All For You - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Building a functioning farm had been one of the most trying and frustrating things Harry had ever undertaken. Many times over the past eighteen months, he had questioned whether or not he had taken on too much, but with every failure, success, trial, and tribulation, he had not given up.

Now, they’d reached a pivotal moment, and he and the werewolves would see if the efforts they’d made had come to fruition.

The greenhouses had been finished close to six months prior, and each of them was either full of an array of plants in full bloom or housing saplings which were thriving.

As intended, Harry had even procured a variety of livestock, which, as it turned out, created considerably more work to be complete to house them adequately and ensure they were fed and cared for.

He’d purchased a herd of cattle consisting of a single bull, who had to be boarded separately when not breeding and fifty-five heifers.

Along with this, he’d obtained a flock of sheep, a few hundred chickens with an ill-tempered rooster, and even some goats and ducks that he’d had to dig a large pond for.

In all, the farm was home to some five hundred or so animals, each cared for by the werewolves.

The pivotal moment, however, was not the livestock or the greenhouses but the mundane crops that had been being planted throughout Harry’s time here.

Already, they’d had a failed harvest.

The natural soil did not contain enough nutrients to sufficiently support the crops, and it wasn’t until Harry investigated the cause of the failure that he realised he had a use for all the manure the animals were producing.

“What if it hasn’t worked?” Hanna asked.

“We fucking starve,” Igor snorted.

Harry shot the man a pointed look, and he fell silent.

Despite the unresolved tension between them, Igor and his ilk had been assisting around the farm since their confrontation, and the surly werewolf seemed to like working with the cows.

Harry, much to Igor’s surprise, had put him in charge of the herd.

“Here goes nothing,” he murmured as he took hold of the green leaves protruding from the ground.

Releasing a deep breath, he gave it a sharp tug.

“It worked,” Igor whispered.

Harry nodded as he stared at the large carrot dangling in front of him.

“IT BLOODY WORKED!”

The gathered werewolves cheered, and Harry grinned as they began slapping him on the back in triumph.

They had all worked so hard for this moment, and each of them deserved the plaudits.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s check the others,” Igor urged.

Harry looked on amusedly as they ran back and forth to the different crops, pulling them out of the ground to check the quality.

In that moment, everything they had overcome had been worth it.

The werewolves were jubilant, and for the first time since they’d been brought here, they stood as one, giving Harry hope that they could indeed co-exist without Greyback’s leadership.

“We did it,” Hanna sighed from next to him.

Harry nodded.

“We got there, in the end.”

He had not intended it to take so long, but having learned what he had along the way, it was nothing short of a miracle that it had only taken a year and a half, though without the others, he would not be close to where they were now.

“We have food, houses, and work,” Hanna reeled off. “You’ve really given us a life worth living.”

“I gave you an opportunity,” Harry corrected. “Most of the work was done by all of you. For those who can’t use magic, they can work the fields. You and the others who can will work the greenhouses.”

“And Igor and his lot will care for the animals,” Hanna added.

“I never thought I’d see the day that Igor was so passionate about cows.”

“He’s really good with them,” Hanna commented.

Harry nodded his agreement.

For as abrasive and confrontational as Igor was, he wouldn’t deny the man’s redeeming quality for taking care of the herd.

He would wake at sunrise to ensure they were fed and milked and would spend much of the day with them.

Igor had even named his favourites, and Harry had already decided they would be kept for milking only.

“Alright, Jameson,” Igor grumbled as he approached. “You proved me wrong. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“I could say the same about you and, what do you call her, your sweet little Alice?” Harry asked with a grin.

Igor frowned at him.

“She is sweet,” he said, puffing himself up to his full height.

“And that is why you are in charge of the herd,” Harry chuckled.

Igor nodded firmly.

“They’re my damned cows,” he muttered. “If they’re sick, I care for them. I feed them, I milk them, and I keep them company.”

“You do well with them,” Harry praised.

“They’re my own little pack,” Igor murmured fondly. “Speaking of, I should probably check on them.”

He paused as he started walking away and turned back towards Harry.

“Maybe I was wrong about you, Jameson.”

That was a s close to an apology that Harry knew he would ever get from Igor, and coming from a man who had been set against him and what he was trying to achieve here, he would take it.

“So, what happens now?” Hanna asked.

“Now, you all get to run the farm,” Harry explained. “I will visit regularly and collect things to sell. You will all be paid a good wage for your work.”

