Capítulo 272: HPWW321-330
Chapter 321
When he finally pulled back he said, "Sorry. But, I
want to be able to talk to you without someone
coming in during our talk and ruining things, alright?"
"Ah!" she said. "That's why you want to wait until we
get to Hogwarts."
"Yes," he grinned.
When Hermione left a few minutes later, she was more
relaxed and happy.
Harry actually didn't want to talk about it, at all. But,
that did not mean he was comfortable with the idea of
talking about it, if he had to, while her parents were
nearby. He just hoped she'd not remember.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The next morning was the start of the day the two
teens should have been getting ready to go to Kings
Cross Station to board the Hogwarts Express. They
also knew it was the day that the new Headmistress,
Lady Marchbanks, would be firing Dumbledore.
The aurors had been alerted over a week ago,
confirmed by Madam Marchbanks herself, that
Dumbledore would be fired that day. And there was
already word back from Madam Bones that their auror
contingent would now be expanded to a team of five
until Tuesday morning.
Those aurors, though they weren't supposed to have
arrived until after breakfast, had begun to arrive in
time for breakfast. Dobby had made sure they were all
fed as, unsurprisingly, none of them ate breakfast
before arriving. Only those that arrived after breakfast
had eaten.
So breakfast, that morning, ended up being a more
'lavish' meal than normal.
As they - Harry, Wendell and Monica - were finishing
theirs, Monica asked, "I wonder what made Dobby lay
on such a feast."
Harry smiled back and said, "The auror contingent
has been increased. Apparently, Dobby's learned of
the aurors' appreciation for his cooking, together with
some of them arriving early, and he's gone all-out for
them."
Wendell, where he was reading the Prophet and
sipping on his tea, chuckled in amusement. Monica
just grinned.
Wendell then said, "Monica and I are going to miss the
culinary competition between you and Dobby."
Monica gave an amused little snort and said, "My
waistline's not. I think I've put on about five pounds at
least since you two have been here. With you not here
I'll be able to trim back down again."
Harry blushed and softly said, "Sorry."
"Not your fault, Harry," she smiled. "I'm the one who...
overindulged."
They were joined a few minutes later by a somewhat
grumpy Hermione.
Wendell took one look at her and asked, "What's the
problem, Princess?"
"I didn't sleep well, Daddy," she sighed, as she began
to pick at her food.
"Why not?" asked her mother.
Hermione looked a bit uncomfortable for a few
moments before she replied, "Today's the day we
should be going to Kings Cross Station. And, I think
knowing that Harry and I won't be there..."
Harry immediately twigged and asked, "It's just made
it all the more real for you, hasn't it? That we're
getting special privileges by flooing directly to the
school, two days late."
She nodded with a sad expression.
"That's alright," he smiled. "You're allowed to feel that
way; because, we are getting special privileges."
When she looked surprised he'd agreed with her, he
explained, "Hermione, you're now the betrothed of
One of the Seven. Sometimes, special privileges are
going to be normal for you; especially once we're
married and you're Lady Potter.
"I know you feel it's somewhat dishonest, but you
need to accept it isn't. This particular privilege is not
really a privilege at all. This is a... strategic move,
more like... to ruin any plan Dumbledore might come
up with in the short term. It's for both our protections.
Ask the aurors, if you don't believe me."
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Chapter 322
"But, what about the accommodations at Hogwarts?"
she asked.
"The Lords' Quarters, you mean?" he asked. When
she nodded, again not looking at him, he replied,
"That's not a privilege; it's a right."
When she suddenly turned her eyes to look at him
with a frown, he said, "You heard me right; it's a right.
A privilege is something that may be taken from you;
a right cannot.
"As a Lord, no matter my age, I'm entitled... entitled...
access to the Lords' Quarters. Where did you think
the word 'entitled' comes from, if not from the term
'title'?"
Still a bit puzzled, she asked, "But... didn't you ask
Headmistress Marchbanks if you could have access to
the Lords' Quarters?"
He replied, "I was being polite, Hermione. I already
knew Lady Marchbanks would not refuse me,
because... as I said... it's my right to move to that
accommodation. My letter requesting access was a
polite way of saying, 'Please ensure the Quarters are
prepared for my arrival, as I'll be using them.'"
Now better informed, Hermione seemed to lose that
air of sadness she had and was able to eat her
breakfast. Her appetite was back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once Hermione was comfortably eating her breakfast,
Harry indicated an article in the Daily Prophet to her.
"Lord MacMillan has chosen today to make a public
apology from the House of MacMillan to the House of
Potter," he said. And held it so she could read it while
eating.
When it was clear she was done, she asked, "I thought
you said Lord MacMillan didn't need to apologise; that
it was Ernie, who had to."
"That was the instruction, yes," replied Harry, pulling
the paper back. "However, it seems Lord MacMillan
was willing to exceed that requirement by also
offering apology."
"Why wait until now?" asked Wendell. "It's been five
weeks."
Turning to look at him, Harry replied, "I'm guessing it's
because Hogwarts reopens today. He's giving his
apology to be a... 'introduction?'... to a public apology
from his grandson, once everyone arrives at
Hogwarts; or, possibly, even on the train on the way
there."
"Your not arriving there until Tuesday is going to
partly destroy that plan," smirked Wendell.
Harry grinned and shrugged back. "Only a bit. Ernest
can still apologise. He'll just have to wait a couple of
days. He'll be yet someone else who'll be sweating our
non-appearance."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At almost the same time in Hogwarts's Great Hall,
Dumbledore had just entered and sat at his 'place' at
the table when Marchbanks, from her centre place at
the table as Headmistress, called to him.
"Albus?" she asked.
When he turned and asked, "Yes, Grisel...
Headmistress Marchbanks?"
He'd quickly corrected himself, as soon as he saw her
expression change from a neutral expression to fury
as soon as he began to address her by her first name.
