watching out for him until he felt better about things.

***

Xander was led into the house, nearly stumbling with exhaustion, and put onto the couch. George covered him up and went to tell the Headmaster they were back. He met Tara in the hallway. "The doctor gave him something to make him sleep from now on."

"I noticed," she said with a smile. "Why were you heading that way?"

"To tell Albus?"

"He knows. He sent me." She kissed him on the cheek. "Tell Draco to teach his class for him today and to make him appear tonight at dinner."

"Is that wise?"

She nodded, giving him a nearly evil smirk. "They won't say anything to him. I promise they won't." She gave him a squeeze. "Your son is now the proud owner of a two-day suspension for fighting with three of the boys in his house. Melvin got three for hitting a sixth year Ravenclaw until he begged him to stop. Simone was overlooked because it's her." She pulled back from him. "Go rest with him, George. He probably could use you."

George gave her a smile. "Our kids fought?"

"Your kids fought so hard it's not even funny. Poppy was really pissed until she heard what was going on, then she was furious at the little kids. And the Head Girl reamed Iggy a new one for you already. Said he should have known better and why couldn't he have used something more subtle, like a disease potion." She winked and walked away.

George was still smiling as he walked into the tower. "I just ran into Tara," he told Draco. The younger man looked up at him. "You're teaching Xander's class in two periods. We're all to appear at dinner to quash rumors, and our children beat the crap out of most of the tower. Poppy was furious at the little beasts for picking on Xander."

Draco nodded. "Good. How many detentions did Simone get this time?"

"None from what Tara said. Iggy got two days suspension to the tower, Melvin got three. She didn't say if Denver got any." Draco looked thoughtful. "You don't think they were fighting each other do you?"

"No," Draco told him. "They were probably off doing something else." He stood up and grabbed the robe off the back of the couch, putting it on. It hung on him a little. "I don't think this is mine." He put it down and went to get one from his room. Lucien wailed from the playpen so he came back and gave him a hug, then went to grab his robe. When he came down, his son was curled up with his favorite person, Maeve. "Can you watch them or should I take them with me?"

"I can do it," George said, sliding underneath his husband's head. "Thank you, Draco."

"You're welcome. I like to terrorize the little creatures." He walked out, going to look at the notes Xander kept in his desk. He ran into the Headmaster. "He's still sleeping."

"I realize that. What did the doctor say?"

Draco pulled him into the tower and handed him to George. "He wants a rundown of the argument you got into," he said, then he left again.

George smiled at him. "We were ordered to make him have less stress. That's the reason for his cramps. We were given something to help him sleep as well. The doctor said he had to take it because he hasn't slept in weeks."

"You're going to try the muggle formula?" he asked as he sat down. He looked at Xander's face. "He does look tired."

"This wasn't even encouraged. This is a natural nap." He ran his fingers through the black hair with white spiderwebs through it. "It's strange, but I hadn't even realized he was under so much stress. This year has been light so far."

"Yes, but he never really got to get over all the other stresses," Dumbledore reminded him. "Are you taking a vacation this summer?"

"Unless you need him around here for something. I don't know where; we might end up at the store again all summer like we did last time." Dumbledore nodded. "Do you think he'll be all right?"

"I think he'll be fine, but I do believe that your new houseguest is going to make things get worse before they get better." He glanced around. "I take it she took the suggestion?"

"Apparently. I haven't seen her since this morning, when she followed us to breakfast with the family." He moved his hand down, stroking the back of Xander's neck. "If I have to, I'll make him quit, Albus. You know that."

Dumbledore nodded. "I do, though I'd rather he took a sabbatical if necessary." George nodded. "He's not the only one. Severus and Tara are thinking about taking a year off as well. We'll manage if we have to. Your brother can teach his and Draco can take over the defense classes if Harry doesn't want it."

George shrugged. "I'm not sure you can force Harry to teach, sir. He still isn't comfortable with people staring at him. A roomful of students five times a day might drive him over the edge and make him start hurting them."

Dumbledore laughed as he stood up. "I'm sure we can handle it if necessary. An invitation to Ms. Rosenberg's wedding came today. I put it in his box in the staff room." He smiled. "Are you attending?"

"He wants to, but right now I'm not sure it's a great idea."

"We have to go, she came to ours," Xander mumbled. He tried to sit up but his mate stopped him. "I have to go teach."

"Sleep, Xander, Draco can teach your class," Dumbledore said gently.

Xander tried to sit up again. "He doesn't know about the ones I'm covering today." He groaned and laid back down as he started to cramp again. "Pain."

George shifted and rubbed over the cramping leg, helping his husband work it out. "Then let Ron teach it and Draco can teach defense," he said quietly. "You're not in any shape to teach the kids today, Xander." Xander gave him a hurt look. "You'll end up doing another ten minute class and it isn't good for them. Let one of the younger kids do it."

"I'm not that old."

George smiled. "No, you're not that old. You're not even that decrepit. You're injured and achy and tired. Fortunately, you have people who like you enough to take over for you during these few times of being needy." Xander started to pout. "It doesn't happen that often. If you think about it, you've spent less time away from your class this year than you did the second year you taught." Xander relaxed. "Would that be all right with you, Albus?"

"That would be fine," Dumbledore agreed with a smile. "Though you still have to come to dinner. It will stop a great many rumors if you do." Xander nodded. "Until then, I'll expect you to rest. You do look tired, young man, and it's not helping you get better if you don't rest." Xander nodded so he walked away.

George smiled. "I'm proud of you for not fighting."

Xander pouted. "I hate this."

"I know. Just think, if you get better, you won't have to miss any more days," George reminded him. "And you won't have to deal with the crappy fourth years again. You can even ban them from the advanced class if they give you trouble."

Xander nodded and put his head back down. "I guess. But I still hate this."

"I know. You hate having to depend on anyone, but this time it's not so bad. It's family and you can lean on us a little bit." Xander snuggled in and closed his eyes. "It's not some stranger and it's not too bad to let them guest lecture."

"Guest lecture. I like that."

"It does sound better than substitute," George agreed, starting to stroke his husband gently. "You nap. I'll get you up for dinner." Xander nodded and sifted, getting comfortable. "If you're good, I'll even take a long hot bath with you tonight." He felt the smile against his stomach. "Plus, your doctor did demand that I give you many backrubs so I can start that tonight too."

"You spoil me very well," Xander told him.

George smiled down at him. "I like to spoil you as much as you like to find me nifty little things. It's my turn this time. You can get me again this summer." Xander nodded. "Did you want to travel this summer?"

"We'll have to go to Amsterdam to officially introduce Iggy to them since he's going to be spending time in their territory. So we can do Amsterdam."

"I'd like that. It's supposed to be very pretty country." He continued to stroke over the firm body. "I don't care what your doctor said, you're not pudgy. You're very huggable." Xander laughed and shifted again. "Want to head upstairs? I can come with you."

"You have to get back to work."

"Love, that's why there's two of us." He shifted and stood up, helping Xander to his feet and up to their bed. "Here we go," he said gently as he covered them up with Xander's favorite blanket. "You rest, I'm staying right here." Xander snuggled against his chest, getting comfortable to take a long nap. George smiled at him. Sometimes he still looked like such a little kid. Maeve napped in that same position and William did it only on his back.

***

Draco walked into the Defense classroom during the change frenzy. "Where does Xander keep his notes?"

Ron grinned at him. "In the black bag under the desk in the second drawer of his little shelf thing."

"And do you know where he was?"

"Usually I ask." Ron led him back to the classroom and found the notes for him. "Hmm, oracle demons." He looked at Draco, who shrugged. "Want to teach mine? I'll do his?"

"If you wish. I can read from his notes."

"Then you're doing better than I usually do," Ron said, holding up one of the sheets.

"What is that, Sanskrit?" Draco asked in amazement, taking the page to read over. "How do you read this?"

"Years of practice," Ron said with a grin. "Let me do this, I'll let you guest lecture in Defense. We're doing sexual demons today, Incubus particularly." Draco nodded. "My notes are readable but only have keywords."

"That's fine, I was working on something against one the other day." Draco looked over his shoulder as the student started to walk in. "You're sure?"

"Yeah, I can handle them. They're fourth years." Draco nodded and left. "Sit, I'm guest lecturing today because Professor Harris is late getting back from the doctor's." The students hurried to their seats. "Do I need to ask if anyone's missing?"

"They're on their way. Madam Sprout had some of us hosing off the floors and they're winding up the hoses," one girl said, smiling at him. "Is his knee better? I heard he had surgery over the break."

