Echoes of Time (Harry Potter)

October 24, 1943

Saturday Morning

Harry almost couldn't stop himself from yelling out 'Hagrid' at the sight, only the incredibly large man wasn't the former or future groundskeeper.

"Reinhard Lestrange!" the man exclaimed before walking the few remaining steps in great strides and taking the much smaller boy into a hug.

"Grigor!" Reinhard enthusiastically returned, squeezing the larger man equally as hard, or so it appeared to Harry.

The two other men in the cluttered basement kept their hug for five seconds and when they eventually disengaged, the unknown and older man looked to Harry.

"Good to meet you, friend of Young Master Reinhard, the name's Grigor!" Showing restraint, the man held out a hand that was easily the size of Harry's head.

Harry took the man's offered hand without hesitation.

"Very nice to meet you too, Grigor."

Reinhard patted Harry on the back from his position beside him, the force being enough to knock him a half-step forwards.

"Grigor serves my family, couldn't name a better man if I tried," Reinhard looked fondly at the man who could easily brush eight feet, "Grigor, this is my newest companion, Harry Peverell. Hopefully, we'll be having him over the estate from time to time, just like Aster and I, he is!"

Grigor smiled widely at the initial compliment and the happiness on his face only grew at hearing the follow-up remarks.

"Don't be telling your parents that or they'll be likely to bust a nerve!" he then seemed to remember the area in which they were standing and bowed to the two boys before motioning towards the steps, "Do come up young masters, it's not befitting ones in your stations to be down in a damn damp dirty basement."

Reinhard laughed and made his way over to the staircase with Harry close behind, Grigor bringing up the rear.

When they emerged from the basement and into the house above, Harry was greeted with the far more pleasant smell of cooking food. That was only the beginning though, as the upstairs area was far cleaner, much larger and beautifully furnished. It almost reminded him of the pictures of old-style homes that he'd seen in magazines when living with the Dursleys.

Only far nicer than anything they'd ever stayed at.

Reinhard saw the look on his face and gestured around the home, "My family bought, expanded and freshly furnished this home a few decades ago. It was shortly before my father brought on Grigor as a servant, my family isn't very fond of house-elves you see," Harry moved out of the way as Grigor exited the basement and closed the door behind him, Reinhard continued what he was saying after that was done, again looking fondly over at the large man, "After Grigor protected me during a wrong turn in Knockturn Alley and at the cost of his own health, we gave this home to his family."

Grigor smiled widely and wiped at his eyes, "Your family is the kindest I ever met in my long life, thanks to them my family has a home and my children have their own beds."

Harry imagined the prejudices the man faced would be extensive as it'd been for Hogwarts, but he hadn't thought it could be so bad that the man's children would have to share sleeping arrangements. Was that what life was like for those less fortunate than Hagrid or Grigor?

Reinhard squeezed the much larger man's forearm in a show of comfort and steered the conversation from the emotional undertone it began to take on towards a more happy direction.

"Tell me Grigor, did my family send Aster's gifts to you?"

Harry could see the excitement in his friend's expression and mannerisms - it made him realize upon hearing the question that he hadn't even thought to ask Reinhard what he'd gotten for Aster.

Grigor nodded emphatically, "Yes young master, they did!" the large man then shifted on his feet, "I hope you won't be minding that I got something for Young Master Aster as well."

"Perish the thought, I'm sure whatever you got Aster is something he'll love - you practically raised him for Merlin's sake!" Reinhard said that without a care in the world as if that information didn't matter in the present company.

Harry wouldn't use it against his friend, but it was something he'd assuredly be holding on to.

"Allow me to go and grab the gifts then," Grigor said with a dip of his head, walking to the edge of the door to the parlour room only to stop and clap his giant hands together, "I apologize - I don't know where my manners went! Were you wanting any tea or something to eat?"

Reinhard looked about ready to say 'no' and Harry was in agreement, they were on a tight schedule, after all.

But something must have struck his mate's mind, as Reinhard changed expressions incredibly fast and nodded.

"Your famous pie should you have any on hand - Harry's never gotten to try it!"

Grigor looked bashful - a weird look for such a large man to have - but nodded and hurried away to the kitchen, leaving Harry to look at Reinhard with an unasked question clear on his face.

"Trust me, Pev, that'll be the finest pie you've ever eaten in your life!" Reinhard answered as he made his way over to an incredibly large couch with an equally large table in front of it.

Harry followed after his friend and a few moments later, Grigor reemerged from the room he'd been in with two plates filled to the edges with pie; so full were they that it almost looked like the man had placed a pie each for them.

