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<div class="chap-title">
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36. Chapter 36
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</div>
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<div class="chap-text">
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<p><em>I must say that I was amazed by your responses! There were so many, I just had
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to update. It's a good thing that the chapter was all ready to go. Please enjoy this
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distraction from the holiday rush!</em></p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p class='c1'><strong>Chapter 36.</strong></p>
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<p>Harry sat on the hospital bed with a satisfied smirk, watching the hustle and
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bustle going on around him. Several Gryffindors were sitting on various contraptions
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in his direct vicinity, talking excitedly about the amazing catch Harry had pulled
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off. Madame Pomfrey hadn't asked them to leave yet because, for once, Harry's
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injuries were surprisingly minor, but if they kept being so loud, Harry knew it was
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only a matter of time.</p>
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<p>"I still think that constitutes as cheating," Draco complained. Some of the
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Gryffindors jeered at him but Draco ignored them. "You weren't even touching your
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broom when you caught the snitch!"</p>
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<p>"There is no rule that states that you have to," Hermione pointed out
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cleverly.</p>
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<p>"Besides, Malfoy," Ron said with his mouth full of celebratory chocolate frog.
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"It's not as if Slytherins play fair and square. Or did you not notice when your
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beater tried to hit Harry with his bat?"</p>
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<p>Draco smirked. "<em>That</em> was an accident," he said slyly.</p>
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<p>"I think you should just accept my superiority," Harry said smugly. "I'm better
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than you and you know it."</p>
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<p>"I'm just not as desperate as you are," Draco said smugly. "I don't see the use of
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getting myself killed just to win a Quidditch match."</p>
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<p>"A point of view I wish Mr Potter shared," drawled a deep voice. The Gryffindors
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all quieted down as they laid eyes on Snape.</p>
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<p>"Hi, Professor," Harry said cheekily. "Did you see my amazing catch?"</p>
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<p>Snape opened his mouth to say something scathing when Alex pushed past him and sat
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on the edge of Harry's cot.</p>
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<p>"Harry!" he exclaimed. "That was brilliant! Even after reading all about it, I
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could never guess just how exciting this sport is! And you! You were so good!" Alex
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had to catch his breath with all the excitement going on.</p>
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<p>"Don't encourage him, Alexander," Snape admonished. "He's not supposed to get
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himself injured while he plays."</p>
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<p>"Come on, Severus," Alex said gently. "The best sports carry with them a risk of
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injury. Think of rugby; baseball; football…"</p>
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<p>"There are different kinds of risks," Snape growled. "And the risk of nearly
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getting yourself killed is not one I want Harry to take."</p>
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<p>"I only broke my wrist," Harry pointed out.</p>
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<p>"A broken wrist," Alex whistled. "Such a spectacular stunt and the only injury you
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sustained was a broken wrist. Well done!"</p>
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<p>"Alexander!" Snape snarled. "Don't encourage him."</p>
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<p>Harry groaned. It was bad enough to have Alex and Snape squabble about him but to
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have nearly the entire Gryffindor team bear witness was straight up mortifying.</p>
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<p>"Could you have this discussion elsewhere?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"But you were going to fly with me," Alex pointed out. "When do you think your
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wrist will be healed?"</p>
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<p>"I don't know if I want Harry flying in a while," Snape said coldly.</p>
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<p>"What?!" Harry exclaimed. "But I have to test the potion!"</p>
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<p>"There's no need for you to fly alongside Alex to see if your potion works," Snape
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pointed out smoothly. "You will administer it and then watch from the side-lines. I'm
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sure that either Mr Malfoy or Mr Weasley will be happy to teach him."</p>
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<p>Harry glanced around to see that his teammates were sufficiently confused about
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what was going on and decided not to fight Snape on this. He probably wasn't really
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going to be able to fly today anyway.</p>
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<p>"Fine," he grumbled.</p>
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<p>"Drink this, Mr Potter," Pomfrey said as she suddenly pressed a potion in Harry's
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hand. Harry recognised it as a small dose of skele-gro. "There's no need for you to
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stay here waiting for that wrist to heal. I would also rather not have your Fanclub
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littering my medical wing so you'd best be off."</p>
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<p>"I don't have a Fanclub," Harry grumbled but Pomfrey raised an eyebrow as she
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allowed her gaze to roam the multitude of people currently present.</p>
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<p>"Oh really?" she asked. "You could have fooled me."</p>
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<p>"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Harry," Alex said. "Come on, let's go."</p>
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<p>"Why would you look a horse in the mouth?" Ron asked. "Is it to make sure that
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it's a regular muggle horse or something?"</p>
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<p>Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "I'll explain later, Ron," she said.</p>
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<p>"Let's go," Harry said as he grabbed his quidditch cloak that was draped across
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one of the chairs. With a sideways glance at Snape, he crept past the dour man,
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ignoring the sardonic eyebrow he raised and fled.</p>
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<p>"You're too hard on him, Severus," he heard Alex say as he left.</p>
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<p>"I'm not nearly strict enough," Snape huffed. "He still gives me cheek."</p>
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<p>Harry chuckled and hurried off.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>Harry found Alex and Snape again on the Quidditch pitch. He was carrying his
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Firebolt in his good hand and had the Magic Muggle potion tucked into his pocket.