"It is," Ron told her. "They went today to check it over again. They gave him stuff to help him sleep better because of the pain he's been in and they've said he can start to exercise it again. Right now, he's getting final instructions." The girl nodded. He waited until the rest of the students filed in. "Good afternoon, I know you all know who I am so we won't go into that. I see we're doing oracle demons?" The kids nodded. "Okay. Let me glance at the notes real fast." He looked down at them. "I ran into one?" He looked up. "Did he say when I ran into one?"

"Only that you were just out of school," the girl said. "He tells us if we're getting decent stories the next day."

"Let me see one of your texts," Ron said, accepting a book from a kid in the front row. He flipped through, coming to the picture. "Oh, them," he said happily. "I did." He handed the book back with a smile. "I did run into one of them when I was nineteen." He leaned on the lectern. "Not only did I run into one, I ran into one who told me something without being nagged or asked and in a pub." The kids put down their pens and stared at him. "Let me guess, you guys like these things?" They nodded. "Okay. Anyway, it was one of those nights. I had just started to work at Firebolt and I was bored out of my skull. A bunch of the guys from the line called over and asked if I'd go with them to the local pub since it was payday and I thought it'd be a good way to get to know them. They were really nice guys while I was there, some of them were real pissers." He grinned. "I managed to end up ten minutes late, so I walked over after them and walked into the really crowded pub, thereby making me due for the first round." The kids laughed. "As I graciously went up to get the round of ales, and found this funny looking creature up at the bar with a double shot of firewhiskey and a butterbeer. I nodded at him, recognizing him as one of the harmless ones from being where you are." He laughed. "You've got to understand, these guys are hounded. Everyone wants to know something about their future and if they know what an oracle demon is they bug them to death to get even a sentence. This guy looked like he had been chased across the country by someone, he was tuckered and his eyes showed how tired he was. But yet, he looked at me and gave me this smile and told me 'you'll do great things while you fill in'." The kids laughed. "I was really stunned and thanked him. I bought him his next round as well. He looked like he could use it." That got some more laughter. "So, anyway, that's when I ran into an oracle demon. No blood or parts involved this time." He clapped his hands. "Does anyone know the major categories of an oracle demon?" Hands across the room went up, except one. "Didn't do the reading?" he asked.

"My book got torched a few weeks back, my mother hasn't replaced it yet, sir," she told him.

"That's fine. Take really good notes because you know how his tests can be." She nodded and Ron picked on a kid halfway back. "Susars, you give it."

The kid stood up. "Sir, the major characteristics of the oracle demon are: earthbound, but plane born. Rare, horned, light green of a mucasy color, and the horns curl backwards like a bull. They have forest green eyes and flaring nostrils. They have no defensive or offensive capabilities, but are one of the most captured creatures among the demons, outside of sexual demons."

Ron wrote all the keywords on the board. "Good job. Anyone want to fill in anything else?" He checked the notes when no one said anything. "Oops, got one wrong. Their eyes are usually blue unless they're working," he said, smiling at the boy. "Good job anyway. There's still more."

***

Draco looked at the class, arms crossed, staring down his nose at them. "Sit," he ordered quietly. The kids all sat and stared at him. "Professor Weasley is filling in for Professor Harris, who came home from the doctors and passed out. Since he's fought demons more often than I, we switched off." He flipped open the notes. "I see here you are doing Incubi today." He looked up and a few kids nodded. "Very well. I've handled research into this area recently and you will be covering quite a bit. Please take good notes as *I* will be writing this part of your test and I'm not as pleasant as Professor Weasley." They all scrambled for quills and paper while he started making notes on the board.

He loved to terrorize the little creatures, it was a healthy power trip.

He looked at them again. "Who knows what an incubus is and is going to tell me?" Two hands went up. He smirked and pointed at the student cowering in the corner. "You. Stand up and give an answer now."

The student stood up. "The book said they were sexual demons, incubus being the male part of the pair, and were usually sent after women to gain power from them."

"And how do they do that?"

"Um, sexually?" the kid asked, starting to blush.

"Ah, fifth years," Draco said, looking over the class. "Anyone who can explain the power transfer process without stammering, blushing, or tripping over your pubescent tongues?" One girl raised her hand. "Yes? You think you can do that?"

"Yes, Professor Malfoy, I can." She stood up. "The transfer process works starting with the foreplay attempt. For those who are weak enough to be ensared, the incubus marks them. Most modern ones come back a few times. Testing the waters as it were." He nodded for her to go on. "Once they've decided that this victim is worthy of them sucking, by whatever criteria they choose, then they start to get more intimate with the human. In this case, woman. They slowly drain their victim of somewhere between a tenth and a quarter of their energy, unless they need a quick kill and are looking to drain someone fully. As the sexual acts move on, the power draining moves up until the point of orgasm, where they do the majority of the drain because the victim doesn't notice it at that point. They're a bit wrapped up in their own pleasure. The energy crash seems to be natural the first time, but as time goes on the incubus or succubus comes back more frequently. The only known way to stop it is to remove the marker that they leave and drive it off. Capturing isn't effective and neither are most religious rituals, other than to ward the victim against further attacks. Which will not work if the victim wants them to come back."

"Very good. And why do most victims not want the interference?"

"Because sexual demons are very good at picking people who aren't involved with others. Contrary to popular *muggle* misconceptions, they like to pick people who aren't involved so they have free reign and their victims are more likely to let them go farther. Since they pick the ones who are lonely, isolated, or haven't had a lover in a long time, it's easier to give them what they want with the minimum of effort."

"Excellent," he purred. "Five points." She smiled and sat down. "Very correct. These type of demons pick their victims very carefully. They go for the ones who are lonely, those who are grieving, or who need to feel the touch of another being." He paced around. "They are very careful of whom they choose and usually have up to ten potential victims at any point in time." The kids were scribbling madly and he smirked. "How many of you think you are eligible targets?" All but six of the students raised their hands. "In committed relationships?" All but one nodded. "Why not?" he asked the girl.

"Because I like girls and I'm more likely to be taken by a succubus," she said honestly, but very dryly.

"Ah." He nodded. "True, these demons can be set against members of the same sex for people such as yourself. Very nice reasoning." She nodded in agreement. "To move on. There is no such thing as an ineligible person. We all have moments in our lives. Even those who are in committed relationships are eligible some times. The point of this note is vigilance. Vigilance is the only way to protect yourself from any of the creatures you will find talked about in this class. I'm not saying this to make you paranoid, but at this moment in time you are all very tasty targets. You're full of energy, you're not careful of whom you associate with, and you're not wary about those who approach you." A student whimpered. "Of course, were you to be approached by such a creature, you can come to Professor Weasley and have him help ward you." The student who had whimpered brightened up. "To move on, the sexual demons are very good at picking their victims. They read people down to the very nature of your soul." He smirked. "You are all in serious danger as of this point, because you know what they are."

The students started to take notes again. Yes, it was quite a power trip teaching.

***

Xander held George's hand as tightly as he dared as they walked past the rows of students. He saw a few students giving them looks but a quick squeeze brought him back to the task at hand, living through dinner. He noticed a few of the teachers giving him supportive looks. "Good news, my knee's fully better and I have permission to start working on it again."

Tara grinned at him. "Congrats, Xander. How long?"

"Maybe a few months of slowly working my knee back up." He sat down in his seat, smiling since his husband had held his seat for him. "Thank you, dear."

"You're welcome." He sat down and looked out at the students. "Ours?"

"Their suspensions started this morning," Snape told him. He looked at Xander. "Do I need to continue to make you pain medicine?"

"My doctor said most of the residual pain is due to the cramping I'm doing, which is being caused by stress. If I can conquer that, I should be fine."

"He wants him to stop the pain medicine and try other methods of dealing with the cramping and stress," George told him. "Tara, can you teach him how to meditate?" She nodded. "Thanks. He'll need it. He's so tense I couldn't work the muscles in his leg loose."

"I might know how to cure that," Remus offered. "I often have cramps the next morning on certain nights." Xander smiled at him. "It's not that hard."

"You haven't tried his leg muscles yet," George told him. "I couldn't budge it."

"I'll come up and try later," Remus told him. "Any other good news?"

"He gave me stuff to help me sleep better," Xander told him. Snape looked over at him. "The sleeping potions aren't cutting out the nightmares any more."

Ron jogged up and gave Xander a hug. "Minnie just did something spectacular." He beamed. "She rehexed a kid who I had just gotten free."

"Congratulations!" George said, giving him a hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

Xander patted him gently. "That's great news, Ron. Want to announce it tonight?"