“You’re leaving,” Hanna stated sadly.

Harry offered her a smile.

“I’m not a werewolf,” he reminded the woman. “I don’t belong living with you all permanently, and I have my home waiting for me back home.”

Hanna nodded her understanding.

“Well, I’ll miss you, Harry.”

“I won’t be gone forever,” Harry snorted. “It’s like I said, I’ll be back at least once a month to check on you, and you know you can reach me any time you need. You just have to tap the mirror in your living room, and it will connect to the one at my house. If I’m not there, my elves will send for me.”

“It still won’t be the same without you here.”

“It will be easier for you all,” Harry pointed out. “My presence will always cause tension, and you lot have a specific pecking order. My being here throws that off. This might be my land, but this is your home now.”

“Well, take care, Harry,” Hanna sighed, wrapping her arms around him tentatively.

Harry returned the embrace.

“Don’t you have a greenhouse to tend to?”

Hanna grinned as she nodded.

“I do,” she conceded. “I’m sure I will have plenty of ingredients for you to sell soon enough.”

“I don’t doubt,” Harry chuckled as he headed towards his cabin.

He only needed to pack a few things, and then he would return to Britain.

What he would do when he was back home, he didn’t know, but he had no doubt he would decide on another venture soon enough.

(Break)

She wiped away the sweat from her brow as she tried to catch her breath. It had been a long day at work, but Amelia would not miss the additional work she’d been putting in on her defensive magic.

She’d always been outstanding in the practical application of it, and though she’d not felt outmatched or outclassed whilst on duty, being set upon by a dozen people at once was not favourable for anyone.

Still, Amelia wanted to mitigate any danger to herself, and that had to come from her own improvement and tireless practice.

Constant vigilance was what Alastor preached, and it was a lesson she’d learned the hard way.

Ever since the attempt on her life in Diagon Alley, around a year prior, no other had been made. However, if Jameson was right in his thinking and it was linked to her enquiries into the death of her parents, there was no telling when they would try again.

Nonetheless, Amelia would not be deterred.

If anything, it had only served to strengthen her resolve to bring her mother and father’s killers to justice.

One way or the other, she would have the answers she sought, even if the task itself seemed just as impossible as it always had.

Deciding to change, she left the basement she had converted into a training area, and headed for her room, where she began rifling through her wardrobe.

It was almost dinner time, and then she had other things to tend to.

Whilst changing into a casual outfit of a blouse and jeans, Amelia pondered how the previous year had played out.

Oddly, the protests had ceased for a number of months after the attempted murder, and when they did resume, they were less popular and certainly more subdued.

It had granted her and Alastor ample time to clear the backlog of their cases or file them with the other unsolved ones, which were occasionally revisited.

As much as Amelia wished she could proclaim that life had gotten back to normal without any lingering effects after what happened in Diagon Alley, she simply couldn’t.

Once more, she had been struggling with her close brush with death, and though she had hidden it well, it had taken time for her to relax once more, well, enough that she was not gripped by blind panic whenever she left the Ministry of Magic to patrol.

Still, things got a little easier to handle with each passing day, but she couldn’t allow herself to relax fully, not with the knowledge that at least one person was determined to see her dead.

With that thought permeating her mind, she packed her clothes away and headed towards the dining room.

“Are you joining us for dinner tonight?” Edgar asked as she entered.

Amelia shook her head.

“No, I’m going to check on Jameson’s place. I’ve not been there for almost a week.”

“Have you heard from him?”

Amelia frowned.

“Not for almost a month,” she answered.

Although he had come to help her when she needed it, he’d returned to Canada only a few days later after assuring her that what had happened was not connected to Greyback.

He implored her to be cautious and said he didn’t anticipate any more trouble, not yet, at least.

‘They failed, Bones. They will be more cautious than you are now.’

He’d been right, but his words had little effect on her concern for a while.

“Do you still miss him?” Edgar teased.

Amelia flared her nostrils at her older brother.

“I do not miss him,” she denied, “and you will keep your mouth shut.”

Edgar laughed and held up his hands.

“I’m just teasing.”

“Well, keep it to yourself, you git,” Amelia huffed as she left the room.

“I must’ve touched a nerve,” she heard Edgar chuckle.

Amelia ignored it and took the floo to Jameson’s place, where she would not have to tolerate her brother and his prodding.

“Hello, Miss Amelia,” Helga greeted her warmly. “Would you like some dinner?”

