Proud Parents

Chapter 37 - When Plans Come Together

The three Gryffindor chasers were standing outside the twins room, hoping to go along to breakfast with them. It soon became obvious why their repeated knocks were going unanswered as the twins in question were part of a family group slowly shuffling their way along the corridor. That both Fred and George looked knackered, and were sweating buckets saw more than a few questions heading their way.

Those questions were eventually answered by Millie, wearing a wrap over her swimsuit while helping her clearly exhausted betrothed along the corridor.

"These three decided they ate far too much yesterday, so joined Harry and Dan in the gym for a workout session this morning. It's been a few weeks for all of them since they last trained, while Harry and Dan workout every day. A shower and breakfast should see them refreshed and ready to face the rest of the day."

When asked about her own attire, Millie easily explained. "When not training on Harry's beach, he and Dan use the gym here. Hermione and Emma prefer to take their exercise in the pool, I love swimming too so join them as often as I can. No one can keep up with the four of them though."

It was a baffled Katie who asked the obvious question. "Why do they train so hard?"

Leaning on his betrothed, Ron had regained enough breath to answer that. "At the start of the summer, Harry and Hermione portkeyed back to his villa covered in blood. It wasn't theirs - Death Eaters had attacked the Grangers in their own home."

Lucius Malfoy's death had been reported back in Britain. Thanks to the Prophet though, details of his actual demise had been sketchy to begin with. An article printed in the Quibbler had certainly added more truth to the matter, though their friends involvement in it was not mentioned in great detail. That House Potter declared blood feud on the houses of Malfoy and Parkinson had grabbed all the headlines back home.

"On his birthday, Harry again arrived there bloody, only this time he was the one doing the bleeding. Harry took a curse to his shoulder saving Sirius's life in the Wizengamot chamber, the curse was intended to kill his Godfather. At Halloween the four of them raced out of the Institute to save our father from Voldemort - rescuing him and sending Granny V packing. Let's not forget the tournament at Hogwarts, and all that's in the last six months alone. That's why they train so hard, to be ready for whatever comes next."

Ron felt a hand on his shoulder, giving a supporting squeeze for his explanations. He turned his head to discover Harry and Hermione standing beside him.

Harry appeared just as sweaty as the trio of Weasley's but in nowhere near their state of distress and exhaustion. Hermione was in similar attire to Milli and smiled as her betrothed spoke with their friends.

"You three did really well in the gym today. Dipping in and out of training more frequently will certainly improve your fitness - without feeling like you're about to keel over any second." The twins managed a grin, or grimace, at that before Harry addressed his former chaser teammates.

"The children will be returning back to London before New Year, give everyone at the Institute the chance to prepare for the new term. You have the option of joining them, to spend New Year with your families, or staying here and portkeying back to Hogwarts for the opening feast."

Taking over seamlessly, Hermione continued with their offer. "You are all staying in guest quarters, which won't interfere with getting the Institute ready for our returning students. We also want to arrange a trip to Naples, to give you the full Institute experience."

With all three Weasleys, and Milli too, heartily recommending that option, the trio of chasers quickly agreed - and promised to pass that news around the rest of the Hogwarts visitors. As the group broke up, Harry couldn't help but smile at Hermione's comment over their rings. 'I don't think they'll have any trouble convincing Cedric to stay longer.' Harry's reply had both of them smiling as they headed back to get their showers and collect Joan.

'I don't expect them to have trouble convincing anyone visiting from Hogwarts to stay longer'.

As the trio of Gryffindor chasers made their way toward breakfast, Katie was left shaking her head. "I just can't get my head around the fact that's the same shy, skinny boy we've played quidditch with for the last three years."

It was Alecia who was now shaking her head at that remark. "Probably because it's not. You could see the difference in Harry at the end of Summer term, standing up to Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape was where it started."

While partly agreeing with her team mates, Angelina had a slightly different take on events. "I think it was getting betrothed to Hermione that drastically changed both of them - for the better. Watching them with Joan brings a lump to my throat every time, the three of them clearly adore each other."

Neither witch could disagree with that, and breakfast called for the trio of hungry witches. The idea of spending extra time at the Institute almost had them too excited to eat - almost.