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Draco, Ron and Hermione were also waiting but the rest of the Quidditch team was
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thankfully no longer present.</p>
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<p>"Thanks for waiting," Harry said.</p>
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<p>"We couldn't very well get started without the potion," Snape drawled. "Otherwise
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you can be assured that you would not be present."</p>
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<p>"Are you really still upset?" Harry asked incredulously. "Worse things have
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happened."</p>
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<p>"Just get on with it," Snape growled with an irritated hand movement.</p>
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<p>"You take my Firebolt, Ron," Harry said as he handed the redhead his broom. "It
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would be safer if Alex uses a school broom for now."</p>
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<p>Ron accepted with a big grin. "As you say, mate," he said. He handed Alex the
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school broom and accepted the Firebolt happily.</p>
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<p>Alex mounted the broom with excited haste and Harry chuckled. "You need the potion
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first, you know." He pointed out.</p>
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<p>"I know," Alex said. "Hand it over already."</p>
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<p>"You might at least pretend to have some manners," Snape said coldly.</p>
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<p>Harry fished the potion out of his pocket and was about to hand it to Alex but
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stopped his hand midway.</p>
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<p>"What in the –"</p>
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<p>"What's wrong?" Draco asked. "If you suddenly realised that there's a muggle
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present in Hogwarts then yes, that is decidedly weird."</p>
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<p>Hermione cuffed him to the back of the head. "Stop being such a prat," she
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hissed.</p>
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<p>"Guys!" Harry interrupted. "Are you really not seeing this?"</p>
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<p>"I see it," Snape said calmly. "Alexander. Do you realize you're floating?"</p>
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<p>Alex blinked a couple of times and looked down at his own feet when he realized
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that they weren't touching the ground anymore. "Wow," he said. "Does this mean I'm a
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wizard now?"</p>
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<p>Snape scoffed. "Hardly," he replied. "But it would appear that you no longer need
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the potion to fly a broom."</p>
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<p>"Fascinating," Harry said. "Draco, Ron, could you teach him the ropes while I make
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some observations?"</p>
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<p>"Sure thing!" Ron called out. He already took to the sky and started flying
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circles around Alex while Draco seemed to take the time to patiently explain some
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things to the man, even if he was a muggle. Harry followed Snape to a bench and sat
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down with him.</p>
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<p>"What do you think is going on?" Harry asked curiously.</p>
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<p>Snape regarded Harry. "It's <em>your</em> potion," he pointed out. "What is
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<em>your</em> observation?"</p>
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<p>"It's odd," Harry replied without taking his eyes off of Alex. "I think that the
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potion awoke his innate magic. That much is clear. And it did wear off back then, did
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it not?"</p>
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<p>"It did," Snape confirmed. "So why is he able to fly a broom now?" He asked the
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question as if he was asking it in his potions class. Harry had the distinct feeling
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that the man already knew the answer but would rather that Harry found out on his
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own.</p>
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<p>"Er…" Harry doubted.</p>
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<p>"When we went inside your mind and unearthed your innate magic, did it revert to
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slumbering once you were done?"</p>
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<p>"No," Harry admitted. "It was far easier to use it from then on. It almost became
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second nature."</p>
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<p>Snape said nothing. He just crossed his arms and watched as Alex actually started
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flying in slow circles while both Draco and Ron flew protectively close to him.</p>
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<p>"So perhaps innate magic – once awakened – does not collapse back onto itself,"
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Harry said smartly.</p>
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<p>"I suspect as much," Snape replied. "It probably took a while to manifest itself
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properly once the potion wore off because Alex is a muggle, which is why it didn't
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appear to be permanent at first."</p>
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<p>"Hold on," Harry said importantly. "You don't think he can do magic now, do
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you?"</p>
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<p>Snape chuckled. "No, Harry," he said. "I'm certain that you did not invent a
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potion to turn muggles into wizards and witches. You simply awoke his innate magic to
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form the most basic of bridges. He will be able to fly brooms now; be somewhat more
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resistant to illnesses and perhaps even heal slightly faster but he will never be
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able to actually perform magic."</p>
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<p>"That would be a bit much, I suppose," Harry said. Alex had just performed a loop
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and nearly fell off his broom had Ron not been there to shove him upright again.