Amelia offered the elf a fond smile.

Helga and Bart had taken care of her whenever she visited, which was admittedly less regularly recently.

“Thank you, Helga,” Amelia said appreciatively. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take a shower first.”

Helga nodded and set to work, and Amelia made her way to her room. Well, it wasn’t really hers but the one she used whenever she was here.

Setting some fresh clothes onto the bed, she entered the bathroom and turned on the shower before undressing.

Stepping under the cascade of hot water, Amelia breathed a sigh of contentment as it eased her tired muscles.

She took her time to scrub her hair and body and turned the water off before stepping out of the shower and back into her room.

Amelia could smell her dinner cooking, but before she could decipher what it was, the door was flung off its hinges, and she found herself staring down the shaft of a wand and into a pair of narrowed green eyes.

Amelia yelped in shock.

Jameson.

If that wasn’t enough of a surprise, he was shirtless and wearing the very same pyjama bottoms he’d lent her when she’d stayed with him.

“Bones?” he mumbled, his voice thick from sleep.

His eyes widened, and Amelia became painfully aware that she wasn’t wearing a thread of clothing. She did her best to cover herself, but Jameson had already undoubtedly seen everything.

Amelia squeaked again, and he turned away before laughing.

“It’s not funny!” Amelia groaned.

“It is kind of funny,” he snorted. “Are you dressed yet?”

Amelia hurriedly dried herself with her wand before doing so.

“You can look now,” she sighed. “Actually, don’t look at me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed. What are you doing here?”

Jameson frowned in confusion.

His hair was tousled, and he’d evidently just woken up.

“In case you forgot, this is my house,” he reminded her, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Stop grinning,” Amelia groaned. “Don’t say a word.”

He shook his head amusedly.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

Amelia did her utmost to keep her gaze aimed at his face. He’d made no attempt to cover himself up.

“I was checking on the place for you.”

“From the shower?” he snorted. “How often do you parade around at my house naked?”

“Can we please just pretend this didn’t happen?” Amelia pleaded.

“Well, you can, but I don’t think I’ll forget what I saw in a hurry,” Jameson quipped.

Amelia levelled a glare at the man, but she laughed despite her embarrassment.

“I wasn’t expecting you back.”

“I think we both got more than we bargained for,” Jameson sighed. “Is that dinner I smell?”

“Helga was making something for me,” Amelia explained.

“Well, that’s good because I’m starving,” Jameson declared. “I’ll see you in the kitchen?”

Amelia nodded, and Jameson repaired the door with a flick of his wand and paused.

“For the record, Bones, you don’t have anything to be embarrassed about.”

He left, and Amelia growled at the infuriating man.

She was mortified at what had just happened, but it wasn’t as though Jameson had done it on purpose.

Although Amelia had not expected it, she was in his house.

Still, that didn’t stop her from feeling embarrassed, even if he had offered her a flattering comment.

If anything, that only made it worse.

Or did it?

She shook her head of that invasive thought and decided it was better to face the continued embarrassment that awaited her in the kitchen.

It would only be worse if she tried to ignore him.

Holding her head high, she descended the stairs to find, much to her unwitting disappointment, that Jameson was now wearing a shirt.

“Good evening, Auror Bones,” he greeted her, the ghost of his stupid smirk still hovering on his lips.

“Jameson,” she replied as she took a seat opposite him. “Helga, why didn’t you tell me he was back?” Amelia groaned as the elf began serving them dinner.

“Miss Amelia didn’t ask,” the elf replied, eliciting a chuckle from Harry.

“If it is any consolation, she did not tell me you were here either,” he sighed.

“Master Harry didn’t ask,” Helga broke in once more. “Master Harry said that Miss Amelia can come and go as she pleases.”

Amelia sensed Helga was rather amused by the situation.

“Bloody elf,” Harry snorted fondly.

“She’s just as much of a troublemaker as you,” Amelia pointed out.

“Hey, I’m not the one who was naked in your house.”

Amelia shook her head.

“You’re never going to let me live it down, are you?”

“Would you if it was the other way around?”

Amelia did her best not to let that image form in her mind, but she suspected she was blushing all the same.

“But it wasn’t,” she pointed out.

“You didn’t answer the question,” Jameson returned.

Amelia narrowed her eyes at him once more.

She wasn’t going to dignify the man with an answer, not if she was certain she could give an honest one.

“So, are you back?” she asked, changing the subject.

