Chapitre 343: HPF151-160
Chapter 151
Madam Bones, from what Harry saw, cast
anti-eavesdropping and a few other security
wards.
Once done, both turned back to the rest.
Harry said to them all, "Now that that's done;
please, take a seat."
Once everyone who wasn't already sitting
down sat down, Dobby popped in and
supplied 'nibblies', tea and coffee for
everyone. Harry, his two bondmates and the
Greengrasses sat on one side of the table in
the middle. Everyone else sat either opposite
or at the ends of the table.
It was only their rigid senses of decorum that
had kept everyone more or less silent until
now. Harry was grateful for it.
While stirring his tea, he looked across to
Madam Bones who sat opposite and said,
"As I implied downstairs, I take it everyone
here has Houses involved in an existing
alliance between the House of Potter and
their own, and have heard alarming reports
from their heirs, or other members of their
family, concerning how I currently feel about
those alliances?"
"We do, Mister Potter," she replied. "And we
would like to know why."
Harry could hear in her tone she was trying
her best to suppress her own anger.
He thought about how to do this; how to
explain to them all. He remembered
Hermione once saying to him, 'Always start
at the beginning.' So, that's what he did.
Nodding, he said, "Well, we're going to be
here for a while. I think the best thing to do
is, start at the beginning. At least, that's what
one of my loves keeps telling me." and
glanced over at Hermione with a smile.
"Through that hearing at the Ministry, you
know a lot about the first eleven years of my
life," he began. "So, here's the first question
for you. I do not expect an answer. If we're
supposed to be allied Houses, where the
bloody Hell were you to allow it to happen?
If the only excuse you can think of includes
the phrase 'Dumbledore said' you may as
well leave right now. I'll declare the alliance
nullified for cause. Because, what you would
be admitting to is
abnegating your responsibility to House
Potter to someone who had,
effectively, kidnapped me."
He let that sink in for a few moments before
he said, "Now, here's what's been happening
over the last three plus years..."
He went through and covered everything
that happened in first year. He described
what happened around the troll, the stone,
their suspicions, Norbert the dragon, and
Quirrell.
He then smoothly switched to second year
and covered the public supposedly formal
duelling lesson; parseltongue; Mrs Norris's
attack; the accusations from almost the
entire student body about him being the Heir
of Slytherin; the lack of action by the staff;
Nearly-headless Nick, Justin Finch-Fletchley
and the other students being petrified; the
paper they found in Hermione's petrified
hand; the second message; and touched on
his and Ron's descent into the Chamber of
Secrets, what happened within and later. He
described how he was treated by the heirs
from the time of the duelling lesson until the
end of the year, and how it made him feel.
He moved onto third year and only gave it a
cursory overview. And thanked Madam
Bones for his godfather finally being able to
prove his innocence.
Finally, he moved on to the start of fourth
year. He covered Hermione and Ginevra's
chat with Mrs Weasley about potioning Mr
Weasley; Hermione seeing Mrs Weasley
attempting to potion her and Harry; a very
general overview of the chat in private on
the train; Hermione and he seeking out
Daphne; the story they concocted about
forming the soul bonds; Dumbledore's
attempt at compulsion charms and
obliviating them; catching the two youngest
Weasleys attempting to dose them again;
their later chat with Dumbledore and Harry
being quite prepared to leave the Wizarding
world over all that had happened; their chat
with the senior staff about getting things
fixed; finding out about the Tri-Wizard
tournament and how the draw was going to
take place; Harry giving an oath he would not
enter his name, either by himself or using
another to do it for him; Harry then finding
out about the mail redirection and how they
were now handling that; then on to the
actual draw; and, finally, how the student
body were acting, even after he gave another
Wizard's Oath in the middle of the packed
Great Hall he had nothing to do with his
name coming out of the Goblet.
At the necessary points, Hermione gave her
story about what had happened, confirming
what Harry was saying. While he'd been
speaking, Harry had watched as the gathered
Heads and Regents of allied Houses gasped in
shock or appeared appalled or angry in all
the right and expected places. He now gave
them time to absorb all he had told them
before looking towards Madam Bones where
she sat white with shock; her monocle
dangling by its chain from the breast of her
robes.
With his voice becoming more and more
hoarse, Harry turned to each of those
opposite and said, "We have the situation
where each of your Heirs, or other members
of your families, have actively denigrated me
or otherwise publicly held me up for ridicule,
scorn and derision, at the very least.
"And, quite frankly, I've had an absolute
gutful. Right now, I've got your Houses...
through the actions of those aforementioned
Heirs and other family members... actively
and publicly turning on me twice since I've
been at this school. That is enough, right
there," he said, jabbing his index finger onto
the surface of the table twice in emphasis,
"For me to terminate any and all alliances
with your Houses for treachery and
behaviour directly opposed to the purpose of
those alliances.
"If you came here with the intent to berate
me... or, otherwise treat me like a jumped up
young kid... think again. The first person who
opens their mouth towards me in anger I
will immediately terminate the alliance for
justifiable cause and call all debts due."
He let his gaze in anger sweep the table,
ensuring he knew they'd all heard his words.
Many of them had looks varying from
absolutely horrified to shocked and appalled.
"Now," he said, sitting back. "Since you seem
to be the spokesperson here, Madam Bones,
perhaps you should go first with why I
shouldn't terminate the alliance between our
Houses."
She sat there for a few moments, breathing
heavily and apparently trying to get her head
around what she'd just been told. It was a
long few moments before she finally began
to speak.
"First," she said. "I want a copy of each and
every memory of the highlights of what you
spoke. However, that's me in my role as Head
of the DMLE."
"I'll organise that for you, Amelia," said
Matthias, quietly, from where he sat on the
other side of Daphne. "In expectation, I've
also brought a collection of memory phials
for Mister Potter to use."
"Alright," she said with a sigh. "Now... onto
the way Susan's been behaving. All I can say
is that I'm truly, truly, sorry about her
behaviour. Immediately following this
meeting I'll be dragging her aside and
demanding explanations and her own side of
this.
Chapter 152
"That does not, however, mean to imply I
think you're lying about any of it. I just want
her to explain herself to me. And, based on
what she says, I'll then get back to you with
what I can do to rectify this... situation. Will
that do, for now?"
Harry looked back for a few moments,
turned to each of his bondmates to gauge
their own reactions, before turning back.
"Well, I can tell you now that... reparations...
for her actions are going to include a very
public apology to me, directly. Plus, she
needs to understand, and accept, that any
further poor behaviour on her part will see
me terminating the alliance right then and
there.
"My patience is at an end," he firmly stated.
"But, if she comes forward at her own behest
to give that very public apology, the alliance
need not be."
"Is that your view with all our heirs, Mister
Potter?" asked Thadeus Corner, Head of
House Corner.
"It is, with the exception of Neville
Longbottom," he replied before turning to
Augusta Longbottom, grandmother of Neville
and his Regent in House Longbottom. "I don't
know what he told you, Ma'am; but, Neville
is one of the very few at Hogwarts that
has not turned on me - ever. No matter what
has happened, he has stood by me, even
when his own dorm mates and others have
berated him for it. The House of Potter is
very happy with the Heir of Longbottom.
"Thank you, Mister Potter," the relieved
older witch replied.
Turning to the other visitors, he said, "Each
of you have received an almost panicky
missive from your heirs and members of your
Houses how wroth I am with them and, by
association, with your Houses. As with young
Miss Bones, I expect an individual public
apology from each of them."
Leaning forward again, he firmly stated,
"Until I receive those very public apologies I
have no interest in renewing the alliances or
discussing this matter any further. Now, is
there any other business... besides the
alliances... you wish to raise with me at this
time?"
