Chapter 48: Food

July 17, 1944

Monday Morning

"If it isn't my favourite guest," Heard Harry from his left upon taking another turn with Sarah.

"Hi mom," Sarah said, waving to the older version of herself as she strode over to the two teens.

Allie Goldhorn, Sarah's mother, pulled her daughter and Harry into a hug. "Hi baby, Hi Harry," She pulled back and looked at him. "We're glad to have you again, Harry, you're such a sweetie - you made quite the impression on our youngest too, he's talked about how cool you are since the two of you met. I even had to go out and purchase one of those books back in Britain for him."

"Mom," Sarah groaned.

"Oh hush, let an old woman have her fun," Allie turned to Harry and kissed him on either cheek before pulling a good few feet away. "My oldest two aren't in, they're at their own homes currently, but the rest of the family and a friend of ours are over. Sarah should've told you a bit about him."

Harry nodded. "She did, and it's very good to see you again too."

He added the latter half for manners and a smidgen of brownnosing. Based on the wide smile he was given by Sarah's mother, she liked his manners just as much as she liked him when last he was over.

"We received your packages late last night, you should know," Allie started as the three of them began walking once more. "I'll start by saying you shouldn't have, we didn't expect anything in return for having you stay with us - don't even mention the books either, Sarah told me all about it and we're more than happy to share what we have with friends as wonderful as you. Now, with that done, let me say you're very sweet."

Allie pulled Harry into a second hug, a tighter one this time, and when she pulled back again he found himself wrapped up in another one from Sarah; his life at the Goldhorns was always filled with physical displays of affection, but this was a whole other level than usual. That wasn't to say he minded it though, as he absolutely enjoyed the comfort a good hug provided.

"Uncle Agnikardia was very impressed with you too," Sarah added as they came upon a familiar set of twin doors that led into the huge dining room.

"I was," Came a man's voice as soon as they made their entrance. "Not many are granted an audience with the sole public member of House Peverell, from what I hear. Fewer still are given a book from their collection regardless of the importance of said book."

Harry finally got a good look at the man when Sarah moved out of his line of sight; he was tall, very tall, with a classic Greek complexion. That was to say brown hair, tanned skin, a few freckles and brown eyes. Nothing screamed to Harry that the man was familiar, though from looking at him, he could definitely see how he could be described as charming. As wide a smile and friendly a look as he was sporting, even Dumbledore would have a hard time distrusting the man.

"It's good to meet you, sir," Harry said, taking a few steps closer and extending his hand.

"Giannis Agnikardia," The man, Giannis now, said to Harry as he took hold of his hand. "No sir, either. I'd like to think with a gift as fine as yours and you taking the time to meet me would make us friends. With how highly Sarah and the rest of the Goldhorns speak of you too, I couldn't think of a finer friend to be made in these troubling times."

Harry smiled, not picking up deception or ill-will from Giannis as he let their hands drop. Truly, the man seemed genuinely polite and happy to meet with him. It was a nice change of pace, it definitely beats being stared at or questioned immediately regarding his family.

"Thank you, Giannis. I could say the same for you too, Sarah spoke very fondly of you," Harry gestured to the aforementioned girl and looked back at the man with an at-ease look on his face.

He didn't trust anybody completely, it was so very hard to do considering his circumstances… but if anybody was close to it, the Goldhorns would be. Who else was as friendly, welcoming and polite as they? Harry could say the Carrows, though they were cagey. He could say Elaine with how hard she's tried to prove they're friends, but there would always be a level of suspiciousness. That list could go on and on until it landed on Abraxas - Harry knew he had a personal bias against the boy - but not one of them would come as close to being fully within his trust as the Goldhorns currently were.

"Sarah's a sweetheart like the rest of the Goldhorn family, I'm sure you know what I mean too," Giannis looked to Allie, Sarah's mother. "They were raised by a wonderful family of the truest heart and making. I couldn't think of a family more worthy of praise and honour than the Goldhorns."

"Oh stop it," Allie said, waving her arm and seating herself at the table where snacks were already laid out.

Giannis smiled fondly and winked at Harry before speaking in a hushed tone to him. "I've known her since she was a girl and her parents were her age. Truly wonderful folk, all of them," Giannis then raised his voice as he led Harry over to the table. "I do earnestly hope that I'll make a friendship of the same quality with you and yours. Until that time comes about, let us make friends the truest way I know how."

"And how's that?" Harry asked, curious as the man began pouring a whole bottle into a pitcher; he didn't understand the reason for pouring it from one container to the next considering it would only dirty a dish.

Sarah laughed from her spot beside Harry. "You asked the wrong question, you're done now!"