"Nah," he said as he took his seat. "I'm waiting to see if the rest of them do anything." He looked around. "What's the discussion about tonight?"

"Xander's nightmares," Tara told him.

Ron nodded, sipping his water. "He's woken me up a few nights."

"From across the tower?" Tara asked.

Ron nodded. "Yeah, he yells sometimes. And sometimes George yells because Xander's just gotten him good."

George nodded. "Some of them are fighting." He patted Xander's hand on the table. "It's okay though. We manage."

"I can teach your son to make something stronger, with a stronger dream suppressant," Snape offered.

Xander shrugged. "He gave me something that's supposed to help with the stress as well." He grinned. "Unless you guys have suddenly figured out the potion equivalent to anti-anxiety drugs." Snape shook his head. "Then I can stand to take a little tasteless pill every night. Hopefully it'll stop some of the worst of them."

"That would be nice," George agreed.

Tara frowned. "Can you see them if you're wearing the necklace he got you for Christmas a few years back?" George nodded. "Wow. Does it help your relationship?"

"It certainly makes me less mad when I'm woken up by being smothered," George said dryly. Xander blushed and ducked his head. "Sorry, dear."

"It's okay," Xander told him. "She's family." He looked at her. "It happened once or twice. Not too often. They seem to rotate."

She smiled, looking like she understood. "We all have nightmares about that time in our lives, Xander. Even I do. I know you're not abusing him. If you were, Fred would have killed you by now." Xander nodded. "So, Ron, how was your day?"

"All right." He looked at Xander. "How did you know that I ran into an oracle demon?"

"Buffy said she slew it."

"Oh." He frowned. "But they're harmless."

"Yes, but it was talking to you and you were hers," Xander told him. "She could be a bit possessive at times."

"I remember," Ron said with a faint grin, or possibly a grimace. "She went to see Willow today."

"Joy," Tara muttered. Her mate patted her gently on the hand. "Xander, Zach babbled his first word yesterday evening. It was no. We're blaming you for that."

Xander grinned. "Thanks. I like to be blamed for vocabulary issues."

Dumbledore walked in through the back door. "Good, you're all here. Very nice work today." He sat down. "Xander, did George tell you what I said about a sabbatical?"

"Yup, and I'm thinking really hard about it," he admitted. Tara looked down at him. "I like teaching, but I'm tired and I need a real break."

"I understand," Tara told him. "I feel the same way some days." She looked at Snape, who nodded. "We're going to take a long break over this summer to do some traveling."

"Where?" Ron asked.

"Italy," Snape told him. "There's a conference I was wanting to attend. I was going to ask for Ignatius to come along, but I think he'll be busy." Xander nodded. "Have you seen him yet?"

"I'm trying to decide if I'm yelling at him or hugging him," George told him. "We'll pop around after supper."

Ron coughed. "Suspension rules state that you can't." He shrugged at the hurt look. "Draco couldn't when Simone was suspended. I know he did," he said when Dumbledore opened his mouth, "but he shouldn't have. The rules say they can't."

"I can wait," George told him, giving him a wicked grin. "It'll give me time to decide if I'm yelling or hugging."

"And to make presents," Xander added.

Professor Black walked in, nodding at everyone. "How are we this evening?" he asked as he took his seat.

"We've got good news," Ron told him. "Minnie just manifested officially."

"That's wonderful," he said with a smile. "How?"

"She's tripping prior spells," Dumbledore told him. "She rehexed a student a few moments ago."

He smiled at Ron. "That is excellent news. Have you told your mother yet?"

"Not yet. I'm owling her later tonight. It'll be good news to wake up to tomorrow." He beamed at his students as they cheered. "What's going on now?"

"Just some good news," one Gryffindor yelled back. "Tell Minnie we said congratulations."

Ron smiled at them. "Thanks. I'm looking forward to her sitting at that table."

"With the family's luck, she may be a Slytherin," Tara teased.

Ron glared at her. "Don't say that! She's a good little girl, if a bit violent." Tara chuckled. "I'm sure I can teach her to be a proper Gyff by the time she's ready to start school."

"I'm sure as well," Dumbledore agreed. "Xander, a suggestion came up earlier and I wanted to talk to you about it later on. Would that be acceptable to you?"

"Sure. I'm calm and it'll be fine," Xander told him.

"Why do you have to be calm?" Black asked.

"Because my leg cramps are being caused by stress," Xander told him. "I'm under orders to relieve some of my stress."

"I may be adding to it, but you shouldn't have too many problems with this issue," Dumbledore told him. "It won't be any stress for you until next year anyway."

Xander grimaced. "If I have to. It's bad enough trying to deal with the gryphon-borns sometimes."

"Your son could help," Remus suggested.

George cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, Iggy's at that age where he's expected to lose control himself." The other teachers looked confused. "Lust bombs and the like."

"Oh," Remus said, eyes wide. "I had forgotten that Xander used to have those." He smiled. "Are you ready for that?"

Xander nodded, giving him a faint smile. "Fortunately, my son is fixated on the unreachable at the moment. It'd be worse if he had a girlfriend in the school."

"He's still after her?" Tara asked. Both parents nodded. "Does she know?"

"She not only knows, but her parents think it's cute," George told her.

Snape groaned. "I was considering her to take over if we were going to be late back to classes next year."

"It might be good for him," Black told him. Snape sneered at him. "Think about it. Being forced to deal with his crush on a daily basis would give him more self-control."

"It could also make him trip over his feet, start to do stupid things, and make him create chaos," Snape told him. "He doesn't need the self-control, he has it already."

Xander grinned. "He's never known anything other than doing so much. I never pushed him to do multiple things. Other than having him run errands and letting him play in the junior league when he begged he's always made his own schedule and found his own interests."

"We got lucky," George admitted. "He could have turned out very lazy, but he wants to do this stuff. William's turning out the same way."

"Can I teach them to fly soon?" Xander asked him. "I know we waited until five for Iggy, but they're liking the broom stuff that their big brother does."

"You might be able to take them on some flies," George conceded. "You can't let them fly by themselves."

"Okay." Xander smiled at him. "I miss my daily flies." He leaned over and gave his mate a kiss on the cheek. "Maybe we'll take some picnics again?"

"I'd like that," George agreed. "Fred said we might need someone to help full time."

"Wow," Ron said, looking at him. "The store's ready to expand?"

"Some," George agreed. "A hire isn't that big a deal. The other joke shop has two part timers."

"Yeah, but having someone there full time will mean that you can have more time in the lab," Ron reminded him. George nodded. "You're expanding the product line?"

"We hope to," George agreed. "No matter what Filch says."

Xander giggled. "I'm sure he'll learn to love you once he retires."

"Hopefully," Dumbledore agreed with a faint smile. "Were you planning on asking for testers this year?"

"We'd like to have a small test panel from the students, but we're not sure we're going to have anything yet," George told him. "Xander's come up with a few very good ideas that are in the testing stage, but we've only got two or three things and we're trying very hard not to bring them into the school. We don't need the trouble with Filch. He's started the petition around the town."

"Bastard," Ron muttered. "Humor is a good thing." He shook his head. "This should be a happy night. Xander's getting better, my daughter manifested." Draco walked in. "Minnie manifested."

"Wonderful news," Draco told him. "I just saw my daughter begging Little Ron to hold his pet snitch." He took his seat.

"He has a pet snitch?" Black asked.

Ron nodded, grinning madly. "Harry got him one for his sixth birthday. He's kept it with him since then, petting it and playing with it every day. He trained himself with it and sleeps with it most of the time."

"No wonder Oliver had to warn him to give back the snitch at the end of the last game," George said dryly. "There's news from town that might be of interest." The teachers looked at him. "We're starting back up the parent's league."

Ron beamed. "I'm going to try out."

"That's good. Then you can start to play again," Draco agreed. "How many teams?"

"We've got plans for five, using a rotating game pattern. All of them after business closes for the day. Fred and I were the first ones on the list. We're going to try and teach Xander some weekend at home."

Xander smiled. "I can play?"

"You can play," George agreed. "And if you can't play, we'll try to find some spot for you. Cheerleader suit you?"

Xander nodded. "I can do that." He grunted and rubbed his calf. "I hate those."

"I know. We'll try to get them gone again tonight," Remus told him. He nodded as the food appeared on the tables. "Let's eat, shall we? It's going to be a long night for some of us." He picked up the soup ladle and dished himself out some of the soup. "I have six students under detention that I have to decide what to make them do."

"I find cleaning to be instructional," Snape told him. He accepted the soup, holding it while his mate dished herself out some. "Albus, have you heard anything about our transfer?"