There were quite a number of scowls coming
from those opposite; all of whom had
remained silent unless specifically addressed.
However, none of them raised any additional
issue.
Giving them a few moments, he said, "Then,
we are done." He rose, followed by his two
bondmates, Matthias and Deece. That meant
the others rose, as well. "When I have those
apologies, seek me out again." He then
raised his wand and removed the Colloportus
and wards he erected before the meeting.
Following suit, Madam Bones removed her
own.
While the small delegation made their way
out, Harry gestured for his bondmates, the
Greengrasses, Madam Bones and Madam
Longbottom to stay.
When the door closed, again, Harry turned to
Madam Longbottom. "While I'm happy with
Neville, Ma'am; House Potter is not happy
with House Longbottom's Regent. It's nigh
time he was allowed his own wand," he said.
"His father's wand is not suited to him and
makes him struggle against it to achieve any
wand-based magic. One of the first things
Mister Ollivander said to me was, 'The wand
chooses the wizard'. His father's wand did
not choose him as it is not suitable for him.
Therefore, he struggles."
"Gus!" exclaimed Madam Bones turning to
the Longbottom matriarch. "He's right. How
could you do that to the boy?"
Both angry at being spoken to that way by
whom she considered only a boy, followed
by the woman she considered her best friend,
and embarrassed she'd completely forgotten
the rule surrounding wand compatibility, the
elder witch huffed and refused to reply.
Instead, she looked away.
"Regent Longbottom," Harry firmly said to
the side of the woman's face. "I would be
doing a grave injustice to my peer if I did not
speak on this. Frank's wand needs to be
placed in a position of honour on the
mantelpiece in Longbottom Hall, or
somewhere similar. That is the way you
honour Frank's unwilling sacrifice. Neville
needs his own wand. If you won't buy it for
him, I will."
Turning to stare back at Harry, she firmly
replied, "No. It's my responsibility; I'll take
Neville to Ollivander's immediately after this
meeting."
Harry simply nodded back and quietly said,
"Thank you." Turning back to Madam Bones,
he said, "Now, you asked for those
memories..."
Harry, working with Madam Bones and
Matthias, withdrew copies of the memories
of much of what had happened regarding the
behaviour of the heirs over the past few
years. Madam Bones then thanked them and
both older witches left, together.
When the last two left, Harry turned to the
Matthias and asked, "Well; what did you
think?"
Retaking seat Matthias said, "You were firm,
but fair. You stood your ground and showed
you were in the right. Most of them came
expecting to be able to browbeat you into
submission. If it wasn't for Mesdames Bones
and Longbottom, someone would have said
something that you would have called them
to task over; and they left knowing that.
"I expect they're all now chasing down their
heirs and giving them 'what for'. You can
expect those public apologies to begin
starting tomorrow at the earliest."
And so it was. Starting immediately at
breakfast the next morning, students who
were heirs and family of allied Houses began
coming over to see Harry while the
bondmates sat at the Ravenclaw table. The
first was Susan Bones.
"Mister Potter, a word, if I may?" she asked.
Harry could see the young redhead was
highly embarrassed but also upset. He
figured Madam Bones must have verbally
torn strips off her because she, and a few
others, had not been at dinner the previous
night.
"What can I do for you, Miss Bones?" he
asked.
As others began to notice something
important was happening, the usual noise
level around the Great Hall died back.
The fourth year Hufflepuff closed her eyes
for a moment and took a deep breath. After
a moment she released it and opened her
eyes again looking straight back at Harry for a
moment, before dropping her eyes. In a clear
and carrying voice she said, "Mister Potter; I
have come to tender my heartfelt apology to
you, specifically, and House Potter, generally,
for my atrocious behaviour towards you in
both second year and this year, since your
name came out of the Goblet of Fire.
"It has been made clear to me this is not
acceptable behaviour for the Heir of a House
to behave towards the Head of an allied
House. I was of the mistaken belief that what
happens at Hogwarts would have no impact
upon any alliances between the House of
Bones and others. I was wrong."
.
Chapter 153
She took another deep breath and looked a
somewhat surprised Harry right in the eye.
"The House of Bones offers the services of its
Heir Apparent... myself... Susan Amelia
Bones, to the House of Potter to provide
whatever service or services the Head of
House Potter deems necessary. The House of
Bones only asks that the... virtue... of its Heir
remains pure."
Daphne let out a quiet gasp of shock at
Susan's words. Quietly, she whispered in
Harry's ear. "Harry, she's offering herself to
the House of Potter for anything except full
sex."
Startled, Harry's breath hitched in his throat
for a moment before he quickly cleared it
and used a few moments to try and think of
a way out of the situation.
With an outward appearance of calm, when
he was feeling anything but calm on the
inside, he said to his Hufflepuff year mate,
"You have given me much to consider, Miss
Bones... Susan. Perhaps, it may be wise if you
were to pay us a visit in our apartment after
classes today where we can discuss this
further. This is not an acceptance of your
offer, nor a decline; we just want to take time
to consider the full... ramifications of your
offer, before we decide anything further. Is
that alright with you?"
With a relieved slight slump to her posture,
Susan replied, "Yes, Mister Potter; and, thank
you."
With a final nod from Harry, she turned and
walked away.
That started the almost cavalcade of Heirs
and other members of families allied with
House Potter coming and giving their own
formal, verbal and public apologies. Hannah
Abbott was next and would join Susan Bones
in their apartment immediately after class;
Michael Corner, while not offering himself
per se, offered his wand in the form of
support, as did the other males; some of the
witches gave the same as the males but a
few were similar to the apology from Susan
by offering themselves.
After each gave their apology, Harry told
them he and his bondmates would meet
them all in their apartment immediately
after the last class of the day.
As expected, the bondmates all arrived at the
door to their apartment just as the first of
the small group of students also arrived.
Daphne gave the password to the statue of
Professor Whittaker and opened the door for
everyone to follow her in. Harry held back
outside the door to ensure the last of those
who were told to come had arrived and
entered.
Once inside, he saw that both Dobby and
Winky had organised drinks for everyone.
"Alright," he muttered. As he was about to
enter he said to the stone Professor, "If Albus
Dumbledore comes along before our guests
have left, inform the doddering old fool
we're indisposed and will see him, if he
needs to see us, after dinner."
"Right you are, Mister Potter," the statue
replied, as Harry walked in and closed the
door.
In the informal meeting Harry, with the
support of his bondmates, effectively laid
down the law to the other students who, one
way or another, did great damage to their
families' alliances with House Potter. His
demands were quite simple, but direct. For
the alliances to remain House Potter would,
at times, call on their Houses to provide
support to House Potter. It might be by being
an extra wand in a fight, or it might be
something to do with getting certain
legislation passed, failed or overturned. But,
the House would do it. They could do
nothing else. After all, that was part and
parcel of being part of an alliance. They
appeared to have forgotten that.
Once the other students left to head down to
the Great Hall for the evening meal, before
then sending off owls to their various Heads
of Houses about Harry's decisions, Harry
turned to the girls and asked. "What did you
think?"
"Handled just like an experienced Head of a
House would have handled it," Daphne
quickly replied. "You now have a solid clique
of those who are beholden to you with which
to use to fight or make changes at the
Wizengamot or Ministry level."
"She's right, of course," added Hermione.
"You could have demanded practically
anything of them, and they'd have had to
give it to you. Instead, you've reminded them
of their obligations as part of the alliance and
ensured their support."
He sighed. "Still, it seemed to almost be like I
was pretty much blackmailing them."