-oOoOo-

Cho was having a miserable holiday, with thoughts of Cedric being her ex-boyfriend - while also being in another country - keeping her squarely locked into that miserable mood. That misery though was massively increased when she laid eyes on the latest edition of The Quibbler. There were a couple of pages featuring pictures of the children from the Black Orphanage Christmas visit to the Potter Institute. All the children appeared to be having a wonderful time and, while the Institute looked fabulous, it's owner appeared nowhere in any of the pictures.

What really reduced Cho to tears was recognising her former boyfriend in the corner of one of the featured pictures. There, plain as day in the background, was the handsome Cedric with his arm around a simply stunning blonde witch. The pair obviously didn't know the picture was being taken, as both were far too interested in each other - oblivious to everyone else and their surroundings.

That she'd rather publicly attempted a very large slice of emotional blackmail on Cedric - 'if you go to Italy then we're over' - that he'd gone to the Institute anyway was quite humiliating enough for the teenage witch to suffer through. She'd thought Cedric was special - possibly even 'the one'. Why she'd stupidly decided to play silly games with their relationship was a mystery to her now. Cedric was originally prepared to give the Institute a miss and take her to the Triwizard Ball, only that event being changed to a summer date saw him accepting the Institute's offer to spend the holiday in Italy.

Cho knew Cedric was a very honourable wizard, he would never have been flirting with another witch if she was still his girlfriend. The fact that she had foolishly broken up with Cedric at Hogwarts, because he wouldn't spend the holidays at home, certainly led directly to his picture in the press with another witch. This fact though took Cho's public loss of face to an entirely different level all together - this was not now confined to Hogwarts because Cedric's scandalous actions while in Italy had just been published nationwide.

Where was the angst ridden wizard who'd just been dumped by his very pretty girlfriend? The wizard pictured in the Quibbler bore no resemblance to Cho's expectations, Cedric clearly didn't appear to be suffering from a broken heart. On their return to Hogwarts, Cho had originally been prepared to take Cedric back - after he'd publicly apologised and grovelled a bit first. Her tears began to fall in earnest as the realisation of the situation she now faced hit hard - her dreamed of scenario of reluctantly letting her ex-boyfriend come back to her looked more and more likely to remain just a dream she once had.

She could now only hope the picture didn't tell the story Cho thought it did, that Cedric was now in a relationship with another witch. Dumped and publicly humiliated - twice - in such a short space of time was a lot for any young witch to take.

-oOoOo-

The students returning to Hogwarts from the Potter Institute found themselves under siege from barrage after barrage of questions from friends desperate for information. The Institute visitors were beginning to think their fellow Hogwarts students had spent the entire return journey from London on the Express compiling lists of questions to be asked about their Holiday to Italy. By portkeying back to the castle from Italy, they had at least avoided being grilled for hours on the train. They were paying for it now however as the questions just kept coming. Every time one of them answered a question though, it seemed to generate at least four others.

Cedric was astonished to discover the entire school knew about his new girlfriend, Daphne had said yes when he asked her on New Year's Eve. Spending a day in Naples, being led around with Daphne on his arm, was one of the most spectacular events of Cedric's life. Being accompanied by Astoria and the girls parents just added to the occasion, Cedric was actually relieved he wasn't the only one in their group of five whose mind was totally blown. There was no hiding the pride that both Greengrass parents had in the way their daughters were dealing with everything their new school expected of them - even using their still basic Italian skills when the situation called for it.

Details of Cedric's intensive interrogation at the Hufflepuff table quickly spread around the Great Hall. Very few had recognised the smiling blonde Cedric had his arm around in the Quibbler picture. Discovering it was Daphne Greengrass was certainly a shock, that Cedric had also met her parents in Italy was a shock of far greater magnitude. This alluded to a far more serious dating situation than was first thought, meeting the parents of a witch you wanted to date was considered a big deal in pure blood society.

The rabid seeking of news from the Institute had to be put on hold however, as Headmaster Snape stood and began announcing the changes that would soon be happening at Hogwarts.

Hearing that Lady Black had visited Hogwarts, and had a firm date for the work on the new Muggle Studies building beginning, perked up everyone in the hall. Cedric could hardly wait to send an owl to Daphne - via Gringotts - with the news they should be able to call each other on the phone at the start of April. Then again, their experience of the Institute suggested that news would be announced there soon too. There didn't appear to be any secrets at the Institute, and the front page of tomorrow's Prophet would explain why they didn't hear this news before leaving Italy.

