"This is getting ridiculous." Hermione huffed out.
Harry wholeheartedly agreed. Hagrid was being ridiculous by locking himself inside his hut for days without end. The friendly half-giant was absent from all the classes which were now under Professor Grubbly-Plank's care, not to mention his consistent absence during the meal-times.
"Why's he avoiding us?" asked Hermione, while they were walking through the corridors. They were in no hurry so they were just walking at a slow pace.
"Maybe he fears we would no longer be friends with him."
"That's preposterous. Why would he think that?' Hermione asked exasperated.
"He has lived all his life in the Wizarding world where all magical creatures are discriminated. Look at what happened to Professor Lupin in our third year." Harry pointed out.
"But, we would be the last people in the world to discriminate against him. He should know that."
Harry restrained the urge to roll his eyes at Hermione's naivety. It's not like people were super-rational all the time. Sometimes, heightened emotions make people do stupid and unreasonable things. However, in Hagrid's case, Harry could understand the man's pain. Hagrid, despite his funny exterior, is a tragic character in all sense. In the grand tale of the British wizarding world, Hagrid is one of the unique people who happen to be inherently hated more so than the muggleborns, half-bloods or even other creatures.
Hagrid remained the living embodiment of everything the pureblood supremacists could not tolerate. Harry held no doubts the purebloods of Hagrid's time certainly considered Hagrid's father a traitor and may have tried their best to demonize him for his life choices. Truth be told, Harry didn't even want to think what was going on in Hagrid's father's mind when he decided to take a Giantess for lover. But, that point was moot seeing as Hagrid got to face the music despite having no control over the circumstances of his birth.
Despite Hagrid's personal troubles, the fact remained that Hagrid's absence in the Care of Magical Creatures class is polarizing the student population. Professor Grubbly Planks was fast becoming favourites among the female half of Hogwarts and quickly spreading to the male half as well. Students preferred Plank's lesson plans instead of Hagrid's admittedly dangerous way of exposing his class to dangerous breeds of creatures. It also doesn't help Hagrid considered the most dangerous creatures on the planet harmless and misunderstood.
Even Hermione, for all her huffing and puffing at Hagrid's circumstances, likes Grubby Plank's classes. This was the same for Harry as well. He learned quite a lot from Grubbly Plank's classes in a week than he'd learn in months. Sure, Hagrid has a unique gift in connecting with magical creatures. But, Hagrid's gift was not exactly transferable and a lot of what Hagrid can teach is useless from an examination point of view.
"Who knows, maybe we will come across Hagrid in Hogsmeade. He can't be spending all his time in his hut. He has to come out eventually." Harry suggested.
On their way towards the castle grounds, Harry and Hermione came across Parvati and a Beauxbatons student emerging from a broom closet. Parvati froze upon seeing two of her housemates. The same could be said of Harry and Hermione who never expected something of the like. Parvati was sporting dishevelled hair and her uniform in quite a bit of disarray. The shifty look in her eyes and her inability to hold Harry's or Hermione's gaze acutely emphasized Parvati's present state of affairs.
Seeing as Hermione remained paralyzed Harry decided to ease the tangible tension.
"Oh, hey Parvati. Going to Hogsmeade?" he asked, hoping his classmate would take the out he offered from her present predicament.
"Ahh… yes…yes! We were just about to. Oh, Harry, Hermione meet Louis Monet. Louis meet Harry Potter and Hermione Granger." said Parvati, quickly introducing them to her brown-haired 'friend' who was not at all fazed.
"Bonjour." Loui greeted shaking Harry's hand. "You performed ze First Task veery vell."
"Thank you. Enjoy the evening Parvati, Louis." Harry said before giving a final nod to Louis. "Enchanté."
With that, he was out of the place dragging a shell shocked Hermione out of the corridor with him.
"Are we not going to discuss what we saw just now?" Hermione asked after a few moments passed.
"Do you want to?" Harry inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Nope."
