They went off to apparently begin brainstorming but Hermione doubted that they would come up with any better solutions than Harry had suggested. What Harry had said had made sense although she knew Fudge and his cronies would ignore it out of spite. It was probably time for a new administration, Kingsley perhaps, he was old enough and respected enough to fit the bill and he could probably be persuaded to spread Harry’s ideas to people. The Weasleys and Neville too. 

When people saw that there was a solution to their problem they would be happy to back their ‘saviour’, while turning their backs on the ones who had gotten them into that mess in the first place. With any luck they would be able to avoid a civil war as well, especially if they worked quickly enough, although she would possibly be on her own for a bit. Ron was still smarting from being called out by Harry so would probably be sulking for a good week. The verbal smack had just been motivation for her though. If nothing else, she needed to know more about this country of Harry’s. Perhaps a change in career track to take over as the ICW representative was in order, although sorting out Britain would have to come first. 

“Oh Merlin! Now you’re sounding exactly like Snape!” Ginny huffed, rolling her eyes again and missing the look of pure shock on Harry’s face. 

“What are you talking about? What has Snape got to do with anything?”

“Oh please! I heard his lectures so many times I practically have them memorised and you aren’t saying anything that he wasn’t. Oh!” Ginny suddenly started. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything about him being there, was I.”

“Why was he even there in the first place?” Harry asked, feeling completely perplexed. There was absolutely no reason for Severus to have anything to do with Ginny’s situation. In fact, he had every reason to run a mile in the opposite direction. 

“I don’t know why he was there,” Ginny scowled, “and, if I’m honest, I half wish he hadn’t shown up. All he did was lecture me about how stupid I’d been and how I needed to marry Cedric, which I had absolutely no intention of doing.

Then that night happened; the worst night. The bald one appeared and there was blood, so much blood, too much blood. It got everywhere, soaking into every part of them, permeating their leather completely until everything was red, forever red, until it was suddenly white. 

Well, white and green, thanks to the awful robes of the busy ones. Not that they paid the shoes any attention. They were just left in a corner, forgotten, though it wasn’t overly surprising. They were ruined, beyond repair, likely moments away from being thrown on a dump somewhere. It would be better than continuing on in this state. A scruffy haired person would often come by, his shoes a state, held together with some sort of tape, and the shoes despaired. To be forced to endure like that was surely worse than oblivion. 

Slowly they began to see their owner again. He was not the same as before, more broken, like them. There was a small light in him though, a will to endure, and the shoes wondered if perhaps not all hope was lost. 

Harry was coming to the realisation that Severus was exactly the sort of person who would suit him perfectly. He was calm the majority of the time, waiting to act where Harry tended to rush in, working as the perfect temper to Harry. He was also slow to praise, doling his love out to a very few, that appealed to Harry a great deal. Harry hated empty compliments, having heard his fair share through his life, and, after the issues with Cedric, Harry was thinking that finding someone with a limited friendship group worked in his favour. Cedric gave his attention out freely, almost too freely, and Harry could see that grating on him over time. With Severus, there was no risk of that, with him more likely to put people off, which was something that Harry quite like the thought of. Harry also thought that his own liveliness and playfulness would help lighten Severus’ own stern character, making theirs a perfect union, if only it had actually happened.

“I don’t care if she is safe or not. I want her back here!” Mrs Weasley yelled. 

“Ginny might not want to come,” Ron reasoned. “What if she doesn’t want to come back. Is Bill supposed to put her in a full body bind curse and drag her here?”

“Yes!” Mrs Weasley huffed, as if it was the obvious answer. 

“Bill will invariably explain everything when he arrives,” Fleur reasoned. “Patronus messages are only so big and you can’t answer any questions. Bill isn’t irresponsible so returning is obviously going to have been the best option, but we don’t know why because, unlike Bill, we don’t know what went on. I would advise you to save any questions until he returns, since he is the only person who can answer them. I would also advise you to not bombard him with too many questions at once: he can only give one answer at a time after all.”

“I don’t know why you are wasting your breath saying that,” Mrs Weasley huffed. “You act as if I will behave like some sort of deranged lunatic.”

Fleur barely managed to hide her scoff as she walked off and Harry bit his tongue, hoping to find the fortitude to keep the peace until Bill arrived, and sending a quick message to Percy to suggest he come back early as well. 

Harry couldn’t see Severus’ face as he strode down the dark corridor, lit only by the light of the moon, streaming in from the staircase at the end. His back was rigid, though, and his pace was brisk: Harry dared not wonder what was going through his mind. For Ginny to disappear on her own without telling anyone was the height of impropriety and would completely ruin her in the eyes of society if it ever got out. Mrs Weasley would likely be beside herself with the thought of Ginny’s marriage prospects now dashed should news of this ever get out. Severus was likely thinking how glad he was that he hadn’t ended up attached to a family that was rapidly racing towards ruin and Harry felt the last flame of hope in him get snuffed out. 