That Cedric never even glanced in her direction once during the feast told Cho her emotional blackmail gamble had spectacularly backfired on her. She tried putting food in her mouth and chewing, so as not to be seen moping. Being one half of Hogwarts top power couple also came with some disadvantages - everyone wanted details of their really public break-up. That everyone should have been talking about how she and Cedric looked so good together, opening the dancing at the Yule Ball, just rubbed salt into a wound that wasn't going to heal anytime soon.

The heartbreak of now knowing she had so stupidly lost Cedric left Cho just wanting the feast to be over. She currently craved nothing more than getting to her dorm and shutting the rest of the world out. There, behind the closed and silenced curtains of her bed, Cho could use that privacy to finally give free reign to her anguish and cry bucketloads of tears.

-oOoOo-

The front page of the Daily Prophet led with a quite iconic picture, featuring the Minister of Magic, the new Hogwarts Headmaster, the architect who was now Lady Black and Professor Tonks - the new Head of Modern Studies. That all four were standing smiling at the site where the new Modern Studies building would be erected left no doubt in readers' minds that those smiles were genuine.

That Hagrid's hut could be glimpsed in the background fixed the location for anyone who had even visited Hogwarts, never mind attending that school for wizards and witches. The drawing of what the new facility would look like, along with a timetable for its construction and completion explained why all four people in the picture were wearing genuine smiles. To most of the paper's loyal readers, who usually believed everything printed on each page, there was a sense of disbelief that this was actually possible - especially within the timeframe quoted by the Prophet.

It was another group of four who were excitedly studying this information, however, at the moment - only Bella was smiling. "We have a date, and a location. Now all we need is a plan."

The silence Bella's declaration caused dragged on, becoming uncomfortable before Augustus felt he simply had no choice but to speak up - however dangerous that might turn out to be with the mercurial Mrs Lestrange involved.

"I think we need an objective first, that will determine whatever our plans are. What are our objectives here? What do we hope to achieve with this attack? These are things that need to be decided before we can even begin to plan. Is this one last hurrah for the Death Eaters - where we kill as many as possible before being taken out ourselves? Personally, I would vote against a suicide mission - but will stand with you three if that's the decision reached here."

The silence this time was total and prolonged. No one dared to interrupt as they could all see Bella mentally working through the process of reaching a decision that would shortly affect all of their lives. While killing as many unworthy witches and wizards as possible was certainly appealing to the dark witch, Bella eventually decided that simply wouldn't inflict enough pain on British magical society - she wanted much, much more. They four had suffered for over a decade in Azkaban, and were suffering still - being forced to live as muggles was certainly painful. She wanted to extract some payment for that, their suffering should be the stuff of nightmares and eventually passing into legend. After coming to that conclusion, figuring out who should pay was the easy part.

"Potter, it all comes back to that little bastard. Since that horrendous Halloween our master was unbelievably defeated by a toddler, our entire world dramatically shifted because of that one terrible event. Even those cowards who denounced our master, and shifted gold around to avoid Azkaban, eventually paid a horrible price for being Death Eaters. We four are the last of our proud blood crusade still standing."

Taking a disgusted look around at the way they were forced to live, simply to avoid being detected by the Ministry, Bella spoke straight from her heart. "We're still suffering today - and that's exactly what I want for Potter. Not to kill him - that's too quick, too clean - but to leave him suffering enough pain that he would eventually wish for the release of death. I think that should be our objective, our aim - to take down the person who ultimately symbolises the oppression to our pure blood philosophy. How we accomplish that, I will leave up to you three wizards. We have a few months to come up with a plan that accomplishes those aims. Us living or dying is not as important as achieving our goal."

Rabastan immediately thought he had the answer to the first part, destroying Potter. "Take away his family. His mudblood, and that little orphan girl who now calls herself a Potter."

This was met with nods of agreement but his brother added something else to their wish list of aims. "Snape deserves a killing too, that traitorous bastard played us all for fools."

While no one disagreed with that as a worthy goal, Augustus was still trying to conjure up an objective that didn't see the four of them dead at the end of whatever mission they decided on. A smile spread on his lips as Augustus thought he just might have thought of one.