"I need you to see me in my office at 1.00pm sharp,
Albus," she said. "Don't be late. And bring with you
your teaching schedules and lesson plans, when you
do."
"Yes, Headmistress," he sighed. 'Now the blasted
woman wants to check I'm prepared for classes to
start. Damn her. She knows damned well I've been the
Professor of Transfiguration before and, therefore,
know what I'm doing.'
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
About an hour after they'd broken their fasts, Harry
asked Hermione, "As the old fart is going to be sacked
some time after 11.00am, we won't have a chance to
go beyond the wards, here, again. Feel like taking a
stroll around the neighbourhood?"
Hermione smiled and said, "I'd love to!" Then slipped
a bookmark into the book she was reading. Harry
noticed it was the one he gave her on Occlumency,
Occlumency for Beginners.
Once they'd alerted the adult Grangers and the aurors
of their plan to take a walk, both headed up to their
respective rooms to don warmer layers.
Meeting back in the entrance foyer five minutes later,
it was to be greeted by two aurors dressed as
muggles and waiting for them; a witch and a wizard.
"Ready to go?" asked the female auror.
"Yup," replied Harry, taking Hermione's hand.
The auror said, "We'll follow behind under
disillusionment. We won't crowd you, but we'll be
close by in case of trouble you can't handle."
Harry smiled back and said, "Thank you."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The two had been out on the street and were about
two blocks and ten minutes away - they weren't
hurrying - when Harry noticed two somewhat
attractive muggle girls cross the road just ahead of
them and walk their way. A blonde and a brunette,
both had decent shaped bodies with fair sized boobs.
Both were dressed in heavy denim jackets with furlined collars over tight T-shirts, denim mini-skirts,
heavy skin-toned stockings and ankle-high boots.
Both appeared about the same age as Hermione.
He then heard Hermione mutter, "Oh, Gods," as her
hand tightened in his own.
Having a fair idea what was about to happen, Harry
turned his eyes on hers, smiled, and said, "Don't
worry; we'll handle it. Just remember who you are
going to marry."
That had her relax again just as the girls got into
'range'.
"Oh, look!" snarked the blonde. "It looks like the
beaver got herself a boyfriend."
That had the brunette cackle with laughter, though it
did not reach her eyes.
Both stopped side-by-side about ten feet ahead of the
two teens as Harry felt Hermione begin to cower
behind him.
In a clear voice, Harry effected a posh, almost Malfoyish, accent and asked, "Hermione, dear. I believe
these two prostitutes know you."
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Chapter 323
That had Hermione pop up from her cringe and stare
at Harry in shock. It also managed to stutter the two
girls into stunned silence.
He continued in the same voice, "How is it you know
two prostitutes?"
Then in a quiet mutter to her, said, "Address me as
'My Lord'."
Hermione blinked before she took a quick glance at
both girls and immediately looked back to Harry. Then
she smirked.
In her own carrying voice she replied, "I have no idea
if they are prostitutes now, or not, My Lord. However,
both these... ladies... attended primary school in the
same year as I, before I began to attend private
school."
As he was turned from the two girls, Harry maintained
a straight face but gave Hermione a wink with the eye
furthest from the two.
"Of course, they are," he declared before he, gestured
towards them and let his eyes dress them up and
down. "Look at how they're dressed! Clearly, they
must be prostitutes."
Turning to look at them in the eyes, he said, "Tell me...
ladies... did you become prostitutes because you
enjoy sex, or was it because you're too stupid to find
a better profession?"
That snapped both girls out of their shock and both
faces developed expressions of fury. The brunette
practically shouted back, "We are not prostitutes!"
"Sorry," he said. "Please forgive me."
As both girls' expression began to relax, he said, "I
meant 'Ladies of the Night'."
When he saw their expressions again change to
anger, before they could say anything he tried, "Or, do
you prefer 'Call Girls'?... No?... 'Hookers'?... What
about 'Gentlemens' Special Friends'?"
"Arsehole!" the blonde screamed at him.
"No thanks," he blandly said. "I believe in... shall we
say... the traditional entrance.
"Besides, I have no wish to pay for your services.
However, I wish you luck in your... endeavours."
That had Hermione suddenly try to bury her face into
his shoulder and begin snickering.
When the blonde began to splutter and start hurling
invectives at him, the brunette suddenly latched onto
her arm and began to drag her across the street.
"Oh, I get it!" he declared, calling after them. "You
prefer to be called... Street Walkers! Sorry! My bad! Or
is that demonstration to reflect how you're 'Escorts'?
You're not offering a two-for-the-price-of-one deal, are
you? What would that be worth, anyway? Ten
pounds?"
After both girls had reached the other side of the road
and hurried away down the footpath, not even looking
back, Harry turned to Hermione and innocently asked,
"Was it something I said?"
She then latched onto him more fully and began to
laugh and cry at the same time with her face
practically buried into the hollow of his shoulder.
It was a few minutes before she could compose
herself enough to release him and step back.
"Damn, Harry," she giggled and sniffled. "That was
just... precious."
Surreptitiously, Harry conjured a handkerchief
between them and offered it to her. Hermione clearly
needed one to wipe her eyes and clear her nose.
It was only a minute later before they were again
walking along. But about once a minute Hermione
would develop a short case of the snorts and giggles
and would have to pause walking again.
When they got home, Hermione immediately tracked
down her mother and dragged her upstairs. A few
seconds after she did, Harry heard her bedroom door
slam close.
That's when the female auror dropped her Notice-MeNot charm and widely grinned at Harry. "You... are
evil." Then hurried to the back of the house and down
the stairs.
Curious, Wendell asked, "Something happen out on
your walk?"
Harry shrugged and said, "Not really. A couple of girls
Hermione knew from primary school tried to start
something nasty with her. Before they got past their
first scathing remark, I shot them down, pretty quick.