Grigor placed the plates in front of the boys and placed a fork with a napkin beside them. After doing so, he looked over to Reinhard and asked if there was anything else they'd like before he went for the gifts, Reinhard said there was nothing and thus, the bearlike man was headed off up the stairs into an adjoining room.

Harry waited until Reinhard took a bite before making one of his own, ensuring that the food was edible and that it wasn't similar to the cakes Hagrid had made.

When he saw his friend sitting at the edge of his seat and digging in with reckless abandon, Harry took that to mean the food was deserving of the title 'famous' - that or the other boy was so devoted to pranking him that he'd get himself if it meant getting Harry too. Either thought was enough for Harry to try at least one bite of the pie, and so he did so cautiously, taking only a small fork full.

Slowly, he brought the fork up to his mouth and bit into the pie.

That one bite was immediately enough to make him think that treacle tarts may be relegated to his second favourite dessert.

"Good innit?" Reinhard mumbled around a mouth full of the sweet pie.

Harry nodded in answer, digging into his serving - which upon further examination was indeed a whole pie as he'd thought earlier - and that was how Grigor found the two boys upon his return with three packages in his arms.

"As good as you recall Young Master?" Grigor asked as he set down the gifts on the opposite side of the table before taking his seat in the incredibly oversized chair across from the duo.

Reinhard had just finished half of the pie he'd been given at the time of the question and set down his fork before replying.

"As if you even need to ask Grigor! I swear on everything dear to me that you could open up a shop that sold only this pie and you'd never run out of business!"

Grigor laughed heartily, "Thank you for the praise, but I would miss your family far too much," he then motioned once towards the gifts, "Here we are; one from your parents, another from yourself and the last from my family."

Harry eyed the three packages with curiosity, wondering the contents of them all considering one had to be no wider than his hands and only slightly thicker.

"Do you know what my parents got Aster? What'd you get him?" Reinhard was seemingly just as curious and Harry couldn't blame him, both boys edging forward from their seats, the pie being momentarily forgotten.

"Your parents didn't tell me what they'd got him, as for the gift from my family," Grigor stood up while leaving that open-ended, moving over to the presents and lifting the two smaller ones off as he opened the top of his, "We got him the kit he wanted that his parents wouldn't allow, right problematic it was!"

Harry followed Reinhard's lead of standing up to peek inside the box and he wasn't sure initially what he saw until it dawned on him. He was looking at what he could only assume was a British soldier's full equipment kit.

He sent a questioning glance at Reinhard once he made out what it was and the bigger boy only shrugged, saying "Aster's always had a fascination with Muggle Aurors, don't know why, maybe it has something to do with his travelling obsession. Either way, his parents aren't very fond of muggles nor anything reminiscent of them, so they wouldn't approve of this amazing gift. Almost makes me jealous of it!"

Grigor seemed to take his words a little more seriously than intended and, after closing the top of the gift, asked Reinhard if he wanted the same package - the boy said no, not at this point in time, at the very least.

After seeing that gift, Harry questioned Reinhard over what he'd gotten their friend and was told that, while he couldn't open the incredibly small package due to the annoyance of rewrapping it, he could tell him a portion of it, so he did.

"Inside that little package Pev, is a collection of vouchers for various places to stay across Wizarding Europe. From Iberia to as far as Russia - if Aster wants to go somewhere, he can!"

Harry was astounded at the gift and could only begin to imagine the cost of it.

Aster and Reinhard must be closer than he'd ever imagined.

Upon telling Harry what he'd gotten for Aster, Reinhard again looked to Grigor.

"Are you certain you don't know the contents of the gift my parents got Aster, or are you unable to tell me?"

Grigor shifted on his feet uneasily, "Your parents forbade me from telling you, one of your gifts is very similar to his."

Reinhard smiled and shrugged, "I see… not a problem Grigor! Could I make one more request from you today? Feel free to say no if you're busy."

Grigor shook his head animatedly from side to side.

"You may ask anything of me!"

"Could you pick something up for Pev, here? I failed to tell him about Aster's birthday and you know that Rosier never likes telling anyone about it."

"Of course!" Grigor answered immediately, switching his attention to Harry with an expectant look on his friendly face.

In the hot seat, Harry had to think on the fly what to get his friend.

He'd heard from Druella that Aster enjoyed travelling, and while Reinhard had gotten something for the boy across the entirety of Europe, he'd left out the America's - that would be an idea for a later time perhaps, considering the short notice he had to work with.

What was local in Hogsmeade? Jewellery? Quidditch supplies? Sweets or Pranking equipment?

