"I'm working on recovering. The sparing I do, is half having Harry help me work out how to compensate for what I've lost. I don't use this cane for show, as much as I wish I did."
"So what will you do?"
"I'm interested in technology, maybe I'll go back to school and do something with engineering. It's not like money is a huge concern."
"Yeah I kinda got that impression." Beth gestured at their surroundings. "You definitely know how to pick where to do your rehab."
Sirius grinned in response.
"Well I'm deserting you gents for the day."
"What are you doing?" Harry quickly inquired.
"I'm spending the day being pampered at the spa. I might join you for the beach late this afternoon though."
"We look forward to it." Sirius said.
Beth sauntered out to the nearly deserted beach about an hour until sunset. Sirius sat looking out at the water. When she sat down he asked, "How was the massage?"
"Massages..Wonderful I feel almost boneless."
"You do look relaxed. So, while you're relaxed can I be hopelessly nosy?"
"Maybe, but where's Harry?"
"He's out riding the waves, they're really good today. I'm rather going to miss surfing."
Beth smiled. "Okay what's your question?"
"Back that second day when we went kayaking you mentioned ditching your itinerary and ditching your security detail. Why do you have security Beth?"
"You would remember that. I usually have a security detail because of who my family is, or to be more specific who my stepfather is. Having one isn't that out of the norm in my job as a negotiator, I just get tired of having every move I make planned and scrutinized; the complete and utter lack of privacy."
"Do you have any self-defense training?"
"No." She snorted. "Why would I?"
"The reason my assignment survived was because I had insisted he get at least some self defense training. I had had to argue until I was almost blue in the face to get him to receive that training. But because I did, he was able to defend himself for the two minutes it took a backup squad to arrive. Maybe if you got proactive about your own defense you would have the means to persuade your stepfather to let up on your detail's intrusiveness in your life."
They sat quietly for several minutes. Beth finally spoke,"Is that why you and Harry practice martial arts every morning?"
"Part of it. The person who killed Lily and James, Harry's parents, he isn't dead. Harry was one of his targets that night. Harry survived against all odds and mostly due to his mother sacrificing herself. Harry is the last surviving member of a very wealthy and influential family, one day he will wield an influence that can change the lives of thousands of people. So yes he is a target and yes that is why I teach him all that I do. I promised James to teach him everything I know and to find the best teachers in the world to teach him everything they know, so that when he's grown he'll be his own master rather than someone else's pawn."
Sirius who had been watching Harry out on his surfboard suddenly stood up. "Oh Merlin is that a shark?"
Beth quickly stood up and looked out to sea as well. Just as her eyes registered that there was indeed a shark fin cutting through the water dangerously near Harry's surfboard the was a loud distinctive crack followed a second later by another equally loud crack next to them on the beach.
Sirius moved quickly and Beth registered that Harry was now safely on the beach next to them.
"Harry, are you okay?"Sirius was looking Harry over from head to toe.
"Sirius there was a shark and he was opening his mouth to attack and I… how did I get to the beach?"
"Congratulations kiddo you just did your first apparition and you didn't splinch yourself!"
"Oh my god."
Both wizards turned suddenly realizing the presence of Beth.
"Are you telling me," her voice rose as if crescendoing, before suddenly she reduced her volume to that barely above a whisper, "that you guys are wizards?"
.....
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