And, no, I didn't use magic; just words.
"Hermione's had an on-off dose of the giggles ever
since. And, I think she just wants to tell Monica about
it."
Harry was right. When the two came down about five
minutes later, it was obvious both had been laughing
hard as both had slightly flushed faces, bright eyes
and were grinning from ear to ear.
Monica immediately approached Harry, pulled down
on his arm to get him to bend over a little and planted
a kiss on his cheek.
As he started to straighten up in shock with a
developing blush, she brushed his cheek with her
hand and softly, but vehemently, said, "Good boy."
Blushing a little, Harry just grinned back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As Platform nine and three-quarters began to fill with
excited students and their exasperated guardians,
many were looking about to see if they could spot
Harry.
Because it was a Sunday, there wasn't so many
parents dropping their children off early so they could
hurry in or back to work, so many parents were using
the opportunity as a bit of a social event. Pockets of
adult witches and wizards were shifting about, while
also keeping an eye on children who were wanting to
dash off to find friends.
For the Heirs of the Alliance, they had already made
plans and were meeting in the third carriage. They all
also already knew Harry and Hermione were going to
be a 'couple of' days late; so, did not expect to see
him on the platform or on the train.
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Chapter 324
As they'd arranged between them, Neville was early
and had already secured a compartment in the 'right'
carriage, while his parents were on the platform
greeting old friends and catching up. His father did
come on board, though, and help him with getting his
trunk into the overhead rack with a quick levitation
charm. On his father's advice he also had his
Hogwarts uniform out and set aside for changing into
later. That way, he would not need to get his trunk
down to get them out.
Ready, he pulled a book titled 'Water Plants of the
Mediterranean' out, took a seat next to the door and
began to read.
Next to arrive was Daphne and Tracey with Samuel
following with their trunks levitating behind him,
stacked one atop the other.
"Heir Longbottom," both girls said almost
simultaneously.
Before Neville had a chance to respond, Samuel then
said, "Hello, Neville."
Neville was quick to slide across the bench to give
Samuel room before then standing. "Lord Greengrass;
a pleasure," he said. Before looking to the girls and
smiling. "Ladies."
Samuel levitated their trunks into the overheads for
them. And then quickly begged their leave.
With his burgeoning confidence, Neville was about to
suggest they remove a change of Hogwarts robe out
of their trunks first, when he noticed the two girls
were already wearing them.
With both trunks up and secure - the girls checked -
they turned to Neville and smiled at him.
Still standing he asked, "Shall we?" and indicated the
seats.
After the girls both sat, Neville sat and asked, "Any
idea when Hannah and Susan are likely to turn up?"
"No idea," said Tracey.
Looking to Daphne, he asked, "Are we likely to have
any trouble for you by sitting with me?"
Daphne answered, "As I said on the floo, not since its
gone public the Alliance has gone active again."
Susan and Hannah turned up about fifteen minutes
later and were giggling. Both were also dragging their
own trunks.
Daphne used a levitation charm to lift both into the
overhead racks for the girls, which surprised Neville.
"I didn't know you were that accomplished with the
levitation charm, Daphne."
Daphne smiled back and said, "I could only do it
because both have permanent featherweight charms
on them. If they didn't, I wouldn't have been able to
manage it, I don't think."
Neville thought about it and asked, "What if someone
had cast featherweight charms on them immediately
before you levitated them?"
That clearly surprised the girl. "I... had not considered
that."
Snapping out of her surprise she looked to the two
still giggling 'Puffs and asked, "Something amuse
you?"
Susan replied, "All the people on the platform. Hannah
and I were stopped three times by people asking us
about the Alliance."
Then Hannah added, "And then they immediately
asked us if we'd introduce them to Harry, so they
could apologise to him for their behaviour both over
the month before the First Task and anything else."
Tracey gave a snort of amusement and said, "A little
late, aren't they?"
Just before the train was due to leave, they had
another knock on the door and a student ask to join
them - Luna.
"Hello," she said. "I received a note from Harry Potter
telling me that I should join you in your compartment
for the trip to Hogwarts. I have no idea why, though."
"Luna, right?" asked Neville. "Luna Lovegood?"
"Yes," she almost hesitantly replied.
Rising, Neville said, "Harry wrote me and asked that, if
you decided to join us, to make you feel welcome. So,
come on in."
As Luna seemed to relax and smiled back, Neville cast
a featherweight charm on the trunk and asked Daphne
to levitate it up into the racks. She was happy to do
so.
Once Luna was in and properly situated, Neville
explained, "Harry sent me a note and asked me to
ensure that Luna was made welcome if she asked to
join us. I'm happy to do so. But, he hasn't been very
forthcoming as to why."
Luna explained, "Lord Potter is aware of some of the
difficulties I've had in Ravenclaw, due to how some of
the members of the House have treated me. He seems
to want to take me under his wing, so to speak.
"I also suspect he had something to do with the lovely
lady mind-healer who's been visiting me over the
break. But, I know he won't say if he was. I don't mind,
though; she's nice company."
As Luna spoke Neville noticed she wasn't speaking as
'airily' as he remembered her to do. She now spoke
with more confidence.
He smiled at her and said, "Harry didn't tell me any of
that. So, thank you for telling me."
She smiled back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After the train departed Kings Cross right on
schedule, the six sat back and relaxed in their
compartment. They were happy to just settle back for
the journey.
It was about and hour into the trip when the door was
yanked open by Malfoy.
He did a quick look-around before he looked at Neville
and said, "Longbottom. Do you know where I can find
Potter?"
"He's not on board," replied Neville. "He's made other
arrangements."
Malfoy seemed to think about that for a moment
before he seemed to give a nod. Then he looked at
Daphne and Tracey and seemed about to sneer, but
thought better of it. He then stepped back out of the
compartment and walked away without another word.