He had not realised how desperate he had been for there to be a chance of things working out between him and Snape and now there was no chance. No one in their right mind would connect themselves to a family so mired in scandal and Severus had already shown that he cared a great deal about these sorts of things. He had barely wanted to propose to Harry the first time, when he had only suspected that there were issues with Ginny. Now that there was no doubt about her character Harry doubted his charms would be enough to persuade him. Harry was pretty sure he had fallen in love with the man, or was well on the way to anyway, but now he would be joining Percy in pining over what could have been. The worst thing was that Harry couldn’t blame Severus in the slightest. 

Fleur frowned. “Do you mean that you haven’t had sex with Severus yet?” 

It was said in a way that made it seem as if they obviously had and Harry could only gape at his sister-in-law: partly due to her ability to discern his actions and partly for her audacity in saying it out loud. Unfortunately, Harry’s lack of an actual denial only seemed to confirm Fleur’s suspicions and a Cheshire-like grin spread across her face at Harry’s continued silence. 

“I knew it! Well done Harry, I knew I liked you for a reason.”

“Fleur!” Bill exclaimed. “Please don’t encourage my little brother to act recklessly.”

“What’s reckless about it?” Fleur asked. “It is not like Severus and Harry can accidentally get pregnant together so I don’t understand what the issue is. Honestly, you can be so annoying British sometimes, worrying about things like propriety when it really isn’t an issue.”

“Perhaps that is what it was then,” Pansy drawled. “I remember, when we first met him at the Ministry, we had been informed that Harry was one of the most handsome wizards and we were quite surprised to find that he wasn’t actually that special. Perhaps it is due to growing up around people like Draco and Blaise but I remember thinking that he looked quite average. There was no strength in his jaw and his face lacked symmetry, made more evident thanks to that scar of his. You thought so as well, at the time, Severus. I remember, quite distinctly, after that ball, you saying: ‘Mr Potter handsome! I would sooner call his adopted mother witty’. After that, though, he seemed to somehow improve in your opinion and I believe, at one point, you thought him quite attractive.”

“Yes,” Severus said, tersely, unable to hold back any longer. “That was only when I had first met him, however. It has been some months, however, since I have considered him one of the most handsome men in my acquaintance.”

With that he left the room and poor Pansy was left with the bitter satisfaction of forcing Severus to confess something that caused no one any pain but herself. 

At least Mr Malfoy seemed happy to see Harry, as well as meeting Bill and Fleur, who he greeted warmly and even spoke to Fleur a little in French, much to Fleur’s delight, essentially guaranteeing an ally in her for life. He did speak to Bill a bit about his work but the majority of his attention was spent conversing with Harry. He was very polite and attentive throughout, asking after all of their mutual acquaintances, everyone except Percy that was. Harry thought he had wanted to ask; there were several pointed silences where a question could have been but, for whatever reason, Mr Malfoy never voiced them. It was possible that he didn’t feel comfortable bringing Percy’s name up around Snape yet, so Harry made a pointed effort of doing it for him.

“Percy is doing well as well. He is keeping himself very busy with his work as undersecretary at the Ministry.”

“Has he managed to implement any of the things he picked up while he was visiting us in France?” Bill asked and Harry felt like he could kiss his eldest brother for mentioning that.

“I’m not entirely sure, I will admit that my eyes do have a tendency to glaze over a bit when Percy starts talking politics but I know he is keeping himself very busy with things.”

“Was your brother in France recently?” Mr Malfoy asked. He tried to look casual when he said it but Harry noticed an alertness in his eyes that said he was very interested in Harry’s answer.

“Indeed he was,” Harry replied. “He went to visit Bill and Fleur at her parent’s vineyard. I am surprised that Pansy didn’t mention it as she called on Percy while he was there.”

“Mr Potter accidentally crashed his broom here last night,” Severus explained. “When I learned that he was on holiday with his brother trying to find lost magical artifacts I suggested that they could have a look around some of the older parts of this home.”

“Oh, which brother?”

“My eldest, Bill,” Harry replied. 

“Not someone Pansy or Draco met,” Severus added. 

“That’s a shame,” Miss Greengrass sighed. “I would have quite liked to meet Mr Percy. I heard such varying accounts of him and I’m curious which is true.”

“Did you now?” Harry smiled, looking over at Severus as the man groaned. “Well, I would be more than happy to add my opinion to the mix. Percy is a wonderful brother: very caring, and he would do anything to help his siblings. He is very intelligent and insightful, although what he finds interesting is not necessarily what anyone else would.”

“Ah! That would explain why Draco said he was the most fascinating man he had ever met and Pansy and Millicent said he could be a bit of a bore.”

“Astoria!” Severus said, giving her a warning look. Her face fell and Harry felt obliged to try and reassure her. Severus was obviously worried she was saying something wrong but, as far as Harry was concerned, it was exactly what he had supposed. 

“Honestly, that doesn’t surprise me. I love Percy to bits but even my eyes glaze over when he starts talking on the importance of regulating cauldron thickness so I can fully understand why Pansy wouldn’t be interested.”