Could Grigor go to Diagon or Knockturn Alley?

Harry stopped his self-questioning and looked to Grigor, "Would you be willing to go to Diagon or Knockturn Alley?" Harry remembered how Reinhard had asked his question and quickly added in, "Feel free to say no!"

Grigor appeared to lack the ability to deny a request and upon hearing Harry, nodded his head.

"I will go wherever needed."

Harry thanked the man and went back to thinking about what he could get his friend.

Highest on his list of ideas was prank items the boy could use on others, followed by an assortment of muggle items that the average person could get while in London so long as they knew where to look - but maybe sending Grigor out into the non-magical world may not be the brightest idea considering the man was even bigger than Hagrid.

"Reinhard, before I go with items from that prank shop in Diagon Alley, can you think of anything else Aster may like? I want to get him something that'll show the appreciation I have for him."

Harry meant it too - if Corene's words were true, and he didn't doubt they were, Aster had risked Elaine coming down on him when he ignored her words and befriended him anyway.

"Maybe something to do with muggles," Reinhard said thoughtfully, the idea being unhelpful to Harry, at least until the boy made a follow-up remark, "I think I may have heard Druella say Aster broke his broom over the summer too, now that I think about it."

"Does Aster like to fly?" Harry had only heard the boy talk about Quidditch once and not too favourably.

"Occasionally, his family mainly travels by Floo or Portkey," Reinhard responded as he picked up his fork to dig back into the pie before him.

Harry racked his brain for knowledge on brooms; if he remembered correctly, Nimbus was yet to be created, leaving the Cleansweep's and the Comets as the front runners… there was a third major company too, but he couldn't remember their name.

"What would you say he'd like better, a Cleansweep or a Comet?" Harry hoped that Reinhard remembered Aster's former broom, he wouldn't want to get him one with the opposite specification, be it speed or manoeuvrability.

Reinhard swallowed the hefty bite of pie that'd been on his fork and rubbed his chin.

"He didn't have either of them, he had some lesser brand from Germany or Holland - his parents aren't fond of flying and because of that, they'd not buy him a broom for Yule or his birthday, so he had to get it himself."

Harry made a 'huh' sound at that, thinking it was weird that Aster's parents would disallow a broom when that was something so beneficial. Though it made sense to some degree considering all the travelling they did - the Floo network or a Portkey would always be far faster and probably safer.

"Do you know if his broom was easier to handle or made for speed?" Harry asked as a follow-up, his prior question failing to provide any clue as to what Aster preferred.

"Speed, I think, but I could be wrong," Reinhard looked over to Grigor, "Would you happen to know? I think Aster speaks with you pretty often about flying."

Grigor dipped his head respectfully, "The Young Master Aster considers speed to be important more than anything else."

Harry thanked them both for the help and said, "Brilliant."

He now knew what to get Aster for a gift and very fortunately, there was a Quidditch shop in Hogsmeade that catered to Hogwarts students specifically - they even lowered the prices because of some grant from the Ministry, or at least that's what Yaxley had said during another attempt at getting Harry to play.

"So… what are you going to get Aster? You can't just say brilliant and stop without telling us!" Reinhard said while holding onto his fork tightly, his knuckles growing white at the force used as he rocked back and forth in his seat.

"I think the Comet 180 is the newer model, right?" Harry asked in return.

Reinhard shrugged and both boys then looked over to Grigor, who was already nodding his head in the affirmative, adding a second later, "Yes, the Comet 180 is the new model they've made - it's a right beauty and said to be the fastest broom currently around."

Harry thanked Grigor and looked back at Reinhard, "There you have it mate, I'll get Aster the Comet 180 and a few smaller things to go with it," he paused and his face took on a more devious look, "You wouldn't happen to know Druella's birthday too, would you?"

"Playing with fire mate, Aster's liable to cut off your bollocks if you make a move towards his sister, not to mention Elaine and Walburga." Reinhard's response was nothing new to him considering the look Aster had given him when he'd mentioned his sister - Elaine and Walburga's fancying of him was well known too, thanks to the former girl making it obvious and the latter girl being narked on by Sarah.

Speaking of Sarah, he'd have to see her again before too long, lest she thinks he'd forgotten about her after his new popularity within Slytherin House.

Harry put that thought away for another day and shrugged his shoulders in response to Reinhard, "Fire can be fun, so, do you know her birthday?" seeing that Reinhard was wavering, Harry added temptation by adding in, "We could prank Aster if I could get her to go along with it, you know it'd be legendary."