"I wonder how Potter would react to his little orphan being kidnapped right from under his nose - by Bellatrix Lestrange. Think of the mental agony, not knowing if the girl was actually being tortured - or even if she was still alive. We could increase and prolong that agony by sending him the occasional body part from his little orphan. Being helpless to stop this, and knowing this was directed at him because of his actions against death eaters, would surly end Potter's relationship with his betrothed."

This brought nods of agreement from all three Lestranges, Bella especially appeared to love that idea. Augustus wasn't finished though, not by a long shot.

"I agree that slowly but steadily destroying everything in his life that he cares about is a far better revenge. Killing Snape, the Minister of Magic and the squib who calls herself Lady Black should create enough of a diversion so Bella has a shot at snatching the little witch. It should only take a few seconds to drop whatever disguise you choose and then let people witness the dreaded Bellatrix Lestrange snatch the little Potter bitch."

It wasn't long before, like the picture they'd been studying all morning, the only remaining Death Eaters left in Britain wore genuine smiles too. Now they had an agreed upon objective, all they had to do was plan on how to achieve their aims.

-oOoOo-

At first, Albus considered his new accommodation rather luxurious - considering he'd been officially declared as a Dark Lord. After being strapped onto an iron table, enclosed in a tiny iron box they'd called a room, almost anything else would seem like luxury. Having a bed, pillow and blanket certainly went a long way in pulling Albus out from the funk he'd spiralled into after his conviction - especially after not being allowed to defend himself in any manner whatsoever. Having his own plan rather brilliant turned against him had certainly added another layer of hurt to the situation.

Here though Albus even had a facility that allowed him to relieve himself like a civilised person, rather than having to soil himself and then suffer the indignity of those ice cold jets of water 'cleaning' his person. Even the fact that everything in the room was brilliant white was rather comforting, after the drab, rusty cell he'd so recently occupied.

However the reality of his new situation soon began to bear down heavily on Albus. Yes, the room was bright but it never darkened. Twenty four hours a day, the brightness - like everything else in his new life - remained exactly the same. The food simply appeared in his windowless room and wasn't terrible, though bland and so far every meal had been identical - at least they weren't going to starve him.

What was really getting under Albus's skin though was the isolation. He was a wizard who'd thrived on contact and interacting with others, denying the old wizard any contact from outside these four walls was pure times a day a guard would check he was still alive. This check consisted of peering through a panel that opened, allowing the guard to look into the cell through a thick glass pane. This check never lasted longer than ten seconds, and the guard never spoke or displayed any emotion - despite all of Albus's increasingly desperate efforts to engage them in conversation. These very brief interruptions were his only contacts with another being, though it barely qualified to be termed as contact.

This form of almost polite containment, where they cared for the needs of his body but kept Albus in total isolation was rapidly taking a toll on his mental health. He'd spent his life manipulating people to get what Albus Dumbledore wanted - for the greater good of course. Here though was a situation totally outwith all of Albus's previous experiences. He had no wand to cast any spells and no potions to surreptitiously apply to his unsuspecting victims - he couldn't even get information, never mind persuade someone to help.

When the old wizard actually found himself missing his 'chats' with Smith - then Albus knew he was in trouble. The downward spiral his sentencing had sent him into was beginning to seem like nothing next to the potential his current circumstances had to cumulatively affect his mental health.

Albus couldn't believe that reputations he'd spent over a century carefully cultivating could be torn down so effectively and completely. In such a short space of time everything that had mattered to him had been utterly destroyed. Those who once called him friend or colleague couldn't wait to distance themselves from the old wizard. Any that weren't potioned or spelled now thought they were incredibly lucky - rather than just admitting they bought into Albus's line of bullshit so completely that nothing else was necessary to gain their total cooperation.

It wasn't just the speed of his downfall that had terrified Albus, the manner it had been accomplished had left him powerless to fight against the tidal wave that simply overwhelmed the grand life and reputation he had built for himself. Albus considered himself one of the greatest minds alive, yet his destruction appeared to have been orchestrated by people who not only seemed to be at least three moves ahead of him, but also knew every one of his deepest and darkest secrets. That they then told the entire bloody world, in excruciatingly truthful detail, about things they had no right to know were the final nails in his reputation's coffin. While he was technically still alive, Albus Dumbledore had effectively already been buried - unloved and unmourned.