"What some call blackmailing, others call
politicking in backroom deals," smirked
Daphne. Rising, she continued, "Come. It's
time we headed down for dinner."
The three headed down to the Great Hall.
This time, it was a much less hostile
welcome.
Only a few days after the first task, Professor
McGonagall approached Harry to 'remind'
him that, as a champion, he was required to
open the Yule Ball.
"Oh, that's alright, Professor," he replied. "I
don't think we'll be going. Daphne's invited
Hermione and I to Greengrass Farm for the
holidays."
"But, Mister Potter," she exclaimed. "As a
champion..."
"I'm not a champion, Professor," Harry
interrupted. "We've been through this,
remember? I'm just an unwilling contestant."
"You're still expected to attend, Mister
Potter," she tried with a stern and
commanding voice. "It's tradition!"
"I have no idea why, Professor," he shot back.
"I've been rather upfront and clear about this.
You have your three champions there to
open the Ball as stated in the contract. I
suggest you read the contract for yourself. I,
and my bondmates, have other plans."
Of course, this led to Dumbledore hunting
Harry down and pulling him aside during the
evening meal.
"Mister Potter," he began, "As a competitor,
you're expected to open the Yule Ball. Your
attendance is, therefore, mandatory."
"No, Headmaster, it is not," retorted Harry. "I
suggest you review your copy of the contract
to rectify the errors in your knowledge.
Nowhere in there does it state I have to
attend the Ball. My legal representative has
already gone through the contract with a fine
tooth comb and agrees with me.
"The contract specifically states
'the three champions'. As I would make a
fourth, and as I'm not actually a champion as
defined by the contract anyway, my
attendance is most certainly not mandatory.
As I said, I and my bondmates have other
plans. We'll be visiting both Greengrass Farm
and the Granger parents on Christmas Day.
They're all looking forward to our visiting."
"Christmas Day, you say?" asked the
Headmaster.
Chapter 154
"Yes, Sir," Harry shrugged.
The Headmaster seemed to frown in thought
for a few moments before he looked back at
Harry and said, "I may have an answer to
your dilemma for you, shortly."
"If you wish, Headmaster," sighed Harry. "But,
I assure you, there is no dilemma. Myself and
my bondmates will be spending the day with
the Greengrasses and Grangers."
Dumbledore toddled off and Harry returned
to the Ravenclaw table. "He try and force you
to attend the Yule Ball?" asked Daphne with
a slight smirk.
"He did," he shrugged. "But, I think I was
successful in planting the idea in his head we
plan on visiting the Greengrass and Granger
residences during the day, only. I plan on
letting him come up with the idea of
portkeys."
With a smirk, Daphne said, "You're more and
more letting that Slytherin side out now."
The very next evening, the Headmaster
approached Harry, directly. "Mister Potter, I
have an answer for your dilemma in being
able to visit with the families of your
bondmates on Christmas Day, and also your
attendance at the Yule Ball."
"Headmaster, it was never a dilemma for me,
as you put it," sighed Harry, as if exasperated
by the man. "I was never going to go to the
Ball."
"Well, yes," said Dumbledore. "However, I
have created these two portkeys for you."
The old man held out two small objects - an
old sock and a short piece of rope. "The sock
is a portkey to take you to the Greengrass
Farm on the morning of Christmas Day at
9:00am sharp. The rope will return you here,
to the steps into the Entrance Hall, at 6:45pm
sharp."
Harry held up his hand in a gesture to stop
and sighed. "Sorry, Headmaster," he
explained. "It appears I did not explain
myself properly. My bondmates and I will be
leaving on the Express for the Christmas
break. We won't be returning until the
Express returns with the students.
"However, I recognise the effort you've gone
to seeing us attend the Ball without
upsetting our plans. Therefore, we'll use the
portkey made of the rope to return to the
school for the night of the Ball. However, the
portkey made of the sock will need to be
reconfigured to return us to Greengrass Farm
on or about midnight the same night, so we
may return to our winter holiday. Sorry.
Either that or we Floo."
With one of his grandfatherly sighs,
Dumbledore said, "I'm sorry, my boy; but, I
cannot allow you to leave the school for such
an extended period of time. It is unsafe for
you."
Harry snorted and said, "One: I am a fully
emancipated minor. As such, I can come and
go as I please; so long as I am here for classes
and the two mandatory feasts. Two: As a
competitor in the Tournament, I'm allowed
to leave the grounds of the school, with my
trainers, whenever I want; it's in the contract.
And, that same competitor status also means
I can skip classes, irrelevant of the
aforementioned point one. Three: You seem
to have forgotten my magical guardianship
was stripped from you, irrelevant of point
one.
"In other words, Headmaster, if you attempt
to stop me or my bondmates... my trainers...
from leaving, it's kidnapping. Plus, as per
point two, you would be breaching the
contract; thereby placing your magic at direct
risk of being stripped by the Goblet.
"Now, I understand you are concerned for my
well-being. I appreciate that. However,
it's my choice, and you have no right or
authority to go against it. You can advise; you
cannot demand... or insist. If you cannot see
yourself to providing a return portkey for the
late evening of the Yule Ball, I understand. I'll
then just use the Floo at the Three
Broomsticks or not attend. Or, I'll ask
Matthias Greengrass to create a portkey for
us to use just outside the main gates."
"You only informed me you were planning on
being away from the school on Christmas
Day only, Mister Potter," the Headmaster
stated a little angrily.
"No, Sir," disagreed Harry giving his head a
shake. "I did no such thing. I informed you
we had other plans for Christmas Day. I
did not inform you we had no plans for the
rest of the break. We were only discussing
that particular day. I am not in the habit of
telling all and sundry what my plans are for
each and every day, especially when those
days are part of my rightful time away from
the school.
"I remind you, sir; you are only the
Headmaster of the school I once attended as
a student, the Chief Warlock and the
Supreme Mugwump. None of those positions
gives you any right to know my personal
business, or what I intend to do
over my Christmas break. I only informed you
about my... sorry, our... plans for Christmas
Day out of what little respect I still retain for
the staff of this institution; and in
understanding the staff need to be informed
of my plans concerning the Ball, lest you
refuse to accept it from the lips of another.
By rights and by law, I didn't have to tell you
squat."
"Harry, do you think so little of me to treat
me like this?" asked Dumbledore, again
laying on the disappointment mien.
"Yes," Harry firmly replied. Looking
Dumbledore directly in the eye, he continued,
"The more I learn about my place in the
world... especially, what I've learned these
past few months... the more I've come to
understand just how much you've screwed
me over, Headmaster."
Dumbledore almost visibly reeled back in
shock. Never - at least, not in very many
years - had he ever been spoken to the way
Harry did with those few words.
"But, you're not the only one," sighed Harry,
looking away again. "Molly Weasley has
been hard at work manipulating things
around me, too. Did you know she's been
planning for over a decade to have me marry
her daughter; so she can then get her hands
on the Potter fortune? Do you know she's
quite happy to admit it was with love potions
she ensnared poor Arthur? She admitted
exactly that to Hermione... to her face... only
a few days before the first of September.
"She maliciously sent Ronald to befriend me
to give her daughter a chance to get closer to
me when she started, here, a year later. Of
course, Ronald was also tasked with stopping
me making friends with anyone else. She just
didn't account for a young muggleborn witch
by the name of Hermione Jean Granger
seeing me as a potential friend, and to want
to get closer to me. And Ron is too much of a
stupid git to realise girls can be friends of a
boy, too. Nor did she expect there to be
latent soul bonds between Hermione and I,
and Daphne and I.