That seemed to do it for Reinhard and he sighed, rubbing his temples as he told Harry the girls birthday was only a month away, on November 27th.

Harry's response was, "Wicked," and turning to Grigor, he told the man that he'd like to have a Comet 180 picked up as well as the largest bundle of prank gear from whichever shop he could find.

Grigor responded that he could do that and immediately set off to fulfil the requests given to him, telling the boys that he should only be thirty minutes between the two stops.

In the meantime following the large man's absence, Harry was content to speak some more with Reinhard, realizing that he didn't know all that much about his friend. Perhaps he could speak with him about what he'd spoken with Corene only the day prior too, now seemed as good a time as any to reaffirm a friendship.

"Hey, Reinhard?" Harry started with, getting his friends attention from the remnants of pie on the plate before him.

"Yeah Pev?"

Harry shifted in his seat so as to face his friend head-on - Reinhard, seeing the more serious expression on Harry's face mimicked his seating arrangement and turned his attention fully to the other boy.

Seeing that Reinhard was paying close attention, Harry asked nearly the same question as he had Corene.

"Did Riddle have you befriend me, or was it something that you'd wanted to do?"

Reinhard's emotions didn't change from the outgoing smile that was so usually on his face when he responded.

"Aster and I took a liking to you once we figured out you weren't another ponce like Abraxas or most of the others, not many boys in our year let alone all of Hogwarts that know how to let loose," Harry physically relaxed at the words and Reinhard laughed at the sight before he continued, "Don't worry about us Pev old boy, Riddle may lead the group but Aster and I like doing what we like doing, nobody in the world can change that!"

That was… really good to know. It had the downside of making Harry wonder where this free will had gone from Riddle's followers during his time.

"Riddle did tell you to approach me though, didn't she?" Harry figured he'd ask that question as a follow-up, wanting to fact-check the information Corene had told him.

"Oh yeah, Riddle tells us to do lots of things and for the most part, we get to doing them right away," Reinhard answered his question and then some.

Harry figured if the boy was being this open, he could try and gather a bit more information than he had thus far.

"What was something she'd told you to do recently, for example?"

Reinhard eyed Harry's pie for a few seconds, his thinking unconsciously making his focus drift to the mouthwatering treat before he gave an answer.

"A few days ago she told us to keep a closer look on you, something about Walburga and her lot trying to do something, she didn't really go into specifics."

"Why's that?" Harry questioned the moment his friend had finished.

Reinhard shrugged with his gaze still on the food, "As Daphne's said before, 'it's on a need to know basis and you don't need to know', or something to that effect."

"Oh, alright," Harry responded, somewhat confused by the boy's willingness to be left in the dark.

"Say, Pev, think you're going to finish that plate?" Reinhard asked as he continued his longing glance at Harry's half-eaten pie.

"It's yours," No sooner had the words left Harry's mouth than Reinhard leaned forward to grab the plate.

Harry watched Reinhard going to town on the pie he'd not eaten and felt at ease, he now knew that Corene and Reinhard both had made the decision to interact with him rather than being forced to do so by Riddle. He didn't know what he'd have done if either of them had admitted that they'd only been spending time with him because of their not so seemingly ironclad 'master'.

Not being able to help himself after the conversation, Harry asked one last question before he'd put the matter to rest.

"We're perfectly fine, yeah?"

Reinhard didn't respond verbally, but he did respond - it was in the form of multiple nods while a few crumbs from the crust of the pie fell from his lips onto the table he was eating over.

"Brilliant," Harry said, more so to himself than the preoccupied boy beside him.

Following the much simpler and less politically motivated conversation with Reinhard than he'd had with Corene, Harry spent the time waiting for Grigor relaxing on the couch. He'd woken up far earlier than he normally would have due to the last minute shopping and trip that Reinhard had gotten him involved with, so he justified the time spent doing nothing as time spent catching up on his rest.

How else could he be expected to go about handling daily conversations with some of the more agitating housemates such as Abraxas or Daphne unless he got enough sleep?

After what felt like minutes from the passing of the conversation he'd had with Reinhard, Grigor entered back into the room with a wrapped broom in one arm and a small box in the other, alerting Harry that he'd gotten exactly what he'd asked for.

"Young Master Peverell, your items as requested," Grigor said that while putting the gifts in front of Harry.

"Thank you Grigor," Harry then fished around for his Gringotts coin pouch, deciding to tip the man a few Galleons for the help he'd provided.

"Oh there's no nee-" Grigor had tried to say but Reinhard cut him off as if he'd had the very same conversation dozens of times.

"Grigor, you have to take payment when you help us."