"That's good." Harry nodded.
"Although, I hope nothing improper happened." said Hermione, all of a sudden her cheeks flushed red.
Harry thought of teasing his friend but let go of the matter.
"Do you know what's up with Neville? He's been acting weird…" said Hermione, then hastily corrected herself. "…well, weirder than usual."
Harry just shrugged not saying anything. Neville asked him to remain mum about the wand and he'd honour that simple request made by his friend. He already breached a line on the sand by interfering with Neville's magic problems even if it was in Neville's best interest. Perhaps, Neville may share what's happened voluntarily with Hermione, given time.
Harry hoped Neville would be having a good time with purchasing a new wand. Perhaps the feel of his surging magic might key into Neville's innate proclivity to magic and thereby boost the self-confidence of his friend.
XXXXXXX
Birds chirped and flew rounds and rounds without fail, happy that the snows were receding paving the way for Spring.
Daphne was observing a pair of birds that were chirping away happily nearby a fountain. The fountain was frozen a few days back but now the water was flowing unimpeded. Even so, she nestled into her cloak all the same as a chilly wind blew through the area.
She eyed Argus Filch who was scanning the permission slips of Hogwarts students as if it contained some great life secret. She wondered for a moment why Dumbledore was even hiring a squib for Hogwarts caretaker job. It didn't make any sense to have a squib in a castle full of wizards and witches.
"Getting impatient, are we? If you glare any harder Filch might just spontaneously catch fire." said Tracey, with suppressed laughter.
"Tracey, I want you to do something for me." said Daphne seriously as she trained her eyes on the castle's doorway.
"Sure. What do you need?"
"I want you to keep Granger busy. I don't want her or you anywhere near Harry this day." said Daphne.
"Now, that's rather forthcoming of you." said Tracey frowning at her childhood friend. "There is something else going on, isn't it?
"I'll tell you later. Handle Granger." Daphne whispered before putting on a simple smile to greet the two Gryffindors. "Hey, Harry, Hermione."
After exchanging a few pleasantries they were on their way to Hogsmeade after enduring the customary scrutiny of Filch. They had to take careful steps as the ground was drenched to the brim filled with mud and slime. Despite wearing dragonhide boots she was adamant not to step into filth on her way to see her father with Harry alongside her.
"So Hermione, I can't help but notice Krum is not here with you. What's up with that? Didn't he ask you or isn't he aware of Hogsmeade weekends?" asked Tracey.
Daphne wondered where her friend was going with this. She wanted Granger out of the way, not cling on to Harry all day feeling insecure.
"He wanted to but his Headmaster took him somewhere off for training." said Hermione.
"Oh, so that's what Krum is doing there." Tracey said, pointing innocently at the Black Lake.
It was only then Daphne noticed the Durmstrang champion near the moored ship housing all the Durmstrang students. It would seem the stocky look the Durmstrang champion sported was owed to his bulky coat. Without that Krum looked skinny especially in those yellow swimming trunks.
"What's he doing?"
Hermione's absent question was answered by Krum himself. The four of them watched Krum climb onto the ship's deck and jump right back into the cold waters of the Black Lake.
"Perhaps Krum is not aware of the Giant Squid. How about we give him the warning Hermione?" Tracey asked while subtly nudging the bushy-haired Gryffindor towards the Durmstrang champion.
"Oh, yes. Let's do that." Hermione stuttered out while Tracey dragged away Hermione leaving Daphne alone with Harry.
"Nicely done." Harry commented casting an amused stare at her.
"Come. I shall lead you to my father." said Daphne, refusing to acknowledge that she had something to do with Tracey's actions.
"I'll be happy to meet him but first I need to buy a few custom made quills."
"Why?" Daphne would deny herself over and over in the future that she did not whine at this moment. But, the twinkle in Harry's eyes told a different story.
"It's important to have them. Shall we?" said Harry, holding out his hand.
She had no other choice but to take Harry's hand. At least, that's what she told herself. In truth, she quite liked the general stroll through the village with Britain's most famous celebrity in her hand.
XXXXXXX
"Huh! I am not disappointed. It's a shack…just as I imagined." Harry muttered looking at the rundown cabin that looked like it was going to fall apart without a moment's notice.
He wondered why wizardkind was obsessed with keeping the outward appearance of their constructs as shoddy as it can be.
Daphne looked in askance at him but Harry just shrugged it off. Together the two of them climbed the steps. He struggled to keep the cloak from getting in the way of his footsteps lest he embarrasses himself by falling down. He'd have used any of his muggle clothes but Damien Greengrass is a pureblood. Seeing as the objective was to kick Lucius Malfoy out of power and in the long run possibly build a new coalition he had to look the part. The last thing he wanted was for Mr Greengrass to be a thorn on his side, especially with Sirius' trial coming up in a few weeks.
The reason that he was going out of his way to build an alliance with Greengrass was in part because of Sirius' trial. His recent encounter with Amelia Bones was a wake-up call of sorts. If Amelia Bones, the sole person JKR portrayed as a decent witch working in the Ministry is just another typical politician, then he knew he could not walk into the Wizengamot half-assed. There was nothing compelling the Wizengamot members to vote justly in spite of the evidence he could amass to exonerate Sirius.
Clearly, some would vote giving due consideration to facts presented in the courtroom. But, the majority of the Wizengamot seats were hereditary or gifted to some wizards and witches as favours. Knowing that truth has minimal value, he has been writing personal letters to Wizengamot members whom Andromeda Tonks thinks she can sway. He'd write personal letters addressing those members while Andromeda would meet with them in person to convey their side of the story on behalf of Sirius.
Harry was not sure whether this plan would work as there were too many unknown variables. That's why this meeting was important in some sense.
Letting out a breath he kept his back straight before pushing open the door to the shack. Warm air greeted him and the interior was finely furnished in stark contrast to the exterior. Harry could make out the impressive work of spatial charms that allowed a large hallway to exist inside the shack. Letting out an appreciative hum he stepped into the large hall made of polished wooden floorboards. Looking around he came across a table at the far left corner of the hall where a black-haired man was sitting observing him silently.
"Is that him?" he asked Daphne in a whisper.
"Yes." she whispered back before taking the lead to greet her father.
Harry let the father and daughter have a moment of their own. But soon, he was sitting across from Damien Greengrass with Daphne sitting between them to his right side.
"Mr Potter, we meet at last." greeted Mr Greengrass shaking Harry's hand.
"Pleasure to meet you as well, Mr Greengrass." said Harry, taking back his arm.
Harry could feel a pinprick like feeling in his head but he couldn't identify it easily. That let him know the man sitting across from him was using leglimency.
"You need not bother Mr Greengrass. My mental defences are formidable." he said, eyeing the man blandly.
Rather than making Mr Greengrass flustered for being caught, the man visibly relaxed. "That's good. There are some powerful people that'd prefer we do not interact. It's imperative the particulars behind our meeting remain between the three of us."
"You needn't worry Mr Greengrass. This meeting never took place."
"Very good. When we arranged for this meeting I was not expecting certain matters to progress far and that too aligning well in our mutual interests." said Mr Greengrass leaning back in his seat all too comfortable.
"Of course." Harry nodded. "You want Lucius Malfoy gone from the Daily Prophet."
"Among other things." Mr Greengrass acknowledged with a shrug. "You want Sirius Black exonerated and I want Lucius to back off from his current path. I think we can get what we both want quite easily Mr Potter."
"So, you want my help in removing Malfoy from the Daily Prophet. Why should I help you?" Harry asked.
"Remove Lucius from the Daily Prophet? Mr Potter, you are terribly misinformed of the intricacies of British wizarding politics. I don't blame that as you are just a boy new to our ways." said Mr Greengrass, then all of a sudden he leaned forward.