"She'll be here next week," Dumbledore told him. "Don't worry, we'll treat her like we do all the others from faculty families."

Xander looked down at him. "I didn't know you had other family, Severus."

"I have a few cousins and a sister," he admitted. "We don't speak."

"I'm sorry. We can adopt you too."

"No, thank you," he said dryly, shaking his head. He dished himself out some soup. "I have all the family I need." He passed on the soup tureen and took the bread. "My niece will be coming. Emily."

"Isn't she about Iggy's age?" Tara asked. He shook his head. "I thought she was."

"She's a class higher," Snape informed them. "I do not want her to have any special treatment." He looked around. "She's to be treated like everyone else."

Xander nodded. "Okay. If she comes to my classes, she's a normal student." Ron and Draco both nodded. "Are you going to keep Iggy away from her?"

"I doubt they'd have much in common. Her mother is more of a herbologist than I am." He glanced around. "I will have to introduce them, but I will not encourage any sort of...relationship between them. Ignatius is thinking years beyond what he needs at the moment."

"He's fully ready for it," George told him. "Apparently Americans get done faster with growing up."

"We try," Xander admitted. "Most of us are fully grown by the end of our sixth years." He glanced at the other members of the family. "He's still got one more growth spurt coming, probably the year after next."

Snape nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." He broke up some of his bread and put it into his soup. "How are your younger ones?"

"Happy when I saw them," Xander told him. "We bribed a house elf to watch them tonight."

"How do you bribe a house elf?" Draco asked.

"We told them they could spoil the kids," George told him with a smile. "They love the children, they're smaller and the house elves can tell them anything and they'll do it. The kids look at them like they're living toys and it shows."

"Ah." Draco nodded. "I had wondered why Anastasia used to prefer to be watched by a house elf over her grandmother at times."

Ron nodded. "Gwen does the same thing. She squeals and runs over to hug them whenever she sees them around the school."

"The elves love them in return," Dumbledore assured them. "It's nice to be worshiped like the children do at that age."

"It's the ears," Black told them.

Xander nodded. "Probably. That and the gentle nature. Only one house elf has ever yelled at our kids and they were being brats." Xander looked at his boss. "Have we filled out Iggy's permission slip to go on his admittance interviews?" Dumbledore nodded. "Thanks."

"I wish I had been able to get him somewhere closer," Dumbledore admitted. "I hope he'll be happy at Braun."

"I hope he'll be happy at Braun too," Xander agreed. He looked at Snape. "Have you been feeding him stories about dorm parties?" Snape shook his head. "Shoot. Don't they do that there?"

"Not hardly," Snape told him. "Braun is a serious institution. Not some party school."

"You still have to have some fun," George told him.

"There's a whole city for that," Snape reminded him, with just a hint of a smile.

"We were going to investigate the mischief potential this summer," George told him.

"I can show you some nice places," Draco told him. "I spent a week there a few years back during one of my sudden vacations."

"Son, we don't want to visit places of ill repute," Xander told him, but he was smiling.

"I did manage to take in some culture," Draco said, smiling back. "A zoo, two museums, and a few jewelry stores." His smile got brighter. "I only picked up one prostitute while I was there."

"We didn't need to know that," Tara told him.

"Sorry." But he was smirking. "Xander, Ron took over your class today. I did his. Ron, they did quite well. One of the Slytherins was very knowledgeable about the subject matter, gave very appropriate answers without tripping over her tongue or blushing."

Ron nodded. "I know. She's done that all term. I think she should take the advanced class when she's ready. Want to talk to her for me?"

"If you wish."

Xander looked at Ron. "How did you do with the oracle demons?"

"I found the notes where you said I had run into one and told that story, then gave the information. It's not that much different from what I do normally."

"As long as they got it," Xander told him. He looked at Draco. "Enjoying the teaching thing?"

"I find I get my kicks that way," he admitted.

George smiled at him. "I bet you're a horrible teacher to be under. Power-tripping the whole class."

Draco winked. "Me?" he asked innocently. He accepted the plates and bowls of food, passing on what he didn't want. "Anytime you need me to fill in, just ask. Though, Xander, please interpret your handwriting into english next time."

"I can read it," Xander told him.

"I can't," George put in. Xander stuck his tongue out. "You've seen my box of love notes. I'm still waiting for you to translate some of them for me, love."

"I'll do it later," Xander told him. He noticed one of the students staring at them and gave his husband a kiss on the cheek. The student went back to their meal. "I don't like being stared at."

"I know, but we have to do this to show that you're still here and to quash some rumors," George said patiently. "Just a few more days and you can stop eating in here at dinner time."

"We do like to have your company," Dumbledore pointed out.

"Yeah, but I hate people staring," Xander told him. "It gives me the creeps."

"I understand, but if you could come in at least once a week it would be helpful and we'd be delighted to talk to you as well."

Xander shrugged. "If I have to."

"Thank you, Xander."

Xander stuffed his mouth with food, not remarking on the smirk at all.

***

Harry looked up from his dinner, frowning at the howling going on behind him. "What's that?" he asked his daughter, looking around.

"There she is again!" Mellie told him, pointing at the ghost beside the refrigerator. "She woke me up earlier, dad. Make her go away! She's icky!"

Harry looked at the ghost, starting to frown. She looked familiar, where had he seen her before.... He shook his head, it would come to him sometime. "It's all right, Mellie, she's not that scary. She's only a ghost and can't really hurt you. All they can do is annoy and irritate, unless they walk through you, then you get really cold."

"How do you know?"

"Because Hogwarts is full of ghosts. Each of the houses have their own special ghosts, plus there's a lot more running around." He ate a bite of food. "Eat, Mellie, or we can't go see Little Ron this weekend." She obediently ate some of her dinner. "Good girl." He smiled at her. "Just ignore her, she's only irritating."

"Yes, daddy." She ate while watching this strange creature. What an odd thing to happen. She didn't look like anyone in daddy's family album.

***

Xander followed the Headmaster into his office, nodding at the other Regents waiting on them. "What's wrong? Is my knee causing me to miss too many days?"

"No, Xander, do sit though so you don't stress it," Dumbledore told him with a smile as he took his own seat. Xander sat across from him. "We need to talk to you about something for the future of this school." The young professor nodded. "It has been suggested that we up the muggle studies program." Xander nodded, slower this time.

One of the regent's cleared his throat. "We thought, since you've still got connections in the muggle world, that you might help us figure out what to look into."

"I'm not the person to ask," Xander told him. "Yeah, I drink soda, occasionally eat fast food, and have a tv, but that's about it. I don't even drive a car anymore. I'm much more happy in this world than I ever was there."

"I understand," the regent told him. "Still, can we talk to you about our suggestions?"

"Does this mean I'll have to help teach it?" The regent nodded. "I'd rather not. Like I said, I'm not that far into the muggle world. Draco's as much in it as I am."

"We know, and we've asked him. He suggested that we ask someone else because of your problems with some of the muggle world," another regent told him. "We don't know what he was talking about, but we figured he would know."

Xander nodded and stood up. "I'm really not the person you want. You want a witch that's there."

"Why would a witch live in the muggle world?" the last regent asked, sounding scornful.

"Because she works there," Xander told him with a smile. "One of the former professors works for the Watcher's Council." They looked clueless. "Rosenberg. She works for them. They do everything the muggle way, including with computers, which I don't use because I'm very not comfy with them."

"Xander," Dumbledore said calmly, "I know this upsets you, for whatever reason, but please calm down. We're not going to force it on you."

"Albus, you *know* I'm not comfortable with that realm anymore. You've said it yourself, I'm happier here; I adjusted so fast because I didn't have a place there. I never did. I never fit in. Outside of the television, I'm not really in that world. I can't lecture about what I don't know."

"What about those computer things?" the nice regent asked. "Have you ever used one?"

"To check my email, back in eleventh grade. That would be nearly seventeen years ago. Besides finding porn, that was all I could do with the internet. That was Willow's thing, never mine."

"Do you know where the media is going?" the middle regent asked.

"Besides the fact that they've got a way to see who you're typing at on the other end? They've got ways of making the floo obsolete for muggles. It's not like they haven't gotten past us in that area."

"They've got a muggle version of the floo?" the nasty regent asked.

"No, they've got cameras so that you can see the person you're talking to on the other end. They've managed to get around the direct line by putting two or more pieces of technology together. A camera, an internet connection, and a small program to chat with each other. That's all they need. Outside of the phone, which you can't see over, they've got multiple ways to talk, and that was seventeen years ago when I was still being forced to deal with it. I'm not the person you want."