"No, she was not going to let something
like that slow down her determination to get
her hands on the Potter fortune. So, starting
this year, she then tasked both her youngest
to begin a much stronger and effective
regimen of potioning. As you now well know
the first dose came from her own hands
during breakfast of the morning we boarded
the Express back on first of September.
Hermione even saw her do it. It's funny, in a
way, that it was that potioning... and finding
out about it... that led to me taking the bull
by the horns and approaching Daphne on the
train; and the first soul bond occurring.
Chapter 155
"Both youngest also carried on their persons
repulsion potions that they were to use to
dose me regarding anyone else who might
try to get closer to me; such as Daphne. I'm
sure a powerful alchemist, such as yourself,
could easily see what would have happened
to me if I was being constantly and
repetitively dosed with love, loyalty and
repulsion potions, Headmaster."
As Harry was speaking about the Weasley
Plan, Dumbledore's face first took on a mien
of shock, before it morphed into horror.
"That'd..." he started, before he suddenly
snapped his mouth shut again.
Nodding back, Harry continued, "That would
weaken and confuse me more than enough
to make me a sitting duck for the next time
Voldemort... Riddle... decided to have a go at
me," finished Harry. "It's also reflected in my
school marks, already. Did it never occur to
you to question why the son of the brightest
witch of her age, and one of the most
powerful wizards of his age, could come to
school and be less than an average performer,
academically?"
Harry snorted in disgust at Dumbledore.
"Really, Headmaster. And you foolishly
allowed both to return to the school. That's
why I and my bondmates demanded the
re-sort; to minimise the risk of further
potioning by the Weasley terrible two.
"However, that they've been allowed to
remain here does not negate that risk
entirely. That they're still here means they
can foolishly make further attempts. Of
course, without their Potion Queen... their
mother... supplying them with the potions, I
daresay they may not attempt it for the
foreseeable future; but, that's not a given. If
they do they will, of course, fail. However, if
they do they will also be caught; and you'll
not be saving them from Azkaban, this time.
"But that's only one point. For all your
vaunted knowledge and wisdom, you tend to
make one Hell of a lot of mistakes; especially
when it comes to me. I'm just sick and tired
of often being the victim of those mistakes."
Without waiting for a response, Harry just
turned and walked away. He didn't see the
look of comingled horror and sadness on
Dumbledore's face as he watched Harry walk
away.
Dumbledore supplied Harry the required
portkey to Greengrass Farm the very next day,
with barely a word.
The Room of Requirement started to be used
by Harry more and more. He used it to
practice silent casting; he used it to practice
charms and curses to minimalise the wand
gestures, so he could cast them underwater;
then, together with both ladies, the three
used it to practice dancing for the Yule Ball.
For Harry - and occasionally Hermione - it
was mainly Daphne teaching Harry.
However, they were all amazed when the
Room was able to be configured into a dance
studio with animated dancing mannequins
similar in style to duelling dummies. The
mannequins couldn't speak, but they didn't
need to. Steps for Harry's feet appeared on
the floor for him to remind himself where to
place them, and when. This then solved the
problem of both ladies, especially Daphne,
ending up with sore toes after only a few
minutes of practice and teaching.
Harry was also working hard on other curses
and conjurations not taught until the NEWT
years. He wanted to get them down so he
could conjure up solid objects to block the
Unforgivables. He practiced transfiguration of
dirt, grass and twigs into objects to intercept
the curses. And he taught himself and
practiced the Aegis shield charm Dumbledore
was able to use, where he could have objects
circling about himself to stop the
Unforgivables and other dark curses.
Though he didn't have a second wand, yet;
he also practiced casting with his offhand.
And switched to silent casting with the
offhand once he was beginning to gain some
level of proficiency.
His final hurdle was to maintain a fully
working Lumos Maxima with his normal
wand in his right hand, while practicing silent
casting with his offhand. He realised he
wouldn't know how successful he was at it
until he gained his second wand. But, he felt,
it didn't hurt to practice.
The occasional evening was also spent
talking to Sirius via the two-way mirrors.
Harry and Hermione, of course, were 'old
hands' at using the mirrors to talk to the old
dog. For Daphne, however, it was new. She
questioned Sirius hard on how they worked
as she could see they'd be very popular on
the market if they could be replicated.
However, Sirius replied that the mirrors were
a joint project between himself, Moony and
Harry's father. And it was Harry's father who
came up with a lot of the rune-based charms
work.
Not to be so easily put off, both she and
Hermione were determined to figure out
how it was done and replicate them. After all,
both witches were at the top of the classes
for both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy for
their year group.
"Just remember to have fun occasionally,"
warned Sirius. "The Marauders worked hard
at both class and prank work, but we still
took the time to enjoy life. After all, James
dedicated a lot of time to wooing your
mother, Pup. I, on the other hand, spent a lot
of time chasing all the pretty witches." And
proceeded to bark with laughter.
"The latter is not something I need to worry
about, Padfoot," Harry smiled back. "I have
all the witches I ever need or want right here,
with me."
November slipped into December when
Harry was pulled aside by Professor
McGonagall. "I doubt I really need to ask,
Mister Potter," she said. "But, have you
organised a date for the Yule Ball, yet?"
"Well, I don't see how it's any of your
business, Professor; but, yes," he replied. "I
intend to escort both my bondmates to the
Ball."
With a worried little frown, the Professor
said, "You'll only be allowed to escort one
date into the Ball when you enter with the
other competitors, Mister Potter."
Harry snorted in amusement and smirked,
"I'll not be entering with the other
competitors, Professor. The other
competitors are the champions. It's their role
to open the Ball, not mine," he explained.
"I'll enter with everyone else and be sitting at
table when the champions enter with their
dates."
Not a little exasperated, the Professor asked,
"Is it too much to ask you go along with this
one thing?"
"Yes," he firmly replied. "Was it too much to
ask you to at least listen to a bunch of eleven
year olds, who came to you with wild claims
of how someone was about to steal the
Philosopher's Stone that very night? Was it
too much to ask you to listen to a bunch of
twelve year olds, who told you it was a
basilisk that was petrifying the students, and
that they had a fair idea where the entrance
to the Chamber of Secrets could be found?
Apparently, the answer to both those
questions was 'yes', Professor.
"All Houses, aside from Gryffindor, hold
regular meetings with their Head of House.
At those meetings the members of those
Houses learn a great deal of what is going on.
At those meetings, the members of those
Houses come to know that their Head of
House is there for them. They do not fear
approaching their Head of House, and know
that they will be heard. That, Professor, is not
the case with Gryffindor. Even the Slytherins
know they can approach Professor Snape at
any time. He may be a snarky grouch, but all
Slytherins know he will hear them out, if
they approach him.
"Also, each House except Gryffindor has a
student representative body. The Ravenclaws
have 'The Directorate', the Slytherins have
'The Conclave', and the Hufflepuffs have 'The
Synod'. What does Gryffindor have? Nothing.
Just why exactly does Gryffindor have
Prefects for, anyway? They're supposed to
form a student council, just as the other
three Houses have done, and yet one doesn't
exist. It would have been nice to take our
views about both the Stone and the Chamber
to such a body. I'm sure they would have, at
least, heard us out.
Chapter 157
"So. Is it too much to ask that I go along with
being paraded as a champion when, in fact,
I'm not? Yes, Professor; yes."
Seeing that Harry wasn't going to 'go along',
as she expected him to, Professor
McGonagall sighed, shook her head, said,
"I'm very sorry about those incidents, Mister
Potter."
