May 15, 1991Myrddin Manor, Morning
Harry sat at the kitchen table with Tiffany, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi open between them and enough jars, bundles, bowls, and small wooden trays spread across the table to make it obvious that they weren't going to spend the morning simply reading.
Tiffany had started with the ingredients Harry was most likely to encounter during his first year. Nothing particularly dangerous, nothing especially expensive, and nothing she would be upset about wasting if Harry ruined a few while learning what to do with them.
That, Tiffany explained, was the point.
A recipe could tell Harry to add three crushed leaves, but simply knowing how to count to three and operate a mortar and pestle didn't mean he understood what he was doing. Crushing an ingredient wasn't the same as chopping it. Chopping wasn't the same as slicing it. Grinding something into powder exposed far more of it than cutting it into pieces, while bruising a leaf could release oils and magical properties without completely destroying its structure.
Even the difference between fresh and dried ingredients could change what a potion actually received from them.
Harry listened while Tiffany demonstrated, occasionally stopping her to ask why one ingredient was rolled beneath the flat of a knife while another was cut cleanly across the stem.
"Because you're not just putting ingredients in a cauldron," Tiffany explained as she rolled another leaf beneath the blade. "You're telling the magic what parts of those ingredients you want."
Harry frowned down at the collection in front of him. "By cutting them?"
"Sometimes," Tiffany said. "Sometimes by crushing them. Sometimes by heating them. Sometimes by mixing two things together before either one ever reaches the cauldron. That's why you pay attention when a recipe tells you how to prepare something instead of deciding that chopped and crushed are close enough."
Tiffany slid the knife toward him and let Harry try.
His first attempt pressed too hard and tore the leaf.
Tiffany replaced it without comment and showed him again.
The second survived.
It led naturally into sympathetic magic, though Tiffany warned him that he didn't need to understand all of it yet. Ingredients could carry associations beyond their purely physical properties, and magic had an annoying habit of caring about relationships, meanings, intentions, similarities, and even the way something had been prepared.
Harry looked skeptical until Tiffany pointed toward the other side of the kitchen.
Cooking worked much the same way.
Following a recipe mechanically could produce perfectly good food. Knowing the ingredients, understanding what heat did to them, knowing when something needed more salt without measuring it, and actually caring about the people who were going to eat it could produce something better. Magic simply made some of those differences considerably less subjective.
"So when people say something was baked with love..." Harry began.
"Sometimes they're being sentimental," Tiffany said. "Sometimes they're being more literal than they realize."
Harry's eyes moved toward the cooling rack near the stove.
Tiffany followed his gaze to the biscuits Jack had made earlier that morning and sighed.
"Yes," Tiffany admitted. "That's part of why Jack's biscuits are better than mine."
Jack didn't even look up from the counter behind them. "Been telling you that for years."
Tiffany picked up one of the bruised leaves.
Jack wisely returned his attention to what he was doing.
..............
May 15, 1991Hogwarts, Morning
"Well, Mr. Myrddin, when you put the rune clusters together in that manner, you can indeed infer that the completed array could cause the person who activated it to forget that they were the one who did so," the Doctor said, scratching at the side of his head as he took a second look at Josh's parchment. His finger traced the connection between the two clusters before stopping over the empty space Josh had deliberately left between them. "Which is clever, but also rather inconvenient if you happen to enjoy remembering your own work."
Josh leaned over the desk and studied the array again. Individually, none of the runes were particularly complicated. The problem was getting them to cooperate without the secondary effect propagating backward through the completed array and catching whoever activated it.
The Doctor tapped the empty space. "If we use Mannaz here as a bridge, we can define the caster as a separate subject before the effect reaches the second cluster. That lets the second cluster act as a shield protecting the caster from the memory loss effect rather than simply becoming another part of it."
Josh followed the path with his finger, mentally rearranging the connections. "So Mannaz isn't actually providing the protection."
"No," the Doctor said. "It's telling the array who needs protecting. Very important distinction. Runes are terribly literal when they feel like being difficult."
Josh picked up his quill and added Mannaz between the clusters, then paused as another possibility occurred to him. "Could you invert the second cluster and use the same bridge to specify who the effect is allowed to target?"
The Doctor opened his mouth, stopped, and looked down at the parchment again.
His eyebrows climbed.
"Yes," the Doctor said eventually. "You could."
Josh grinned.
"Don't look so pleased with yourself," the Doctor said, pointing at him. "It's all theoretical at the moment. A beautifully constructed runic array isn't terribly useful in a fight if applying it requires you to stand perfectly still for forty seconds while somebody hexes you in the face."
Josh's grin faded slightly.
The Doctor smiled. "There. Much better. Not that it matters terribly much right now. Regardless of what your great-grandfather has you reading, this is advanced work even for seventh-years." His attention returned to the parchment, eyes moving across the two clusters again. "It is interesting, though. You've managed to combine four separate battle spells into a functional double rune cluster. That's not the part you're struggling with."