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"He'll never be a Quidditch prodigy, will he?"</p>
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<p>"Unlikely," Snape snorted.</p>
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<p>"You're going to write to '<em>The Practical Potioneer'</em> about this, aren't
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you?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"Naturally," Snape replied easily. "I believe this is one of your most useful
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potions yet."</p>
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<p>Harry laughed. "Well, this one didn't stem from the failure of another potion, I
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suppose."</p>
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<p>"Speaking of the Umbral Locum, did you finish your paper to accompany it when we
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visit the guild?" Snape asked.</p>
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<p>Harry sighed. "Almost," he admitted. "I just need to go over everything one last
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time to make sure there are no more mistakes."</p>
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<p>"I can look it over for you as well, should you so desire," Snape proposed.</p>
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<p>"You don't consider that cheating?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"I'm still your Master," Snape pointed out. "It is only logical that I would
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inspect your work. Especially before I need to introduce you to my colleagues. I
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won't have you dishonour me."</p>
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<p>Harry paled considerably. "Dishonour you?" he asked.</p>
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<p>Snape sighed. "It will be fine," he said in a smoother voice. "I have every
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confidence that you will do spectacularly. I have seen what you can do first hand and
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I am already proud of you."</p>
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<p>Harry smiled and watched as Alex was now smoothly sailing through the skies,
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whooping as he did. He shivered slightly when a cold wind rustled his hair. Snape
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drew an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him closer to him.</p>
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<p>"You're almost there, Harry," Snape said. "If you can manage not to get yourself
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killed while playing Quidditch, you will become a Master yet."</p>
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<p>Harry chuckled. "I'll try to never land on my head."</p>
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<p>Snape sighed in exasperation and ruffled Harry's hair.</p>
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<p>"Brat."</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>Dinner that evening was rather amusing. Snape had proposed that they eat in his
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private quarters but Alex had insisted on eating in the great hall. He was completely
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enamoured by the enchanted ceiling and floating candles and simply loved swapping
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stories with Dumbledore. So rather than eating privately in the dour Potions Master's
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rooms, he chose the much more exciting option.</p>
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<p>He was seated between Snape and Dumbledore with Maya sitting on Snape's other
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side. Every now and then, Maya and Alex would talk to each other, both leaning in
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much too closely for Snape's comfort as was obvious to all who were watching.</p>
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<p>And many were.</p>
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<p>The fact that Alex was a muggle had not been shared with the general student body
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so naturally, everyone assumed that the strange man was a wizard. Not only that, but
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since he took Snape's scowls and glare without so much as a flinch or any other sign
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of discomfort, people were starting to think that he was a very powerful one.</p>
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<p>"I bet that Snape keeps glaring at him because he's here for the defence
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position," Harry heard some Hufflepuff say.</p>
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<p>"Yeah," his friend agreed. "And look. He clearly doesn't even care. He's not
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afraid of Snape in the least! The only other wizard that doesn't seem to mind him is
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Dumbledore."</p>
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<p>"That's what I was thinking. He must be very powerful."</p>
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<p>"Not to mention dreamy," Another girl mentioned. "Do you think he's married?"</p>
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<p>Harry snorted in his glass of pumpkin juice and glanced over at the high table
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again, right at the moment that Maya planted a chaste kiss on Snape's cheek as she
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stole one of the potatoes from his plate. Alex watched the scene with his mouth agape
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and seemed to be stuttering some words. Maya laughed, the sound reaching Harry easily
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and Snape just rolled his eyes and stole his missing potato back.</p>
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<p>"Looks like Alex found out," Harry told his friends, inclining his head towards
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the adults.</p>
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<p>Ron snickered when he saw Alex shake Snape's hand excitedly before the Potions
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Master roughly snatched his hand back. Maya threw a Brussels sprout at Alex's head