Grigor nodded respectfully as Harry handed him six Galleons; Reinhard stood up after the exchange and gathering his gifts, turned to Harry.

"Probably should get going before it gets too much later, Aster's likely already awake and wondering where we are."

Harry cast a quick Tempus to check the time and he was in immediate agreement with Reinhard - they had to get going before too much more time passed.

Bidding Grigor farewell, Reinhard led Harry back into the cluttered basement and towards the passage that connected the building to Hogwarts. A relatively short trip later and the boys were back in the Castle with no need to stay hidden, seeing as curfew was now over and they could move about freely on the Sunday morning.

"Harry, Reinhard!" Aster's voice greeted them as soon as they entered into the fifth year boy's dorms, "Where've you guys been? Been looking for you all morning, I have!"

Reinhard ignored the question and put Aster's presents on his bed before pulling the shorter boy into a big hug while saying, "Happy Birthday Aster!"

Aster returned the hug.

"Thanks, mate," he then eyed the gifts Reinhard had just dropped off along with those in Harry's hands, "I hope you two didn't get in too much trouble sneaking out."

"What makes you think we snuck out?" Reinhard asked while Harry tried not to laugh at the very obvious admission of guilt if one looked at the former's face.

"Well, considering nobody had seen you two leave and you weren't in here or the loo, it's pretty obvious you were up to something - I only hope you taught Pev here well, can't have him thinking we're too sloppy." Aster teased his friend, finishing with a jab in the boy's shoulder which led to them play wrestling.

Harry watched as Aster got put into a headlock by Reinhard, the latter boy screwing up the former's hair until he eventually tapped out, funnily enough, it only lasted all of half a minute, the size disparity proving too much for Aster to overcome.

"Well, time for you to open the gifts then, yeah?" Reinhard offered, reaching out to grab the largest present - that being the one from Grigor.

"If you're offering, then definitely." Aster agreed, not being one to complain about being able to open the presents he'd been gifted.

Reinhard laughed at his friend's eagerness and hoisted up Grigor's gift, holding it out for his friend to take, which Aster did without hesitation.

"Bloody hell this is heavy, who's it from?" There was no name tape on the large crate, leaving Aster clueless as to who it was from.

"Grigor and his family," Reinhard answered, laughing again when Aster's face took on a childlike innocence at the present that Harry knew was anything but.

"Did he… ?" Aster asked quietly to himself, trailing off into nothing when he popped the crate off and reached inwards, taking out a helmet, "… that's wicked… how di- wher-, I owe Grigor big time."

Harry wasn't overly interested in muggle wars, but even he had to admit that the gift was incredibly cool.

"Rosier, I have your gift." Abraxas' voice sounded from the entrance to the dorms, causing Aster's eyes to go wide as he hastily put the muggle equipment back in the crate and placed the lid back on top of it - he'd done so right in the knick of time too, as not a moment later Abraxas came around the closed curtains of Aster's bed with a small package under his right arm.

"Ah, I see you were opening a few of your presents already," Abraxas flickered his gaze from the birthday boy and over to Reinhard, then Harry, "Lestrange, Peverell," he'd said both names without a hint of respect while holding out Aster's gift.

Aster went completely formal and serious, something Harry rarely saw him do as he dipped his head while taking the gift from Abraxas.

"Thank you, Malfoy."

Abraxas nodded once in return, "Of course, of course… Elaine is waiting for the three of you when you're finished up here," as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Abraxas turned on his heels and made his exit, allowing the sense of formality to leave alongside him.

Not even thirty seconds had passed when they were sure of his absence when Reinhard huffed.

"That ponce is a right git, thank Merlin you took his spot Pev."

"What?" Harry asked, not having made the connection or kept up with the conversation.

Aster laughed as he took another peek in the box, answering Harry as he took out a set of webbing, "Malfoy was unofficially Riddle's fourth in command - after Daphne and Corene, you've kind of taken that spot from him, which is good for Reinhard and me. He was getting more and more unbearable as time passed!"

"Well, I'm glad that her liking of me made your lives easier," Harry said sarcastically.

Reinhard patted him on the back while Aster made to grab the smaller gift from Reinhard's parents, both of them stopped and answered in sync, "Thanks Pev."

Harry sighed and shook his head as Reinhard scooted closer to Aster, practically breathing down the boy's neck as Aster began unwrapping the gift from Reinhard's parents.

"Any clue as to what your folks got me mate?" Aster asked as he carefully undid the wrapping paper, not wanting to tear it.

"No clue," Reinhard answered as he moved even closer, his head practically resting on top of the hunched over Aster's.