With a snort, Harry turned to walk away. He
took a few steps before he turned back and
said, "You know, Professor... if it wasn't for
my belief you'd constantly have yourself
checked out for compulsion charms, loyalty
potions and the like, what with the number
of students who would try such upon you to
get better grades... with the amount of
hero-worship you have for the meddling old
fool, I'd suspect you of being under either or
both." Then he turned back around and
walked away.
On hearing his words, Minerva McGonagall
felt as if the blood in her veins froze on the
spot. 'Could it be?' she asked herself. Quickly,
before she could doubt her decision, she
hurried from the classroom and headed
directly to the infirmary.
"Definitely, Minerva," sighed Madam
Pomfrey. "It's weak, but it's there. A loyalty
potion... long-term."
With an almost defeated sad little sigh, the
Professor asked, "Can it be flushed?"
"Possibly," the medi-witch replied. "But, not
by me. It appears both of us need to report
ourselves to Saint Mungo's."
Looking up, the Professor asked, "You too?"
"Me too," replied Pomfrey with a grim look.
Thinking about it for a few moments
McGonagall asked, "Do you think the same
will apply to the rest of the staff?"
I've been thinking about that," replied the
medi-witch. "I'd suspect as much for all the
human staff; but not Severus. He's too wise
to allow himself to be slipped such a potion.
However, I don't know about Filius, Hagrid...
or Albus."
"Why not Albus?" the Professor sharply
asked.
With a determined but angry look, the
medi-witch replied, "I suspect it was Albus
who dosed us."
With a gasp, McGonagall began to ask,
"Surely not... Wait. It would have to be him
or Severus, wouldn't it?" She slumped in
extreme disappointment.
"It wasn't Severus," disagreed Pomfrey with
a slow shake of her head. "The potion trace
is far too old for it to be him when it comes
to you. It could have been him for me;
however, the potion trace is the same. Ergo,
not him."
"Why would he do this?" the Professor
plaintively asked.
"I suspect it's so we wouldn't question him
on any of the things he's done," replied
Madam Pomfrey. "The Philosopher's Stone,
and the poor traps that even first years were
able to get through; the petrified students
and not closing the school, as should have
been done; the basilisk, itself; the dementors
around the school last year, and Sirius Black;
and going along with that dangerous
tournament, this year.
"But that doesn't account for just how long
these potions have been in your system, let
alone mine. I suspect we've been... what's
the muggle term for it... programmed."
"Pro-what?" asked the confused pureblood
Professor.
"Programmed," repeated the medi-witch.
She thought for a bit and tried to explain.
"There was a muggle experiment, centuries
ago, where a muggle wanted to know if he
could make his dog salivate on command. To
that end, he used to ring this bell
immediately before every time he fed it.
Then he started varying the times he fed the
dog, but would always ring the bell
immediately beforehand. It was not long
before the dog would begin to prodigiously
salivate as soon as the bell was rung, but
before the food was placed before it. He had
programmed the dog to salivate whenever it
heard the bell ring. Understand?"
"Yes," frowned McGonagall, thinking. "Yes; I
do."
"We've all been programmed in one way or
another," the medi-witch continued to
explain. "For example, if you suddenly feel
heat in a much localised area on your hand,
you immediately snatch your hand away,
without even thinking about it. Your
subconscious recognises you're about to be
burned and acts, irrespective of what your
conscious mind is thinking at the time. We
call that sort of thing a 'knee-jerk reaction'."
"And you think that's why we've been dosed
for so long?" asked the Professor.
"I do," replied Pomfrey. "We've been
programmed, just like that dog, not to
question Albus about all the things he does.
And the loyalty potion ensures it. At least,
that's my thoughts."
With a sad and disappointed sigh, the
Professor asked, "When do we do
this? How do we... overcome this?"
Thinking for a few long moments, Pomfrey
replied, "As for when, right now." Looking to
the older witch, she asked, "Do you have any
classes on for the remainder of the day?"
"No," McGonagall replied, shaking her head
and thinking hard. Before Pomfrey could
speak again, however, she looked back and
asked, "If there're more than just us two,
would it not be best for someone from Saint
Mungo's to come here?"
Surprised by the question, Pomfrey thought
about it for a moment before replying, "Yes,
actually; you're right."
With a firm nod to herself, the medi-witch
rose and went to the direct link Floo to St
Mungo's at the end of the ward. The one
used for emergencies she was unable to treat
herself; or emergencies where there were
too many victims for her handle on her own.
"Yes, definitely long term exposure to loyalty
potion," an older wizard in healer's robes
explained with a frown. He'd just finished
scanning Professor McGonagall after
scanning Madam Pomfrey.
Madam Pomfrey's call to Saint Mungo's saw
a fellow student of hers from when she was a
student come stepping through the fireplace
only ten minutes later. He was someone she
considered completely trustworthy. After she
explained what they knew and suspected, he
got right to scanning the both of them.
With a sigh, the medi-witch said, "I'll get the
flushing potions."
"No need," said the wizard healer. "I know
exactly what potion it is still coursing through
your veins and your minds. Therefore, I can
just supply you with the specific counter.
There's no need for a general flush that can
negate almost every potion when the specific
counter will be even more effective and
less... intrusive on the body."
This time it was McGonagall who sighed, but
in relief. She'd already been told how the
flushing potion affected the body by causing
both pain and an almost explosive
evacuation of the bowels and urinary system.
She truly did not wish to experience it for
herself.
Still, she had to ask. "The flushing potion
causes..." she stammered. "Well, does the
counter have a similar effect as the flushing
potion?"
"No," the healer replied with a smile.
"Instead of doing as the name implies. The
counter merely cancels the potion within
your system, neutralising it that way."
"Thank Merlin!" the Professor said with clear
relief.
Replying only with a smile, the healer then
turned to Pomfrey. "Poppy? When can I
examine the rest of the staff?"
"Treat us," she replied. "Then I'll send an elf
to each, asking them to come see me in the
infirmary. However, I'd really rather wait
until Albus was out of the castle for one of
his many 'other' responsibilities before
calling them."
"She's right," added McGonagall. "We don't
want to tip our hand to Albus before
everyone is clear of the potion."
Arrangements were made for the healer to
return on the weekend when Dumbledore
was out of the castle in the very near future.
Unknowing to what was occurring in the
infirmary, Harry had rejoined Hermione and
Daphne in their apartment.
"What did Professor McGonagall want,
Harry?" asked Hermione, looking up from
where she was already making a start on that
day's homework.
"She told me I'd need a date for the Ball, as I
was 'expected' as a champion to lead the first
dance," Harry replied with a smirk.
"I take it you corrected her false
assumption?" Daphne smirked back.
"Of course," he replied with a little bow. "I
told her I'd asked the two prettiest witches in
the school to be my dates. She wasn't happy
with that, and tried to claim I could only
ask one of you to attend; and that I had to
escort that one into the Ball with the other
competitors.
"Of course, I... disabused her of those errors.
When she tried to guilt-trip me by asking, 'Is
it too much to ask you go along with this,' I
ripped into her about how we had
approached her on at least two occasions
during first and second year about risks to
the school but she wasn't willing to 'go along'
with what we were trying to inform her.
"And I gave her 'what-for' over how the
other three houses all have their own
student councils, and yet Gryffindor does not.
And, how we probably would have taken our
concerns to that body, if it had existed. I
think I might have also implied she was
operating under compulsion charms or
loyalty potions.
"All up, she's not getting her way over this.
So," he said dropping to a knee before the
two girls. "Would both you ladies do me the
great honour of being my dates to the Yule
Ball?"
"Harry, you've already asked and we've both
already said yes," giggled Hermione.