Josh looked down at the array. "The coding."
"The coding," the Doctor agreed. He tapped Mannaz with one finger. "You understand what the individual pieces do. You're even rather good at seeing how they could work together. What you haven't learned yet is how to make absolutely certain the completed structure interprets your instructions the same way you do."
Josh stared at the memory-loss cluster.
"Which," the Doctor added, "is particularly important when one possible interpretation involves deleting your own memory."
"Fair."
"Exceptionally."
............................
May 22, 1991Myrddin Manor, Shortly After Two in the Afternoon
Percival watched from his chair as Harry studied the Cluedo board with considerably more suspicion than the game warranted.
Neville sat across from him, carefully reorganizing his cards for what had to be the fourth time, while Cassiopeia had gone almost unnaturally still. The Malfoy girl had learned quickly that Harry noticed when she looked too pleased with herself.
"I think it was Colonel Mustard," Harry said slowly, looking between the board and his notes. "In the library. With the candlestick."
Cassiopeia smiled.
Harry immediately frowned. "No. Wait."
"You already said it," Neville pointed out.
"I know."
Cassiopeia placed a card on the table.
Harry groaned.
Percival hid his amusement behind his tea.
It had been Jack's suggestion that Harry needed more opportunities to spend time with children from the old families outside formal functions, and Percival had agreed. Lessons in etiquette and proper forms of address were useful, but Harry needed to learn how to interact with his peers when nobody was standing behind him reminding him which fork to use.
Finding out that Harry had already met Neville Longbottom and Cassiopeia Malfoy in Flourish and Blotts had made arranging it considerably easier.
The story of that meeting had amused Percival even more.
Neither Neville nor Cassiopeia had known who Harry was. Neville had simply noticed another boy his age holding one of the Harry Potter adventure books and offered his opinion that the dragon was good. Harry, having only recently discovered that an entire collection of increasingly ridiculous stories had been published about him, disagreed with almost everything except the quality of the dragon. By the time introductions were made, Neville had offered his full name while Harry had settled on Harry. Just Harry.
Cassiopeia had joined them not long afterward, and the three had spent the rest of their time together debating the merits of dragons and sea serpents while systematically picking apart stories that claimed Harry Potter had been fighting monsters and goblins since he was seven.
At some point between then and now, Neville and Cassiopeia had learned that Just Harry was, in fact, Harry Potter.
Apparently, it had changed very little.
The adventure books had become something of a running joke between the three of them, although Neville continued to insist that being complete rubbish did not prevent a story from having a good monster.
Percival considered that a rather healthy outcome.
He had known Neville and Cassiopeia for years through their families, and both were children he was comfortable having around Harry. Augusta had needed little convincing, while inviting Cassiopeia had provided another opportunity entirely.
Across the room, Narcissa sat with Andromeda near the windows.
The sisters were talking quietly over tea.
Percival deliberately paid them no attention.
Some conversations deserved privacy even when they happened in the same room.
"More biscuits?" Jack asked as he passed behind Percival with an empty tray.
Percival glanced toward the table, where three children were already looking expectantly in their direction.
"Apparently."
Jack snorted and headed back toward the kitchen.
Harry's lessons were progressing nicely. His manners were improving, he was becoming more comfortable around people who knew exactly who Harry Potter was, and, more importantly, he was beginning to have interactions with children his own age that weren't ceremonies, introductions, or political obligations.
Percival took another drink of tea.
Later in the week, he intended to put the boy on a broom.
That should be considerably less peaceful.
.............................................
May 22, 1991Hogwarts, HMS Club Room, Shortly After Two in the Afternoon
Penny attacked.
Josh didn't retreat.
Her longsword swept toward his shoulder, the battle-ready steel moving fast enough to whistle faintly through the air. Josh shifted his weight and leaned back, moving only as much of his body as necessary for the unsharpened blade to pass harmlessly in front of his chest. His own sidesword followed Penny's through the empty space, wrist rotating as the blades met. Rather than stopping her swing, he redirected it across her body.
Penny tried to recover.
Josh's point was already resting against her ribs.
"Dead."
Penelope Clearwater glared at him.
Josh withdrew the sidesword. "Again."
She reset and came forward.
This time, her eyes locked onto his weapon.
That was worse.
Josh moved his point slightly. Penny reacted to it, eyes following the blade for barely half a second.
He stepped through her line.
The flat of his sidesword tapped her upper arm.
"Dead."
"How?"
"Ocular."
Penny's expression tightened.
Josh pointed two fingers toward his eyes. "Two O's. Two eyes. Don't watch my sword. Watch me."
"I was watching you."
"You were watching the piece of steel attached to me."
"It's a sword, Joshua. That's generally the dangerous part."