"Let's see then," Aster replied as he undid the last bit of wrapping paper revealing a flat box that looked like it could fit a small shirt or scarf.

Harry found himself leaning in just as Reinhard had been doing, wondering what the gift was until the very moment Aster opened it, revealing a small piece of parchment.

"They actually did it," Reinhard remarked, slinging a hand around Aster's shoulders.

"Merlin." Was all Aster said in response, making Harry's thoughts go even wilder at what the singular piece of parchment could have on it.

Reinhard saw the curious look from Harry and nudged Aster, the boy being in such a stupor that he'd not minded Reinhard taking the parchment from his hands as he passed it to Harry who took it and began reading it the moment it was in his grip. He didn't understand what it was initially, at least not until he made it towards the bottom of the paper and everything was clear.

Aster had been given a small home near Dover by Reinhard's family.

"They've been talking about giving that to Aster for a long while now - always had an interest in it, he has." Reinhard offered as an explanation.

"I hadn't even dreamed of it." Shock and awe were clear to hear in Aster's voice, the boy gently taking the deed back from Harry's hands and into his own.

"Blimey mate, they didn't even tell me!" Reinhard was equally as surprised, the realisation that his friend had been given a home catching up to him a moment before Grigor's words had, "They must be giving me the other one!"

Aster's eyes went wider still, "You actually think they'll give us all that land?"

"They must be! Grigor refused to tell me what they'd gotten you on the grounds of it being similar to a gift I'd be getting - Merlin I love that man!" Reinhard whooped and pumped his fist.

Aster joined in the celebrations with Reinhard, momentarily forgetting the rest of the gifts as the boys took in the thought of owning their own homes; that lasted until Yaxley called out to them from the doorway just as Abraxas had done before him.

"Happy birthday Aster, Elaine and the others are waiting for you in the common room with the rest of your gifts - I believe she has something to discuss with you too."

Aster and Reinhard both got themselves under control, the former coughing to clear his throat before he responded to Yaxley.

"Right, we'll be down in five minutes or less."

Yaxley shrugged and exited the doorway, going back whence he came so as to avoid interrupting the time Aster had with his closest friends.

Harry took the very obvious wrapped broom beside him and passed it over to Aster along with the package of prank items that the boy was sure to love.

Thanking Harry before he opened them, Aster unwrapped the package first, tentatively opening it and getting the most devious of smirks once he realized the contents.

"Have any idea who we should get with these?" He'd asked Harry and Reinhard, the gears behind his eyes spinning obviously to his friends.

"Oh, I think you know who I'll say - what about you Pev, got anyone that needs doing?" Reinhard asked Harry while slinging an arm on Aster's shoulder, both boys looking intently at Harry with equally devious smiles.

"Hmm," Harry made his thinking known while he internally debated between Abraxas, Daphne and Elaine - the latter being a detriment to his health if he ended up going for her.

Aster's smile grew wider at the contemplation, "I know that look, don't you Reinhard?"

"I believe I do, old friend - it's the look of a man with too many targets," Reinhard answered Aster and again in sync, the boys leaned towards Harry.

"Who's it going to be?"

Harry smiled just as deviously as the both of them.

"Abraxas and Daphne."

Aster nodded and Reinhard gave a few claps, the former let Harry in on the fact that Abraxas was who they were both speaking about only seconds prior.

With their talk of pranking momentarily halted, Aster unwrapped the broom Harry had gotten him and once the model made itself known, Harry was treated to an embrace from the boy.

"Thank you Pev! Truly!" Aster pulled back and grasped Harry on each of his shoulders, "You know we're going to have to take this for a test ride!" he then looked over to Reinhard, "You as well mate, don't think you'll be escaping trying this Comet out!"

Reinhard laughed as Aster looked over the broom in fascination, the latter boy going so far as to run his hand over the smoothed material in his happiness.

"One more before we go down to the others," Reinhard said as he handed over his incredibly small gift - the contents already known to Harry as something Aster was likely to go mad over.

"This one's from you, yeah?" Aster asked as he took the gift in his hands, looking for confirmation before he opened it.

Reinhard nodded, "Yeah, figure it was about time I fed that hobby of yours."

Aster looked at him suspiciously, "You didn't."

Reinhard's response was a shrug and a look over at Harry, "Guess you'll have to see."

That was all the larger boy needed to say, as Aster tore into the wrapping around the small package until he was greeted with only a small box. Slowing himself in his pace and showing incredible care, Aster removed the lid from the container. He followed that up with great ease as he took out a small parchment with a stamp on it joined with a Portuguese flag.