"However, I find you quite fascinating Mr Potter especially the little gift you have given my daughter." Mr Greengrass eyed the book appreciatively. The book was the first thing Daphne discussed with her father since entering the shack.
"So, as a gesture of goodwill let me give you a piece of advice. Stop wasting time by sending letters to Wizengamote members and instead attack Lucius Malfoy's source of wealth."
Harry frowned at the Greengrass patriarch. "I don't follow."
Damien let out a sigh. "Where do you think Lucius Malfoy gets all the gold he throws around to bribe the Ministry officials? The Black vaults are indirectly under Lucius' control. If you have access to Sirius Black then I suggest you use the man to deal a heavy blow to Lucius. Make it public and you will see the Ministry and all his purchased friends leave him in droves. It will of course also put a stop to Lucius' campaign against Mr Black."
"But Sirius is a fugitive. He can't be seen in public." Harry pointed out.
"Mr Black is a fugitive to the Ministry not to the Goblin Nation. Here is what I'd do in your position…."
As Damien Greengrass explained the plan Harry revisited his opinion on wizards and their lack of logic. It'd seem there are those who have fearsome intelligence in their heads and underestimating wizards was a terrible misjudgment on his part. A mistake that he'd try not to repeat again. The positively evil glint shining in Damien Greengrass' onyx eyes gave him creeps. He couldn't help but like the man. It'd seem he found a vindictive asshole just like himself in Daphne's father.
Anyhow, as Damien continued to explain all the finer points of the plan Harry couldn't help but grin wickedly. Oh, what he would give to see the look on Lucius Malfoy's face when the news breaks out. But first, he has to safely transport Sirius to Gringotts and bring him back with no one the wiser.
XXXXXXX
With a customary pop, Damien arrived at his home. The moment he came out of the apparation he could feel the wards pulse around his home.
'Hmm. It seems there is a guest. Now, who might that be?' he thought as he moved towards his home through his wife's garden.
The garden was his wife's handiwork and her signature was all over the place. The garden looked like it is painted in yellow owing to the sea of Lapsus Helianthus present in the garden. The yellow flowered plant followed his movement collectively looking for any sign of aggression. Those with ill intent would get a dose of the poisoned dart from the plant. A single dart could put an average wizard down for almost two hours.
Closing the entrance door behind him he stepped out of his coat. With a pop, his house-elf appeared to take the coat away from his hand.
"Who's the guest Snipsy?"
The house-elf looked afraid all of a sudden. He could see the elf's fear in its large brown eyes.
"It's the flaming lady master." Snipsy squeaked out in a barely audible whisper before abruptly disappearing with a pop.
Damien became alert and carefully stepped into the reading room where he could hear the crackle of a fire in the hearth. Stepping into the room he met his wife's blue eyes. Evelyn sat on a chair with her hands folded neatly on her lap. She subtly pointed at the other chair with her eyes that was turned towards the fire and hence away from his line of sight.
Even so, he could make out the blood-red hair of the chair's occupant.
"How was your meeting with young Harry?" the feminine tone of his guest's voice may put people in a false sense of security. He knew better than most and so does his wife.
"It went well, my lady." He answered mustering as much respect as he can into his words.
Frankly, he has no idea why the Potter boy was important to his guest. He was not going to ask either. Perhaps, Potter has a role to play in the Millennium Conjunction.
"Good. What is your assessment of Harry James Potter? Is he a pawn of Dumbledore like his parents?"
"I don't believe so. He is rebelling against Dumbledore's hold. I think he is working to free Black to escape Dumbledore's grip."
"Is that so. In that case…" their guest took to her feet before turning to face Damien. He was faced with the scrutiny of bright green eyes pulsing with ancient magic. "…help young Harry. He may yet prove useful to my plans."
"As you command, my Lady." he said, bowing low.
It'd seem Potter is not going to be an ally of convenience but a possible recruit. How interesting and dangerous. After all, Dumbledore is no easy enemy to tackle.