With physically escaping from this situation simply not an option, the dawning realisation that the next time the door opened would be to take his dead body out of it was the final blow to any optimism he had left. The old wizard spent ages searching through his vast accumulated knowledge for an answer to his problems, Albus really had nothing else to do. Those searches were of course in vain, and proving counterproductive to his state of mind. Reviewing his memories weren't exactly easing his stress levels as spending hour after hour pondering 'what if' with every decision he'd made in the last century was leaving Albus spending more and more time in an almost trance like state.

In his rarer and rarer moments of lucidity, the old wizard could easily see himself slipping away a little more each day - with nothing available to simulate his mind and help fight against this malaise of indifference. He could foresee in his future where his tenuous grip on reality could eventually loosen, and Albus understood there was only one destination on this single track these conditions had him locked onto. The greatest mind in wizarding history - Albus Dumbledore - seemed inevitably headed slowly to the state of madness. To escape the painful torture of total isolation, where his only occupation was to sit and reflect on the slow realisation of the many, many mistakes he'd made in his life, the surrendering of his intellect into total madness began appearing more and more like an attractive option to Albus.

-oOoOo-

At the Institute, things quickly returned to normal - with the only event on the school's calendar for this month being January's parental visit. Plans were already being made to contact next term's muggleborn potential students. A home visit by Minerva, accompanied by Dan or Emma would immediately follow a letter offering their son/daughter a place at the Institute. Minerva would deal with their introduction to magic, while either of the Muggle Studies professors would use a laptop to offer an introduction to the Institute.

It was thought having these prospective students, and their families, visit the Institute while classes were running would be a far better advert for the Institute - rather than the alternative of showing them around an empty school during the summer holidays. A free weekend visit to Italy was also a big draw to the muggleborn families. A Friday in May had already been pencilled into the Institute's calendar for the start of this event.

There would be three students attending from the Black Orphanage, so once the total number of muggleborn could be established and locked down, only then would applications be accepted from other potential British first year witches and wizards. Those eligible who already had siblings attending the Institute would also place high on the list, just below the first two groups.

It was also decided the Institute's term would begin on the Friday nearest the First of September, rather than slavishly sticking to that date. This would allow new students to get settled on the Friday, with uniforms, wands, books and materials - and also arranging their accommodation within the Institute. Saturday would be spent allowing older students to confirm their course choices with timetables handed out on the Sunday and classes then starting on the Monday.

The main focus of the Institute though soon switched to preparing their first pair of students who were scheduled to sit the more difficult and demanding European O.W.L exams. Rather than feeling the pressure, Fred and George were thriving in their new environment. Being trusted with arranging the fireworks display on the last night of the orphanage's visit was a tremendous responsibility for the pranksters, working on this project with Moony was not only a privilege but an absolute joy.

The twins reckoned it would be a given that the children would love their fireworks, that the adults were amazed and delighted with their efforts was something of a surprise. That both their parents proclaimed they were very proud of them was more akin to a shock than a surprise.

With all the staff of the Institute helping with their studies, Fred and George knew they could never give less than their best during their O.W.L.'s - with all Students of the Institute expected to do the same during their time at school in Italy.

Having their friends visiting over the holidays had been great. They'd originally been surprised at the twins new more mature attitude, that was until they spent some time staying with them here. After their visit to Naples, the three chasers were discussing whether they could apply to be part of the new first year intake. The possibility of going back to the beginning of their education didn't seem to phase them, all three saying they would be extremely happy having to spend the next seven years here. Neither Fred, George nor Lee could work out if the witches were serious or not, with Lee more than willing to get in on the act too if they were.

-oOoOo-

Harry and Hermione adapted easily to the new addition to their family. With both their familiars, Dobby and Sirius available to help too - Patch fitted right in with the rest of them. Joan clearly loved Patch from the moment she laid eyes on the Cruppie, it was also blindingly obvious that patch simply adored his little mistress - and that endeared the pup to everyone else.

It was having no one trying to murder or control them that the young couple found to be strange and unusual. With two dark lords dealt with, and the British Ministry of Magic desperate to play nice as Hogwarts really needed a Muggle Studies building - there were currently no threats against them on the horizon.

Both Barchoke and Amelia had reminded the couple that there had been no investigation into Azkaban's destruction, and at least one member of the Lestrange family was still alive. Amelia had also uncovered a report of a death eater attack in Europe, with even the dark mark being cast. While this news was disturbing, there was nothing to link these people or acts to them and no details of any potential danger of attacks.