Neville re-closed the door.
"That was... odd," said Susan.
Neville said, "Malfoy has this bit of tradition where he
tracks down Harry on the train and tries to pick a fight
with him. I don't know why he bothers, as he's never
won even one of their confrontations.
"However, I've never seen him act so polite before."
"That was polite?" asked Hannah.
"For Malfoy; yes," he shrugged.
It was a moment before Daphne said, "Malfoy is going
to be a changed boy at Hogwarts, from now on. He's
learned he's not the Heir Primary of Black, as he
thought he was; his father has lost his puppet Minister
and his Lord Black, I suspect, has laid down the law
with his mother.
"I also believe he's very quickly going to discover
that, as a result, he can no longer consider himself the
so-called Prince of Slytherin. That title will likely shift
to Theodore Nott, because of his grandfather,
Caracticus Nott, sitting on the Wizengamot and
nominating for the Ministership."
"Nott won't win," said Susan.
"No," agreed Daphne. "However, just being nominated
shows the other Houses in the Dark alliances are
deferring to him. That means their Heirs will to Theo."
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Chapter 325
Down towards the rear compartments of the train, Ron
was moping.
He was very relieved he was no longer at Aunt
Muriel's. However, he only found out Harry and
Hermione would not be on the train when he arrived at
the platform. The twins told him. He had to promise
he'd apologise to 'them', but they weren't here to
apologise to.
After sitting for half an hour he realised sitting in the
compartment on his own was stupid. So, went looking
for who else was on the train.
He found Dean and Seamus sitting in a compartment
with two girls from Hufflepuff and asked to join them.
The two boys seemed reticent, but the two 'Puffs
allowed it.
Feeling grateful - not an emotion he was used to - he
took a seat and said, "Thank you."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After a short lunch, Dumbledore returned to his office
apartment and collected the information Marchbanks
had demanded of him. Then made his way to her
office. He knew he was going to be a couple minutes
late, but didn't care. It was time he started regaining
his rightful authority; even if it meant taking little
progressive steps to get there.
At two minutes past 1.00pm he approached the
gargoyle. He was about to inform it he was there when
the gargoyle simply stepped to the side to give him
access. With a sigh of annoyance, he made his way up
the stairs and, as usual of late, didn't even bother to
knock on the door before letting himself in; as if it was
his right to do so.
Marchbanks was sitting at her desk, but she wasn't
alone. Sitting before her desk was another man. One
Dumbledore did not recognise.
On seeing him, Dumbledore stopped just inside the
door. He looked at the man, who had now turned to
look back and realised he didn't recognise him.
With a frown on his face, he turned back to
Marchbanks and said, "I believe I had an appointment
with you for 1.00pm, Headmistress Marchbanks."
"You do, Albus," she said. "Since you've rudely let
yourself in before knocking - a bad habit you've
developed of late - you'd best come forward and take
a seat."
Frowning even deeper, Dumbledore walked forward
and took the second, vacant, chair slightly apart from
the other man.
As soon as he sat and before he could say anything,
Marchbanks held out her off hand, palm up, and said,
"I believe you have something for me?" And flicked
her hand in a 'hand it over' gesture.
Dumbledore, his mind on trying to figure out who the
other man could be, almost unconsciously handed her
his files.
As soon as she had them she put them down before
her on her desk blotter and began to go through them.
Annoyed, Dumbledore said, "Aren't you going to
introduce us, Gri... errr... Headmistress?"
"In a moment," she muttered.
A few moments later she'd scanned through the files
and gave a small grunt of satisfaction, before closing
them again and putting her hands on them.
Looking up at Dumbledore she said, "Albus..." She
then gave a nod to the other man, who was still
carefully watching him back, "... This is Professor
Jonathan Biffingwater. He comes to us by way of
recently being a professor at a day school for magic
on the west coast of magical America."
She gave that a moment to sink in as Dumbledore
only deigned to give a slight nod to the man.
Biffingwater only cocked an eyebrow back and
smirked. He saw the brush off for what it was and
clearly didn't care.
Giving her own snort of amusement at the disrespect,
Marchbanks simply said, "Starting today, Professor
Biffingwater is the new Hogwarts Professor of
Transfiguration." It was not hard to hear the
satisfaction in her voice when she said that.
From looking almost surreptitiously at Biffingwater,
Dumbledore's head snapped back to stare at her in
shock.
"Yes, Albus," she almost snarked. "It means you're
fired. The School Board gave me permission to fire
you a couple weeks back. However, I wanted to make
sure John, here, had arrived before I did so."
As Dumbledore sat there, still shocked... stunned...
even appalled... Marchbanks went on to say, "You'll
find you've been paid until the end of the week, as per
the requirements of your tenure-ship contract.
However, your services are no longer required and I'm
demanding of you to be out of the castle by 4.00pm,
this afternoon."
He gaped for a few more seconds before he said, "I
have tenure―"
She was quick to cut him off. "Had tenure, Albus. I
warned you, some time ago, I believed I had sufficient
cause to void your tenure. The School Board agreed.
"I trust you not to make a scene as you pack your
personal effects and vacate the castle. However, if
you're not gone by 4.00pm, you'll be rudely ejected
from the castle and grounds.
"That will be all, Albus. Thank you."
Angrily, Dumbledore surged to his feet and glared
back. "You haven't heard the end of this!" he snarled,
before spinning about and storming from the room.
Both watched him as he walked out, ready for him to
try something.
As he walked out the door, Marchbanks banished the
door shut and warded it.
Once the door closed, Biffingwater turned back to
Marchbanks and said, "Unpleasant fellow. And, what's
with the colours?"
Marchbanks gave a quiet snort and replied, "An...
affectation, I believe. Otherwise, I'd have to suspect
the man of being completely colour blind."
