At King's Cross, Harry filed off the train he'd only managed to gift about half his friends on the train, so he told Cassandra, "Have a good visit with your cousins I'll be back after I've finished distributing gifts." then he disappeared into the crowd.
Cassandra took him at his word and cornered her Uncle and his family as they picked up Aaron After the standard round of " How are you ? What have you been up to since graduation?" Cassandra handed her uncle the results of her expanded brittle bone disease research. "Uncle, I know I am persona non grata in the family right now, and I'm fine with that, but I did some research for Harry." She handed him the expanded version of the research she had done for Harry. " Here's the expanded and defined for magicals version of the results. I think Healer Michaels at St. Mungo's would find it very interesting."
Aaron piped up, "Yeah dad. It's really interesting. I understand most the terms so if you need explanations I can give them. I think I want to be a healer in addition to a potion master."
His father groaned, "I can already imagine the school bills. Cassandra, it's been wonderful seeing you. Just because your father is an idiot, don't paint the rest of us with the same brush. Come to tea on New Year's your father won't be there but your mum will, at least for a while, unless you've already got plans."
"I'll do that."
"Great, I'll let Mary and your mum know. We've got to get going shopping to finish."
"Happy Christmas!"
"You too, Cassandra." Her Uncle led Aaron and his sisters towards the public Floo.
Marcus looked closely at his cousin. "You look happy."
"I am, Marcus, I am."
"I'm happy for you then."
"You know I have you to thank for this."
"Nyah."
"Yes, I do. If you hadn't called Harry over to help with my project, none of this would have happened. So, what are your plans after NEWTs?"
"Don't have a clue. Dad wants me to do what he's doing, but I would rather do something else. Dad's contacts are grey at best. I'd rather avoid that if I can, I'm thinking of trying to stay on an extra year at Hogwarts see if I can't wrangle something through quidditch."
"Felica Corner runs the estate management stuff at Corners, Davies and Ogden. If she weren't muggleborn she'd have been in Slytherin. One of her assistants gave notice that she has a baby due in July. You got good grades in Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures and you've been a prefect, that could translate into a potential fit."
"But they're light."
"You're on good terms with Harry, that will help. Harry won't get you the job, but he can open a door."
"You really think I should do this?"
"Yeah, I'd like it if you didn't have to be under your dad's thumb."
"I would too."
Harry chose the minute to pop up by their elbows. He handed Marcus a gift. "I'm done. What about you?"
Cassandra looked at her cousin. She could tell he was mulling over what she'd said. "Yes, I think we're done." She leaned over and kissed Marcus' cheek. "Happy Christmas, Marcus. Come on, Harry, we've got the Party at the Davies this evening and starting tomorrow Barchok gave me a multi-use portkey to the Manse. We've got work to do."
....
Remus checked into the safe house that a couple of werewolves used to be sure they hurt no one during the full moon. He hated such places, preferring the freedom of running the moors of barren places like Black's folly. It was the nights his wolf was confined without wolfsbane that his worst injuries happened. Remus had scraped together enough sickles for a magical replenisher, two healing draughts, and two nights lodging at the safe house. It would have to do for this months full moon. He had found four books for the classes he intended to teach at Hogwarts to use, he just hoped that the students didn't catch on to it that he was a werewolf. Albus had assured him that Severus had agreed to keep it to himself that he was a werewolf, but Remus was still leery.
....
The next day Harry was feeling good. Potter Manse was beginning to shift from house to home. The public rooms were almost finished as were the guest rooms. Cassandra's taste was excellent as to furnishings and color schemes. She discovered that his Great-grandmother collected paintings, not just the works of magical artists, but also muggle works. Cassandra had the idea of choosing one set of muggle paintings for each guest room usually by the same artist, then they agreed to refer to each room by the dominant artist thus the guest rooms were: the Constable room, the Gainsborourgh room, the Monet room, the Degas room, the Renoir room, the Cassatt room, the Vanmeer room, the Turner room, and the Bonheur room. She had coordinated the room colors based on the paintings that would be in them. Magical paintings by various artists were in the public rooms.
Harry- while talking to his Great-grandmother -found out that it was on a buying trip for paintings in Paris that his grandparents met. She had had the elves carry her from room to room through the manse as Harry spread the paintings through the house. She had been cold to him during their previous interaction but their shared love of art brought her around. She approved of the changes he had put into place during the rebuild of Potter Manse. She liked his idea to put all the family portraits into the study and library. He scattered the remaining paintings throughout the rest of the house. Except for hers which he put in the sitting room in the master suite which he intended to use as studio. The rebuilt three story Potter Manse had sixteen bedrooms, seven set aside for family, a nursery schoolroom, a conservatory, a ballroom, a dining room, two public sitting rooms, a drawing room adjacent to the ballroom, a billiards room, a study, a library, a dining room, a breakfast room, and a kitchen and two pantries, a potion lab, and a dueling room and that was after Harry had simplified the plans. There were also 3 small apartments for retainers and several smaller but comfortable rooms for the house elves.
....
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