Anyone targeting the Institute itself would be in for a shock, of the not even being able to find it variety. The threat of death eaters trying to snatch students from Naples was so low it had been dismissed. Death eaters would stand out like sore thumbs in both the magical and Muggle sections of Naples, and the Italian Ministry always had an increased Auror presence on official Institute visit days. Every student who left the Institute also carried a bound and linked emergency portkey, with the wards not only stunning but also capturing anyone who tried to abduct a student or use that as a method of entry passed the wards.

No, Harry and Hermione would always be vigilant but there were currently no viable threats against them, their family or the Potter Institute, its students and staff. The young betrothed couple were now free to look forward and make plans for their dreams to become a reality.

Those plans were being discussed amongst themselves, based on information Remus had quietly gotten from the Italian Ministry. The excitement between the couple was simply magical as they tried to get their preparations at a stage where they could tell others of their intentions.

"As Lord Potter, and head of my house, getting married at sixteen won't present any problems with the Ministry. The Minister himself has already offered to officiate at the ceremony, a ceremony that would be over a year away."

They were deliberately speaking their thoughts, letting their excitement build. "I can legally marry at seventeen, or sixteen with my parents permission. I can't see mum or dad objecting if we marry next August instead of September. We can marry, go on our honeymoon and be back for the start of our sixth year. An engagement ring for my sixteenth birthday, and married the following summer."

The kissing that followed Hermione's suggestion was so tender that no other words were needed. Yes they were moving their timetable forward a year but it was legal so why not. Dan and Emma's permission was needed to hold their wedding in the August, but they could legally wed six weeks later without it - but during term time. Neither teen could see them objecting to this, Hermione expected her mother to go straight into wedding planning mode.

To stop themselves getting caught up in the moment, and possibly exceeding their self imposed limits, the exceedingly happy couple moved onto the next item on their to-do list. They needed to sort out this year's summer holidays, with Harry adamant that they and the Institute staff definitely deserved one. "The only thing I want on the Institute's calendar is the orientation weekend for our twenty new first years. The staff have worked incredibly hard since last summer, and I think a visit to Ambrosia before the next term starts should definitely happen again."

Hermione loved that idea, and tried to add some flesh to their own summer plans. "If we go on holiday in July, that leaves us August to hang out with our friends, arrange for the orphanage to have a holiday too and be available for the first year visit - with Ambrosia's a few days later."

While both were in agreement and excited for the approaching summer, it was the following summer that easily still held most of their focus. Dobby quietly appeared before the teens knew they actually needed him.

"Dobby can arrange for dinner to be held here tomorrow night. Will the invitation be for just little Miss and the Grangers, or would you like me to invite the Blacks too? Remus is visiting London for the weekend, or should that be Miss Green he's visiting."

Neither teen thought there was a snowball in Hell's chance of the Grangers saying no to Hermione and Harry getting married, and Joan was sure to be as excited as them, so decided to turn it into a family party. Sirius and Francesca would be getting invited too. This news would spread around the Institute like wildfire but neither teen cared.

They could have another dinner for their friends the following night, with Ron, Neville, Luna and Millie all already earmarked by the couple to officially be part of their wedding. Harry had a thought that was so powerful, Hermione could easily experience it too. An ecstatic Joan was leading the witch she called Mum down the rose petal covered aisle toward the wizard she would soon call Dad. That this was all three of their dreams tied up in one moment had tears of joy running down both of their cheeks.

In what was now a rare moment of reflection, Harry wondered how the scared and lonely little boy - locked in his cupboard, came to have all this and be so amazingly happy. He didn't really need to wonder as Hermione wrapped him in her arms as the love and reassurance flowed between them.

"This is forever, love. Me, you, our family and friends. We've struggled to get here, and will certainly face more challenges as we go through life together. We'll face those challenges together, as a family, and come through to the other side."

Harry kissed the witch who meant the world to him. 'The day you popped into that train compartment, asking if we'd seen a toad, was the day my life began to change. You even fixed my glasses…'

'My life changed that day too. I met a boy so kind and brave that he jumped on a mountain troll's back to save me. How could I possibly say no when he asked me to be his - in front of your mother too. I love you, Harry, and next summer simply can't come quickly enough.'

Their rings allowed the couple to converse while still kissing, so that's what they did.

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