"I hope that's not the standard of dress I can expect
from other members of staff?" he asked.
"No," she replied. "I trust you received the dress
standards document I sent you?"
"I did," he replied. "It is very similar to the dress
standards of the school at which I recently taught.
However, the wearing of robes is something new."
"You have them, though?" she asked.
"I do," he smiled. "Madam Malkin was most helpful."
She gave a nod and smile back. Then handed him the
files Dumbledore had handed her only a few minutes
earlier. "You'll get used to it."
After accepting the files and taking them under his off
arm, Biffingwater stood and gave her a slight bow. "I
shall see if Mister Dumbledore's programs are
workable, or not. Either way, however, I shall be ready
to teach by first class tomorrow."
"Thank you, John," she said. "Don't forget; you need
to be in the Great Hall for the evening meal and
announcements by no later than 7.15pm. I'd prefer
you there a little earlier, if you can manage it."
He gave her another bow as a head nod and said, "As
you wish, Headmistress."
He then turned and walked out as Marchbanks
removed the security charm on the door.
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Chapter 326
On the Hogwarts Express, Ron was finally starting to
relax in the compartment with Dean Thomas, Seamus
Finnegan and the two 'Puff girls - whose names he
still couldn't remember - when the door was yanked
open by Malfoy.
"Malfoy!" Ron snarled at him, jumping to his feet and
drawing his wand. "What do you want?"
With a look of glee in his eyes, Malfoy smirked and
said, "No Potter and the mudblood, Weasley?"
That was a far as he got before he suddenly almost
completely doubled over with stomach pain.
He then had a look of painful shock on his face, before
he turned and ran off without another word.
Ron, surprised at what had just happened, heard one
of the 'Puffs ask, "Would you mind closing the door,
Mister Weasley?"
When he turned to look at her, she asked, "Well? Are
you going to close the door, or not?"
Still a little shocked by Malfoy's behaviour, he turned
back, closed and latched the door and sat back in his
seat. Then looked to her.
"What just happened?" he asked, confused.
She grinned back and said, "Mister Malfoy had a very
sudden urge to use the toilet. I believe he'll be
occupied for a while."
When Ron still appeared confused the other 'Puff
said, "Lilith doesn't like people who use the 'M' word
around her. She has a knee-jerk reaction to hex them."
Lilith said, "Megan tends to exaggerate a little. I only
save the hexes for people like Malfoy. Him, I hit with a
bowel loosening charm. He'll be in the toilet for a
couple of hours."
Finally understanding what happened, Ron grinned
back and said, "That's wicked!"
Megan said, "I don't know why your so-called golden
trio puts up with him so much. We don't."
Lilith said, "Learn the bowel loosening charm, learn to
cast it surreptitiously and silently and you shouldn't
have anywhere near as much trouble with him in
future."
Ron thought about that for a moment before he leaned
forward, adopted a begging expression and pleaded,
"Teach me?"
Both 'Puffs laughed, which had Ron and the other two
Gryff' boys join in a moment later.
"Alright, Mister Weasley," she eventually said.
"However, you're going to owe me a favour, if I do."
Warily, he asked, "What sort of favour?"
Still smiling from the laughter, she shrugged and
replied, "I don't know yet, but it's not going to be
something that will offend you having to do it."
He thought about that, before he gave a firm nod back
and said, "Accepted."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Ron was so focussed on learning the hex the Fourth
Year 'Puff, Lilith Moon, was trying to teach him that he
didn't hear the door to the compartment being
opened.
He didn't even notice anyone was there until Dean
asked, "Need something, Angie?"
That had him looking up and seeing Angelina
Johnson, shadowed by Alicia Spinnet, standing in the
doorway, looking at him.
As soon as he did, though, she firmly asked, "Where's
Potter?"
"Not on the train," he replied.
Confused, she asked, "What do you mean?"
"We received a letter from him a few days ago saying
he might not be attending," he explained. "Something
about he and Hermione might be taking up the option
of having personal tutors, instead."
That he didn't say it with an outward sign of jealously
was thanks to his Aunt Muriel. He was prepared to
answer that question. However, he didn't know that
and he was still jealous, anyway.
"Really?" she asked, surprised.
"Really," he near-snarked.
She thought about that for a moment before she said,
"You said 'might'."
"Might," he repeated.
"Does that mean he might also turn up?"
He shrugged. "I hope so."
Clearly frustrated, without another word she stepped
back, pulled the door shut, latched it and walked
away.
"At least she closed the door," said Seamus, also
trying to learn the bowel loosening hex.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Immediately returning to his office apartment after
having just been fired, Dumbledore made no effort to
begin packing his personal effects. Instead, he
immediately used the floo to contact members of the
School Board. Or, rather, attempt to contact them.
His intent was to get immediate support to suspend
his termination, so he then had the time to work his
skills more thoroughly and get the decision to
terminate his employment more permanently
overturned.
However, no matter how much he begged, demanded,
attempted to blackmail, threaten or otherwise, no one
was budging. Even those he thought he'd still have
support from were refusing.
What he didn't know was that, once the time reached
three thirty and while he had his head yet again in the
flames, the castle's house elves were quickly and
quietly packing his effects.
At 4.00pm, on the dot, he found himself ripped out of
the floo and magically transported to outside the
school's main gates. He was then sitting on his bum
on the cobblestones of the path. His packed personal
effects joined him moments later, about him.
Shocked, he was a few seconds in disbelief before he
jumped to his feet in a rapidly building rage, shrunk
his effects and levitated them up so he could grab
them and shove them into his pockets. Then he
attempted to angrily stomp his way back in through
the gates, but was rudely banished back from them to
again land on his bum where he started as soon as he
hit the ward boundary.
Again, he surged to his feet but, instead of trying to
stomp his way back in through the gates again, drew
his wand and began casting powerful ward breaking
charms at them.