“But Draco would definitely lap that sort of thing up,” Miss Greengrass agreed. “That makes sense now. Honestly, I find it fascinating how different people’s personalities can affect how they view others. Sometimes it is not that the person is bad, per se, just that their personality doesn’t necessarily fit with yours.”

Harry nodded. “It’s why I try to form my own opinion of people, as opposed to listening to what others say. That being said, I can sometimes still make mistakes and jump to the wrong conclusion about things.”

“Does it impress you as much as my body did?”

Harry felt his jaw drop at the man’s audacity, even as his pulse began to pick up. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Harry claimed, but Snape only smirked. 

“Don’t try to deny it, Mr Potter. I saw you staring, and where your eyes went; it was like I could feel them travelling over my body, same as they did when I walked in just now. You know, if you only wanted a carnal relationship with me then you should have said; I would have been more than amenable to that.”

Harry shook his head. “We can’t do that, it isn’t proper.”

“For a man and a woman, no,” Snape agreed. “There is always a possibility that those relationships can result in issues.” He ran his hand down Harry’s stomach to make his point and Harry let out a gasp as his blood began pooling in his groin at the gesture. “With two men, though, or two women, that isn’t a risk, so society has a tendency to turn a blind eye, provided people are discreet of course.”

“Does it impress you as much as my body did?”

Harry felt his jaw drop at the man’s audacity, even as his pulse began to pick up. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Harry claimed, but Snape only smirked. 

“Don’t try to deny it, Mr Potter. I saw you staring, and where your eyes went; it was like I could feel them travelling over my body, same as they did when I walked in just now. You know, if you only wanted a carnal relationship with me then you should have said; I would have been more than amenable to that.”

Harry shook his head. “We can’t do that, it isn’t proper.”

“For a man and a woman, no,” Snape agreed. “There is always a possibility that those relationships can result in issues.” He ran his hand down Harry’s stomach to make his point and Harry let out a gasp as his blood began pooling in his groin at the gesture. “With two men, though, or two women, that isn’t a risk, so society has a tendency to turn a blind eye, provided people are discreet of course.”

They were just making their way through the halls on the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures floor, trying to find the Magical Inheritance department, when they bumped into Kingsley Shacklebolt. 

"Good morning sir," Harry smiled, "I'm surprised to see you down here at this time."

"Well you shouldn't be since I was waiting for you and Miss Weasley," the Minister said with a sad smile and Harry felt Ginny wince at the use of her old name. He could well understand. She had been Mrs Potter for so long now and they had both believed that's what she would be for the rest of her days. 

"I just want to say that I am so very sorry Harry," Kingsley continued. "After everything that you have done for the wizarding world over the years I had hoped that you would have a quiet life now."

Harry gave a mirthless chuckle. "Apparently that's too much to ask for sir."

"So it would seem," Kingsley sighed. "Just know that you have my full support in all this. Robbards is aware you're on leave until further notice so not to call you under any circumstances so at least you can concentrate on spending some time with your family and anything you need from my end, please don't hesitate to ask. I have every faith that this is just a blip on the radar and that it will all come to nothing in the end."

“Hermione did me a favour looking up a few things for me,” he explained. “You see, as with the Malfoys, it was presumed that a few other wizards used to help royals back in the day. I asked her to see if she could find any reference to names and she thinks she came up with something. The name is a little off, but there is a Peverell in Godric’s Hollow and, apparently, there was a Peverel who was a knight back in Norman times. The spelling is a little different, but that could easily be a scrivener’s error and I want to see if I can find anything. 

“There are two castles associated with that name: Peveril which is mostly a ruin and Bolsover which was redesigned back in the 17th century. I would like to have a look at them both.”

“Can we please have a look at the renovated one,” Fleur pleaded. “I would like the chance to find cover should it start raining again. Impervious charms are good but they don’t stop the humidity and your British weather is always hellish on my hair.”

“I suppose,” Bill smiled, dropping a kiss on the top of Fleur’s head. “There is a nice inn we can use as a base near Bolsover anyway, which would be good to use as a base. You know you are beautiful, bad hair or no.”

“I suppose. You don’t think I was wrong to turn him down, do you?” Harry asked hesitantly, starting to question his hastiness a bit. 

“Definitely not,” Percy assured him quickly. “You said that you weren’t interested in him and it would have been wrong of you to accept just to spare his feelings: it wouldn’t have done either of you any good in the long run. You were maybe a little harsh in your response as well, but, who knows, maybe he will learn something from the experience.”

“That would be something,” Harry chuckled, thinking it would be little short of a miracle if his words caused Snape to be less stuck up.”

“Now Harry, I think that’s a little unfair,” Percy chided. 

“You’re right,” Harry sighed. “I spent so long judging him on so little, however, that it is a hard habit to break. I thought myself so clever believing I had discerned his character when no one else had, and I delighted in laughing at him, but it seems as if I was the fool all along, especially for believing my father was entirely above reproach.”