When Harry looked to Allie for clarification, she was simply shaking her head with a smile on her face.

Finally, Giannis finished doing whatever it was that he'd started and moved the pitcher in front of Harry as he began doing the same task over again. When he was doing that, he turned his attention to the sole boy in the room with a smile on his face.

"By drinking," Giannis said. "An old friend of mine once told me you can tell a lot about a man once he's got a good buzz or drunk about him. Don't worry, I'll be joining you deep in the cups like Sarah beside you. This comes from their vineyard, it's a wonderful fruity bouquet."

Harry blinked.

Surely the man wasn't serious…

Sarah's loud drinking from his side alerted him that the girl was drinking straight from her own pitcher, one that seemed modified for that specific purpose.

Allie laughed loudly and shook her head as she watched Sarah and Harry stare blankly at Giannis. For his part, the man was holding in his laughter as he moved his attention between the two teenagers. It was a close thing, the man's contagious smile and the wiggling of his brows betrayed that.

"It was juice," Sarah repeated, staring at her mother now considering the lack of words that came from Giannis.

"Yes dear," Allie said, a few tears rolling down her cheeks from the sheer power and intensity of her laughter. "Did you really think I'd let you get drunk like that? Gods, your father would be angry beyond measure, not to mention your grandparents on both sides would be furious with me - I wasn't allowed to get drunk, truly drunk, until I was seventeen. Giannis simply had the idea to prank the two of you."

Giannis coughed, clearing his throat and earning himself back the attention of the two teenagers. "Yes yes, I'll admit it was my idea to prank Sarah and Harry here, but I was told they'll take it in good stride as they have," He raised his glass, the same juice in it as the both of them had drunk in earnest thinking it was wine. "Don't be too cross with me though, as I've done so in good spirits and with a reward for good sportsmanship."

Harry's annoyance wasn't completely gone, that'd depend on the reward, but it was lessened thanks to his innate curiosity. One quick glance at Sarah and he could see she was of a similar opinion as the man procured two boxes from thin air.

"One for the lovely Sarah," Giannis said, handing her the gift in his right hand. "And one for a new friend in the handsome Harry Peverell."

Harry couldn't help but shake his head with the showmanship and words that came from Giannis' mouth. He still took the gift, obviously, and with how quickly Sarah was digging into it he did much the same. There wasn't any reason to wait if she wasn't, and so very shortly thereafter, he was face to face with a book that far surpassed his in importance.

"This came from my time in the United Kingdom a fair few years ago," Giannis said with a smile and bow. "I hope it holds your interest, as I'll promise you it's a book that can teach you much and more about the Dark Arts."

"Defence, you mean, Uncle Giannis?" Sarah asked, peering over at the book in Harry's hands as she held hers close to her chest.

"Yes yes, my mistake," Giannis said, assuring Sarah who went back to her own gift and winking at Harry.

One very quick look inside while the girl beside him was distracted proved that the book was anything but Defence. Some of what he saw within was dark, like that of what he'd seen in the combat portion of the Peverell library or from Slytherin's hidden room. It certainly wasn't meant to help one with defence unless that individual's defence was a pure offence.

"Do let me know if you have any questions, either of you, about your gifts," Giannis said after a few minutes of silence during which the teens were wrapped up in their newest possessions. "I can answer any question you have regarding them."

Harry wasn't sure about the offer, or at least, what exactly the man meant, but he figured he might just take the man up on his offer. Few people could be asked about the magic that was publicly frowned upon, fewer still in an altogether different country…

Yes, yes Harry would take up Giannis' offer. Something about the man seemed peaceful and genuine, his last name's meaning could very well be true just as McMacson's character seemed to be.

'Pureheart', Sarah had told him Giannis' name meant. He could see it with how giving and carefree the man seemed.

"Thank you, really, it's wicked," Harry said, dipping his head and smiling back at the older man across the table. "Thank you as well, Mi- Allie, for the tower room again. That view and the balcony is amazing."

Harry had nearly forgotten his manners with how quick the day was passing him by. That couldn't be allowed to happen either, lest he makes himself look like a tool.

"Of course sweetie, Sarah told us how much you loved it, we couldn't not let you have it," Allie stood up from her seat and stretched with her eyes on Giannis. "I think it's about time for your meeting with my husband, we can let the kids all go about their day before supper too."

Giannis nodded and stood up, prompting Harry and Sarah to do the same.

"I'll see you again this evening, Harry Peverell," Giannis said to him. "Thank you once more for the book, you've no idea the meaning it has to a history buff such as myself."