It was as much a waste of time as it was when he lost
the Headship and, in the back of his mind, he knew it.
It would take hours of work of hundreds of witches
and wizards working in concert to bring down the
wards. Even he, at his most powerful, had no chance
of accomplishing it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 327
After a solid minute of trying and which he knew was
just him venting his rage, he eventually lowered his
wand, glared at the castle where he knew the
Headmistress's office to be, turned away and stomped
up the path to the village. He'd be taking rooms at the
Three Broomsticks until he could figure out what to
do next and get back into the castle.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After organising a room, Dumbledore then donned a
strong disillusionment charm and made his way to
Honeydukes. There, he silently made his way down to
the basement, located the hidden access to the
underground tunnel that led back to Hogwarts and
slipped within.
Once inside he dispelled the disillusionment charm
and lit his wand with a strong Lumos, light, charm.
And firmly strode down the tunnel.
However, just as he reached the ward line above, he
smacked into an invisible wall - a ward. It caused him
to break his nose in the collision and send him ten
feet back up the tunnel the way he'd come to yet again
land him on his arse.
Shocked, he climbed to his feet and cast his best
detection charms. They immediately returned to him
the same ward signatures as the main, above ground,
wards at the gate/fenceline. Someone had extended
the wards far enough below ground to also block the
tunnel.
"Gods... damn it!" he snarled in anger, lowering his
wand.
With a minor healing charm to his nose first, he gave a
final huff up the tunnel towards the school and
retraced his steps.
There was no point in trying the one in the basement
of the Shrieking Shack as the tunnel between there
and the whomping willow was the same depth as the
Honedukes tunnel. It, too, would be blocked.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As dinner was winding up at the Grangers, Harry
looked to the clock in the kitchen and said, "The
Express should be arriving at Hogwarts about now."
That had everyone else look, too.
Hermione, again fretting a little, asked, "Do you think
people would have already noticed we're missing?"
"The other Heirs would have, of course," he replied.
"So would the Weasleys." He then gave a snort and
added, "So, too, might Malfoy and his pet bookends."
He'd forgotten about Luna, but so had Hermione.
She gave a sigh and said, "At least Madam
Marchbanks knows what's going on."
He gave a firm nod and turned to one of the aurors
sitting at the table with them.
"If what I think is going to happen, happens, we
should expect Dumbledore trying to get in here... in
about half an hour to forty five minutes, tops."
The auror looked back, smirked and said, "Then I'm
glad we'll be able to finish dinner in time."
From the expression on Harry's face, the other auror
chuckled and said, "You timed it that way, didn't you?"
Harry suddenly sat up straight, raised his left hand as
if to give a muggle oath and firmly said, "Guilty, Your
Worship!"
Wendell nearly coughed out his mouthful of
cheesecake in amusement when he reflexively
snorted. And had to rapidly resort to using a napkin to
cover his mouth while looking over it with eyes filled
with mirth.
While Harry grinned at him, he said, "Please, don't do
that. It gives me the sudden urge to pick up my gavel."
That just made Harry grin even more.
After a few moments he turned back to the auror and
replied, "Yes; I timed the meal so that there should be
about fifteen minutes between finishing it and
Dumbledore's earliest likely time to get here and try to
get in."
Smirking back, the auror softly said, "Clever."
With his own smirk Harry shot back, "Planning."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After demanding and getting the 'best' room in the
Three Broomsticks, Dumbledore had tried to visit his
brother. However, as soon as his brother, Aberforth,
saw him step in through the door the old man had to
duck a thrown metal tankard thrown at his head
before his brother then snap-cast curses at him
liberally sprinkled with intervening invectives.
He immediately retreated back out the door, knowing
there was no talking to his brother when he was in
this sort of a mood.
Returning to the Three Broomsticks, he then spent the
next couple of hours preparing things elsewhere, or
trying to figure out what to do with his immediate
future.
As the sun was setting, he had a fair idea.
Since trying to visit his brother he'd already been to
the Dumbledore Cottage in Godric's Hollow and
quickly set his personal house elf to cleaning it. He
prepared it for him moving back in with an 'unwilling'
guest. He'd had to erect certain security wards, used
by the DMLE for the temporary restraint of prisoners
'in the field', but erected overpowered and rune-based
to be permanent.
Now, he was standing just outside the small picket
gate to Hogsmeade Station, but under an invisibility
charm with an overlaid Notice-Me-Not charm so even
the slight ripple in the air that was a sign of a
disillusionment charm to those trained to see one
would not be noticed.
What he had no idea about was that Alastor Moody
was standing under an invisibility cloak and his own
Notice-me-Not charm not far away, but also obscured
by a tree as he stood behind it. And was keeping an
eye on him with his magical eye.
With years of experience, Dumbledore knew just when
the train would arrive, as did many of the long-term
residents of Hogsmeade or the castle.
While he stood there Hagrid, riding in a smaller,
single-axle buggy up front, led the lead Thestraldrawn carriages out onto the station external
concourse, just outside the gates. The Thestrals
followed along and lined up one behind the other and
three deep behind him, ready for students to board.
Once sure the carriages were ready, the big guy
moved through the gate and onto the platform to
make sure the station was clear and ready for the
Express to pull up. He had no idea just how close he
had come to Dumbledore as he walked through the
gate, but did wonder why he had the sudden scent of
lemons in his nostrils for a moment.
He gave one last look about before he walked back
out the gate and made his way back to the smaller
'buggy' wagon.
A quick "gee-up!" and he was returning to the castle.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 328
He also had no idea Dumbledore had cast a quick
compulsion charm on him to do just that; in case he
had decided to stay until the students had arrived, out
of a sense of obligation. Dumbledore wanted him
gone, so he couldn't see something the old man didn't
want to half-giant to see.