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which caused him to sit back down. Dumbledore seemed very amused by all of this and
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was eating as he watched the scene unfold as if he were at some dinner with a
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show.</p>
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<p>"What do you reckon that's all about?" A third-year Gryffindor asked. "They look
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like they're best friends or something."</p>
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<p>"Oh my," A girl next to him said excitedly. "Do you suppose their relationship
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just stops at friends?"</p>
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<p>Another girl sighed. "It would fit beautifully, wouldn't It?" she whispered. "The
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cold and collected professor with a man as vibrant and happy as Alex is. He could
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probably change Snape for the better."</p>
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<p>Harry seriously had to do his best not to spit out his juice in laughter as he
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listened to the girls. He covered his mouth with his hand to aid him.</p>
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<p>"You two are forgetting about Bell," another Gryffindor pointed out.</p>
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<p>"She can't get in the way of true love," the first girl said haughtily.</p>
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<p>That was too much. Harry sprayed his juice all over his plate and started laughing
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uncontrollably. Hermione hid her face in her hands in mortification while Ron just
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seemed flabbergasted having been too occupied with eating to notice anything going on
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around him.</p>
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<p>Harry glanced over at Snape to see the man look at him in disgust as Harry wiped
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the juice from his chin. Alex casually refilled his glass for him as the man glowered
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and Harry laughed again.</p>
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<p>The girls were now squealing excitedly among themselves and Harry vaguely wondered
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if they would form a Fanclub of sorts.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>Harry found himself on the edge of the forbidden forest once more, strolling
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alongside its rim with Luna at his side. The forest might harbour some scary
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creatures and sound foreboding but if Harry was honest, it wasn't all that terrifying
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after all. Especially if you chose to walk there at the start of spring when the sun
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was high in the sky, with a pretty girl skipping next to you.</p>
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<p>"When will you be visiting the guild?" Luna asked as she slid her hand across a
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tree they passed.</p>
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<p>"Next weekend," Harry replied. "I just hope I'm ready."</p>
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<p>"You seem nervous," Luna noted. "Why is that?"</p>
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<p>Harry chuckled. "Because I have to show a bunch of Masters my work and hope that
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they deem it good enough.</p>
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<p>"Good enough for what?" Luna asked.</p>
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<p>"To become a Master," Harry said.</p>
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<p>Luna chuckled. She stopped for a moment and looked at Harry with a happy twinkle
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in her eyes. "What you become does not depend on others, I think," she said.</p>
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<p>"But it does," Harry replied uneasily, running a hand through his hair. "They can
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make or break me."</p>
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<p>Luna gazed at the sky for a while and smiled when she saw some birds fly by. "If
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you told a bird that it can't fly anymore, would it stop?" she asked.</p>
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<p>"No," Harry chuckled. "Of course not."</p>
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<p>"Nor can you tell a fish to stop swimming," Luna added giddily.</p>
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<p>Harry smiled and grabbed Luna's hand. "I wouldn't dare," he said indulgently.</p>
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<p>Luna put her free hand on Harry's shoulder as she faced him, smiling pleasantly.
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"No one can make you step brewing, Harry," she said easily. "The only person you are
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destined to be is the one you decide to become."</p>
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<p>Harry put his arm on the small of Luna's back as he started swaying lightly. Luna
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giggled and followed his lead.</p>
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<p>"How did you become so wise?" Harry asked her. In a slow movement, he lifted the
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hand that held hers, having her spin in a slow circle before she giggled and clasped
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his shoulder again.</p>
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<p>"I listen a lot," she explained.</p>
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<p>"And what do you hear now?" Harry asked as they danced in a slow circle. Luna put
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her head on Harry's shoulder as he pulled her closer. Her hair smelled like plums and
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strawberries.</p>
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<p>"I hear music," she whispered.</p>
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<p>The couple started dancing a bit faster to a melody that Harry did not perceive.