July 17, 1944

Monday Evening

"This is a far larger room than I initially thought it'd be," Harry commented upon entering the Goldhorn library alongside Sarah.

"We knocked down a few walls to get it this size," Sarah said, guiding Harry by his hand to a specific plot in the room. "Stay over in this area, the lighter bookshelves are the ones with books in English - those other ones, the stone or dark wood bookshelves, those are in Greek or Bulgarian."

"Bulgarian? I didn't know you had family that was Bulgarian," Harry said, looking at her curiously as he took a seat at a table barely meant for two people.

Sarah laughed as she slotted herself beside him. "We have family in Sofia," She explained. "They're a Greek and Bulgarian mix. We had a family home in that area long before Bulgaria was independent as it was explained to me, and so they decided not to leave. Made things a bit harder at times thanks to that Austro-Hungarian Empire, but as you can see, we have more than enough Bulgarian literature here for them to study. It's English that we lack the most of."

"Really?" Harry turned to look towards the English section and saw it was just a touch smaller than that of the Bulgarian one; neither could be compared to the scale of Greek books her family had.

"It doesn't help that we only recently bought a home and moved to the United Kingdom for a few months out of the year. I suppose it was done in anticipation of the war spreading, but Grindelwald hasn't shown much thought towards capturing every Greek Island. Ours hasn't been so much as strafed once," Sarah stretched and yawned then, the evening getting to her. "Want me to show you the books you have access to and the way they're sorted before we head down for supper?"

Harry nodded at her question. "That'd be dead helpful."

Sarah smiled and got up from her seat, motioning for him to stay seated rather than the pair of them trying to fit between the thin spacing of the shelves. "On the farthest wall are the books meant for general theory and magical creatures. We have a lot of those considering how most authors like to try their hand at what they think magic is. Next is the line of books regarding potions, their ingredients and herbology considering how hand in hand those subjects are. Finally, on the last shelf for English books, is everything else - Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Healing magic… all of it's in that little row."

'Little row' wasn't entirely wrong either. Harry had seen the sheer scale of the Goldhorn library upon his initial entrance and though it was huge, that was ruined when he realised more than seventy-five per cent weren't able to be read by him. Of the remainder, much of it was books that fell in the first two categories she'd spoken of.

"Wicked, thank you, Sarah," He said, smiling at her as he stood up from his seat and went to the end of the third row to take a better look.

There seemed to be three to four dozen books regarding the three subjects he was most interested in. Healing magic, as helpful as it could likely be in the long run, wasn't something that he was immediately interested in learning. Defence, the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms were where he currently found himself focused. It was increasingly likely that he'd make use of Giannis' offer and book too, considering the lack of content the Goldhorn library had towards at least one field he needed to better himself in.

Harry wasn't interested in the Dark Arts for the wrong reasons either, or so he told himself. He heard that it could act as a gateway to some, but with how stubborn and dense he knew he could sometimes be, he figured he wouldn't fall very quickly to it. Really, why he needed to know about them as much as he wanted to was because of Elaine as well as the current Dark Lord running about the continent.

Should Dumbledore fail to beat or otherwise contain Grindelwald, it would be up to Harry and Elaine…

He didn't think that would happen, not really, but much was different in comparison to his time that he'd noticed. Who was to say if Dumbledore would lose this time around, or, if the man could confront his former friend at all? Harry certainly wasn't a seer as Elaine thought, and so his course was that of preparation rather than risking it in regards to the current primary issue he'd begun to see. All of those massacres and crimes of Grindelwald had slowly taken precedence over Elaine, her case was further aided by the lack of violence or junior Death Eaters going about.

So long as that persisted, Harry could continue subtly shifting her away from violently storming the Ministry or otherwise changing her goals to eradicating Muggleborns. He knew she wouldn't give up her dreams of reformation and power-grabbing, and he knew until he was powerful enough to challenge her there was no way he could make her submit to his demands; really, his only goal was to work with her emotions and desires as he'd begun doing.

"What are you thinking, Harry?" Sarah asked, her dimpled-smile falling slightly as she looked between him and the bookshelf.

"Nothing, nothing, sorry," He said, shaking his head and nodding towards the door. "Think we should get dinner? I'm not sure when your family usually starts eating but I wouldn't want to be late, especially if Giannis has more to discuss."

Sarah laughed. "Giannis always has something he can speak about, that's why he fits in with my family so well!" She then took hold of his hand and led him towards the door, though she stopped short when they were but a few feet away from it. "We might want to wash first, all that horsing around outside with my siblings made us a bit stinky."

This time, it was Harry's turn to laugh. Her expression, featuring a wrinkled nose, a half-smile with prominent dimples, and the tip of her tongue sticking out from between her lips was simply too funny.