Hagrid was only a quarter of the way back to the
castle when Dumbledore heard the train's whistle in
the distance. It signified there was less than two
minutes before the train pulled in.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As they felt the train slow down the last few hundred
feet before coming to a stop at Hogsmeade station,
Ron was grinning at Lilith Moon and gushing with
praise for the girl. He'd never been able to learn a
spell - whether it be a charm, a transfiguration or a
hex - so fast before.
"Thank you, so much!" he exclaimed. 'Just wait until
Malfoy mouths off to me, again,' he thought. 'I'll laugh
and say, "Toilets are that way, Malfoy".'
As he'd been thinking, the five in his compartment all
moved out into the narrow hallway and into the
sudden press of humanity all trying to get out the
door at either end.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As students started to alight and the first few hurried
quickly out the gate and towards the carriages,
Dumbledore was keeping careful watch as they
passed by. He already knew he had the best position
as, with the necessity of getting out through the gate,
the students had to pass through in single file.
He watched as the prefects who'd been in the first rail
car, their privilege, also moved to ensure none of the
students got up to any mischief on the platform or as
they moved out to and boarded the thestral-drawn
carriages.
As they tended to occupy the first couple cars after
the prefects', most of the first students out through
the gate were Slytherins.
A lot were talking and he'd occasionally hear the name
'Potter', but the students were moving too quickly
through for him to catch more than just snippets. All
he managed to catch were what sounded like no one
could find him on the train. But, that couldn't be right;
'young Harry' thought of Hogwarts as his home.
Still scanning the crowd with his eyes, waiting for his
opportunity to grab the Potter boy and side-along
apparate him away and back to his cottage, he missed
paying attention when Longbottom and the other four
Heirs of the Alliance all passed through the gate.
Thinking that more than half of the students had
already passed through, he was beginning to get a
little concerned when he finally remembered that the
Potter boy often rode in one of the rear carriages.
Therefore, he'd likely be in the last ten to twenty
percent of students to pass through. And calmed
again.
When the crowd of students started to slow down to a
trickle, he saw the youngest Weasley boy walking with
two other Gryffindor boys and two Hufflepuff girls in
his same year. But, the Potter boy and the Granger girl
were not with him.
Looking past them he couldn't see his quarry; so he
quickly cast a Confundus charm on the group the
Weasley boy was travelling with, dragged the boy off
to the side and hit him with a disillusionment charm.
With his eyes still watching the last few students walk
through, he realised he'd missed his quarry.
Still tightly holding the youngest Weasley boy he hit
him with a more powerful Confundus and demanded,
"Where's Harry Potter?"
Dazed, Ron slowly replied, "He.. wasn't.. on.. the
train."
Angry, Dumbledore cancelled the Confundus,
obliviated the boy of the last thirty seconds and
shoved him towards the carriages.
Then he waited for a gap between the final students
still exiting through the gate and strode onto the
platform. He'd be searching the train.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Ron staggered a bit as he walked towards the
carriages, blinked and looked around. 'Where'd
everyone go?' he thought.
Realising there weren't many carriages left, he hurried
forward and jumped on one about to leave.
'Why'd they leave me behind?' he wondered.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
When Dumbledore grabbed the youngest Weasley
boy, Moody was about to abandon his concealed
watching of the old man and charge forward with his
wand blazing.
However, as he started to move, the old man suddenly
half flung the boy towards the carriages and stepped
through the gate and onto the platform.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 329
Watching the reaction of the boy, he realised the old
man had obviously questioned him then obliviated
him of the last minute or two before releasing him
again.
As the boy hurried to board a carriage and was
therefore safe, Moody moved to follow Dumbledore.
Of course, everyone used the single gate through the
white wooden picket fence. However, it was no hassle
to approach the platform from where the trees
encroached over the backside of the platform and
simply hop over the four foot high fence there. That's
what he did.
Peeking around the corner of the station house, he
was just in time to see the old man jump onto the back
carriage and start to search it.
Pulling back into concealment behind the building he
chuckled to himself and went back to where he was
first watching the old man and the gate.
Once he was sure the last of the students had
boarded the last carriage, and it was through the
gates and moving at a fair clip to the castle, he
apparated away.
He had a report to give to the Bones lass.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Over at the Granger residence, Harry was monitoring
the time with a Tempus charm. His last was about a
minute after the previous one.
Wendell was watching him with amusement and
finally asked, "Isn't there a finite amount of magic you
can cast before you run out?"
Harry gave him a sheepish grin back and replied,
"There is. But, I could probably cast about a thousand
Tempus charms before I'd reach the point of magical
exhaustion. Different charms and the like use different
amounts of magic. The Tempus charm uses about the
lower end of average.
As Wendell gave a nod and returned to quietly reading
a medical journal, Hermione softly asked, "Where do
you think they'd be about now."
"From previous experience, they'd be riding the
carriages from the platform to the castle about now,"
he replied. "I'll alert the aurors to get ready. By my
guess work, Dumbledore should be turning up here
within the next few minutes."
He rose and headed for the lower ground floor.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As Weasley entered the Great Hall, he was about to
head for his 'normal' spot when he realised Harry and
Hermione wouldn't be there. Instead, he turned to go
sit with Finnegan and Thomas. He needed to find out
why they left him at the station.
As he spotted them and walked over, he was about to
ask them just that when Thomas asked, "What
happened to you? One moment you're walking off the
platform with us and the next you just disappeared."
Surprised, he sat next to them and replied, "I don't
know! I remember walking off the platform with you,
then I'm standing there on my own! I though you'd hit
me with a confusion charm, or something; and left me
standing there while you all took off!"
"Nope!" replied Finnegan. "Sounds like a mean prank,
though." He then looked towards the twins and asked,
"Think your brothers might have done it?"
Ron immediately glared in his brothers' direction
before he turned back and mumbled, "They might
have. But, it's not the sort of thing they'd normally do.