"Is this what I think it is?" Aster asked as he examined the gold stamped parchment.

"If you think it's a voucher for a week stay at the luxurious Portuguese hotel with a name I can't pronounce - you'd be correct." Reinhard sounded incredibly proud of himself as he confirmed his friend's suspicions.

"… And the rest of them are?" Aster asked, leaving the question open-ended as he began sorting through the various papers with different flags and languages on them.

"Yes, the rest of them go to various countries across Europe - even got one for Malta!" Reinhard sounded incredibly proud of that one in specific and based on the look Aster had, he was incredibly eager for the small island too. Harry was left out of the loop, unsure of why that specific land was so important.

"Oi, you lot, hurry up and come to the common room or Elaine will come up to get you!" Avery was at the door this time and he seemed none too pleased at having been sent to get the three of them.

"We're coming!" Aster answered the boy as he hastily put the gifts away - though not before pulling Reinhard into a hug that looked as if it could've put Grigor's to shame; Harry tried getting up and moving past the two hugging boys only for Aster to reach out with one arm and pull him into the embrace before he was free of them.

"Thank you both!" Aster said loudly while he squeezed them, only letting them out when Reinhard laughed and dropped an oversized fist on his head.

"You know I have to get something good for my brother every year!" Reinhard said that with a large smile on his face as he stood up, "Let's get going before Riddle really does come up after us."

Harry looked around the room, over to the entrance and then to Reinhard.

"She wouldn't do that, would she - or rather, could she?"

Aster laughed, "I would've thought you'd not be one to underestimate her, Pev. Not after all the time you've spent in her company!"

"As if they've done anything but snog," Reinhard remarked while Harry sputtered in response as the boys exited their dorms - Aster in the lead.

When they emerged from the boys' dorms and into the general area of the common room, they were greeted with a couple dozen Slytherin's from varying years waiting for Aster with various packages or trinkets in their arms.

Elaine was very obviously upfront, with Abraxas, Corene and Daphne all near her.

"Nice of you to finally join us, boys," she remarked, her eyes focused solely on Harry to start with before transferring to Aster, "Happy Birthday, Aster, I hope it's been pleasant so far."

Riddle followed that up by floating her gift to him into his chest, the impact making a dull thud while she looked at him expectantly to open it.

Aster smiled at her, said "Thank you," and tore into the gift while she watched with a smug expression. Once the wrapping was torn off and Aster could see the slip with a number of Galleons on it, he dipped his head respectfully while saying in a subdued tone, "You're very generous, thank you again."

Harry peeked over the boy's shoulder and saw that Riddle had gifted him five-hundred Galleons; the amount was half as much as Harry had earned for winning the complete Triwizard Tournament and she'd simply given it away without a thought in the world. Harry supposed with the number of followers and her talent, money was immaterial to her. Though, it had to say something about her character or lack of interest in giving money rather than purchasing an actual gift for a supposed friend.

At least Aster didn't mind it if his face was anything to go by after receiving the gift from Riddle; Daphne then followed it up, with Corene behind her and the many other followers of Riddle going in an orderly fashion as they presented gift after gift to the birthday boy.

Based on the order in which they went, they'd probably done this for any birthday of a member within Riddle's circle - or at least those of some importance considering he'd not seen it happen yet.

"Hey Pev, think you could help Reinhard and I bring these back up to the room?" Aster asked as he floated a large box with multiple objects on top of it past Harry.

"Sur-" Harry was about to respond in the affirmative, only for an all too familiar voice to cut him off at the same time her cold hand fell on his shoulder from behind his chair.

"I'll send Cade and a few others to assist you, I need Harry for a few moments - I'll release him back to you shortly." Elaine's voice was calm and polite as her hand went to work rubbing Harry's shoulder.

Aster wasn't one to refuse or argue and nodded once as the other boys went about levitating the gifts he'd been able to grab.

"It's his birthday," Harry said without turning to face Riddle, he wasn't impressed that even now she'd butted in to speak with him.

"He'll have many more," she replied offhandedly as her other hand snaked its way over the chair to work his other shoulder, "Besides, I wanted to spend a bit of time with you - I've not gotten to do so for a while now."

Harry rolled his eyes, the act more so for himself than the girl who'd be unable to see it.

"We talk almost every day."

"You mean I start a conversation that you simply participate in," Riddle's massaging got rougher as her words took on an accusatory tone, "Perhaps if you'd show some initiative and come to me rather than forcing me to do so, I'd not have to monopolize the time you want to spend with your friends."