"Oh. Yeah," he replied, a little sheepish in
embarrassment. "I forgot."
Both girls laughed at him while he rose from
the floor.
"I'll... just get my stuff for homework; right?"
he muttered. He quickly went into his room
and doffed his school uniform robe. He
returned to their living room and pulled out
his own homework. By then, the girls had
calmed down again.
Giving a little throat-clearing cough, he asked,
"So, what're we working on?"
"Well," replied Hermione, showing her work.
"We decided to first make a start on
Potions..."
Before long, all three were working both
together and independently on homework
assignments.
Chapter 157
Only a few short weeks later, the three were
packed ready to leave on the Hogwarts
Express for the Christmas break. They would
be collected by the Greengrasses and
apparated direct to Greengrass Farm.
When Hermione mentioned she didn't have
most of her 'muggle' clothes with her,
Daphne smiled and said, "Don't worry about
it. We'll get you sorted, soon enough."
The ride back to London was ridden in a
mostly empty Hogwarts Express. Most
students, especially those in Fourth Year and
up, were remaining in the castle to attend
the Ball. This also meant they were not
bothered during the trip back by either the
two youngest Weasleys or Malfoy and his
goon squad; all of whom were remaining at
the castle, as much as they knew, for the
entire Christmas break.
When they arrived at Kings Cross, Harry and
the girls quickly alighted with their trunks
and were greeted by the two Greengrass
adults.
"Good trip was it?" asked Deece.
"The quietest I've had," replied Harry.
"Good," said Matthias, before he changed
the subject. "Now, we're heading back to the
Farm by Floo." Looking at Harry and
Hermione, he asked, "Have both of you
travelled by Floo before?"
"Yes," they both replied.
"Excellent," replied Matthias.
The elder Greengrasses led the three down
the length of the platform and beyond the
barrier to the muggle side. Past the barrier
they came across a set of fireplaces, all large
enough for at least two people and a trunk.
Matthias went first with a muttered call of
'Greengrass Farm'. Then went Daphne,
Hermione and Harry, with Deece bringing up
the rear.
As with the last time he used the Floo, Harry
exited with a skid across the floor as if the
fireplace forcefully ejected him and his trunk.
This led to laughter from Matthias, Daphne
and Hermione before Deece calmly stepped
through.
Seeing Harry sprawled on the floor, she
smiled and said, "Ah! I see we have to teach
you the proper way to exit a Floo."
Rolling over onto his back and sitting up,
Harry angrily muttered, "It's now official;
magical forms of transport hate me."
After a response of laughter and chuckling,
Matthias helped Harry to his feet. "Don't
worry about it, Harry," he said. "There's a
knack to it. We'll just have to teach you."
After the five had rid themselves of the
excess soot due to the Floo travel, Matthias
led them through to the parlour. The first
Harry learned a surprise awaited them was
when Hermione let out a very
un-Hermione-like squeal and dashed across
the room. Her parents were just rising from a
couch when Hermione almost knocked them
both back onto it again.
Thankfully, for them both, Anthony had
intercepted Hermione before she could
knock her mother over, and roared with
laughter.
With a grin and chuckle of her own, Celeste
said to the elder Greengrasses, "As you can
see, Hermione is a 'daddy's girl', through and
through."
Embarrassed for her reaction, Hermione
stepped away from her father before turning
to her mother and giving her a hug.
Stepping back, she said, "I didn't know you
were coming. When did you organise this?
How do you know Daphne's parents? Why
didn't you let me know? How long..." She
was interrupted by her mother raising a
finger and placing it vertically over her
daughter's lips in a 'shush' gesture.
Cele replied, "Give us a chance to explain and
all your questions will be answered, alright?"
Blushing, Hermione only nodded.
Once everyone had sat down, in a tag team
manner similar of many husbands and wives,
Ant and Cele explained how they were
contacted by Deece a couple of weeks earlier
and invited to spend Christmas with them.
The offer was extended because of the
unique relationship between the three teens.
They had arrived only the night before after
Matthias and Deece side-along apparated
them to Greengrass Farm, and were staying
in one of the 'wing' houses off the main
house. They would return to their own home
the day the three teens returned to Hogwarts
on the Express.
While they'd been talking, with Hermione
asking further questions, Harry had been
thinking. And, once the explanation seemed
to have ended, he gave his throat a little
clear and said, "Now that you're all here,
together, neither set of parents need to
worry about letting slip you know who our
guardian angels are. All of you have met
them."
"Really?" asked Cele. With a sigh, she said,
"Thank the Lord for that!"
"You've met them, too?" asked a surprised
Deece.
"Yes," replied Ant. "When their school
nurse... healer... brought the three of them
to talk to us soon after the bond was formed,
I leapt to conclusions and was in the process
of losing my temper. Their three angels
popped in and... told me off."
"That was almost the same as our meeting
them," Matthias laughed. "I said to Harry
how concerned I was about the bonds being
a three-way bond and, just as I was about to
put my foot in my own mouth about it, their
angels popped in and assuaged my fears."
"Well," said Harry, speaking up. "Those here,
plus Astoria, are the only ones who know
about our guardian angels."
"But, why did they appear?" asked Cele. "I
mean, I take it this sort of thing is quite
uncommon, even in the wizarding world?"
"I've not heard of it before," replied Matthias
before turning to his wife. "Deece?"
Deece just shook her head and said, "No."
"I think our three kids might," said Cele,
looking pointedly at where the three were
sitting together on one of the couches.
"We do," sighed Harry. "But we cannot tell
you. At least... not yet."
Daphne said, "It's not that we don't want to;
we just can't."
"A magical vow?" asked Deece.
"No," replied Harry. "A... Heavenly
imperative."
"They won't let you?" asked Ant.
"Yes," replied Hermione, first to answer.
Almost begging them to understand, she said,
"There is a very important reason for that.
Part of it has to do with protecting the
knowledge from Headmaster Dumbledore
and Professor Snape. Our... angels... locked
the knowledge a way to protect it from being
discovered by others, especially those two."
"The information is protected from access
from anyone, except ourselves, by any means
including Legilimency, Veritaserum, oath or
vow," continued Daphne.
"It's that dangerous?" asked Matthias.
Chapter 158
"It's not the information that's dangerous,"
replied Hermione. "It's how it can be used.
There is a high risk that Dumbledore would
want to know... what we know... and then
try to manipulate things the way he
wants. That is what cannot be allowed to
happen."
"And, because Dumbledore will always
absolve himself of guilt or blame if he thinks
what he's doing is for his so-called 'Greater
Good'..." said Harry.
"... He will go to any length, including
breaking the law, if he can so justify it to
himself," continued Matthias with a sigh of
understanding.
"Yes," said Daphne. "He uses Legilimency on
the students and everyone else without prior
permission..."
"That's illegal!" gasped Deece.
"Yet he'll do it if he can justify it to himself,"
explained Harry.
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs
of the one," muttered Ant. "He thinks he's
Vulcan."
"Pardon?" asked Matthias.
"Sorry," said Ant, a little abashed. "It's a
movie trope. To put it into context, it means
Headmaster Dumbledore is willing to cause
harm to one person, if it's for the betterment
of many others - for the greater good; and
the lesser good bedamned."
"Dumbledore sees himself as the great chess
master," explained Harry. "He firmly believes
Tom Riddle, Voldemort..." the Greengrasses
shuddered, "... is not yet utterly defeated. As
we know, he's right. Only Riddle's body was
destroyed on the night of thirty first of
October, 1981. His... spirit... his shade... is
still out there. I faced him in both my first
and second years, defeating him both times.