"Can you contact Professor Rosenberg?" the nice regent asked. "Would she be qualified to teach a short seminar each year?"

"We see her every week," Dumbledore told him. "She's helping Agatha adjust to acceptable behavior. I can call her and have her come over tonight."

"Just tell her to leave Buffy there," Xander said. He waved a hand at the worried look. "I'm okay, just really tired. I'm sorry I can't help you more, I'd love to be able to, but I'm not the one to do this. I was never comfortable in that world, I never had a spot to call my own and I wasn't happy while I was there. I found happiness when I got here and made due until I could get a tv." He nodded at the door. "I'm going to go back to my nap. I'm still exhausted."

"Take your medicine," Dumbledore agreed. He waited until Xander left. "I'm sorry, he's been a tad bit upset recently. With everything going on, his personal stress is nearly killing him."

The nice regent nodded. "I understand. Stress is bad for all of us."

The nasty regent sneered. "He's not that much a muggle, yet he was born there?"

"He might have been born there, but he never fit in," Dumbledore told him. "His innate nature made it difficult for him to be a normal muggle. His violent streak was only harnessed by slaying duties and he manifested nearly as soon as he got here. His body was waiting for the magic to call out to him. He would have found his way here eventually."

"Yes, but he's still muggle-born."

Dumbledore shook his head. "He's *gryphon*-born. He always has been and he always will be. If you knew the man at all, you'd see that."

"Has he come into conflict teaching the other borns at the school?" the middle regent asked.

Dumbledore shook his head. "Not at all. He's enjoyed it, but not that totally. It's been interesting, but something he does with his own children. Teaching seems to come as naturally to him as being a father does."

Draco walked in. "I saw Xander, did you ask him?"

"He's declined the offer," Dumbledore told him with a faint smile. "He suggested Willow."

"Which means I'd have to sit in the same room as her."

"It's not that bad," the nice regent told him. "She'll be on her best behavior."

"She's the one who let it be known what was going on in his life and the fact that she and reality have a few splits."

"History is seen differently by each person," the nasty regent said. "How did she see it?"

"Like everything was fine and the danger was minimal. That she helped people more than she thought she did. Possibly that she was a good little girl and everyone around her was nice," he sneered. "I don't care, she's upset my daughter yet again." The regent nodded. "Did you hear? Ravena is in Slytherin."

"Congratulations," the nasty regent told him, nodding. "We knew it would happen to one of them, that they would be acceptable to the history of your family."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Shall we talk to Ms. Rosenberg?" They nodded so he called her over. She came out of the floo. "Willow, we need your help with an upcoming project."

She smiled. "Sure. What can I do to help the school?"

"We're adding a seminar to the muggle studies class," Draco told her. "A yearly two-day discussion for all new students, starting next year with everyone. We'll need a curriculum and a set of notes about the differences and how to deal with them."

She nodded. "Okay. I can do that." She looked around. "You didn't already ask Xander? He probably knows enough to do that."

"He mentioned that you're more up to date on things like computers," Dumbledore told her.

"Yeah, I guess I am. Xander was never a computer whiz. He managed to find the oddest categories of porn, no matter what he was searching." One of the regents looked interested. "Really. One time, he was looking up cats for a paper and found cat porn."

"With people?" Draco asked, looking disgusted. "Was it on purpose?"

"No." She grinned. "It was just there. He has the worst luck with finding anything on the 'net. Oh, and there's a great technology fair next month. I can go there and see the upcoming stuff."

"It will be two hours of classes for two days," Dumbledore told her. "Geared to help the muggle born get accustomed to our school, and the others ready to face what is out there."

"Okay," she agreed. "Let me go make lists and bring them back tomorrow night?" Everyone nodded. "Coolness. Did the invitations appear?" Draco nodded. "Are you coming?" she asked hesitantly.

"Not unless I'm forced to support Xander during it," he said dryly.

She smiled brightly. "That would be fine. I know you don't like me much. Thank you for not making fun of my son. He's still at a fragile age." She waved and disappeared again.

"She's rather ... active," the nice regent said, one eyebrow going up. "Is she always like that?" Dumbledore nodded. "No wonder she wasn't here long. I doubt she was happy with it."

"She never got along with the form of magic we do," Dumbledore told him. "Her own is very strong and it hampered her learning our ways."

"It took until a few years ago for Tara to get comfortable with it," Draco reminded him. "She's only begun to really use her wand in the last two years. Xander started using his before we even knew he had one."

"Very true," Dumbledore agreed with a smile. "Make sure he gets to bed tonight? He's still very tired and I'm worried about him falling asleep in class."

"The new medicine works," Draco told him. "The doctor said it's very reliable and will do most of what he needs it for."

"He's on muggle medicine?"

"We don't have equivalents," Draco told him. "They decided that one little pill was easier than trying to make up a new potion."

The nice regent nodded. "Understandable. I've run into occasions when potions weren't available."

"Speaking of, how is Severus' apprentice?"

"Good," Dumbledore told him. "He's moving quickly through the seventh year book at the moment and is working on making his book collection grow."

"Where is he?" the middle regent asked.

"Fourth year. He's in the same class as my two oldest," Draco told him. "Same house as well. He's the chaser that works so well with my son."

"Ah." He smiled. "How are they?"

"Better. Simone's behavior has improved greatly. She still wants to be a Prefect when it's time. Denver has discovered the joys of women. Anastasia is still perfecting her princess act. Ravena has formed some sort of attraction for Ron Potter." He shrugged. "He has a snitch that she covets."

"How do they do against each other?" the nasty regent asked.

"He trained her, though she thinks she can beat him." The nasty regent laughed. "He loves her," Draco told him with a smirk. "Not more than he loves the snitch, but they share the same infatuation over it. Potter and I are both wincing at what might happen if they get together."

Dumbledore laughed. "I'm sure they'll work it out so that it sleeps between them if they do. Did you hear the wonderful news? There will be a member of your adopted family here for the next seventeen years."

"Seventeen years?" the nice regent asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "Some form of the Weasley clan, adopted or not." Draco nodded, giving him a dry look. "Plus, I do believe that we'll see children before Lucien is out of school."

"As long as they get married and have a child before their third anniversary of graduation," Draco told him.

"I believe we'll see some before then," Dumbledore told him. Draco raised a brow. "Melvin and Andrea?"

"Oh, them." He nodded. "Very possible. I thought you meant one of mine. They're adamantly against children."

The nice regent snorted. "I'm sure they'll change their minds if they follow your example."

"I have children because they make my life more chaotic and I need the noise to be sane." He stood up. "Was there anything else we needed to handle tonight?"

"Please help Xander off the couch," Dumbledore said quietly. "He'll need to stretch out to stop the cramps." Draco nodded and left them. "It's going to be an interesting spring."

"What happens if Harris flips out?" the middle regent asked. "He seemed a bit further stretched than you let on."

"Then I'll move Professor Weasley over to cover his classes, and Mr. Malfoy has gracefully agreed to cover the defense classes whenever possible. We've got it worked out already. I do hope he won't take off, but I believe he'll need a short break soon. This new ghost has just raised his normal stress."

"How is his knee?"

"He went today to have it checked. It's healed nicely. He's ready to start working on it now. We tried it today and it worked well. The only problem we had was with Xander's handwriting." The regents laughed. "Dinner tomorrow, gentleman?"

"That would be fine. Try to calm down Mr. Malfoy before then."

"He has practice tomorrow so I'm sure it will be fine," Dumbledore told him. He smiled as they left. If even they had seen how stretched Xander was, it was really bad. He should probably have a talk with Tara and Ron before the 'seen' taking off happened. Tara walked into his office, giving him one of her gentle smiles as she set Zachariah down. "How is he?"

"He's good," she told him, taking a seat. "How was Xander?"

"Stressed enough that the regents saw. They're worried that he's going to take off for a bit."

"He probably will. He's never really gotten to deal with any of the stress. Even when he was trying to a few years back, everyone stopped him before he could." She shrugged. "We'll manage. He does still have all that leave time saved up." She smiled as her son picked up a statue and babbled at it. "Yes, it's very nice." The statue growled at him. "Maybe you should put that back." He brought it over to her. "Thank you, son. Now find a book and read it." Zach toddled away and grabbed one of the special books from the basket beside the desk, one of his favorite ones to talk to. The puppies moved in it! She smiled at her boss again. "We'll manage. We always have. Even when they ignored Xander, we managed to save everyone."

"The problem is, there's been a few nebulous visions about death eaters."

She nodded. "I had one of them. He'll be back by then. I saw him there."

Dumbledore relaxed. "Thank you, Tara. It will be a short fight?"