Jameson nodded.

“I am,” he confirmed. “Everything I needed to do is done, just six months later than I’d anticipated. It will be nice to spend more time here. How have things been?”

Amelia shrugged.

“The same as usual, really.”

“What about you, how have you been?”

It was a loaded question, but given that Jameson had seen her at her worst with what Amelia had been through with and without him, she knew he wasn’t asking to pry but out of concern.

“Good and bad,” she answered honestly. “Some days are harder than others.”

He nodded in understanding.

“It doesn’t help that you had a setback,” he sighed, finishing his plate of food.

“I’m getting better,” Amelia assured him.

Jameson offered her a smile.

“I know,” he replied simply. “You’re a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as resilient as you.”

Amelia felt her cheeks redden, and she glowered at him as he grinned.

“Stop it,” she huffed, “and stop thinking about what you saw.”

“Resilient and a mind reader,” Jameson chuckled amusedly.

Amelia released a deep breath.

“If it was anyone else, I’d bloody well curse them,” she warned.

“But not me,” Jameson said smugly as he stood.

“Where are you going?”

“I thought I’d check on the herds before I go back to bed. Are you coming?”

Amelia nodded and followed him into the grounds via the backdoor, pleased he’d not continued in his attempts to make her blush more than she already had.

It was a brisk evening, and as ever, both herds of thestrals and hippogriffs roamed freely across Harry’s land. They often kept to their own kind out of habit and preference, but sometimes, the herds mingled together.

“I forgot how peaceful it is here,” Harry murmured.

“It is peaceful here,” Amelia agreed. “Canada wasn’t so peaceful?”

Harry laughed as he shook his head.

“No, it was stressful for the most part, but with everything being finished, I won’t have to visit too often.”

“Whatever will you do with your free time?”

“I’ve not really decided,” Jameson replied with a frown. “Maybe I should get a hobby or another job.”

“What about returning to Hogwarts?”

Jameson shrugged.

“Maybe,” he answered.

“Chris misses you being there. He says the two Professors that have replaced you so far have been boring and not as good as you.”

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment,” Harry returned with an amused grin. “I don’t know, maybe I’ll just take a break. Everything has been full-on for a while now. I might take a holiday.”

“Anywhere nice?”

“I have no idea where I’d go.”

Amelia rolled her eyes at him.

“You’ve not really just lived, have you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re always doing something. Since I’ve known you, you’ve opened a restaurant, taught Defence Against the Dark Arts, and spent a year and a half in Canada opening a farm run by werewolves.”

“That’s fair,” Jameson conceded, “but when did you last take some time off other than when, well, you know,” he finished dismissively.

“I don’t think I have,” Amelia admitted. “I love my job, Jameson. Edgar hates that I do it, but I really feel I make a difference. Taking a day off has just never been a thought in my mind.”

“You do make a difference, and I can think of few people who’ve earned my respect more than you,” James replied sincerely. “You became an Auror for all the right reasons and are dedicated to it. I can’t give you higher praise than that.”

It was odd just how much the words meant coming from him.

Amelia knew Edgar was proud of her, despite his misgivings about her working as an Auror, but other than her brother, the only other person to truly understand her motivation was Jameson.

“Tired?” he chuckled as Amelia yawned.

She nodded.

“It’s been a long day full of surprises, some not so good,” she answered with a pointed smirk of her own. “I should probably head home.”

“You weren’t going to stay?”

“You’re back,” Amelia reminded him.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t stay,” he sighed. “Come on, I’ll make some hot chocolate. I can even tuck you in if you like.”

“I’m going to curse you one of these days, Jameson,” Amelia grumbled.

“But today isn’t that day, so I’m not too concerned,” he quipped. “You can’t curse a man that’s seen you naked on the same night. That’s just wrong, and I expect not very good luck.”

“You never struck me as the superstitious type.”

Jameson shrugged.

“I’m not usually, but if it spares me your wrath, I’ll give it a go.”

Amelia could only shake her head as she fought the urge to laugh at his antics.

Despite how the evening had unfolded, she couldn’t deny she was glad he was back.

At the very least, he made things interesting, and he certainly never failed to make her both laugh and smile.

Somehow, having him around just felt right, though she might just change her mind on that rather quickly if he kept smiling the way he did at her. It was as infuriating as it was frustratingly endearing.

(Break)

It was a curious scene that Albus came upon as he entered the Great Hall for breakfast. The students were chatting animatedly amongst themselves, many whispering excitedly.