July 17, 1944

Monday Evening

Dinner had been a lovely affair full of comedy and family time the likes of which wasn't completely familiar with Harry thanks to the pure different nature of the Goldhorn family in comparison to the Weasleys. It wasn't completely different, but the jokes lacked crudeness and the wine that flowed aided in a casual, but semi-formal evening.

Giannis had been towards the centre of events the whole evening, as Harry thought the man would be thanks to how well-liked he was. Harry hadn't been too far behind him considering how Sarah's siblings enjoyed teasing the pair of them or in the case of her younger brother, enjoyed speaking at length regarding the history of Harry's family.

Webster, Sarah's little brother who was anxious and oftentimes suffered panic attacks like he had when Harry first met him, had mellowed out in his presence. Then again, it could be the help that Allie had mentioned Giannis had given to the boy, they didn't go into details for it, but he was certainly far better off than the previous meeting.

"Walk with me for a few minutes?" Giannis asked, shaking Harry from his buzzed thinking at the table while Sarah spoke with Sammi and her mother.

"Of course," Harry said, nodding and standing from his seat to follow after Giannis.

The man led the pair of them out the glass doors at the far end of the dining room and into the familiar courtyard where Harry had lunch with Allie months ago. It was the first time he'd sat down with and spoken to Sarah's mother, and it had gone far better than he thought it would've headed into the visit.

"Allow me to thank you one more time for the book you gifted me," Giannis started when the two of them stopped by a long bench towards the centre of the garden portion of the courtyard. "As I said, I find myself fascinated by history, especially that of your family. Not many know the truth of the tales the Peverells are involved in, most consider them only folktales, and yet, I know the real happenings much like you. Sorry, I'm a little altered by the wine - I simply meant to say that receiving a book regarding the Peverell family's thoughts during the year eleven-hundred was wonderful."

Harry smiled at the man and dipped his head once, showing that he accepted the thanks. He didn't understand why Giannis made such a big deal about it considering the lack of usefulness it had, but if he wished to show his gratitude, who was Harry to deny it?

"Then allow me to say thanks for the gift you'd given me," Harry said after a few seconds of silent contemplation. "It'll be dead useful, though, I have to ask… how did you know I wouldn't react poorly to it?"

Giannis smiled at Harry then. "Call it intuition…" Giannis laughed after a few seconds of letting that hang in the air. "I have a nephew who attends Hogwarts, he was in Slytherin much like yourself and was seeing a student a year behind him. It was she who shared that you may not be completely averse to such things, and so I took an educated risk."

Harry was left more curious after that answer, but he wouldn't press things. "Thanks again, then. I haven't had time to look into it yet, but I'm sure it'll be very useful."

"It will be, I can promise you that," Giannis said off-handedly, his smile still in place as he returned to glancing at the multitude of flowers in full bloom before them. "Tell me, do you plan on staying in the United Kingdom upon graduating in the next couple of years, or do you plan on venturing off the island to explore the world?"

Merlin, that's a weird question, isn't it?

Harry nearly said that, but instead, he simply thought it to himself. Truth be told, he hadn't a clue as to what he'd do beyond his two very lofty goals of stopping Grindelwald and Elaine, the former was only his if Dumbledore failed to act.

"I don't rightly know," Harry said with a shrug. "I haven't put much thought to it yet."

Giannis chuckled and turned back to Harry. "I can't say I blame you, I never planned too far ahead when I was still learning," Giannis' face then took on a more serious expression, albeit one that was still fitted with his charming smile. "Should you find yourself without anything to do, I dare say I could offer you a job or apprenticeship. I'm sure a lad as smart and strong as you would fit right in."

"What would I be doing?" Harry asked, a mixture of interest and caution battling in his head.

"Nothing too strenuous, that's for sure," Giannis started. "There's much you could do, though it all depends on your proficiencies and standings. I certainly wouldn't want you to find yourself with an apprenticeship in something you don't like… allow me some time to figure out what I could offer you, would that be fine?"

Harry nodded. He hadn't expected a job or 'apprenticeship', but if it was appealing and not overly time-consuming, he wouldn't be opposed to it. Not entirely, at least.

"Wonderful, wonderful," Giannis said before leaning back in his seat again. "I was going to ask you about politics and the likes too, it's an interest of mine as great as history, but I think I'll leave that be for now - Allie Goldhorn doesn't enjoy discussing it all that much, so I doubt she'd be happy if I spoke with her favourite guest about it on our first-day meeting."

"Another time, then," Harry suggested, rising from the bench and dipping his head respectfully to the older man.