"Not really."
Penny stared at him.
Josh smiled. "I'm the dangerous part."
She attacked before he finished saying it.
Josh caught her blade and stopped the exchange.
"No."
Penny frowned. "You said to watch for openings."
"I also said I'm teaching you. Attacking while your instructor is talking is cheating."
"So I shouldn't do it?"
"Not until you're good enough that I call it creative cheating."
They re-centered and resumed.
The longsword came across toward his arm. Josh met it at an angle, his wrist loose rather than locked behind his point. Steel slid against steel as he redirected the cut past his body, and Penny immediately reversed direction.
Josh flowed with it.
His feet never stopped moving. A turn of his shoulders carried his ribs out of the returning line while his sidesword remained between them. His wrist rolled, point changing direction without requiring him to pull his whole arm back and start another thrust.
The tip stopped against the front of Penny's shoulder.
She froze.
"Better," Josh said.
"You still killed me."
"Yeah, but you made me work for it."
"Your feet barely moved."
"They didn't need to."
That was one of the harder lessons to teach.
Josh had learned sword fighting long before he'd learned magic. He'd been a living-history reenactor and sword-combat instructor in his first life, and Destreza had become the foundation beneath nearly everything he'd learned afterward.
Circles. Lines. Angles. Distance. Redirection.
Never absorb force you could redirect. Never move farther than necessary to avoid an attack. Never throw away momentum when it could become the beginning of something else.
He'd learned pieces of German, French and Italian fencing, along with broadsword work and more practical fighting methods. Wing Chun, Tai Chi and Krav Maga had given him other ways to apply the same principles with empty hands, sticks and whatever happened to be available.
He could change how he fought several times in the same exchange if that was what the fight demanded.
Destreza remained underneath it all.
Keep moving.
Keep going.
Keep flowing.
The battle-ready sidesword in his hand wasn't sharp. Neither was Penny's longsword. They were properly weighted, properly constructed steel weapons built to survive exactly what the two of them were doing to them. Josh had no intention of teaching someone to fight with a piece of wood and then expecting the lessons to translate perfectly when steel was put into her hands.
Penny raised her longsword again.
"Before you try to murder me for the sixth time," Josh said, "BLOOD."
Penny sighed. "Balance, Line, Ocular, Distance."
"Good. Which one are you screwing up?"
"Apparently all of them."
"Three."
She blinked.
"Your eyes were better that time," Josh said. "You watched me instead of the sword."
Penny looked slightly mollified.
"Your balance still sucks."
That vanished.
Josh lowered his sidesword and nodded toward her feet. "You're planting."
"I'm standing."
"There's a difference. Standing means you're ready to move. Planting means you've decided that patch of floor is worth dying for."
Penny looked down.
"Unless you're doing something that actually requires you to brace and use strength, don't plant. Planting makes you a target." Josh stepped toward her and nudged the outside of her shoe with his own. "Your feet are how you fix everything else. Lose the line, move. Distance changes, move. Something goes wrong, move. If you plant yourself, you've thrown away your easiest way to fix a mistake."
Penny shifted her weight.
"Better. Now blade yourself."
She turned slightly.
"Too much."
Penny adjusted.
Josh nodded. "There. That's your Line. Don't square yourself up and give me your entire torso, but don't turn so far that you cripple your own movement. And don't think the line stays where you put it."
He moved.
Penny adjusted with him.
"Good. I move, you adjust. You move, I adjust. The line belongs to both of us."
Her eyes remained on his now.
Josh noticed.
"Good."
"You were checking."
"Of course I was."
"That's annoying."
"Teaching usually is."
Penny attacked.
Josh saw it in her eyes before the longsword moved.
Her wrist rotated into the first strike, the blade sweeping toward his sword arm as she stepped forward. It was one of the basic attacks he'd taught her, aimed above the elbow and intended to open the entire side of the body if it succeeded.
Her balance held.
Her line stayed with him.
She was watching his eyes.
And this time she hadn't crossed the distance until she could actually reach him.
Better.
Josh let her come.
His sidesword touched hers.
That was all it took.
He rolled with the impact instead of meeting it, turning Penny's blade just far enough that her attack passed him. His body rotated around the line as his feet carried him through the exchange.
Penny immediately began bringing the longsword back.
"Don't stop."
She hesitated.
Josh's sidesword touched her forearm.
"Dead."
"Oh, come on."
"You stopped."
"You told me to reset!"
"Reset doesn't mean freeze."
Penny gave him a look.
Josh demonstrated slowly. "Your attack finishes here. Fine. But you're still moving. Your sword is still moving. Don't kill all of that just because the first attack is over."
His wrist rotated. The sidesword continued naturally through a circle, returning to a useful position without ever becoming dead weight.
"Reset while you move. The end of one thing should leave you somewhere useful for the next."