"Dumbledore knows this because there's a
prophecy globe in the Hall of Prophecies that
speaks of Riddle and it hasn't yet gone dark;
meaning the prophecy is incomplete.
"The trouble with treating this like it's a
game of chess and only looking at the big
picture... the greater good... is Dumbledore
has forgotten he's playing with people's lives.
And chess is all about being willing to
sacrifice pieces... lives... if it gets you closer
to your ultimate goal."
"He'd do that?" gasped Deece.
"Yes," replied Hermione. "And his 'we must
learn to forgive' theme that allowed so many
Death Eaters to escape punishment at the
end of the last war means Riddle has most of
his inner circle still available to him. When
Riddle is... resurrected... they'll immediately
flock back to him."
Ant suddenly stood and walked over to a
window, grumbling. He stood there looking
out for a few moments before he said, "I
don't like this. I think it would be safer if we
were to pull you out, Hermione."
"No, it wouldn't," Harry said. "Hermione's
now a 'known'. That is, the wizarding world
knows of her existence."
Turning to look at Harry with an unhappy
glare, Ant asked, "What do you mean?"
"The Ministry of Magic has a detection net
that covers the islands," explained Harry.
"Right from the first time a child casts
accidental magic the Ministry detects it,
sends out a team of what's called
Obliviators... in case the magic's been seen
by more than just immediate family of the
new witch or wizard... and records what
happened, by whom and where.
"That means the Ministry has a record of
Hermione casting accidental magic; and
where she lives. If... when... Riddle manages
to defeat the Ministry and take over; one of
the first things he's going to send his Death
Eaters out to do is kill all the muggleborn the
Ministry have on record. It will be wholesale
slaughter."
"If you pull me out, Daddy," Hermione
quietly explained, "They'll still come after me.
If I remain at Hogwarts, I'm at least
somewhat protected. It's you and Mum we
need to worry about. Our home isn't safe
from magical attack."
"Secondly," added Matthias, "Because
Hermione has not yet completed her OWLs,
the law states she is to remain in magical
education. If you pull her out, her magic will
be bound, her wand will be snapped and all
three of you will be Obliviated of all
knowledge of the wizarding world. That
means she won't even be able to use the
knowledge she has to protect herself, or you.
You'll be... What's the muggle saying?..."
"Sitting ducks," sighed Ant.
"Yes, that's it," said Matthias. "Sitting ducks."
"So, what do we do?" asked Cele.
"Stay safe," replied Hermione. "I need you to
start preparing to abandon both your
practice and your home. When I send a
message telling you to run, you need to
leave immediately. Drop everything and go."
"Go where?" asked Ant.
"Here," said Matthias firmly. "We have wards
in place here. I'll be talking to the goblins as
soon as possible about getting even the one's
we've got updated. I'll also organise
personalised emergency portkeys for you
both."
"And you'll need an escape plan," said
Daphne. "One that doesn't include using
apparition, Floo or portkey."
"Why?" asked Matthias of his daughter.
"Because the first thing's the Death Eaters do
when they attack a magical home is throw up
Anti-apparition and portkey wards over your
own; and they somehow can block the Floo,"
replied Hermione. "We think they have one
or more people on the inside in the Floo
Network Authority who either support
Riddle or are taking bribes. We think they're
the ones who're shutting down Floo access
to a home when it's attacked."
"Brooms, then?" asked Deece.
"No, tunnels," replied Harry.
"Tunnels?" asked Mathias.
"One tunnel is all that's necessary,"
explained Harry. "From your basement, dig a
tunnel out and under your wards that an
adult can run through. You also most
certainly don't want it to reach the surface.
As long as it gets a suitable distance past
your wards, it'll also get beyond the
Anti-apparition and portkey wards the DEs
throw up. A portkey should get you out from
there. If no one knows of it but you, it'll
provide you safe egress."
Matthias looked back in shock. "That's... why
hasn't anyone thought of that before?"
Harry bit his tongue. Magicals, he thought,
were idiots.
"The only problem with such tunnels is, if
others know about it, word can get back to
the DEs," he explained. "If they know of it,
they can also use it against you; whether it's
by using it to get in or simply blocking it from
outside. So, even its very existence needs to
remain a secret."
"Do you plan on telling others of this
concept?" asked Matthias.
"Yes," replied Harry. "I plan on telling Amelia
Bones and Augusta Longbottom, and
practically demanding of them both a
Wizard's Oath not to tell anyone else. Both
will be priority targets of Riddle very soon
after his resurrection... Just as you are."
"Us?" exclaimed Deece, a little fearful.
Chapter 159
Harry nodded back and replied, "You, as are
the Grangers. Riddle sees me as Enemy
Number One. My relationship with Daphne
and Hermione is now well known. He'll use
you to get to me, if he can."
"Well," breathed Matthias. "As frightening as
that is, you three haven't even been shown
your rooms yet. And... that leads to why we
brought you into here to talk, first."
"Mmm?" asked Daphne.
That seemed to cause the atmosphere to
become quite uncomfortable; especially for
the adults.
"We're going to need to know whether to
put you in three, separate, rooms; or... one
room," said Deece.
"One," Daphne promptly replied.
"But, we're not doing... that... yet,"
Hermione hurriedly added.
"Then, why one?" asked Cele.
"We've discovered that skin to skin contact
for sustained periods strengthens the bond,"
replied Hermione. "And that sleeping
together is the best time to accomplish that."
"You... haven't?..." asked Cele.
"No, Mum," replied Hermione a little
irritated by the question. "Your daughter is
still a virgin."
Ant let out a quiet sigh, where he was still
standing looking out the window.
"However, there's going to come a time in
the not too distant future where that
statement will no longer be true," she
continued. "Do you really want to know
when it happens?"
"No," Ant hurriedly replied.
"Then you're going to need to stop asking
because we won't lie to you," a frustrated
Hermione firmly stated.
"You're not placing the bond at risk by taking
things so slow, are you?" a worried Deece
asked.
"According to Madam Pomfrey, yes," replied
Harry. "But, according to our friend, Luna...
who can physically see the auras given off by
the bonds... no."
"It's a matter of balance," said Daphne. "At
the moment, we're maintaining the bonds at
a certain level. But, we're going to have to...
do something about that soon."
Nodding, Harry said, "While we'd really
rather prefer to hold things as they are until
we're all at least sixteen years of age, that's
not going to be possible. The bond is now
strong enough where magic, itself, is urging
us to finalise it.
"That being said... Matthias... Anthony...
while we're all here... I formally ask for your
daughters' hands in marriage."
That startled all four adults before the two
mothers squealed almost simultaneously in
excitement. Both men looked shocked as
Anthony suddenly spun about and both men
stared at Harry.
Matthias blinked a bit before he finally said,
with a very expectant look from Deece, "Yes,
Harry. You may have Daphne's hand in
marriage."
"Thank you, Sir," Harry quietly replied as
Daphne practically levitated herself into his
lap and almost snogged him on the spot.
All eyes then turned to Anthony.
Hermione stared at him as if daring him to
say no; with violent repercussions if he did.
The same look was coming from Celeste.
Knowing all eyes were now upon him, Ant
quietly sighed again and said, almost as if it
pained him to do so, "Yes, Harry. You may
have my daughter's hand in marriage."
With a squeal of 'Yes!' Hermione leapt up
and jumped into her father's arms. "Thank
you, Daddy!" she gushed, hugging him tight.
When Hermione released him and came back
to switch places with Daphne for her own
turn and kissing Harry, Ant quietly said, "I
don't believe I've just given permission for
my fifteen year old daughter to marry."