This had not occurred in several months.

The students had been rather subdued by the ongoing protests and the unpleasantness that had gripped the castle.

Even now, incidents continued to happen, though they were fewer, or it was that the perpetrators were being much more careful whilst using their slurs towards other students.

“Is there something in the newspaper to have caused such a stir?” Albus asked Minerva as he took his seat at the staff table.

“Not in the newspaper,” she said knowingly. “According to a certain student who, might I add, was out of bounds, Professor Jameson has been spotted on the grounds.”

“Harry is here?”

“That is what Mr Weasley has been telling everyone.”

Albus looked towards the redhead, who was talking to his companions, along with some from other houses who were evidently pestering him.

“Where is Harry?”

“I would wager that he is having breakfast with Hagrid,” Minerva answered quietly. “When the students discover that…”

She broke off, and Albus nodded.

“Perhaps I will take a walk before eating,” he decided as he stood.

Minerva shot him a knowing look, and Albus left the Great Hall before venturing into the grounds.

A gentle plume of smoke was wafting from Hagrid’s chimney, and as he approached, he heard laughter coming from within the hut.

“He’s a troublemaker alright,” Hagrid boomed. “What was he doing?”

“He said he was gathering plants for his Herbology lesson.”

“And a dreadful liar,” Hagrid chuckled. “I’ve dragged him out of the forest four times already this year, and it ain’t even Christmas yet. He won’t ever change, and it’s only worse that he’s with the Prewett twins. They’ve taken him under their wing.”

“I bet they keep Minerva on her toes.”

“That they do, Harry,” Hagrid confirmed. “Hold up, someone’s at the door. Ah, Professor Dumbledore, sir.”

“Hello, Hagrid,” Albus greeted the enormous man. “I understand we have a guest.”

“Just, Harry, Professor. Come in.”

“Thank you, Hagrid,” Albus offered as he stepped into the hut.

Nursing a large mug of tea, Harry Jameson was indeed sitting by the fire sporting a beard and looking very healthy.

His time in Canada had been beneficial. Evidently, he’d gotten plenty of fresh air and exercise.

“It didn’t take Weasley long to open his mouth then?” Harry asked amusedly.

“I would consider this a record,” Albus chuckled as he offered Harry his hand. “How was your excursion?”

Harry accepted the proffered limb.

“Harder than you can imagine, but more successful, too,” he answered. “We have twenty-five functioning greenhouses, fields of crops, and even livestock, nothing you would be interested in, Hagrid,” he added with a chuckle as the man opened his mouth to interject. “None of our animals can maul you.”

Hagrid grunted, and Albus patted his former student on the shoulder.

“Well, it sounds as though it was worth it,” he commented.

“It was,” Harry agreed, “but I’m glad to be back.”

“Would you like a cup of tea, Professor?” Hagrid asked.

“I would,” Albus replied appreciatively.

Only a moment later, he was handed what was a regular-sized mug for the Groundkeeper, and Harry laughed, holding his own aloft.

“Where else can you get a bucket of tea?” he asked amusedly.

Albus shared in the humour, pleased to see the young man.

Harry had a way of brightening things, even when they seemed to be rather bleak.

Even the students seem to be lifted by the very rumour that he was here.

“How have things been here?” Harry asked.

Albus released a deep breath.

“Difficult,” he answered honestly. “There has been a troubling rise in prejudiced behaviour towards muggleborn students.”

“The protests,” Harry murmured, shaking his head.

Albus nodded.

“The incidents have become less frequent since they slowed…”

“From what you know,” Harry broke in. “It doesn’t just happen without reason, and it doesn’t just disappear.”

“It does not,” Albus agreed. “It is concerning.”

Harry’s expression darkened as he nodded.

“They’re impressionable and mostly stupid,” he sighed. “All teenagers are.”

Albus chuckled at the blunt assessment.

“That is why they need a positive influence. Someone they can look up to.”

“Hagrid’s tall,” Harry replied.

“I think you know what I mean, Harry,” Albus returned. “Have you considered returning?”

“Don’t you have a Professor?”

“We do, but Professor Roberts has been firm in his decision that he will stay only for the remainder of the year. Come September, I will require another, and it would be nice if it were one less thing I need to burden myself with.”

“Are you offering me my job back?”

“Harry, must we play this game?” Albus sighed.