"Yes," Giannis agreed. "Another time."

July 21, 1944

Friday Afternoon

Harry awoke late to the sounds of birds chirping and strong ocean waves. The smell of fish was heavy on the air, much like the scent of flowers in the Goldhorns gardens. When he turned his head to look around, he saw that he had done it again; he had fallen asleep on one of those outdoor pieces of furniture with a book on his lap.

He'd been studying since his first day at the Goldhorns, and when he made to leave on the nineteenth, he was offered a lengthier stay. Sarah, Allie and the rest of the Goldhorn family had wanted him to stay for a whole week so long as it wouldn't bother him or otherwise inhibit plans of his. When he considered it for all of a few minutes and concluded he'd accomplish the same amount of work at the Goldhorns residence as he would at the Peverell Mansion, the choice was an easy one - at least the former option would present him with studying partners in the form of Sarah or Sammi, and tutors by way of Giannis and Allie. Sarah's father had promised assistance too, though the man was far busier than the other two adults and as such, couldn't be reached all that well when he was needed.

Giannis… speaking of the man, he had come and gone nearly a half dozen times in the few days or so that'd passed whilst Harry was studying. Harry had yet to know what the man did for work, as it hadn't come up since that offer and he hadn't the courage to randomly ask about it considering how some people took such a question as rude.

Regardless of the man's busy schedule or that of Sarah's parents, Harry had made great progress in reading two books. One was for the Goldhorn family to publicly see whilst the other was the book he'd been given by Giannis. Both were wonderful, wonderful things full of their own unique spells from cultures unknown to Harry beyond simple learnings from Muggle schools.

Greek and Bulgarian translations of spells had been predominant in the English portion of the Goldhorn library, which he hadn't expected considering Sarah's lack of eagerness towards it. Beyond that, Giannis' book had seemed a mixture of nearly a dozen or so cultures. He supposed that was why Giannis had favoured it so much; French, Greek, Russian, German… all of those cultures with their unique spells taught in various languages beyond Latin had been a shocker to Harry.

He knew they'd come as quite the shock to the first person he really fought, for the spells he'd learned in large part weren't something you'd use in a setting meant for learning. Even if they had been, he would keep those spells close to his chest to surprise those unfortunate enough to fight h-

"Skata," Sarah's voice cursed from behind him in the direction of the balcony entrance.

Harry turned to see the girl nearly trip over his temporary trunk.

Oh right, He thought upon seeing that. I left it open.

"Hey Sarah," He said the second after he shook his head at his foolishness. "What's up?"

Sarah turned to see him on the balcony and huffed. "I was meaning to surprise you with breakfast, but you didn't turn up. After a few hours longer, I decided to surprise you with lunch, but I hit this trunk of yours - by the way, here," She extended a platter held in both of her hands, one that had a teensy bit of spillage where he noticed the two drinks were located. "I'm joining you for lunch, in case you're wondering. Today's your day off too, no more studying, that's what Hogwarts is for."

Harry shrugged. He'd been studying day after day for hours on end since the summer vacation had started. Really, if anybody deserved a day off, it was him after all the progress he'd made.

"Wicked," He said, scooting a second chair close to his own for Sarah to join him. "What're we doing today after this lunch?"

"Have you ever gone fishing before? Not the Muggle way, but the wizarding way?" Sarah asked as she set down the tray between the two of them before plopping down in the recently moved seat.

"Nope," Harry said. "Can't say I have… I'm guessing somebody else is currently considering the smell of fish in the air?"

Sarah paused, sniffed the air, turned back to him, and laughed.

"Yes," She eventually confirmed after some time spent laughing. "We were teaching Webster this morning, our servants are currently still out there right now too - mother wants a feast prepared either tomorrow night or the day after. She knows you won't stay much longer and Giannis has decided to depart whenever you do, so she wants to throw a party for the both of you until the next time you come over."

Harry certainly wouldn't turn down a feast of Greek cuisine. Ron, wherever the bloke was, wouldn't ever let him hear the end of it. He doubted Hermione would either, even if she wasn't overly fond of food it'd be an experience he'd seldom get to have.

"The day after tomorrow then," Harry said with a smile. "I'll leave then so I can squeeze out a bit more time with you all, assuming that's fine."

"You know it is!" Sarah chirped before she tossed up a bit of cheese and caught it in her mouth, making her squeal with joy as she happily chewed it. "This cheese was made very recently and from close by, most of the fruits were grown around us too."

Harry didn't need any more reason to tuck in, and so he did with as grand a smile on his face as Sarah wore on hers.

He loved the Greek food her family made, beyond that, he loved the scenery of the quarters he'd been given and the very smell of the air that greeted him every morning. In Greece where he was, as bothersome as it could be considering the length of time in the Floo network, Harry couldn't think of better company or a greater place to stay.

July 22, 1944

Saturday Afternoon

"I hear that you mean to leave tomorrow," Giannis said abruptly, changing the topic of their conversation from one of spells to something not remotely as interesting… to Harry.

"I do," Harry confirmed for the man. "I've spent more time here than I planned, much to my own happiness, but there's stuff I need to get doing before I return to Hogwarts."

Giannis nodded understandingly. "I'd imagine so, especially with what's to come this year if the rumours hold true," Giannis shook his head from side to side. "I do so hope you'll be cautious regardless of the validity or lack thereof regarding the attack on Southern England. It wouldn't do to have one with your bloodline hurt."

"What attack?" Harry asked with his focus completely on the man beside him now thanks to the similarity of words he shared with Slughorn Senior.

"There are rumours that Grindelwald means to take much of his strength to Southern England in the hopes of defeating the British Wizarding society as well as an old friend," Giannis said, he then plucked a piece of fruit from the tray in front of him. "Who knows the where, when or why regarding such an action, though I suspect it has to do with much of the continental wizarding societies banding together to oust him. One wizard can't hold down a continent, and his forces are buckling."

Harry hadn't known that; moreover, he didn't remember it happening- not even talk of it.

In response to the news that'd been given to him by more than one source, he did what he could. He nodded to the man that spoke to him and thanked him for telling him about it.

He'd come to ask for clarification regarding a spell that was meant to turn one's nails and bones incredibly brittle - he'd seen a similar spell but the added effect to this one hadn't been translated.

"Thank you, and I'll be careful," Harry said with a smile to the man before he made his way over to Sarah, thoroughly weirded out and needing time to think on what he'd learned.

As soon as Harry made his way over to Sarah, who was happily discussing Transfiguration with her sister Sammi, he was greeted before the pair of them went back to their in-depth conversation. Normally, he wasn't all that happy with simply listening in and accomplishing nothing, but he didn't mind it this time around. If anything, he welcomed the change as it allowed him to ponder.

And ponder, he did.

"You don't get tired of studying, do you?" Came a voice that Harry seldom heard on its own.

"Not really, no," Harry said with a grin as he pulled out a seat for Sammi to join him at the small desk in the Goldhorn library - the very same one he and Sarah had sat at when she first showed him in. "What about you? I see you here more than any of your siblings, but Sarah says you don't study Greek as much as she does."

"I don't," Sammi said with a shrug. "I'm close to fluent and I don't see a reason to go beyond that if I'm honest with you. I actually focus on similar subjects that you do, or so I'm told."

Harry furrowed his brows at that statement and, with a cocked head, he questioned her. "What do you mean?"

Sammi nodded towards his satchel. "I know Giannis gave you a book that's not purely meant for Defence - don't worry, I'm not going to tell Sarah on you, I have the same one. It's very helpful, isn't it?" Sammi grinned much as he had. "Can't wait to catch somebody off guard if they ever try something when I get my dream job."

"What're you wanting to do?" Harry asked, feeling as if he were playing twenty questions with the girl.

"I'd like to be an Auror the same as yourself, though I think I'd enjoy the more secretive assignments rather than the ones that'd end up combat-heavy," Sammi gave him a teasing smile then. "I assume the latter is what you're going for, right? I mean, why else would you be studying purely Defense and the 'Dark Arts' as much as you are?"

Harry took notice of how she said the words 'Dark Arts'. It was as if she didn't particularly care for the term or classification of the spells… he couldn't blame her after reading some of them. One, in particular, was a healing spell that transferred life - somehow - from the caster to the person their wand was aimed at. It didn't work on the dead and the toll it took on the user was tremendous, but the results could be magnificent.

"You've got me," He said, smiling and easing back in the air. "I want to be an Auror similar to McMacson, he's actually made me an offer already. Maybe we could be partners, so long as you think you can catch up."

Sammi kicked his leg under the table and stuck her tongue out at him much the way Sarah did. "You're the one that'll need to stay close if we become partners, Harry. I won't go easy on you as Sarah does," Sammi's face turned contemplative. "Come to think of it, I'm already used to helping you and her in dealing with our little sisters. I suppose saving you from more hostile forces won't be too different."

"Oh that's how it is then, is it?" Harry questioned through narrowed eyes.

"That's how it is," Sammi agreed, nodding with a half-defiant, half-smug look on her face.