She shrugged. "That I didn't see. All I heard was 'get the body' and Xander nearly falling during the fight. Fortunately, the family helped him." She stood up. Her son pouted at her. "You can come visit the puppy book the day after tomorrow," she told him. He continued to look pitiful. "If you don't come now, you won't be able to visit the dogs tomorrow." He carefully put away his book and stood up, taking her hand. "Good night, Albus. Sleep well."

"Night!" Zach called as he was walked away.

"Good night, the both of you," he called after them. He did a quick scan of the school and found only peace and quiet for now. It was a wonderful sensation.

***

Buffy waited until dawn this time, trying to be thoughtful. When Xander woke up and looked at her with a grimace, she gave him her serious look. "You weren't happy as normal guy?"

He sat up and looked around, then grabbed his wand and closed the door, blocking out all sound from anyone who might be up. They didn't need to hear this tale. "When would I have been? When I was trying to find an identity? When no group would have me? When I was so lonely I ached, even when I was around you guys?" He shrugged. "Do you think anything I did back then made me happy, Buffy?"

"You seemed happy."

"It's called a defense mechanism. You know, for someone who has contact with all-knowing beings, you're not very well informed," he told her when she didn't say anything. He sighed. "It's the equal and opposite reaction of picking on people because you're not happy. Cordy did it all the time until she found a spot that made her happy, and then it came crumbling down around her. I finally found it and all I had to do was give up on the life that I wasn't enjoying anyway. Now I'm happy, or at least I was until Willow so helpfully trashed my reputation among the students." He slid out of the bed. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to shower now and go work out. I'm finally allowed to do that again."

She watched him go, frowning at his back. Where had she been? Willow had said he was fine. Didn't she know him better than anyone? The girl used to be able to read his pulse from across a room, but she didn't realize he wasn't happy? Maybe it was an Oz thing, all that had changed when she took up with Oz. The little voice in the back of her head pointed out another changing point, when she had picked up magic everything changed. Was that what it was? Some sort of willful blindness because she was happier? She frowned as she thought about it. Maybe she would go ask the person who knew Xander now. George would certainly know and neither of the twins had liked her enough to sugar coat anything for her now. She floated out of the school, heading down to bug them.

George looked up as he felt the coldness, frowning at her. "You had to wake him up already?"

"He used to get up by now every day," she said with a shrug.

"Not in a very long time, Buffy. Not in a very long time." He forced himself to sit up, putting the crystal back into his shirt. "What can I help you with?"

"I always thought he was happy, so did Willow. Why were we wrong?"

"Maybe because you never paid any attention to him?" George suggested. Buffy shook her head, starting to frown. "You didn't. For example. Do you remember the fight you got into while we were visiting that summer?" She nodded, starting to smile. "Who saved Tara's life?"

"Spike."

"He was across the cemetery and he can't fly, Buffy. He was beside you."

"He yelled."

"Xander pulled her out of the way of the blade."

"Oh." Her face fell. "He did?" He nodded. "Na-uh, you guys weren't there."

"We were there," Fred said from the doorway. "We were there and we even helped by slaying something that was coming up behind Xander." He walked in and sat on the bed. "Ever since before Willow cheated with Xander you stopped dealing with him on a friend level." She frowned at him. "You did. You didn't celebrate his birthday, even though he went to yours. You didn't call and check on him when he was sick that time in your senior year. We got his medical records and they were quite illuminating on that fact."

"The nurse made a note because she thought it was abnormal that he had *no one* visit. Not his family, not you guys," George added. "The next note was made by a social worker who said his family knew where he was and didn't put him there, so there wasn't anything they needed to do about it."

She slumped a little. "I went to visit him. It was November, right?"

"No, it was spring. A week in the hospital due to a bad rip into his side by a claw."

"Oh. How did you get his medical records?"

"He had them transferred over for Madam Pomfrey," Fred told her. "He said he wanted them here just in case something happened. Do you even know when his birthday is?"

"March?"

George nodded. "At least you got the month right. How big of a guess is that?"

"I sent him a card my last year."

"*Ron* sent him a card your last year," George corrected.

"I put my name on it too, but I was busy. Training."

"You were always busy and he didn't have anyone else," Fred told her.

George held up a hand. "Xander said to quit talking about him like he was a book please." He looked at her. "Isn't there some way you can view your own life?" She nodded. "Maybe you should do that, Buffy. With the disparity between your recollections and his, or between his and Willow's, I think it's time that one of you saw what happened to him."

"Better yet, review his life," Fred suggested. George winced. "No?"

"No. Xander said to tell her if she tried he was going to trap and confine her in the tiniest box he could find. He said he'd leave orders in his will to let her go."

She pouted. "But then I can't be reborn."

"If you can't learn that lesson it might not happen anyway," George reminded her. She nodded and faded out. "And Buffy, please leave him alone. He's got enough stress right now and can't take much more."

"I'll try," she sighed as she finished fading out. She went back to her in-between spot and sat down at the dressing table that was her viewing station. "Can I see my old life? Like from tenth grade on?" The mirror zoomed backward at a rapid pace and eventually stopped with her first day in Sunnydale. She watched it all go by, wondering why she hadn't seen any of that. "How about his? Can I do that and not risk being blown up?" The mirror changed focus, showing her all the times they had interacted together. Wow, she had missed a lot. How had she missed that much?

***

Xander walked into his Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw third year class and put his cane on his desk, sitting down behind it. He was still a bit tired, but this was his only class for the day. "Does anyone have any questions on the material up to this point? I know I've missed some days and I wanted to make sure."

One Ravenclaw raised her hand and he nodded at her. "Professor, not to sound mean, but why are we learning from you? I mean, if you didn't do that well, then why are you teaching?"

"Because I have the practical knowledge. A grade isn't everything," he said, trying not to flinch. A few of the kids must have noticed, they looked sympathetic. "Sit." She did so and he stood up. "Let me explain this a little bit more. Muggle schools are about different things, less practical matters like language structure and history lessons. That's as close as you're ever going to be to what I did in my schooling." The girl nodded. "I'm teaching this class instead of history because I have the knowledge to teach you this subject. As I said at the beginning of the year, I have dealt with over two hundred of the creatures I teach you, and the list only grows every year. I don't need straight A's to teach you how to maim, kill, or destroy something. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Thank you. Do you have any *other* questions?" No one said anything. "Then let's move on, shall we? You have a test next class and you're still two demons short." He turned and wrote his notes on the board, but mentally he was chastising himself. Why did he even bother some days?

As soon as class let out, he gathered everything up and headed up to his rooms. He thought about taking a nap, but he was too tired to do so. It wasn't physical tiredness, it was mental. Every look he had gotten in the halls, every snarky comment he had heard from some of the upperclassmen, everything. He grabbed the vault key off the dresser and headed out to get a drink. He made a quick stop at the bank for a few handfuls of cash, then walked back into the Leaky Cauldron, sitting at the bar. "I'm not here," he said when Tom came over with a real beer.

The bartender nodded and accepted the fee for the room for the night plus enough money to help the non-drinker get drunk. He poured him a shot to start off with, then walked away once he saw it downed. This was probably a bad thing, but he understood. People needed to escape sometimes. He was sure the guy's husband knew what was going on.

***

George walked into the house, looking around. Xander's notes were on the table but Xander wasn't anywhere. He checked their bedroom and the bathroom but no Xander. So he sat down to wait on him, figuring he had run out for something. When the last bell of the day rang, and Xander still wasn't back, he started to get worried. What if someone had taken him? He stood up as the door opened but it was only Ron. "Have you seen Xander?"

"Have you tried to think at him?" Ron asked, heading up to his room to change out of his tie.

George sat down and touched the crystal he usually wore, frowning when he touched a wall. It was rare for Xander to block him out, and it was never that firm. When Tara came in with the kids, he stopped her, taking off the crystal and holding it out to her. "I can't feel him, can you?"

"It's called a lover's crystal for a reason," she reminded him with a faint smile. "It's only usable by you."

Ron jogged back down the stairs, kissing each of his kids on the head. "Not really. Draco said something about not telling anyone because others might be able to use it."

She took it in her hand, concentrating. "He's in there somewhere," she said finally. "I can hear some music but nothing else. Sorry, George. Are you coming for dinner?"

"I don't think it's right that I do since he's not here," he explained. She shrugged.

"It's fine," Ron told him. "C'mon. At the very least, you can eat with the kids." He grinned. "Iggy's off suspension now and Little Ron's having fits today because his snitch is acting up."

"All right," George agreed, reluctantly, but he grabbed his kids and followed Ron. He waved that he was sitting down with the family when Dumbledore looked at him and got a smile in return. "Hi," he said as he sat down, making sure Maeve was next to him since she was younger. "How was the suspension, son?"

"Good," he said, shrugging. "I got some more stuff done in the alchemy book. Blew up a few stones in the fireplace. Cleaned my room and actually did my Transfiguration paper for next week. How was your day?"

"Not very interesting. The town was nearly dead today. No a single buyer, or even a browser." He smiled at Simone as she moved to sit across from William. "Why didn't you get any?"

"I was in the bathroom," she told him. "Denver and I were trimming my bangs so we heard about it after the fact. Nice technique, Iggy, if I haven't already told you." He grinned at her. "Where's Little Ron?"

"He and Ravena are looking at his snitch. It decided to get out today in Herbology." Iggy dished himself up some food and handed the bowl down. "Dad, where's the other one?"

"I think he's gone for the night," George told him.

"Oh." Iggy shot a glare at a certain Ravenclaw, who had the grace to look away. "Simone, I think we should have a talk with someone."

"She wasn't trying to be mean," Simone reminded him. "Just curious. She put it wrong, and has no tact or taste, but she wasn't intentionally mean."

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked as he joined them. "Which Ravenclaw?"

"See the redheaded one trying hard not to look at us?" Denver asked. "Let's say she insulted Uncle Xander." His father looked at him. "I don't want you to lose your position for beating her, father. Let Simone handle it. She'll only get a detention or two."

"Has anyone else heard this?" George asked.

Simone nodded. "All the students. One of her friends was warning her, loudly, about what we were going to do to her because of what she said. None of the teachers know, I think." She finished cutting up the large chunks of meat in the stew and handed it back. "There you go, William. Eat up." He smiled at her and dug in, slurping loudly. "So, did he run? There's a rumor going around that he packed a bag and left."

"I don't think he packed anything," George told her. "He's not in the tower right now though."

Draco looked at him. "You do think he's taking a short vacation?"

"I think he might be," George sighed, putting down his fork. "It's like everything's suddenly slid onto his back and he's tired. That's what most of his exhaustion has been, the stress. I don't know what's going on, he never left me a note." He glanced around. "How tolerant do you think Dumbledore is going to be?"

"Ask him," Denver told him. "He's not going to deny you the chance to talk about it. It might even make him more lenient. It's not like he's going to kick you out or something, Uncle George."

"Without Xander teaching, there's no reason for us to be taking up space at the school," George reminded him. Denver scowled. "Do you understand now?"

"Makes me want to beat her more," Simone quipped.

"Let's talk about happier subjects," Iggy suggested, then stuffed his mouth full.

"How was practice today, Draco?" George asked.

"Good. I made my two hours of catching easily and got sent home early. Just in time to greet the people coming in to check for more ghostly traces." He ate a bite. "It seems the blonde was at my house as well. The house elves said so."

George looked clueless. "Why would she be at your house? You never knew her."

"I'm not sure, but she was. The elves described her perfectly, down to her cheery fucking nature." He ate another bite and looked up at Ron, who didn't look that happy. "I wonder what she was getting into."

"Not a clue," George said. "She manifested at the shop this morning as well to try and figure out how she had missed so much stuff." He cut up one of the large chunks in his stew and looked down at his daughter, who was nibbling on one. "Are you enjoying eating with the big kids?"

Maeve smiled up at him. "Want Lucien."

George looked at Draco, who was giving her a tolerant look. "I'm sure you can snuggle up to him later, cutie." She beamed up at him.

Draco looked at him. "What are we going to do if they decide to go out?"

"Cry," George told him. "They're much too young for that."

Draco nodded. "Good idea. Maeve, you're too young to snuggle up to him all the time."

She shook her head. "Na-uh. We're *cute* together and he's mine. I'll make him be mine."

George patted her on the head. "It's good to know that you're a lot like your other father."

Fred strolled in and sat down near them, taking some of the food for himself, after a quick wave at the head table. "Ginny just showed up," he said conversationally. Draco coughed. "She's dirty, nasty looking and looks like she's been hit. She's in my bathroom at the moment. She won't tell me what happened, but she's back to herself. She was actually crying." He grabbed a piece of bread from the basket Simone held out. "Draco, do you want us to deal with this?"

"No, I will. I have the safer house and she's more familiar with it. It will feel safer for her."

"Mum might take her back," George suggested. Fred shook his head. "No?"

"Not a chance. I told her and she turned off the floo at the house."

"Looks like dad's apparating home then," George said with a faint smile. "Can you handle her?"

"I've managed while she was pregnant and raging, I can handle it now," Draco said calmly. He scraped his bowl and leaned over to give his daughter a kiss to the head. "Where's Anastasia?"

"Taking a nap. She has food stashed so she'll still eat tonight."

"Why is she so tired?" Fred asked.

"It's been a long day," Iggy sighed. "For all of us." He glared at the Ravenclaw table again. "I'm going to paste her."

"Does she play?" Denver asked. Iggy nodded. "Then make her pay during the game against them. We can legitimately hurt her all we can out there and not get detentions."

"Good point," George agreed, giving him a smile. "Very nice thinking, grandson." Denver gave him a 'huh' look. "Well, if your father is my son, then you're all my grandchildren."

"Which makes you the youngest grandfather in history," Draco pointed out. "You would have barely been out of school since you were only two when I was born and I was only nineteen when Denver and Simone were born."

"Good point," George agreed with a happier smile. "Still, we love you guys. Stupid youth or not."

"Does that get us into the Gryphon library as well?" Simone asked.

"You already have rights for that, but Xander claimed you so you didn't have to go through so much proving." He picked up a chunk of carrot on the end of his fork and pointed it at her. It fell off. "Oops." He shrugged then looked at her again. "If Iggy and Xander hadn't made their positions very clear, then you would have had to prove yourself through the Books of Heritage that all colonies keep. Fortunately, yours and Xander's family comes from the same general colony crossbreeding."

"We do?" Draco asked.

George nodded. "Some sort of crossover from the Amsterdam into the Brittan colonies. It was a minor series of crossbreeding, but it wasn't that uncommon. The Stonehenge colonies were nearly wiped out about seven centuries back and that's how they helped rebuild it, that and out of Sweden." He stabbed the carrot again and ate it this time. "There's only four families out of the Stonehenge colony that are native to the colony without any crossbreeding." Denver looked at him, looking interested. "Xander's first summer there was spent helping in the archives because they were down on helpers. He had to help make out the family tree that Bill was creating then."

"How many rolls of parchment was that one?" Simone asked. "Isn't Stonehenge one of the original colonies?"

"The fifth formed," Draco told her. "I read the history last year when Xander handed it to me," he admitted when Fred looked at him in shock. "The originals were Amsterdam, North Africa, China, Italy, and then Stonehenge. China and Italy were later moved or destroyed."

"North Africa was later split up during the war of the Ancients. They were hiding a lot of stuff and had to sever the colony ties back to flock levels to guard it."

"Was it artifacts?" Iggy asked.

"Some," Draco told him. "According to the history book, they were also guarding a few families and a few very special gifts in the lines. Those weren't allowed to crossbreed at all."

"Too late," George said with a smile. "The pyrokinetic gifts were let out and so were the other gifts. You can't find three of the five today, but they were let out."

"You can find one," Draco told him with a smirk. "The person is carefully guarded and watched in case she finds out something else. The Ministry is *very* interested in what she figures out of her gifts."

"Where is this she?" Iggy asked. "They're not going to lock up the other geniuses, right?"

"Not you," Draco told him. "Potion prodigies aren't considered that special. There's one every few centuries or so." He smiled. "You're not going to be taken. She was handed over at six months old when she created a portal."

"There's someone alive who can breech realms?" George asked.

"Possibly last of the line, unless the Ministry has something to say about it," Draco agreed. He looked over as Ron walked down to sit near them. "How were your classes today?"

"I'm controlling my temper," Ron ground out.

"The Ravenclaw?" Simone asked. Ron shook his head, looking confused. "Huh, hasn't hit the teachers yet."

"Yes it has," Remus called. "Some of us hadn't told him yet." He smiled at her. "It's a gift," he said with a wink.

George looked up at him. "Thank you." He looked at Ron. "Why are you pissed?"

"Because Buffy figured out what it was and they've assigned her a task," Ron told him. "In two weeks, I'm to bring Minnie into Diagon for some reason. No explanations given and nothing said about for what purpose. The Powers are using her as a pawn."

"Ah," Fred said, nodding. "I can agree with being pissed about that. Does this have to do with Xander taking off?"

Ron frowned deeper. "He took off?"

"One of the Ravenclaws asked him, point blank, what he was doing in here because of his high school history," Simone told him. "I was going to beat the shit out of her later, wanna hold her?"

"Oh, I can think of something worse," Ron told her, giving her a mean, cruel smile. "I've had enough of this shit."

"Language," Remus yelled.

"Sorry," Ron yelled back. "Deserved, but sorry!" He looked at the Ravenclaw table and the girl winced. "Oh, yes, I can do many horrible things and not get into trouble for it."

"You sound like daddy," Simone told him, giving him a proud smile. "I'm so happy for you! Daddy, I'm so proud. You managed to infect Uncle Ron."

"Thank you, Simone," Draco told her, smiling at her. He smirked at Ron. "Did you need help with your first evil plan?"

"Not my first," Ron told him. "Who do you think taught Ginny?" Both twins raised their hands. "You guys were at school when she perfected it with my help. I can think of any number of horrible things to do to that girl, and her whole class."

"Ooh, I smell a research paper," Iggy said, grinning madly. "Don't worry, I'll help you guys with yours."

Ron smirked at him. "I can do better than that." He stood up and walked up to the head table, and Dumbledore's eyes got very wide. He turned and whistled, getting silence. "I've got a small announcement. The third year Defense classes have asked for a practical learning experience. I will be writing notes home to your parents to give them the information on it, but you will not know what is going to happen. In two weeks, you will come prepared to stay in a room of my choosing for two nights. During that time, the rest of you will ignore any screaming and any banging on the doors. Any questions?" One Slytherin stood up, giving him a panicked look. "It will be something that you have already studied. Think of it as preparation for your OWLS." He smirked and walked back to his former seat, sitting down. "Is Spike around?" he asked George.

George nodded, giving him an appraising look. "What are you doing?"

Draco laughed. "Something very devious, and straight out of Xander's book," he said, saluting Ron with his water. "Good job. Plus, everyone there will have the same experience, minus one."

Ron nodded. "Exactly. Something perfectly in line with the class goals. Defense."

"I can get Spike up here tomorrow if Dumbledore will agree," Fred told him. "There's enough shady rooms to protect him."

"I wouldn't mind him guest lecturing," Ron said, looking up at the head table. Dumbledore was having his back patted because he was choking. "Sorry!"

"It's okay, and it's a wonderful idea," Tara told him. "He can talk to all the defense classes if he agrees. Want me to ask him?"

"Nah, I can do it," Ron told her. "I'll go down in a bit and talk to him." He stuffed his mouth with a piece of bread. "Draco, I'm done with that book if you want it back."

"Whenever we're both back at the house. I have a whole library at home."

"I saw," Ron told him. "Very impressive."

"Yes, it is, isn't it," Draco agreed.

Simone rolled her eyes. "Don't start, daddy. We don't want to hear about your latest bout of book nerdishness. It doesn't go with your image at all." He smiled at her. "Well it doesn't. It's like finding out that Anastasia has a set of clothes to get dirty in."

"She does," Fred told her. "She has a pair of pants with grass stains from helping mum in her garden."

"She's outgrown them." Ron looked at Draco. "You're sure? I can get it for you before you go back."

"I have another copy and I have other things to read at home," Draco told him. He felt something slip past his legs and looked under the table. "Hello, Lucien."

Lucien smiled at his father from his bestest friend's lap. "Maeve," he said happily.

"I noticed." Draco looked around. "Where are Little Ron and Ravena? They haven't come in yet."

"Probably still checking out his pet snitch," Ron told him.

***

In fact, Little Ron and Ravena were sitting on the front steps, petting the snitch. It had started to act up while in his pocket earlier in the day so they were both petting it gently, cooing at it.

"It really is pretty," Ravena told him. "Did you have it engraved? You never told me when I asked the last time."

"She was already engraved when Daddy got her for me," Little Ron said with a grin. "I've only kept her polished and happy."

"Maybe we need to play with her," Ravena suggested. "You haven't been training as much and we used to play with her every day."

"Good point. Go get our brooms?"

"Sure." She stood up and went to get their brooms from the quidditch locker while he headed out to the pitch.

"Shh, little one. We're going to play with you, the both of us," he cooed. "Yes, we're going to be happy and play with you. You're going to be happy again." He ran into someone and looked up. "Hi, Uncle Oliver." He held up his snitch. "She was getting lonely."

"Is that the school's?" He picked up the snitch, avoiding the wings, so he could check the markings. "Which set did this come from?"

"That's mine. Daddy gave her to me." He took it back and continued to pet it as he walked around the grownup. "Ravena and I are going to play with her to make her happy. She's been bored in classes so far this year." He continued on to the pitch, missing the look his Uncle gave his back.

"Huh?" Oliver asked himself. He shook his head. "No wonder he always catches it." He shivered. "I thought I was bad." He continued up to have dinner with the other teachers. As he took his seat, he looked at Dumbledore. "I just ran into Little Ron Potter," he said in greeting. "He and Ravena are going to play with his snitch."

Tara nodded. "He loves his snitch. It's his best friend and is always with him. I caught him playing with it in potions the other day."

"He was what?" Snape asked.

"Playing with it. Petting it actually."

"Is it the school's?" Snape asked.

Oliver shook his head. "I checked it over, it's got a different marking on it."

"It's his," Tara told her mate. "Harry got it for him when he was six. He's had it within inches of his hand ever since. He never lets it out of his sight unless he's training with it. It's like his dog."

"Wonderful," Snape sneered. "His familiar is a snitch."

Tara grinned at him. "It's sweet, Severus."

"I don't do sweet."

"Ravena feels the same way about it."

"They're going to get together over the little gold ball," Remus agreed. "I've seen her begging him to hold it."

"It'll probably have a little pillow between their heads," Black said dryly. Remus glared at him. "What?"

"I doubt he feels that way about any girl yet."

"True," Tara agreed. "His whole love is held for the snitch. Though, during the Christmas ball, he did take her to the workout room downstairs and they did sit in the corner and pet it together."

"I think the game between the two houses will be even more interesting this year," Remus told her with a smile.

"I'm thinking that he'll knock her out of the way to get it," Oliver told him. "He loves it more than he does her, even though he understands her love of it." He shook his head. "I thought I was bad."

"You were from what I hear," Tara agreed. "Something about being a tyrant...." Oliver blushed. "Sorry, I couldn't resist," she told him.

"It's okay. I've calmed down since starting my professional career," he admitted. He dished himself out some food. "Who had practice tonight?"

"Slytherin," Snape told him.

"Hmm, those two are out there training with their personal Goddess." Snape raised an eyebrow. "Little Ron said it was a female. I'm trusting him about that."

Snape looked at the captain of his team, motioning her up to the table. "Your seeker and Gryffindor's seeker are out on the field."

"And you won't get Little Ron off until he gets his snitch," Tara told her.

"He has his own?" the captain said.

Tara nodded. "Yup, and it's his and Ravena's favorite creature in the whole world. If you've seen her going off over it, you've seen him going off over it, only it's his personal snitch."

"Wow." The captain shook her head. "I don't understand that. I like the game, but really." She looked back at the table. "We'll make allowances for them. I'd like to see him train anyway." She went back to her table and told the other kids on the team. Ryan's mouth fell open and he looked really confused and shocked. She nodded and sat down. "We'll deal with it," she called over.

"With what?" Draco called out.

"Little Ron and your daughter are playing with his snitch."

"Oh. Again?" Draco wiped his mouth and stood up. "If you want the field, I can get them down."

She shook her head. "I'd like to see him train. Ravena's mostly a mystery to us. None of us understand how she said she feels the snitch."

Draco smiled at her. "Not only to you sometimes." He picked up his books and left. As he walked outside, a small golden ball of light met him and floated in front of him. He caught it easily. "Shh, I'll take you back to your parent." He walked it out to the pitch. "Little Ron! Ravena!" They floated down and he handed it back. "Do remember that Slytherin has practice tonight. They're willing to help you, but stay out of their way. Agatha will hurt you," he reminded Little Ron.

Ron smirked. "Let her try. Daddy will kill her if she touches my snitch again. He made *real* sure she knew that the last time she tried." He cooed and the snitch unfurled. "Go ahead, we'll chase you again," he told it, and it took off. "Gotta go train," he said, beaming with happiness so brightly it seemed he glowed.

Draco noticed his daughter was giving the snitch the same worshipful look and shook his head, giving her a kiss before she took off. "My children are odd," he told himself, going back to his house. It was a nice night, he could walk down to the apparatation barrier and go home that way.

***

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