“I’m just savouring the moment,” the man returned, taking a sip of his tea. “I don’t expect anyone has the upper hand with you very often.”

“It is not something I am accustomed to these days,” Albus conceded. “So, what do you say?”

Harry pondered it for a moment.

“I will consider it.”

Albus was taken aback by the answer but nodded his understanding.

“Well, will you at least join us for lunch today? I’m sure the students would enjoy seeing you again.”

“Using the kids to sway me? That’s sneaky, Albus, but I can respect that kind of cunning. I’ll join you for lunch.”

“I don’t think you have much choice, Harry,” Hagrid interjected, peering outside from behind his curtain.

Harry stood, a frown marring his features.

“It seems they have discovered where you are,” Albus observed.

Harry hummed.

Around half the school was converging on Hagrid’s hut.

“I don’t suppose there is an escape through the back?” Harry asked.

“Only into the forest,” Hagrid replied.

“It appears that you will have to face the music,” Albus declared.

“I think I’d sooner take my chances with Aragog and his children,” Harry grumbled. “Fine, I’ll deal with this lot.”

With that, he opened the front door of the hut and stepped outside.

“See, I told you he was here,” Arthur Weasley said smugly.

Harry eyed the boy speculatively.

“You, Weasley, come here,” he instructed.

Arthur’s eyes widened, and his expression fell as he approached slowly.

“We had an agreement,” Harry muttered. “You keep my visit quiet, and I don’t drop you in it for being in the forest.”

“We did,” Arthur replied, “but then I remembered that you’re not a professor here anymore. You can’t punish me,” he finished with a knowing smirk.

Harry nodded.

“You’re right, Weasley,” he acknowledged, “but there are many other ways I can make your life a misery. I’m not a professor here, so if I wanted to dangle you upside down by your ankles, there are no rules or standards preventing me from doing so.”

Albus fought the urge to laugh as the young redhead began to stammer, only for Harry to break the deadlock with a chuckle of his own.

“Maybe I will let you off this time,” he said thoughtfully, “or maybe I will hold onto this grudge until it suits me. I haven’t decided yet. Now, don’t you have a lesson to be in?”

“Yes, Professor,” Arthur replied.

“Then get to it,” Harry urged, “and that goes for the rest of you. Go on, I’ll be in the Great Hall for lunch. You can come and stare at me with your vacant expressions then.”

The students turned and left, with some offering Harry some parting words.

“It’s good to see you, Professor.”

“Are you coming back to teach?”

“Why do you have a beard?”

Harry simply shook his head.

“Nosy little buggers,” he said fondly, fighting the urge to smile.

“Ah, to be young again,” Albus mused aloud. “Miss Black, is there something I can help you with?”

Bellatrix was the only student who had remained behind, and without saying a word, she briefly wrapped her arms around Harry before hurrying towards the castle.

“Well, if you can elicit such a response from Miss Black, that is quite an achievement,” Albus murmured.

“She’s been one of the troublemakers,” Harry stated.

Albus nodded.

“I’m not sure how much you know of her family, but their views on muggles and muggle-borns are quite notorious and not in a positive manner.”

“I’ve heard,” Harry sighed.

“A positive influence,” Albus reiterated.

“I heard you the first time,” Harry huffed. “Don’t push your luck, Albus.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Albus said amusedly.

(Break)

Jenny was laughing hysterically, and Amelia scowled at her friend.

“It’s not funny,” she chastised. “It was embarrassing.”

“Oh, it’s hilarious,” Jenny countered. “I mean, you were in his house, you didn’t lock the door, and he didn’t know you were there.”

“I didn’t know he was there,” Amelia pointed out.

Jenny rolled her eyes.

“Come on, it’s not the end of the world,” she comforted. “So, he saw you starkers. You were clean, you look after yourself, and you have good teeth.”

“That doesn’t mean I want anyone gawping at me.”

“Was he gawping?”

“No,” Amelia sighed.

“Is that a hint of disappointment I hear?”

“No.”

“You’re not very good at lying, Bones,” Jenny snorted. “Come on, what happened after he burst in on you?”

“I don’t know, I froze,” Amelia groaned. “He was just there, and I didn’t react.”

“So, you just stood there naked?”

“I was so surprised to see him that I didn’t realise I was,” Amelia huffed.

“What happened after?”

“I covered myself up.”

“And that’s it?”

“Just about.”

“It’s like trying to get blood out of a stone with you,” Jenny muttered. “So, you covered up and chatted about the weather?”