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His rhythm was powered by the giggles that escaped Luna's lips.</p>
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<p>"And what does it tell you?" Harry asked as he gazed at his partner while the
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world swirled all around them.</p>
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<p>"It's hard to say," Luna said. "Life is a beautiful melody but the lyrics are all
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messed up."</p>
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<p>Harry chuckled as he lifted Luna into the air and gazed at her wonderfully serene
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expression. He then let her fall gently into his embrace and hugged her close.</p>
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<p>"You're still nervous," Luna said as he stroked her hair.</p>
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<p>"A little bit," Harry admitted.</p>
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<p>"Don't be," Luna told him. "Some things are meant to be. Even if they take a
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couple of tries to get there."</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>A few days later, Harry found himself in the library studying with Ron, Hermione
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and Draco. Well, Ron was doodling something in his notebook rather than writing his
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essay on the merits of elemental shields but the other three were working hard.</p>
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<p>Harry had just finished adding another paragraph to his essay on the Umbral Locum
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when Hermione disrupted his thoughts.</p>
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<p>"So, what do you make of this career day that's coming up?" she asked.</p>
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<p>"Hm?" Harry asked absentmindedly.</p>
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<p>"The career day, Harry," Hermione snapped. She bumped into his elbow, causing his
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face to almost collide with the table they were sitting at.</p>
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<p>"Hey!" Harry said in indignation. A vicious hush from Madame Pince made him drop
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his voice to a whisper. "I was focusing."</p>
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<p>"What are you concerned about?" Draco asked her. "I'm sure you can do whatever you
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want."</p>
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<p>"Yeah," Harry agreed. "And I'm already quite clear on what I want so I don't see
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the point, really."</p>
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<p>"I could use some advice," Ron sighed, his doodle now finished.</p>
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<p>Draco looked at his notebook and frowned. "I advise against becoming an artist,
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then," he said.</p>
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<p>"What?" Ron hissed, "And I suppose you've got it all worked out then, have
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you?"</p>
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<p>"Of course," Draco said haughtily. "I want to create artefacts."</p>
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<p>"Sure," Ron said. "But what kind of magic will you focus on? What objects? Will
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you create the objects yourself or buy them off of someone else? If you create them
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yourself they're that much more powerful but you would need to learn an additional
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craft. How are your smithing skills, anyway?"</p>
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<p>Draco stared at Ron with a rather dumb look on his face before replying. "You know
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an awful lot about artefacts," he said.</p>
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<p>"Sure," Ron shrugged. "Between having Charley and the twins as brothers, I pick up
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on a lot of stuff like that."</p>
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<p>"Guys," Hermione whispered. "Could you discuss this later? What am I going to do
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about this career day?"</p>
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<p>"You're going to be handed a bunch of pamphlets, answer a bunch of questions and
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get some advice from McGonagall," Harry droned. "It's not like you have to make a
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decision then and there."</p>
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<p>"But I feel like I should come prepared," Hermione whined. "Most of you already
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know what you want to do but I'm just lost."</p>
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<p>Ron snorted. "You're lost because you can do everything. Your options are so vast,
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it's ridiculous, really."</p>
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<p>"You might end up being a stay-at-home-dad, Ron," Draco said, grinning broadly.
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"With a wife as ambitious as this one."</p>
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<p>Ron broke into a coughing fit immediately and hurried out of the library as to not
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disturb anyone. Well, that or to avoid any further mortification.</p>
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<p>Draco shrugged. "Just become the minister of magic or something," he told
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Hermione. "That should keep you plenty busy."</p>
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<p>Harry knew that Draco had meant it as a joke but caught Hermione thinking that
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over with a contemplative smile on her face. He shook his head in mild amusement and
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went back to his essay, describing how substituting thestral hooves for thestral hair
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had caused the spirit's touch to no longer be cold.</p>
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<p>Just a few more days and they would visit the guild. He hoped that he had earned
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the necessary votes. If not, he wouldn't know what would be expected of him next.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p><em>Many things happening. Many things done. I wonder what you feel about all of
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this? Starting next chapter, things will pick up speed again. As I will be doing for
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the remainder of the week, I'll have to check whether or not to update depending on
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the traffic. Don't hate me for this! I just don't want to update when nobody reads.
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So please do review!</em></p>
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