Penny tried it.
Awkwardly.
"Again."
She repeated the movement.
Better.
"Again."
The third flowed more naturally.
Josh nodded. "There you go."
Penny looked suspiciously pleased with herself.
"Now six and seven."
Her expression immediately changed.
Josh grinned.
Penny stepped into the first sweep. The longsword traveled across the line, her body following it, and on the next step she turned her wrist and brought the blade sweeping back the opposite direction.
"Again."
She repeated it.
Josh watched her feet.
"Don't plant between them."
Penny corrected herself.
"Again."
Sweep.
Step.
Turn.
Return.
This time the two attacks began looking less like separate instructions she was remembering and more like parts of the same movement.
"Good," Josh said. "Now do it at me."
Penny looked at him.
"You're going to do something horrible."
"I'm your instructor. That's what I'm here for."
She raised the longsword.
Josh settled opposite her, sidesword forward, weight available beneath him.
Penny started six.
Josh gave ground by inches, letting the first sweep pass while maintaining the line.
She stepped.
Her wrist turned.
Seven came back.
Josh entered.
Penny's eyes widened.
He passed through the attack instead of away from it, his sidesword catching hers and carrying its force past him as his body moved through the space beside her. For a fraction of a second, Penny's own momentum worked against her.
Josh could have taken the sword.
Instead, he released the pressure and kept moving.
Penny spun around.
"What the hell was that?"
"Six and seven."
"That was not what I just did."
"It could've been."
Penny looked down at her sword.
Josh walked back into position. "That's why you don't memorize attacks like they're isolated spells. Six flows into seven. If somebody attacks while you're moving through them, you don't necessarily stop everything, back away and start over. If the angle is right, you can pass through their attack, redirect it, and keep going."
"And take their sword."
"Sometimes."
"And if this wasn't practice?"
Josh shrugged. "Then I wouldn't necessarily stop at their sword."
Penny considered that for a moment.
Then she raised the longsword again.
Josh smiled.
There it was.
With a wand in her hand, Penelope Clearwater was an autocannon. Give her a magical duel and she could throw spells quickly enough to make most students reconsider whatever poor decision had brought them there.
Give her a sword, and teaching her was occasionally like teaching a toddler how to walk while carrying something at the same time.
Her hands wanted to fight.
Her feet wanted to think about it first.
But she was getting better.
"Again," Josh said.
Penny attacked.
They continued until sweat darkened the hair around her temples and the ringing of steel had become a regular accompaniment to the empty club room.
Eventually, Josh lowered his sidesword.
"You know, Penny, if you really want to avoid the whole My Lady of the Grail nickname, and you're determined to stick with a sword, I'd recommend switching from the longsword to a sabre."
Penny lowered her weapon.
"You started that nickname."
"I absolutely did not."
"You encouraged it."
"Different crime."
Penny pointed the longsword at him.
Josh ignored it. "Seriously. You're tall enough to get plenty of benefit from a sabre, and I think it'll fit the way you naturally want to move better. One hand, plenty of reach, good cuts, good point. You're fighting the longsword almost as much as you're fighting me."
Penny looked at the weapon in her hands.
"A sabre?"
"I think you'd like it."
She considered that.
"Can I hit you with it?"
"You've been trying for twenty minutes."
"I meant the sabre."
Josh smiled.
"That's the spirit."
.......................................................................................
R.O.B. Space
R.O.B. 37: So, if I get this right, you want me to structure a gauntlet quest for six different reincarnator and transmigrator types at the same time Josh goes on his summer vacation?
Chaos: Yes.
R.O.B. 37: HAHAHAHAH. No.
Chaos: Why not?
R.O.B. 37: Death the Artificer already has something in the works.
Chaos: That doesn't mean we can't do both.
R.O.B. 37: Yes. Yes, it does. I'm not stacking two multiversal events on top of each other just because you think watching six different flavors of displaced mortal try to solve the same problem sounds entertaining.
Chaos: It would be entertaining.
R.O.B. 37: I didn't say it wouldn't be. I said no. Besides, you don't even have enough reincarnators or transmigrators under your banner right now anyway.
Chaos: Not yet.
There was a brief silence.
R.O.B. 37: ...Why did you say that like that?
Chaos: Like what?
R.O.B. 37: Like you're planning something.
Chaos: I'm Chaos.
R.O.B. 37: That is not the defense you think it is.
Another pause.
R.O.B. 37's attention abruptly shifted away from Chaos.
Toward somewhere else entirely.
Toward something that had absolutely no business watching this conversation.
R.O.B. 37: HEY YOU! STOP LOOKING OVER HERE>>>>>>
.......................................................................................
May 29, 1991Ministry of Magic, Wizengamot Chambers
Six Houses were represented around the table.
Only five had adults sitting for them.
Amelia Bones set the parchment down. "Bones has no objection."
"Nor Longbottom," Augusta said.
Percival glanced toward Cyrus Greengrass.
Cyrus continued reading for another moment before placing the parchment beside Amelia's copy. "Greengrass accepts."
Arcturus snorted. "There. That wasn't so painful."
"For you," Cyrus said. "Black already has ties to half the people at this table."
"My sister married a Potter. Hardly my fault she had excellent taste."
Augusta gave him a flat look.
Arcturus ignored it.
The old alliance between Potter, Bones and Longbottom had once formed the heart of the Neutral bloc, with House Potter at its head. Charlus had led it before Fleamont, and Fleamont after him.
Then Dragon Pox had taken the older Potters, the war had driven James and Lily into hiding, and James had died before ever taking up his father's seat.
Potter had been absent ever since.
Amelia looked toward Percival.
"Harry?"
Percival read the final paragraph again.
"He's ten."
"We are aware," Arcturus said.
Percival ignored him. "I'm not binding the boy's hands for the next fifty years. Potter resumes its place with Bones and Longbottom. I can agree to mutual defense, political consultation and cooperation between the Houses. When Harry is old enough to sit this table himself, the decisions become his."
Augusta nodded. "As they should."
Cyrus leaned back slightly. "And Potter resumes leadership?"
That was the question.
Amelia answered first.
"Yes."
Augusta didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Arcturus looked toward Percival. "You're going to have an interesting few years."
"I'm already having an interesting few weeks."
That earned the faintest smile from Amelia.
Cyrus looked between Bones and Longbottom. "You're both remarkably comfortable placing the head of an expanded alliance in the hands of a ten-year-old."
"No," Augusta said. "We're comfortable placing it in the House of Potter."
There was a difference.
Amelia folded her hands. "Harry isn't expected to walk into the Wizengamot tomorrow and lead six Houses. Until he's old enough, we handle our own affairs and Lord Myrddin speaks where Potter requires a voice."
Percival nodded once.
Nothing more needed saying about it.
Arcturus picked up the quill.
"Then we have the old three."
"Potter, Bones and Longbottom," Amelia said.
"And the new three," Cyrus added.
"Black, Myrddin and Greengrass," Augusta said.
Arcturus looked around the table.
"Six Houses."
"With Potter at the head," Cyrus said.
Percival looked down at the empty place reserved for Harry's name.
"For when he's ready."
That was good enough.
The quill touched parchment.
.......................................................................................
June 1, 1991Myrddin Manor, Afternoon
Harry shot past the oak tree with Susan Bones close behind him.
"You're it!"
"I am not!"
"You are now!"
Susan reached for the back of Harry's jumper and missed by inches as he pulled up sharply, his broom climbing above her.
Below them, Cassiopeia Malfoy yelled, "That counts!"
"It does not!" Susan shouted back.
"It absolutely does!"
Draco streaked past Cassiopeia while she was distracted and slapped her shoulder.
"You're it."
Cassiopeia stared after him.
"Draco!"
He was already gone.
Tracy Davis and Hannah Abbott scattered in opposite directions as Cassiopeia leaned forward over her broom.
Draco looked back.
That was his mistake.
Cassiopeia went after him.
From the grass below, Neville watched the chase while eating a biscuit.
Daphne Greengrass sat beside him beneath the shade of the oak, with Astoria between them and a plate balanced carefully across her knees.
"Draco's going to lose," Neville said.
Daphne watched Cassiopeia steadily close the distance.
"Probably."
"He shouldn't have looked back."
"No."
Astoria raised both hands. "Cassie!"
Cassiopeia caught Draco three seconds later.
Neville took another bite.
"Told you."
Farther up the lawn, the adults had settled around two tables beneath the terrace awning.
Andromeda sat beside Narcissa while Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom occupied the opposite side. Cyrus Greengrass had joined them for lunch, along with the Abbotts and Davises, and the conversation had remained pleasantly removed from anything requiring a Wizengamot chamber.
At the smaller table beside them, Arcturus Black stared at the cards in his hand.
Then at Percival.
Then at Augusta.
"You cheated."
Augusta didn't look up from her cards. "Prove it."
Percival took a drink.
Arcturus pointed at him. "And you saw her."
"I saw nothing."
"Bloody Irishman."
Percival smiled.
A chorus of shouting came from above the lawn.
All three looked up in time to see Harry dive after Tracy, Susan following him and Cassiopeia cutting across from the side.
Arcturus watched them for a moment.
Then looked back at his cards.
"Potter flies like a Potter."
Percival glanced toward Harry.
The boy was laughing.
"That he does."
.......................................................................................
Unknown Location, France
Destiny was moving again.
Not quickly. It rarely needed to.
A nudge here.
A death there.
A child placed precisely where he needed to be.
The boy was being shaped into a weapon.
Not merely to survive an Arch Mage.
To destroy one.
A quiet chuckle broke the silence.
"How droll."
.......................................................................................
June 7, 1991Hogwarts, Afternoon
And just like that, exams came to an end.
Josh walked out of his final exam, stretched until something in his back popped, and headed toward Ravenclaw Tower with absolutely nothing academic demanding his attention for the first time in weeks.
I know I said I wanted things to calm down, but I barely even remember the last few weeks.
You said you wanted things to be calm for a while. You got what you asked for.
Yeah, but I was expecting to actually experience the calm.
You did.
Did I?
Time skip.
.......................................................................................
Hogwarts, End-of-Year Feast
Josh stared at the enormous green and silver banners hanging throughout the Great Hall.
Then he looked at the final House totals.
Slytherin had won the House Cup.
By one point.
One.
Arthur leaned over beside him. "You look offended."
"I am offended."
Penny glanced down the Ravenclaw table toward them. "Because Slytherin won?"
"No. Because they won by one fucking point."
Arthur snorted.
Josh pointed toward the standings. "Three years. Three bloody years I've been at this school, and they've won every single time."
"Perhaps you should have earned one more point," Penny suggested.
Josh slowly turned toward her.
Penny smiled sweetly.
"Traitor."
"Ravenclaw," she corrected.
Across the Hall, the Slytherin table erupted again as the Cup was presented.
Josh looked at the green banners, then back at that single-point margin.
"Next year."
Arthur laughed.
............
Hogwarts, Later That Evening
The castle had begun settling into the strange disorder of the last night of term. Students moved through the corridors carrying books, robes, and possessions that had somehow migrated halfway across Hogwarts during the year, while open trunks waited upstairs for anyone who had procrastinated long enough to make packing tomorrow morning's problem.
Josh had already done most of his. Rather than spend the rest of the evening listening to Ravenclaws complain about losing the House Cup by a single point, he headed back toward the Ancient Runes classrooms.
The Doctor was still there.
Josh wasn't particularly surprised. The man had spent a considerable amount of the year working with the third- and fourth-year Rune students, and the end of exams apparently hadn't convinced him that parchment should stop accumulating. Several stacks covered the desk in front of him, along with books, loose notes, and a few pieces of rune work Josh recognized from earlier lessons.
The Doctor looked up from a sheet of parchment as Josh entered. "Mr. Myrddin. Shouldn't you be upstairs enjoying your final evening with your House?"
Josh stepped into the room. "They're still complaining about the Cup, Professor."
"Ah." The Doctor set the parchment aside. "The single point."
"That's the one," Josh said. "I decided I'd heard enough about it."
"A remarkably healthy response."
Josh smiled and pulled out one of the chairs. "Do you have a minute, sir?"
The Doctor gestured toward the seat. "I have several."
Josh sat down. He hadn't actually planned out what he wanted to say beyond the invitation, and sitting across from the Doctor made that lack of preparation more obvious.
The Doctor waited for him.
"I wanted to thank you," Josh said finally. "For this year."
The Doctor's eyebrows rose slightly. "You're welcome."
"You've done a lot with us," Josh continued. "More than I expected when I signed up for Runes."
The Doctor leaned back slightly. "And what exactly were you expecting?"
"Honestly?" Josh asked.
"Preferably," the Doctor replied.
Josh considered it. "Percival started teaching me Runes before I came to Hogwarts, so I knew I wanted the class as soon as I could take it. I figured I'd spend third year learning the formal version of things I already knew some of, then start getting into the harder material later."
"And instead?" the Doctor asked.
Josh glanced toward the rune work spread across the desk. "You lot threw me into the deep end."
The Doctor smiled. "You swam."
"After swallowing some water."
"That is generally how one learns where the surface is."
Josh laughed softly. "Still. Thank you, Professor. I mean it."
The humor faded from the Doctor's expression without disappearing entirely. "You're very welcome, Josh. You've been a pleasure to teach."
Josh paused for half a second at the use of his first name, then smiled. "Even when I keep asking questions?"
"Especially then," the Doctor replied. "Questions are useful. Provided you listen to the answers."
"I try."
"You do," the Doctor said.
Josh's eyes wandered over the desk until they reached one of the more complicated arrays they'd worked through near the end of term. "I've got a lot left to learn."
The Doctor followed his gaze. "Of course you do."
Josh looked back at him.
The Doctor smiled. "That wasn't an insult."
"I know," Josh said. "Percival's been telling me basically the same thing for three years."
"Has he?"
There was something slightly different in the Doctor's voice.
Josh noticed it, but only enough to remember why he'd come down here in the first place. "Actually, that's the other thing I wanted to ask you about."
The Doctor folded his hands loosely in front of him. "Go on."
"Are you going to be around this summer?" Josh asked.
The Doctor regarded him for a moment. "I can be."
Josh nodded. "Would you like to come to Myrddin Manor sometime?"
For the first time since Josh entered the room, the Doctor went completely still.
It lasted perhaps a second.
Then the Doctor asked, "Myrddin Manor?"
"Yes, sir," Josh said. "I thought you might like to see the library. And Percival's the one who started teaching me Runes, so I figured the two of you would probably have plenty to talk about."
The Doctor studied Josh with an expression he couldn't quite place. "Percival."
"My great-grandfather," Josh said.
"Yes," the Doctor replied quietly. "I know."
Josh waited, but the Doctor didn't elaborate.
"I haven't asked him yet," Josh continued. "I wanted to see if you were interested first. I'll talk to him when I get home and send you an owl once we figure out a good time."
The Doctor's eyes remained on him. "And you think Percival would like me?"
Josh thought about that seriously. "I think he'd find you interesting."
The Doctor's mouth twitched. "That's not quite the same thing."
"No, sir," Josh admitted. "But it's probably the safer prediction."
That earned a quiet laugh from the Doctor.
Josh continued, "He's got Rune texts at the Manor I've never seen anywhere else. Some of them are old enough that I don't even know where he got them. You'd probably disappear into the library for a week if nobody came looking for you."
"I've been known to do that," the Doctor said.
"Then you'll fit right in," Josh replied.
The Doctor's gaze drifted briefly toward the window before returning to Josh. Whatever had caught his attention when Percival's name came up was still there, but Josh couldn't tell whether it was recognition, curiosity, or something else.
The Doctor finally nodded. "I'd be delighted to visit."
Josh smiled. "I'll let Percival know."
"Please do," the Doctor said.
Josh stood and pushed the chair back into place. "I should probably get upstairs before Arthur decides I disappeared."
"A reasonable precaution," the Doctor replied.
Josh made it several steps toward the door before the Doctor spoke again.
"Mr. Myrddin."
Josh stopped and looked back. "Yes, Professor?"
The Doctor rested one hand on the stack of parchment Josh had been looking at earlier. "Don't spend the entire summer buried in Rune work."
Josh smiled slightly. "I'll try not to, sir."
"Good," the Doctor said. "There are other things worth learning."
"I know," Josh replied.
The Doctor gave him a small nod. "Enjoy your summer, Josh."
"You too, Professor," Josh said. "I'll send that owl."
"I'll watch for it," the Doctor replied.
Josh left the classroom and headed back toward Ravenclaw Tower.
The Doctor remained seated after the door closed.
His unfinished work sat in front of him, but his attention had moved elsewhere. After a moment, the Doctor leaned back in his chair and looked toward the door Josh had just walked through.
"Percival," the Doctor said quietly.
A smile slowly crossed his face.
It had been a very long time.
.................................
Hogwarts Express, The Following Morning
The first hour out of Hogwarts was louder than Josh remembered the train ever being.
Doors opened and closed along the corridor as students migrated between compartments, people called through open windows whenever they spotted friends farther down the train, and someone had already been threatened with bodily harm for trying to start a game of Exploding Snap before everyone had finished putting their trunks away.
Josh had claimed a corner seat by the window and stretched his legs beneath the opposite bench as far as the compartment allowed. The countryside rolled past outside, green hills gradually replacing the mountains around Hogwarts as the train carried them south.
Arthur dropped into the seat across from him with an armful of sweets. "I planned ahead."
Penny looked at the collection in his lap. "You bought enough for six people."
Arthur opened a Chocolate Frog. "Exactly."
Cedric reached across from beside him and took one of the Pumpkin Pasties. "Very thoughtful of you."
Arthur stared at his suddenly lighter pile. "I didn't mean you."
"You said six people," Cedric replied.
"I was speaking generally," Arthur said.
Penny took a Cauldron Cake. "You should be more precise."
Arthur looked toward Josh for support.
Josh shook his head. "You brought food into a compartment full of teenagers. That's on you."
Arthur pulled the remaining sweets closer. "Vultures. All of you."
Cedric bit into the pasty. "And yet you're still sharing."
"I'm being robbed."
"Very generously," Penny said.
Josh smiled and turned his attention back toward the window.
It was strange knowing he wouldn't be seeing Hogwarts again for months.
He'd spent three years at the castle now, which was long enough that leaving no longer felt like simply going home from school. Hogwarts had become part of the rhythm of his life. The Manor was home, unquestionably, but so was waking up in Ravenclaw Tower, eating breakfast under an enchanted ceiling, and spending most of his day surrounded by people who thought moving staircases were a perfectly reasonable architectural choice.
He was going to miss it.
Not enough to stay.
Josh looked back as Penny set the wrapper from her Cauldron Cake on the seat beside her.
"So," Josh said, "what's everybody doing this summer?"
Penny glanced toward him. "My parents have already informed me that I'm spending at least two weeks doing absolutely nothing academic."
Arthur nodded approvingly. "Sensible people."
Penny gave him a look. "Mum used the phrase 'go outside.'"
Cedric laughed. "You do know how."
"I've been outside before," Penny replied.
"Recently?" Arthur asked.
Penny reached toward the sweets.
Arthur immediately moved them out of range. "That was hostile."
"You were warned," Penny said.
Josh watched the exchange with a grin. "I'm probably going to be at the Manor most of the summer."
Arthur looked toward him. "Probably?"
Josh shrugged. "I've learned not to make promises about where I'm going to be."
That answer earned a brief silence from the compartment.
Cedric eventually nodded. "Fair."
Josh appreciated that nobody pursued it.
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "We should get everybody together sometime next month."
Penny's attention shifted back to him. "At the Manor?"
"Yeah," Josh said. "We've got plenty of room. We can actually use the grounds without worrying about somebody wandering into the middle of whatever we're doing, and Percival isn't going to care if the HMS takes over part of the place for a few days."
Arthur looked interested immediately. "A few days?"
Josh nodded. "Why not? People are coming from all over. Doesn't make much sense to drag everybody there for an afternoon and send them straight back home."
Cedric considered it. "My parents would probably agree, provided they spoke to Lord Myrddin first."
"That's fine," Josh said. "I'll talk to Percival when I get home. Once I know what dates work, I'll send everybody an owl."
Penny studied him. "What exactly are you planning?"
"Nothing yet," Josh replied.
That answer did not reassure her.
Josh noticed. "I'm serious. We can train, fly, use the range if Percival approves it, maybe camp somewhere on the property. Mostly I figured it'd be nice to get everybody together when we don't have classes hanging over us."
Arthur smiled. "And swords."
"Obviously swords," Josh said.
Penny glanced at him. "Including a sabre?"
Josh looked toward her. "If I can get one that fits you before then."
Her expression brightened immediately.
Cedric looked between them. "Did I miss something?"
"Penny's changing weapons," Josh explained. "Maybe."
"I am trying a different weapon," Penny corrected.
Arthur nodded solemnly. "Important distinction."
Penny pointed at him. "You don't get an opinion until you've spent twenty minutes being stabbed by Joshua."
Arthur looked toward Josh.
Josh shook his head. "Don't."
"I wasn't going to say anything," Arthur replied.
"You were absolutely going to say something," Josh said.
Arthur smiled and ate another Chocolate Frog.
Cedric settled farther back against the seat. "A few days at Myrddin Manor actually sounds good."
Penny nodded. "It does."
Josh looked between them. "Then I'll figure it out when I get home. Everybody can bring whatever they're working on. Doesn't have to be some formal HMS event."
"Good," Arthur said. "Because formal events generally don't include camping."
"They can," Josh replied.
"Not the ones my parents attend," Arthur said.
Penny smiled. "Perhaps that's because nobody wants your father near an open fire."
Arthur looked offended. "My father is perfectly capable of operating a fire."
Cedric raised an eyebrow. "Operating?"
Arthur hesitated.
Josh laughed.
The conversation wandered after that.
They talked about summer plans, argued over which sweets Arthur had actually purchased for himself, and spent nearly half an hour debating whether the HMS gathering required any kind of organized competition. Arthur wanted teams. Cedric thought that would inevitably become more serious than intended. Penny suggested waiting until they knew who could actually attend.
Josh mostly listened.
Outside, the countryside continued sliding past.
There would be time for serious planning later. Owls could be sent. Parents could talk to Percival. Equipment could be gathered, rooms arranged, and whatever terrible ideas occurred to them between now and then could be evaluated before anyone lost an eyebrow.
For now, they were just friends on a train going home for summer.
Josh found he liked that.
By the time the Hogwarts Express began slowing on its approach to London, the compartment looked as though it had survived a minor siege. Sweet wrappers covered the little table beneath the window, somebody's deck of cards had migrated beneath Cedric's foot, and Penny was trying to determine which of three identical textbooks actually belonged to her.
Arthur held one up. "This one has your name in it."
Penny looked over. "Then why did you ask?"
"I wanted to see if you'd know."
Penny stared at him.
Arthur handed her the book. "You're welcome."
Josh pulled his bag down and checked the compartment one last time. "I'll owl everyone once I've talked to Percival."
Cedric stood and reached for his own things. "I'll ask my parents when I get home."
Penny tucked the recovered textbook into her bag. "So will I."
Arthur slung his bag over one shoulder. "Just make sure there's food."
Josh looked at the remains of Arthur's supposedly private supply scattered around the compartment. "I'll warn Jack."
Arthur nodded. "Excellent."
The train gave a final lurch as it rolled into King's Cross.
Josh looked out the window at the crowded platform.
Home.