Harry narrowed his eyes at her and discreetly, very discreetly, withdrew his wand. She wouldn't see what he was about to do coming, and with that as his thought process, he fired a tickling hex under the table at the younger Goldhorn sister.

Immediately, she began laughing hysterically with tears in her eyes thanks to the force of it.

"I-I-I'll… you back!" Sammi got out before she stumbled away a few feet to take her wand out and cancel his spell.

Harry laughed nearly as hard as she was in response to her words and how funny her laugh was, all the while thinking; sure you will.

July 23, 1944

Sunday Afternoon

"Today marks the end of our time together, Harry Peverell," Giannis said to him, a raised glass filled with wine in his left hand as the right came to rest on Harry's closer shoulder.

"It does," Harry agreed, raising his own glass to toast the man. "For now."

Giannis smiled widely at that, much like how Sarah or the rest of the Goldhorn family would. "For now, yes… yes, I quite like that," Giannis took in a breath and let it go as he took in the Goldhorns flourishing garden from their balcony overview of it. "Before we make our departure following such a wonderful dinner, I wondered if you had more to speak with me about in regards to your gift - Sammi mentioned to me how far along you were in it and I must confess myself surprised with the progress you'd made without outside assistance."

"I'm not that far along with it," Harry said, downplaying his advancement as he took a sip from his drink. "I'm a year ahead of Sammi and study more than I imagine she does too. I'm not knocking her either, I'm just very bookish if you will."

"I'd imagine as much considering how long you spent locked away from Magical Society with nought but a few family members to act as company," Giannis sighed at that, going so far as to shake his head. "Our kind shouldn't have to live like that - tucked away in fear for our very existence while we allow the Muggles the world."

Harry looked at the man then, for his words sounded very Elaine-like; by that, Harry meant her goal of making a Muggle-free space for all Magical folk to wander around freely. As great as it could be for a magical society, it was simply too late. There were too many Muggles around in the world for them to be removable from any land without conflict or loss. He wouldn't allow that to happen unless it was mutually agreed upon with the Muggle government.

He didn't think that was possible. At least not so far as he thought, though, Harry wasn't exactly an expert on Government dealings.

"It shouldn't," Harry eventually agreed.

It was a dream, he knew, but he wanted to see where Giannis was headed more than anything else.

"Do you think it would ever be possible? feasible?" Giannis asked, turning away from the balcony and towards Harry so that he was completely locked on the younger man. "If it were, do you think you'd make it happen? I… I confess myself attracted to the thought, but the cost would be more than I think I'd be able to bear."

Harry's curiosity was satiated with the man's final words, for it was much the stance Harry had adopted in recent times. He wanted a place where Wizards, Witches and all manners of Magical beings could live freely without fear from Muggles. It was a dream he'd thought of a fair few times thanks to how many Pureblood friends he'd made, ones that wouldn't last a day in a Muggle-ruled area of the world.

"I couldn't kill or force Muggles from their homes," Harry said, shaking his head as he too turned to face the man opposite of him head-on. "Unless there's magic to raise a whole new island, one that we could keep hidden away from Muggles, I think we'll be stuck living much the way we currently do. That's not a bad thing, not necessarily. We've thrived and continued on for centuries, haven't we?"

Giannis' reception was lukewarm at best to Harry's question.

The man managed a smile, one that was more of friendly disagreement than anything else.

"I suppose we've continued much as we always have and will," Giannis eventually said. "I take it with your lack of questions that you don't have anything for me?"

Harry wasn't surprised with how quickly the man changed topics, for he imagined politics or stronger opinions would've soon come out had they stayed the course. He was happy that wasn't the case considering how horribly that could go.

"Actually, there is something I was hoping to ask you, so long as you have the time," Harry said, his words a polite request to make sure one more time that he was free to ask the question rattling around within his mind.

"Please," Giannis said, smiling and making it clear his attention was solely on Harry.

"Towards the end portion of the book, there's a spell in another language. I'm not sure of the pronunciation," Harry was about to describe the book when the man shook his head fondly, as if he knew the exact spell Harry was speaking about.

"I know the one you mean," Giannis said, confirming Harry's suspicions. "It's of German origin, you'll have to forgive my forgetting to translate it - German is one of my fluent languages along with a plethora of others. I'm as into linguistics as I am history," Giannis said with a small chuckle before he finally told Harry the correct way to say the spell.

"Thank you," Harry said with a respectful nod of his head. "Would you mind if I asked you what the translation is? I'm always curious when it comes to that sort of thing."

In reality, Harry wanted to be sure he wasn't saying something horrible in German. He didn't necessarily doubt the man's character, but it was better to be safe than sorry… so long as the man gave him the correct translation.

"Not at all, it means Swiftest Victory," Giannis said, answering with a smile on his face before finishing off the wine that was left in his glass.

"Thank you," Harry said, returning the smile as the pair of men returned to looking over the grounds of the Goldhorn family.

Harry had learned much and more thanks to Giannis as well as the Goldhorns in the time he'd spent with them. With Giannis leaving in the next few minutes, and Harry following an hour or so after him once he bid the Goldhorn family farewell, he felt as if the miniature vacation had finally come to an end.

He wasn't fond of that feeling, not when it meant he would be alone in his studying and the only human in his home.

"You're leaving," Sarah said, pouting as she flung an arm around his shoulders despite their height difference.

All that accomplished was forcing Harry down at an awkward angle with his face weirdly close to hers.

"I am," He said, his face as crooked as his back, much to the amusement of Sammi across the room who simply stuck her tongue out at him when he silently requested her help.

He supposed that was her way of getting him back for his tickle jinx in the library.

I deserve it, Harry thought, still victorious despite Sarah's overly affectionate attitude as he thought of Sammi nearly peeing herself with laughter.

"You'll have to visit again over Yule, or maybe late in August before school starts up again," Sarah said to him as she pushed him onto the couch, preventing his departure from happening even one minute early.

"I can do that," Harry said, rolling his eyes with a smile on his face at Sarah's antics. "In fact, knowing you, I'll likely do both, else I'll never hear the end of it."

"I was just about to say that!" Sarah said, slapping his chest lightly before she broke out into a little fit of laughter. "You know me so well, what a good friend."

Sammi finally came over then, no wand in her hand as she plopped down on Harry's other side. "We can study together when you come over," She said. "Sarah doesn't usually spend all that much time in the library, she prefers gardening with mom or chasing Webster around to hitting the books."

"Books aren't any fun," Sarah said with a shrug. "I'd much prefer time with family and friends to the company of inanimate objects."

Harry would spend his final fifteen or so minutes in conversation with the Goldhorn sisters. Only when that time came up and he finally made his leave from them was he free of sisterly arguments.

One minute later and in his own bed, he found that he quite missed them.

July 30, 1944

Sunday Evening

"Is everything ready, Laddey?" Harry asked, pacing back and forth in his office as he watched the wide-eyed house-elf stare at him in silence.

"Yes Master Peverell sir, everything you wanted doing is done," Laddey said, his wide-eyed look not dissipating as Harry continued his erratic movement. "Is something wrong, Master Peverell, sir?"

Harry shook his head and ceased his movement… for a few seconds. "No, no, everything's fine, just a bit worried really. Are we sure everything of value, be it bookwise or real money is hidden away? Are most of the doors locked so guests can't get into them?"

Laddey nodded at Harry's first question, and nodded again at his second question. "Yes, Master Peverell, sir. Everything you wanted doing is done by the others and I."

"Great, wicked, thank you, Laddey," Harry said, promptly collapsing into his seat.

He was tired, exhausted really. Harry had spent much of his time this Sunday on preparing the house for his birthday party, one he was told would happen with or without his permission; all he controlled was the date, as Aster had said. If it didn't happen in his home, it would happen at Hogwarts where many, many more people would be in attendance than he would've liked. Merlin, even having Sarah, Sammi, Corene, Aster, Reinhard, Emilene, Elaine and Professor Slughorn felt absolutely mental.

Cade not being able to make it along with his fiance had been just as wonderful news of Marcus and Veronica being unable to attend was. It meant less guests, and in the case of the latter two, much less fighting with other party-goers.

There was still much he had to plan for thanks to Elaine and Professor Slughorn coming though. He doubted either of them would cause a scene considering who they were and the others in attendance, but both were too curious for their own good - one would want to see and likely touch every little bit of his home whilst the other wasn't likely to leave his side unless she saw something that captivated her.

Both would be very stressful guests. He doubted he'd be doing much studying the following day, though he'd be damned if he didn't get assistance from Elaine or Professor Slughorn while they visited with him. Perhaps he'd even offer rooms to all who were interested for the night, citing his family staying at another home as they'd previously done when his guests had been over.

Yes, yes he thought that could work so long as Elaine played along considering she knew more than he would've liked her to. Merlin, he still couldn't believe he'd missed her probe that first time they'd met… it had to be the headache he'd had, that dull thing that'd lingered. He wasn't sure what else it wou-

"Merlin's beard!" Harry exclaimed, shooting up from his seat. "Food! We have to plan out a meal for our guests - Laddey!"

"Yes, Master Peverell sir?" Laddey asked.

"Help."