“Not quite. I asked him what he was doing there, and he said the same thing you did, that it was his house. I told him that I was mortified, and he…”

“He what?”

Amelia felt her cheeks redden.

She wasn’t a particularly shy person, but Jameson just seemed to have a rather strong effect on her for some reason.

“He said I didn’t have anything to be embarrassed about.”

“So, he complimented you.”

“Or he was just trying not to make me feel embarrassed about what happened.”

“Really?” Jenny asked. “How did he say it?”

“You know what he is like,” Amelia said dismissively. “He had that stupid grin on his face as he always does. He wasn’t even looking at me when he said it, but I know he was grinning.”

“Then maybe he meant it,” Jenny pointed out. “All I’ll say is if he found me like that…”

“Stop,” Amelia pleaded. “I don’t need to hear your perverted thoughts about it.”

Jenny laughed once more.

“You could always get even,” she suggested. “Sneak up on him whilst he’s in the shower.”

“I’d probably be dead before I got within ten feet,” Amelia mused aloud. “Anyway, I’m not sneaking up on him. It’s not as though he did it on purpose. I’ll just have to live with the embarrassment.”

“Or you could learn to beat him at his own game. If he mentions it, call his bluff.”

“I am not doing that!”

“Then prepare yourself for some relentless teasing, but then again, Jameson probably won’t. He’s not so bad, is he?”

“No, he’s not,” Amelia agreed.

“So, do you like him?”

“I should never have mentioned any of this to you,” Amelia sighed. “Bye, Jenny.”

“Oh, we were just getting to the good part,” the woman called after her as Amelia left the examination room.

She didn’t know why she’d felt the need to discuss what happened.

Maybe it was that Amelia felt slightly confused by the entire situation and how Jameson had been rather dismissive of it other than his initial reaction, or perhaps Amelia was simply overthinking it.

She didn’t know, but it had happened, and as Jenny said, she’d just have to deal with whatever teasing came her way.

Jameson wouldn’t make a big deal out of it, but it was inevitable that he would make the occasional vague comment about what had happened.

(Break)

It was strange but not an unwelcome experience eating his lunch in the Great Hall once more. Having spent much of the past year eating with werewolves who did not have the politest of table manners, it was a nice change for Harry, even if he did have to endure the incessant students approaching him.

“They miss you,” Albus chuckled.

Harry hummed as he bit into his sandwich, shooting a glare at Arthur Weasley.

He far from disliked the boy.

Arthur had brought him no end of entertainment when he’d been here, but the same could not be said for Minerva.

Harry could understand. It couldn’t be easy being his Head of House, after all.

With the Prewett twins thrown in, much of her time must be occupied with disciplining the trio.

“Tempted yet?” Albus asked.

“I’m tempted to throttle some of them.”

“You and me both,” Minerva broke in. “You could always run an out-of-class club for the rest of the year,” she suggested.

“I don’t suppose a chess club would work?”

“Can you play chess?”

“No, I’m terrible at it,” Harry admitted.

“And they’d all probably still come,” Minerva replied with a smirk.

“Why not a duelling club,” Filius piped up.

“You’re the duellist,” Harry pointed out.

“I’d be more than happy to assist you with it,” the diminutive man offered. “It could be good for them.”

Harry frowned at the grinning man.

“Is no one on my side here?”

“It’s not about sides, Harry,” Filius assured him. “We are educators and just want the best for our students.”

Harry didn’t believe the man, but he couldn’t deny that he once more felt the castle calling him.

His gaze shifted towards the Slytherin table and the plethora of students already there who would choose to support Voldemort in the coming years.

Perhaps he could prevent that from happening?

That very observation was something he knew he would not be able to shift from his mind, and if he didn’t at least try, he would carry the guilt for whatever murders and horrific acts they would go on to commit.

“Fine, I’ll run a duelling club, but no promises about teaching next year,” he warned.

“I’m sure the students will be delighted to hear it,” Albus replied with a smile.

“But not until I’ve left the castle,” Harry said firmly. “I don’t want to be mobbed again. I’ll start after the Christmas break.”

“Excellent,” Albus declared before returning to his meal.

Had it been a mistake coming here today?

Harry didn’t know, but having done so, he’d walked into the arms of Dumbledore, and the man had his way of always getting what he wanted, even from Harry it seemed.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t a sense of dread that filled him at the thought of returning, but one of excitement that only being at Hogwarts could instil within him.