Harry tilted his head back to look at Riddle only to be greeted with her downcast eyes as if she'd been expecting the movement from him.

"Do you want me to spend a set amount of time with you every day I'm here?" He'd asked the question sarcastically, the tone of his voice clearly conveying as much, but Riddle smiled in response.

"That'd be splendid," her rubbing of his shoulders lightened as she leaned down to press a kiss to the tip of his nose, the feeling comforting to his body no matter what his mind had to say about it, "Say, an hour a day? That's to start with too - I wouldn't be opposed to more than that if you're willing."

Harry sighed and stood up from the seat, Riddle's hands staying connected to him the whole while he did until he turned to face her, forcing her to readjust them.

"I wasn't being serious."

Riddle cocked her head, "I was."

He wasn't sure what to say until she laughed lightly and adjusted his tie, "Worry not, I was simply playing with you - that isn't to say I wouldn't appreciate a bit more of your time, but I certainly won't be setting a quota, Harry."

She'll be the death of me. He thought to himself while he allowed her to fuss over his clothing before answering her.

"I'll take that into account… was that all you wanted to say?" Harry looked at the girl weirdly, thinking all the while; Couldn't this have waited?

Riddle nodded a few times before pulling her hands back to herself, "Yes, I suppose it is," she smiled slyly at him, her dark eyes drawing him in as she licked her lips teasingly, "Unless you'd like to kiss me again, I'd be very agreeable to that,"

What? She'd been the one to kiss him just no- oh… she meant when he'd done so days and days ago.

Harry shook his head in exasperation as he made to head back to the boy's dorms - though not before darting in to place a chaste kiss on Riddle's lips, he didn't know why he did it, only that he wanted to.

Riddle for her part seemed equally as shocked that he'd given in to the impulse and stared at him blankly for a few seconds until that sly smirk of hers returned.

"You never cease to surprise me, Harry…"

He turned away from her and made his exit, the shivers down his spine from the way she'd said his name being the last thing he'd remember of her for that evening.

October 30, 1943

Saturday Evening

Harry lay in his bed contemplating the upcoming Yule holiday - he'd already agreed to attend the Goldhorn's residence for a portion of it, he'd done the same for the Carrow's and while he regretted neither decision, it still left him knowing that he needed to spend at least a modicum of time at his own home.

Merlin, he couldn't believe he was thinking of the Peverell Estate as his own.

Thinking back on the time he'd spent thus far, he'd accomplished nothing of note, not in the slightest. Well, not unless he included making friendships that could prove useful as time continued dragging on.

That would be another thing he'd need to remedy upon his returning to the Peverell mansion - he would need to find the list he'd written and left in his study, go over it again while adding new objectives, he knew most importantly that he'd need to get a move on before Riddle really started getting the ball rolling.

He had no idea how much time he had left until Riddle went about various nefarious tasks, Dumbledore in his time had been incredibly vague, only clueing him in on specific morsels of information when it suited the man.

Regardless, Harry couldn't let that stop him now, no, he would go about actively countering Riddle now that he'd grown accustomed to the world as it was now rather than the world he'd known in the future. Perhaps he could start that by inviting a few peers to Peverell Manor - they'd have to be ones that he trusted to some degree.

Aster, Corene and Reinhard were obvious choices to invite over; he knew they wouldn't be overly hard to watch nor would they be prone to go sneaking about the home, at least he hoped. Marcus, Sarah and Veronica were three others he could invite over, that trio being far likelier to have no ill intentions considering their current disposition towards Riddle - Riddle… he could trust her as much as he could beat her in a duel, that being that he couldn't hope to do so in the slightest.

As for all the others; Abraxas, Cade, Daphne and so on, inviting them over wouldn't be the smartest option, especially if he offered an invite to Sarah and those in her friend group. Not inviting them would present a problem, however, Riddle especially, as Aster and Reinhard weren't known for keeping anything secret unless it was incredibly important. Even if those two managed it, Corene would likely tell Riddle where they'd been even if she kept the goings-on of the celebrations a secret.

It was a lose-lose scenario for him in that instance.

He ran a hand through his hair as a flash of annoyance swept through his body so prominently that it consumed him for all of a few seconds before it dissipated… only it didn't dissipate for long - it returned in full force with almost twice the power, the annoyance feeling stronger than he'd ever felt before throughout the entirety of his life.

At that point, Harry figured that he'd planned as much as he could for the night and would get no further as the annoyance stayed with him.

He shrugged to himself as he curled into the warm sheets and turned to face towards the large window that peered into the lake - he was finally making his gameplan.