They're all about being 'flashy' and 'noisy'."
"True," said Thomas, casting his own look at the
twins.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After spending over fifteen minutes quickly searching
the train from one end to the other, with no sign of the
Potter boy, Dumbledore stood on the platform for a
few minutes wondering what could have happened.
'Either the boy turned up at the castle by portkey or
floo; or he's not gone there,' he thought. 'That means,
he's likely still at the Grangers.
'Even if he isn't, the aurors won't be there and I can
compulse the Grangers into doing my bidding.'
With a decision reached, Dumbledore transfigured his
robes into the height of 90s muggle fashion - for the
early 1890s. A three-piece muggle business suit with
matching low profile top hat and shoes. The gold
chain leading to his pocket watch was a nice touch.
However, even then, they never wore violet-purple
with indigo pinstripe.
Then he apparated away to Wimbledon
Learning from his previous error, this time he chose
not to attempt to apparate directly onto the property.
He changed his apparation point to the front lawn of
the property next door. And appeared there with a
light crack.
A quick look around for any muggles that might have
seen him - he didn't see any - and he stepped through
the neighbours' front gate onto the footpath, before
walking closer to the boundary fence of the Grangers'.
He stopped just shy of the corner of the property, took
another quick look around and drew his wand. Then
he silently began to cast detection charms ahead of
himself.
It took him only moments to determine where the ward
line was. But was surprised when he discovered the
ward was an unusual shape. It was almost four sided
with rounded corners.
He paused. 'Strange,' he thought. And then began to
cast more detection charms.
What he didn't know was there was a very faint but
telling ward buried within and between the powerful
anti-portkey and anti-apparation jinx wards he'd
detected. The glow he saw from the second and third
masked the first.
That ward detected when the ward set was being
analysed. And a quiet alarm went off within the
servants' quarters on the lower ground floor of the
residence.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 330
The auror monitoring the wards was immediately
alerted and tapped a specific set of runes on the back
of his auror badge that alerted the aurors on-site to
what was going on. Next, he sent the same detection
alert to the on-duty auror at the DMLE.
The aurors on-site wasted no time and began to move.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The Granger household was quiet, but somewhat
tense. All four residents were in the parlour at the
time. The aurors asked them to be together in one
room until it was time to go to bed.
The two Granger adults were reading professional
journals or doing business paperwork, Hermione was
sitting on the floor trying to meditate while she was
experiencing heightened stress and Harry was
reading a text on magical combat and pretending to
cast the charms and curses he came across with a
pencil and memorising them.
Suddenly an auror ducked into the room and said,
"Someone's casting detection charms at the wards."
A moment later he snatched out his auror badge and
looked to the back of it. "The magical signature is
Dumbledore's."
Then he looked at Harry in surprise. While Harry had
explained to the lead auror how he came to the
conclusion Dumbledore would turn up, even they
were doubtful. However, they respected his
intelligence enough to know he seemed to accurately
predict these sort of events happening.
Harry smirked back for a moment before he slid a
bookmark into the page he was reading, snapped the
book shut and stood up.
A second auror, a Senior, stepped in and said, "I'd like
you all to make your way down to the Quarters, please
- the servants' quarters, that is."
"We understood the reference, Horatio," said Wendell
as he and Monica stood.
Monica had to give Hermione a tap on the shoulder to
break her out of her meditation state. "We need to go
downstairs, dear."
"Oh!" said Hermione. "I take it Harry's right and
Dumbledore's here?"
"He is," said the auror, trying to chivvy them into
moving quicker.
With all four on the move, the Senior Auror hurried out
the back door, donned a disillusionment charm and
peeked around the corner of the house towards the
front, where he knew the old man's charms were
impacting the wards.
He was shocked to see him simply standing on the
path, not even masking his presence other than to
wear the most godawful-coloured muggle suit he'd
ever seen and waving his wand as if conducting an
orchestra.
Pulling his head back he sighed and muttered, "What
an idiot."
Tapping his badge he was soon joined by another two
aurors, two younger, one male and one female. Both
were dressed muggle.
Curiously he looked at the two before he smirked and
motioned both back from the corner. Once clear, he
quietly asked, "How well do either of you know if
Dumbledore knows you on sight or not."
The male shrugged while the female just shook her
head. The male quietly replied, "I was a 'Puff. He
tended to ignore us. And I didn't get into trouble while
at Hogwarts."
The witch softly replied, "I was in Ravenclaw. I don't
think he ever said one word to me, directly, the whole
time I was there."
Grinning even more the Senior said, "Here's what I
want the two of you to do..."
As he explained, the two junior aurors grinned.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
A couple minutes earlier, Alastor Moody was sitting in
Madam Bones's office giving his report as to his
surveillance of Dumbledore, when a young auror gave
a quick knock on the door, opened it and stuck his
head in.
"Excuse me barging in, Madam Bones," he said. "But,
we've just received word from Golf Romeo that
Dumbledore's just outside the wards out the front and
casting detection charms at them."
"Send the back-up, right now, via floo," she
immediately ordered. The back up already had the floo
address and temporary password for just this
situation.
"Yes, ma'am," he said and immediately yanked his
head out, firmly closing and latching the door as he
did so.
Bones smirked at Moody and said, "Well, well. Potter
was right again."
She cast a quick Tempus, read it and added, "And
only a few minutes after he guesstimated the old man
would turn up."
"That's not bad," said Moody, clearly impressed.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
In the Great Hall at Hogwarts, there was a fair bit of
excited chattering between students going on.
One of the main topics was all the new Professors, for
those were who the folk clearly were, sitting at the
head table talking between themselves just as the
students were.
When it appeared that everyone who was going to
arrive, had arrived, Madam Marchbanks stood from
her chair and walked around the head table and, cane
tapping away, approached the big golden eagle
lectern.
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