"We won't be able to hold a muggle wedding
for Hermione until I turn sixteen, of course.
And then it'll be in Scotland," said Harry.
"But, we can hold a wizarding wedding this
summer, if you like."
"Won't that make the muggle wedding...
pointless?" asked Cele.
"For us, yes," replied Harry. "However, I don't
know how we can invite family and friends of
yours to a magical wedding. At least, with a
muggle wedding in eighteen months, you'll
be able to have family and friends at that one.
That way, your family and friends won't think
Hermione and I are living in sin."
"You leave that up to us, baby," said a
recognised voice coming from near the
doors.
All eyes suddenly spun to the voice, where
the three guardian angels stood smiling. The
voice had come from Della.
The first to speak, Harry said, "Hello."
"Hello, babies," replied Della smiling, as were
the other two.
"Change of plans?" asked Harry.
"In a way," she replied before looking at the
group as a whole. "We have an answer for
your dilemma."
Roma stepped forward and said, "You can
invite the family and friends of the Grangers
to your magical wedding. They will, of course,
see magic. However, it will simply slip
through their consciousness. To them, it will
seem to be a completely normal wedding.
And they'll come away from it with
memories of a beautiful, non-magical,
wedding ceremony. Nothing will seem out of
the ordinary for them."
Stunned, Harry, the Grangers and
Greengrasses sat there, looking back in
surprised shock.
"You can do that?" asked Cele. Giving herself
a bit of a mental shake, she said,
"Of course you can do that. You're angels."
"So, I take it... the boss... approves?" asked
Ant.
"Oh; yes, baby!" grinned Della.
"Th... that's marvellous!" exclaimed Deece.
"Does... do you have a time frame for this?"
"August," replied John. "Upstairs would
prefer our three young friends here were all
fifteen, at least."
"We'll need a venue, a celebrant, a florist, a
baker..." started Cele, excited to begin
planning.
Della held up her hand and said, "Whoa,
baby."
When Cele settled down again, Roma said,
"You have plenty of time for that. There are
aspects of a wedding that are different for
magicals from non-magicals; and aspects of a
magical wedding that will not be required
because of the soul bonds.
Chapter 160
Candice Marigold knows most of that. When
necessary one of us will stop by to help steer
her in the right direction.
"For your part, Celeste Marie, we understand
the tradition of the Mother of the Bride in
the wedding arrangements. We ask you to
work with Candice Marigold, as we know you
both can, so you can equally plan this day."
Both women glanced at each other before
turning back and nodding.
Turning to the three teens, John said, "Harry
James, Daphne Anna, Hermione Jean; you
have done wonderful work, so far. The
tapestry of life is returning to balance quite
nicely. You have come a long way towards
putting Heavenly Father's Great Plan back on
track; but we also need you to hurry a few
things up, now."
The three teens perked up and really
focussed.
"First, complete the bonds between now and
June. I know your parents didn't want to
hear that, but they need to know for the
wedding ceremony.
"Harry James, you'll need the bond firmly
established before you arrive at the cemetery.
Second, have Sirius Orion collect the Locket
as soon as possible. Have him take it to you
as soon as you return to Hogwarts; and use
the circle to destroy the evil within it. Third,
Harry James, when you return to Hogwarts,
send Albus Wulfric after the ring as soon as
you can. Your plan to do that, works for us.
"That will leave just the magically warped
snake... and Tom Marvolo, himself. You'll
know what you need to do when the time
comes."
"Wait," said Matthias. "Harry has to face
V-Vol... Tom Riddle?"
Looking back at Matthias for a long moment,
John replied, "Yes. It is part of his destiny."
Della added, "You are allowed that
knowledge because there's a prophecy
sphere within your Department of Mysteries
that contains the prophecy concerning this.
Harry James, Daphne Anna and Hermione
Jean have a concept plan to replace that
sphere with one of their own making. They
will need your help to carry that out."
"With that, we'll talk to you soon," said
Roma, before all three angels suddenly
winked out.
"Well," exclaimed Deece, as they all turned
back. "I think it's time we organised these
three their room, upstairs; give everyone a
chance to clean up; and meet back down
here in... say... half an hour for dinner. Sirius
Black should be here by then."
"Sirius is coming here?" asked Harry,
suddenly excited.
"Yes," replied Matthias with a smile. "We felt
it would be unfair for Hermione to have her
family here if you didn't have yours."
"Yes!" exclaimed Harry. "Thank you!"
Matthias chuckled and said, "You're most
welcome."
Standing up, Deece said, "Come along, you
three. Let's get that room sorted."
The three teens rose and followed Deece out
of the room to head upstairs.
Deece led them upstairs and into the guest's
wing. Stopping at the end of the hall, she
opened a door and gestured everyone inside.
Looking at the size of the room, and the bed
within, Daphne said, "You knew!"
Smirking back at her daughter, Deece replied,
"Let's just say... I had a very good idea."
Hermione walked further in and looked
within a large wardrobe. Inside she found all
their clothes already hung up or folded in
drawers.
"Everything's already unpacked!" she
exclaimed.
"Of course, dear," replied Deece. "Our house
elves are quite efficient."
With a gasp, Hermione continued, "My
winter clothes from home are here, too!"
"Uh-hmm," nodded Deece. "Your mother
brought them with her."
Slowly wandering around, looking in
wardrobes and the like, Harry finally turned
to Deece and softly said, "Thank you."
"You're most welcome, dear," replied Deece
just as softly. Standing up a bit straighter, she
said in a firm voice, "Now. Clean up, and
we'll meet back down in the informal dining
room in thirty minutes, alright?"
"Yes, Mum; thank you," replied Daphne.
Deece gave her a slight nod before she
walked out the door, softly closing it behind
her.
The three quickly got themselves sorted,
during which Harry asked Daphne, "Are you
alright with this? I mean; this isn't your room,
right? I know it'd be more comfortable for
you..."
"Hush, Harry," Daphne interrupted. "Please
believe me when I tell you I'm now finding
myself more comfortable sleeping in your
arms... or with my arms over you... than I
would ever be now in my own bed. You keep
the nightmares away."
"You know," mused Hermione with a grin.
"We've just been instructed by our guardian
angels to hurry up and have sex."
Harry grinned back before he turned to
Daphne. "But, we still won't do it until
we're all ready."
Daphne blushed a little but kept her eyes
locked on Harry. "Lets set that aside until we
get back to Hogwarts. I'm sorry; but, I'd
rather wait until we're not under the same
roof as my parents."
"Don't want them to hear your cries of
orgasmic release?" he asked, with a smirk.
The blush that only hinted at colour in her
cheeks before now burned brightly on her
face and neck. "Keep up with remarks like
that, Mister Potter, and you'll be sleeping
alone... on the floor."
"She's right," added Hermione. "Now,
apologise for being crass."
Holding his hands up in the surrender gesture,
Harry quickly said, "Sorry! You're right; it was
crass."
"Hmmm..." she mused before turning to
Daphne. "Do we forgive him?"
"We'll write it off as boyish excitement at
getting new instructions from his guardian
angel," mused Daphne. "But... if he's crass
again... floor."
Nodding, Hermione said, "Agreed."
Harry slowly lowered his hands and said, "I
can't win."
"Of course you can't," said Daphne. "Now,
get your cute tushie in the bathroom and
wash your face and hands."
With a sigh of relief, Harry ducked into the
bathroom and did as he was told.
Twenty minutes later, the three were
descending the stairs with Daphne in the
lead. As she knew the layout of the house,
she led them the shortest route to the
informal dining room.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone