Chapter 361
When Harry walked out into the fifth floor public
corridor, the auror gave him a peculiar look.
He just glanced at the man and said, "The ladies are
talking things over. I decided to get out of the way and
wait out here, after all."
The auror grinned back and muttered, "Probably
wise."
About ten minutes later, when Neville turned up at the
end of the corridor from down near the stairs
escorting the two 'Puffs as he expected the other boy
to do, Harry smiled in pleasure.
When they reached him, Neville and the girls each
gave him a funny look that asked why he was out
there. Answering the unasked question, he replied,
"Daphne needed a few moments, so I decided to wait
out here for you."
When it looked like they then understood he said,
"Should be long enough by now." Then gestured to
the door and asked, "Shall we?"
When they agreed, he strode across the corridor,
opened the main door and let them in.
After Neville stepped in, the three waited for him to
walk in and close the door.
Then he gestured onward while striding forward and
muttered, "This way. We're in Apartment Nine."
Taking them to the door he opened it and looked
inside. Daphne had calmed down again and was
dabbing her face with a handkerchief. Her eyes were
still red-rimmed and her cheeks a little swollen,
though.
He stepped back out of the way and gestured the
other three inside as he saw Hermione rise to greet
them.
She said, "Welcome to the House of Potter apartment.
Our place for the duration, I think."
Harry stepped in after Neville again and closed the
door.
Concerned he gave a look to Hermione that asked, "Is
everything alright?"
She clearly recognised it as genuine concern, gently
smiled and nodded back.
Relieved he looked about and could see that there
wouldn't be enough seating for the seven of them, so
quietly summoned Dobby.
"Yes, Master Harry?" he asked.
"Is there something you can do about fitting in more
couches or sofas in here so everyone can sit, little
buddy?"
Dobby quickly looked about and said, "If Master Harry
and his guests can be moving away a bit. Dobby can
fix."
"Great," he smiled. Looking to the guests he said,
"Hermione, would you mind giving our latest guests
the two-penny tour while Dobby adds more seating in
here?"
A quick glance around herself and she could see what
Harry meant. "Of course," she agreed. "Neville?
Susan? Hannah? Want the tour?"
"I'd love to," replied Susan as both the others nodded.
As Hermione led them off to the furthest room, his
room, he asked Daphne and Tracey to join him a little
apart from the sofas.
As soon as they did, Dobby rearranged things a bit,
popped out with the two armchairs and popped back
in with an extra long sofa that could sit three. With the
twin two-seat sofas there was now enough seating for
seven.
"Thank you, Dobs," he said.
Dobby gave him a pleased smile and popped away
again, but not before also refreshing their tea setting
and adding extra crockery and teaspoons on the
coffee table.
"Please, sit," he told the two girls. Both returned to
the same sofa.
When he sat opposite with a sigh, he looked to
Daphne and quietly said, "I'm very, very sorry I upset
you."
With an almost jump of a start of shock, she looked
back at him, wide eyed. "Y-you didn't!" she exclaimed.
Tracey smiled back and decided to help her friend out.
"Harry, what you said was above and beyond what
Daphne, even me, expected. Daphne's happy and very
relieved you're open to this."
Surprised, he gave a very relieved sigh. "Alright, then.
I feared I had really upset you and we'd be wasting our
time discussing this any further."
"No," she said. Then gave him a smile. It was a bit
'watery', but it was still a smile.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once the other four returned from their tour, they sat
as expected. Hermione sat with him while Neville sat
between the two 'Puff girls on the triple that sat at
right angles to and facing up between the two parallel
and facing two-seaters.
Neville, looking at Daphne with concern, asked her,
"Are you alright, Daphne? Do I need to take Harry out
the back and beat some sense into him?"
Surprised by Neville's questions, Harry just grinned at
him in amusement and chuckled a little.
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Chapter 362
Daphne even gave her own lady-like snort of sudden
amusement and smiled back at the boy. "No, Neville;
but, thank you for the offer. What Harry has done is
just made me both very relieved and very happy."
Relieved, Neville said, "Well, thank Merlin for that. I
think I might have been able to get one, maybe two,
hits in before Harry pounded me flat!"
That had them all laugh. Since the return of his
parents, the true nature of Neville was coming more
and more to the fore. He was actually quite funny and
usually had a somewhat dry humour about him, but
the calmness and placidity remained without the
shyness that also used to be there.
Once they'd settled again, Daphne looked to Harry
and said, "Well, since everyone is here, Alliance
Secret. I inform you all that Lord Potter's and my
discussion proved most fruitful. I shall be informing
my father that I wish for him to approach Lord Potter's
representative with the hopes of negotiating a
Concubine Bond Agreement between myself and Lord
Potter.
"I believe we currently have an agreement-in-principle
for me to become a Concubine Presumptive to Lord
Potter."
As the girls, less Daphne and Hermione, practically
clapped in approbation, Neville gave a relieved, "Yes."
Meanwhile, Harry and Daphne smiled at one another.
"That does not mean, however," he firmly said, "That
Daphne will become my concubine. It means Daphne
will be under a Concubine Bond Agreement to me,
only. This is House Potter aiding House Greengrass in
protecting one of its daughters.
"What happens down the road is not set in stone. The
agreement may eventually convert to a contract, or it
may not. That is a matter for another time."
"Ah!" said Susan. "That's very clever. Daphne is taken
'off the market', so to speak, so her father can no
longer be legally pressured. Yet is free to make her
own choice later?"
Harry smiled at her and nodded. "Precisely."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As the dinner hour closed in, the seven walked as one
down to the Great Hall, only separating once they
walked in through the double doors. They took the
'main route' down and, as intended, were seen by
quite a few other students.
The 'news' that they did that would be around the
castle by late that evening. Which, of course, is why
they did it. It was visual proof the Potter-Longbottom
Alliance was once again active.
This time, finally, Harry's meal wasn't interrupted by
people demanding his attention.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Down in the bowels of the Ministry, the Spectral
Threat team had just received a report from the
Knight's Shadow team.
Scimitar, accepting the note and reading it, said to the
others, "As expected, the Knight and Bookworm
returned to the castle, this morning."
That had a few breathe a sigh of relief.
Continuing, Scimitar added, an inside contact has
informed us both moved into the rarely used Lords'
Quarters. Apparently, Little Old Witch had no problem
with it."
"She wouldn't," said one. "That's what they're there
for."
"Hmm..." said Scimitar. "We can now confirm Monocle
has organised a rotating force of eight aurors for the
castle. We now have three in their ranks. Eight's an
increase of two since the return of the White Knight
and Bookworm."
"Any further news on White Beard?" asked one.
"It's finally confirmed he suffered a heart attack,"
replied Scimitar. "Monocle had managed to have the
information of it tied up tighter than a merman's
arsehole and it took us until late today to confirm.
"He's alive and currently a guest in the auror secure
ward. Apparently, Monocle doesn't want anyone
knowing he's there."
"Wise, I suppose," said another.
"Oh, this is interesting. Apparently, there were
rumours she'd declared him a Dark Lord."
"Wow!" said the first. "How'd she do that without
dragging him before the fuddy-duddies?"
Scimitar grinned and said, "She used a loophole in the
law that Dumbledore used to abuse. By law, she's
three distinct people; Acting Minister, Director of the
DMLE and Regent of House Bones. She used those
three distinct persons she is and, for each, declared
him a Dark Lord.
"Our analysts have since checked the oath books and
confirmed it. Ha! I bet that stung old White Beard.
Hoist by his own petard!"
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once dinner was over, Harry and Hermione returned
to their apartment.
As soon as they walked in, Harry said, "I need to
contact Sirius about how we got on for our first day
and, while I'm on the mirror with him, ask to speak to
Ted if he's there."
"You're warning him about the CBA with Daphne
Greengrass and that Lord Greengrass is likely to
approach him?"
"Yes," he replied. "Plus, I should write to Lord
Greengrass, Samuel, and let him know Daphne has
now talked to me about it and he should contact Ted
to negotiate it."
Hermione said, "And I need to write to my parents to
let them know how we got on."
"Save a bit of space at the bottom for me?" he asked.
"I'll let them know, in my own words, you're safe and
sound."
Hermione hesitated a bit and asked, "Do we let my
parents know I'm in the Lords' Quarters with you?"
"That's up to you," he replied. "If you decide you want
to let them know that, I'm happy with it. If you don't, I
understand.
"You might want to wait for a little while until you're
sure one way or the other, though. Once you've
informed them you can't take it back."
When it looked like she was going to worry her bottom
lip with her top teeth again, he walked over, took her
in his arms and kissed her. "If you're this concerned
about what to do, delay telling them."
After feeling all gooshy, yet again, because of the kiss,
she sighed and nodded.
"Great!" he said, backing off. "Now I need you to tell
me what you can of what was discussed between you
three girls when I went outside to wait for the others."
Looking a touch suspiciously at him, she asked,
"Why?"
"I don't need specifics," he said. "I just need to know
whether or not this is something she truly wants. And
I want to know if you know what her thoughts are on
this.
"Daphne is a pureblood, raised to always obey her
father and Lord of her House. When she replied and
said to me this is something she wants, what she
could actually have been saying is, 'This is something
I want, because it's something my Lord wants.'
Understand?
"While she'd not necessarily admit the truth directly to
me, she more than likely will to her witch peers. And
it's a method by which she can inform me of the truth
of what she wants without coming straight out with
it."
"Ah," she replied. She then seemed to think about it
before she started to explain. "She's scared. She
knows what is going to happen if you or Neville can't
help her. She'd approach Neville next, if you turned
her down, by the way.
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Chapter 363
"The one putting the most pressure on her father, at
the moment, is Caracticus Nott for a Betrothal
Agreement for his grandson, Theodore. But, he's not
the only one. So is Lucius Malfoy, Corban Yaxley and
others she doesn't even want to think about.
"Until you 'outed' him during the first task, Malfoy was
the forerunner. Now, it's Nott. And Nott's contract has
the stipulation that Daphne's son be handed the
Lordship the moment he becomes eligible. It also
states that Nott will become Regent, with full access
to the Greengrass Estates, for said son if anything
happens to Samuel. Daphne said, reading between the
lines, it is obvious her father would be killed very
soon after any child she births is born.
"Next, she never believed she would be anything but a
concubine to another. That you are giving her the
option to cancel it shocked her to her core. She
realised, by the way, it's obviously for if she meets
someone who can offer her a 'marriage'; or if she
decides she can't be a concubine, after all.
"You didn't meet her expectations, Harry, you
exceeded even her hopes and dreams. That's why
she... burst into tears like she did. In her own words,
she never even dared to dream such a thing would be
available to her."
Looking off into the distance, Harry thought about
what his betrothed had told him and then muttered,
"Hunh!" Looking directly back to her he said, "So, I
did good, then."
She smiled back with a twinkle in her eye and said,
"Yes, Harry; you did good. That is, you're doing
good."
He thought about it a bit more and, starting to climb
back to his feet, said, "I need to go get my
communications mirror." He hadn't even realised he'd
sat down during Hermione's explanation.
He'd taken only a single step before Dobby popped in
before him and offered it to him.
"Oh! Thank you, Dobby," he said, sitting back down.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Up in the Headmistress's office, the four Heads of
House, the Deputy Headmaster, Madam Hooch and the
Captains of the four House Quidditch teams met for
the draw of the abbreviated inter-House Quidditch
competition.
After explaining the design of the competition, Madam
Hooch held up a small bag and asked each Captain to
draw a stone from within. They were numbered.
The numbers drawn had 1, Ravenclaw; 2, Slytherin; 3,
Hufflepuff; and, 4, Gryffindor.
Madam Marchbanks explained, "That means,
Ravenclaw will draw the two teams they will play. If
not chosen by Ravenclaw, Slytherin will not need to
draw as they would be playing the other two. If chosen
by Ravenclaw they will only draw one."
Though they looked confused, Hooch held the bag for
Roger Davies, the Captain of Ravenclaw, to draw two.
They would be playing Hufflepuff and Slytherin.
"Chosen to play Ravenclaw in one of their matches,
Slytherin will now draw one. "
The Slytherin captain drew Gryffindor.
"As Slytherin has drawn Gryffindor, that means
Slytherin will be playing Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.
Which means Hufflepuff will be playing Ravenclaw
and Gryffindor. And Gryffindor will be playing
Slytherin and Hufflepuff.
"That's the four games of the shortened season. Are
there any questions?"
Davies immediately piped up and asked, "When will
the games be?"
"Madam Hooch will design a schedule and post it as
soon as she can," replied Marchbanks while Hooch
nodded.
Hooch added, "I'll draw up a fair schedule, but don't
expect the first game for about a month. That should
give you all time to rebuild your teams, if you need
to."
"Thank you, Madam Hooch," he replied.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After describing their first day back in the castle to
Sirius, he then had a 'godfather/godson' secret to tell
him and told him of the approach by Daphne on behalf
of her father.
Sirius was not surprised. "It makes sense," he said.
Then he asked if Ted was there and if he could have a
word.
Ted was and he did.
Once Harry finished describing his thoughts on what
a CBA between he and Daphne should be like, Ted
said, "Alright, just to clarify: You want escape clauses
for the both of you along similar lines as the Betrothal
Agreement between you and Hermione, without
penalty to either party; the same with those clauses
becoming void if Daphne falls pregnant."
"Yes."
"You don't want there to be any business clauses that
become active on signing of the agreement, in case
it's voided, but you do not mind business clauses in
the agreement that only become active if the
agreement becomes the contract."
"Yes."
"You want the conditions that convert the agreement
into the contract the same, or as close to the same, as
the conditions in the agreement between you and
Hermione."
"Yes."
"And, finally, while any child or children born of the
agreement will carry the name 'Greengrass' and be of
the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass, you want
to maintain the right to both call and treat them as
your son/sons and daughter/daughters."
"Right. I don't want to have anyone think of me as 'just
providing stud services' or I was 'just the semen
donor' or anything like that."
"I can work with that," said Ted.
"Thank you, Ted," he said. "Now, I need to write a
letter to Lord Greengrass and inform him I would like
him to sit down with my Law-wizard of Record to
hammer out an agreement."
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Chapter 364
"I'll leave you to it," said Ted.
As Samuel Greengrass was of an allianced House,
Harry wasn't too finicky with his prose. He kept his
letter to the man simple and to the point.
After that, he finally managed to get back to the day's
assignments.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After an interrupted night's sleep due to the late night
Astronomy lesson on the Astronomy tower, both
teens rose as normal to attend breakfast. They did not
have classes until after morning tea, but both -
individually - felt they had enough sleep.
Harry had risen in time for breakfast but was being
quiet about it when Hermione walked out from her
room into the living room, where he was. Again, she
looked stunning. Betsy did really good work.
When he heard her and turned to her, he said, "Sorry.
Did I wake you?"
"No," she replied. "I knew you'd be up early, so I set
my alarm to be up early, too."
He smiled and said, "You didn't need to do that."
"And let you go down to the Great Hall for breakfast
without me or Neville as backup?" she put. "Not going
to happen."
"Actually," he said, "Now that you mention that, I just
realised we have a kitchen and pantry in here. And we
both saw Dobby and Betsy have fully stocked it."
She smiled at him and said, "Good point. However,
'Lord Potter' needs to put in an appearance at all meal
times, at least for the next few days, so that people
don't start whining about how you're getting even
more privileges."
"Rights," he muttered.
"Not to them," she disagreed.
Nodding in agreement, he said, "You're right. They
would think that."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The two of them walked into the Great Hall about
fifteen minutes later. They were neither early, nor late.
The Hall was about half full and it was about half an
hour before the owls turned up.
That gave them plenty of time to sit and eat before the
'mail bomb' and time to be done eating to allow others
to approach.
However, both were surprised when Neville walked in
about five minutes after they did. And he seemed to
be at least as surprised to see them as they were he.
Joining them, they gave the somewhat obligatory
greetings before he said, "I did not expect to see
either of you down here for breakfast."
Hermione replied, "And we didn't expect to see you;
though, we should have, I guess. You were always an
early riser."
"And I thought, irrespective of when you rose, you'd
make use of that kitchen in your apartment," he
explained.
"We will," she said. "Just... Harry needs to put in an
appearance at all meal times for at least the first few
days."
Surprised, Neville said, "Yeah, I can see that. Clever."
As the three ate their breakfasts in peace, all three
were just as aware of all the looks from the hundreds
of students directed their way, as they'd been directed
their way since well before what went down, went
down.
This time, no one interrupted them.
When the Daily Prophet was delivered by Hedwig,
Harry was quick with the bacon. Now that his
Lordship was public, it would not look good for him to
be publicly berated by his mail owl in front of the
school.
Opening it up, the front page was pretty much as he
expected.
~ # ~
LORD POTTER NOT AT HOGWARTS?
Expected to return to Hogwarts with the rest of the
school on Sunday evening, Lord Harry Potter (14) did
not put in an appearance, writes investigative
journalist, Kate Erister.
Questioning some of the students who did turn up as
they should, it's been learned Lord Potter needed to
attend to some 'family business' and would arrive
'soon'. It was only expected to be a day or two.
When asked if Lord Potter, an under-aged wizard who
has yet to sit his OWLs, would be arrested or fined for
his non-attendance, Madam Amelia Bones, Director of
the DMLE said, "Of course not. Lord Potter has been
declared of-age. As such and irrespective of whether
or not he's earned his OWLs, he's a fully qualified
wizard."
And what of his betrothed, the muggleborn Hermoine
Grainger? She replied, "Her magical guardian, Lord
Sirius Black, notified Headmistress Lady Griselda
Marchbanks she would be delayed by a couple days.
Headmistress Lady Marchbanks has approved the
delay."
Why have they been given this privilege? Is Lord
Potter simply flaunting and or abusing his new
authority? Is it out of simple arrogance?
~ # ~
Reading through to the end of the article, Harry
chuckled in amusement before handing it to his lady.
Once Hermione read it, she asked, "Are you sending
Ted after her, this time?"
"Nope!" he replied. "To use a fishing analogy, I'm
letting her have her head by letting the line out. That
way, when I hook her, I'll have hooked her good and
proper."
"You're baiting her to get more and more outlandish,"
she accused, though smiled when she said it.
He just grinned at her.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After breakfast, the two took Neville back up to their
apartment. Harry really wanted to talk to his mate
about his own views on his pending betrothal and
Susan's concubinage to him.
Once inside, they sat and relaxed for a while before
Neville finally said, "Well. I know you want to ask, so
ask."
Hermione looked surprised, but Harry just grinned
back. "You're getting better, Nev."
The other boy barely blushed this time and only
smiled back.
"Very well," said Harry. "How do you feel about your
pending Betrothal Agreement and Concubine Bond
Agreement?"
With a sigh, Neville replied, "You know what? Happy
and... relieved."
"Relieved?" asked Hermione.
"Yep," he replied. "It means I don't have to ask a girl to
marry me." And grinned.
Harry laughed while Hermione appeared a little miffed.
"Betrothal Agreement or not, Neville; when the time
comes to switching the Betrothal Agreement to a
contract, you should still do the right by Hannah and
propose."
He shook his head, "Hannah doesn't want that.
Besides, that's a muggle thing, anyway. Hannah wants
the traditional wizarding ceremonies."
Confused, Hermione said, "I didn't know―"
"Wizards don't do weddings, Hermione," he explained.
"We do 'handfastings' before a druid in a Druidic
ceremony.
"For engagements, House Longbottom hold a
convocation where the prospective new member is
introduced to the family at-large. It's also when the
agreement is agreed to become the contract."
Harry explained, "That's something like an
engagement party, Hermione; but, family only."
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Chapter 365
Concentrating to understand it, she said, "I need to
read up on this. I just assumed―"
Harry nodded and called, "Dobby!"
"Yes, master Harry?" said the little elf immediately
after it popped in.
Looking to it, Harry asked, "Can you get Hermione a
couple of books on wizarding traditions associated
with hand-fastings and concubinage? She has a new
study project."
"Yes, Master Harry," he replied, popping away again.
Moments later, two books from Pottermore, they had
the book-plates that showed them as such, appeared
on the coffee table before her. She was quick to pick
them up and look at them.
Turning back to Neville, he said, "You know you're
effectively going to have two wives, don't you? And
those two have been together since they were
toddlers. You're going to be out-manned"
Neville chuckled and replied, "I know."
"Any idea on when the negotiations are going to be
finalised?"
"Dad told me he hopes to have both done by Friday;
before the weekend," he replied.
"When will you know?" asked Hermione.
Neville grinned and replied, "He will send me a note to
that effect by Harry's house elf express."
"After the girls, I expect to be the first to be informed,"
Harry mock-scowled at his mate.
Neville laughed and said, "That's what I planned, yes."
Harry sat forward and said, "Good. Because there's
something I want you to consider, when it's finalised."
"Oh?" Neville carefully asked.
Harry firmly replied, "I want you to consider asking
Headmistress Lady Marchbanks if you and your two
can have your own Lord's Quarters up here with us."
Neville seemed to slump in disappointment before he
said, "Though I'll be betrothed and have a
presumptive concubine, I still won't be a Lord. These
are 'Lords' Quarters', remember?"
Harry shook his head and replied, "That's just the
name for them, Neville. Just... promise me you'll ask.
Even if she says, 'No,' that's all that will happen. You
won't get in trouble for it.
"Besides, I'm pretty sure she'll say, 'Yes.' Don't forget,
she's also Lady Marchbanks of the House of
Marchbanks; a member House of the Alliance. I also
think your father may hint at it to her, too."
Neville thought about it for a long few moments before
he said, "Alright, Harry. I'll do it because I owe ya. But,
I'll run it past the girls, first."
"I've told you before, you don't owe me; and I'd be
cross with you if you didn't ask the girls, first, anyway.
But, I really don't think they'll say, 'No'."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After morning tea, which they had in the apartment
just to keep Dobby and Betsy happy, they headed
down to Care of Magical Creatures and yet another of
the new Professors. This time it was with Professor
Oliver Senkinhall; the professor who was charged
with caring for Errol after he was stunned by the new
Defence Professor while carrying a Howler towards
Ron.
Professor Senkinhall was a 'retired' exotic magical
creature reserve worker; born and raised in wizarding
Britain, but worked on the reserve in Africa.
Thankfully, he retained his British accent but, at odd
moments, used a distinctly different idiom. At least,
after seeing the looks of confusion on the faces of his
students, he'd apologise and correct himself.
When Hermione asked about what had happened to
the Blast-Ended Skrewts, the Professor calmly replied,
"Euthanised. They were illegally bred, so had to be
put down."
Harry was surprised Hermione wasn't upset about
that.
After class and as they walked back up the castle he
asked her, "Why weren't you upset to learn the
Skrewts had been euthanised?"
"They were dangerous, Harry," she replied. "Because
they were... effectively... a new species, no one had
any idea what they would eventually grow into. Not
even Hagrid, who bred them.
"They could have proven to be even more dangerous
than, say... a one thousand year old basilisk. That sort
of thing should never be anywhere near a school. And
he had about two dozen of the things."
Pleased, he gave her a nod and smile back. "My
thoughts, exactly. I'm pleased you realised that.
Especially after what you said to Malfoy about them."
She smiled back and said, "You know I just said that
to annoy... the little ferret, don't you?"
He laughed.
As they continued to trek back up the grassy slope to
the school, Ron came trotting up.
"Errr.. Ha- Lord Potter, may I have a quick word?"
Surprised the boy was being polite, he replied, "Walk
with us."
When Ron appeared relieved he quickly stepped up
next to Harry and said, "I was... hoping we could have
our talk before this afternoon."
"Oh?" he asked. "Why the rush?"
Again, the hesitation. "I need to let Aunt Muriel know
I've... talked to you; and you've heard me out. I don't
think Pig will be able to fly back later this afternoon
and make it before dark."
Surprised at the boy's candidness, he thought for a
moment before he replied, "Very well. We shall head
for the antechamber where we all gathered prior to our
Sortings and speak there.
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Chapter 366
"You don't have a problem with Hermione and Neville
joining us, do you?"
Though it appeared he might well have been
uncomfortable with that, Ron replied, "No."
"Then I shall speak with you then, Mister Weasley," he
firmly stated.
Knowing he'd just been dismissed, Ron quietly
backed away again, by slowing down.
When he was clear, Neville moved back up.
"I'll be having the meeting with Ron as soon as we get
back to the castle," explained Harry, before he could
be asked. "I'd like it if you two would join me."
"We can do that," said Neville.
Hermione asked, "I take it you don't want to be alone
with him in case he tries something?"
"Yes," he replied. "I don't think he intends to try
something, but two witnesses would save possible
problems later."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once they entered the entrance hall of the castle, the
trio went directly to the antechamber. Ron was less
than a minute behind them.
After throwing a Colloportus at the door and throwing
up a privacy charm, Harry turned to Ron and said,
"Alright, Mister Weasley; you wanted this meeting and
I've been accommodating. Now, what is it you wanted
of me?"
Ron, though he seemed a little irritated, seemed to
give himself a bit of a nod, closed his eyes for a
moment and muttered something to himself, before he
then looked at Harry with a firm expression.
"Har- Lord Potter," he began. "I should offer my
apologies for my behaviour over the past three and a
half years, without expectation of your
acknowledgement either way. It was wrong of me to
accept payment from the... from Dumbledore to be
friends with you. I accepted it because I intended to be
your friend, in the first place.
"Once I worked it out I said to the... to Dumbledore I
didn't need his galleons; but, he said I had earned
them, so―" He shrugged.
"It has been made clear to me that... it is now obvious
to even me that doing that was so wrong it wasn't
even funny. I am now no longer surprised you want
nothing to do with me. If it was done to me I would see
it as a major act of betrayal, too.
"However, I was told that offering you my apology was
the right thing to do so―"
When it looked like he'd wound down and turned a
hopeful look on Harry, Harry said, "Well, you've said
you want to offer your apology, Ron. However, I've not
yet heard you actually apologise. Don't you think you
should get to that, then?"
Ron looked back in a shock and confusion before he
demanded, "What do you mean?"
Harry sighed and said, "I'll step you through it. First,
you said, 'I should offer my apologies'. That does not
mean you apologise, that just means you should offer
such an apology.
"You then said how you were wrong to accept
Dumbledore's blood money. You're right, you were.
But, that is still not an apology.
"And then added how it was wrong to betray me like
you did. Still no apology yet.
"And, finally, you said, 'I was told that offering you my
apology was the right thing to do so...' That's only a
recognition someone told you you should apologise.
But you still haven't done it!
"Stop explaining your actions, stop explaining how
you were wrong, stop explaining what someone else
told you to do... and actually do it!"
"I..." he started, his anger morphing to confusion. "I
thought I had."
Harry threw up his arms in frustration, turned his back
on the boy and walked over to the other side of the
room.
Neville said to the confused boy. "No, Ron. Harry's
right. You haven't apologised. You said you were
offering it, then didn't. And finished with how
someone told you you should, and still didn't. In all
that you didn't once start a sentence with 'I apologise
for...' or 'I'm sorry I...' or anything like that.
"As Harry said; if you're going to apologise,
apologise."
It appeared Ron had finally understood when he
slumped in on himself. "Merlin, I―" Finally, he braced
himself up and again stared directly at Harry. "I
apologise for pretending to be your friend. I apologise
for taking the Head- for taking Dumbledore's money to
spy on you. I apologise for being a prat. I apologise
for not being there for you, when I should have been
there for you if I was a real friend."
"Bravo!" said Harry, turning back. "That's how you
apologise."
Walking back over he said, "I accept your apology,
Mister Weasley. However, understand you'll never
have my forgiveness. Your actions have told me I
cannot trust you.
"One day... maybe... decades from now... I might be
able to at least trust you enough not to be wary of
you; after you first prove, on multiple occasions, you
can be trusted. However, we will never be friends.
"You had that opportunity that very first day. You had
to have known, even back then, it was wrong for
Dumbledore to pay you to spy on me. All you had to
do was tell the old man, in your own way, to 'Piss off!'
If you had told me you'd done that, you and me would
have been very firm friends. You would have shown,
right from that first day, my friendship meant more to
you than a measly few galleons. And, as a result, I
would have happily shared with you all I had.
"Even if you had, at any time over the past few years,
approached me and said, 'Harry, mate, I need to come
clean with you about something,' and honestly
explained what was going on? You had a chance to
redeem yourself with me. But, you didn't! It wasn't
until I 'outed' you and Dumbledore during the first
task that you realised you'd been well and truly
caught.
"You allowed your rampant greed and jealousy to
corrupt you, Mister Weasley. You went for the quick
gold. A pitiful amount of it at that. And now it's cost
you dearly.
"Do you understand and accept that?"
The boy had turned his eyes down in shame before
Harry finished the first few sentences. Finally, he
sadly replied, "Yeah. Sorry, Harry."
"And that, I believe, is the first, real, freely offered,
apology you've ever given me, Ron. Again, apology
accepted."
He let that sink in for a moment before he, in a much
lighter voice, said, "Now, I know what a trial it is for
you to even think of skipping a meal. So, I think it
behooves the four of us to go to lunch, yeah?"
Ron gave a wan smile back, blushed a little and softly
said, "Yeah."
With a firm expressionless nod back, Harry removed
the privacy charm and the Colloportus on the door
before he said to Ron, "Go join your friends for lunch,
Mister Weasley. I'll be joining mine."
The very obvious inference he wasn't to join them was
clear.
As he held the door open for the other three, Harry
waited until they were all out before pulling the door
shut behind him.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After quickly eating and finishing his lunch, during
which Harry thought about what to do next, he gave a
mental sigh and pulled his satchel around onto his lap
and pulled out an off-cut of parchment, quill and ink.
Then began to write.
Hermione, though curious, did not try to read over his
shoulder. And Neville never would.
Once it was written, he showed it to Hermione. And,
once she'd read it, she understood what he was about
to do. Meanwhile, he'd been putting his writing
paraphernalia back in his satchel.
"Want me and Neville to come with?" she quietly
asked.
"If you'd like," he replied. "However, I do not distrust
Angie, like I do Ron. She won't try anything."
She gave a nod and said, "If you're not back in time,
I'll ask Neville to escort me when he escorts Susan
and Hannah to Transfiguration."
"Good idea," he said. Just before he rose he gave her
a quick peck on the cheek.
With his satchel firmly on his hip, he made his way
down the table.
He paused opposite where the three Lions' chasers
were sitting and quietly handed Johnson the note,
which she silently accepted.
Not even waiting for her to say anything he continued
to walk out the door.
Puzzled, Johnson opened the note and read:
~ # ~
Miss Johnson,
If your need to talk to me is as urgent as your rude
behaviour indicated by interrupting on multiple
occasions an important conversation I was having,
without so much as a by-your-leave, I will be in the
antechamber in which the Firsties gather before their
Sorting for the next ten minutes. I will speak with you
then.
Otherwise, send a damned note if you need my
attention and I'm already otherwise engaged, in
future!
Lord Harrison Potter
~ # ~
Johnson didn't even need to hand it to her friends to
read as they'd crowed in to read it over her shoulder.
"The nerve of that boy!" said Bell.
"No, he's right," sighed Johnson. "That's exactly what
I should have done. It's exactly what you're supposed
to do, when dealing with the nobles or someone who's
otherwise a Head of House. I'd forgotten that."
Spinnet pulled away and groaned, before she bounced
her forehead off the table before her three times in
slow beat.
Watching her, Bell asked, "That's what his problem
is?"
"Yyeeesss," moaned Spinnet.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 367
Harry had been waiting in the antechamber for only
two minutes when the door opened and Johnson
tentatively walked in. Spinnet and Bell where at her
shoulders.
They left the door open.
Harry stood, not quite full-on to them, with his hands
clasped behind his back, and asked, "Now, Miss
Johnson; what is the urgent matter you risked my
physical and or magical retaliation to communicate
with me about?"
Looking uncomfortable, she remained silent for a few
moment before it looked like Spinnet jabbed her in the
back a little.
With a start at the probable jab she said, "We want
you to rejoin the team."
"I already knew that," he snapped. "And I've already
told you I won't. Next?"
"But, why not?" she begged.
"Do I really need to explain it to you?" he demanded.
"Are you that bereft of logic you cannot figure it out
for yourselves?"
Looking frustrated, with the other two glaring back at
him, she eventually sighed and said, "Yes, alright? I
don't know why."
Giving a grunt of annoyance he said, "Fine. I'll explain
it to you. I hope you'll be able to learn from it.
"First, back in 1991 McGonagall saw me catching in
the air on a broom Neville Longbottom's Remembrall,
which had been thrown at the wall of the castle by
Malfoy. I managed to catch it one handed only a few
feet off the wall.
"McGonagall comes storming outside, snaps at me,
'With me, Potter!' Turns about and storms off again.
She never said a word about where we were going. I
actually feared I was about to be expelled.
"She leads me up to the DADA classroom, knocks on
the door, sticks her head in and asks Quirrell if she
could talk to Wood for a moment. Wood comes out.
She says to him, 'Wood; I've found you a new seeker,'
and indicates me. Then she turns about and storms
off again.
"I was never asked if I wanted to be on the team. I just
got it dumped on me. What about what Harry Potter
wanted, hmm? Nah, fuck him!
"Our first game and Wood says to me, 'Potter! Catch
the snitch or die trying!' Besides Wood, there are five
older students in the room with me. I think, 'Is this
bloke serious?' and then wait for one of the other five
to say something along the lines of, 'Wood! You can't
go saying something like that to a little firstie! What
the hell is wrong with you?!'
"Is that what happens? Did any of you three, who
were three of that five, say something like that to the
fucking moron? Nope! In other words, by your
inaction, you were saying, 'Fuck, the little firstie! Why
should we care? If he does die, there's plenty of
others who can step up'.
"Ten minutes later the first game happens, Quirrell
hexes my broom making it try to buck me off. The
twins see it and fly up to try and catch me if I do fall.
You three do fuck all! And then, even the twins leave
me when that prick Wood orders them to, even when
he saw what was happening!
"So, again, you prove to me you don't give a fuck
about little firstie me.
"That was just my First Year and very first game. Want
me to continue? Or, have you finally figured out
why?"
Johnson and the other two heard him out. At first,
they frowned. But, as he went through it for them, they
started to stare back in horrified comprehension.
"Yeeeeaaaah," he sneered. "I see you three are
starting to 'get it'. You three bitches, through your
inaction, tried to kill me. If I had died, you would have
ended the line of a Noble and Most Ancient House!
"So. Do you have any chance of convincing Lord
Harrison Potter to rejoin the Lions Quidditch Team?
Absolutely... positively... fuck no!
"Now, will there be anything else?"
When all three dropped their eyes and shook their
heads in shame, he sneered and said, "Thought not."
Then he strode past them and out the still open door.
He didn't even verbally wish them well; because, he
actually didn't. He also needed to get to
Transfiguration.
Harry manage to make it in time to walk in with the
stragglers and found Hermione kept his seat for him.
Neville was with the two 'Puff's, again sitting directly
behind.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After Transfiguration came DADA and another new
Professor. This time it was Professor Ian Murdstock.
The one who didn't hesitate to stun Errol out of the air,
though Harry and Hermione did not know that.
As they settled he waited until he knew, obviously by
counting heads as they came in, they were all in the
classroom before he simply banished the door shut.
He then spun about and caused his name to appear
on the blackboard with his 'academic achievements'
directly under it and spun back.
"That's up there for those who care," he said. "I
promised the Headmistress I'd give you the
information, so there it is.
"Personally, I have greater respect for those who do
great achievements."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 368
He gave that moment before he said, "I've learned that
your previous so-called teacher in this subject was an
escaped marked Death Eater. I've also learned he
taught you the Unforgivables. If I ever see any of you
casting one, let alone on another person, I will
personally put you down. The Imperious curse is the
only one I will not immediately start with lethal curses.
"For the first couple of weeks we're going to revise
what you should have been taught in this subject by
this stage in your education. If you are as poorly
instructed as your fellow students in the other classes
I have already begun this upon, I will not be surprised.
But, I warn you, it means you're going to be pushed
hard just to get your skills up to average."
The class then went straight into revision. And both
Harry and Hermione were relieved they'd spent the
day at Pottermore a couple days earlier doing
precisely this.
At the end of the class, though, it was clear just how
behind they were compared to schools overseas. The
Professor was right. They were lagging well behind.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Because the meeting with Ron occurred immediately
before lunch, they didn't have the meeting for
immediately after class. So, the two decided to return
to their apartment.
On the walk back, Harry remembered he still hadn't
spoken with Professor Babbling about changing
electives from Divination to Ancient Runes, so
reminded Hermione of it.
She gave a small start of shock, stopped, turned to
him and said, "Come on. Let's go see her now." And
started to head back the other way.
Harry would have preferred to go back to the
apartment first, just to drop off their satchels if
nothing else, but knew when his betrothed was in this
determined mood it was often just easier to go along.
So, he did.
He had no idea where the classroom was and had to
rely on Hermione to lead him there.
She turned into a corridor he couldn't remember
walking along before and, partway along, stopped
before a classroom door.
She gave a quick rap of her knuckles on it and
immediately opened it.
Following her in, he was pleased to see the Professor
was inside and at her desk.
She looked up from whatever she was working on and
saw them. "Miss Granger... and Mis- Lord Potter. What
can I do for the two of you?"
Hermione wheeled about and said, "Harry?"
Giving her a nod back he stepped up alongside her
and said to the Professor, "I ask for and would like the
opportunity to test for entrance into the Fourth Year
Ancient Runes class in place of Divination.
Surprised at the request, she put her quill down and
sat back.
"Hmm..." she said. "If I remember correctly, you were
considered an average student. However, we're all
now fully aware that was nought but a smokescreen
you erected to hide your true self. Plus, I believe you
informed the Headmistress you would be wanting to
sit the Third Year end-of-year examination for the
subject, once you returned.
"Have you been studying the subject in your own
time, Lord Potter?"
With a nod, he replied, "I have."
She pulled out a schedule and ran her finger down it.
Looking up she said, "I have a free period immediately
following the single Fourth Year class tomorrow for
Fourth Period. That's the one immediately before
lunch.
"How about you attend that class, then hold back to
sit the exam?"
He smiled and replied, "That would be wonderful,
Professor. Thank you."
"Then, I shall see you both then," she declared.
As the 'interview' was clearly over, Hermione wheeled
about and led them both back out of the classroom.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Finally back in their apartment, Hermione dropped her
satchel on the coffee table and headed direct for the
office. Harry dropped his own satchel on the coffee
table right next to hers and sat on the sofa with a
relieved sigh. His talks with both Ron and the Lions'
chasers, on top of the classes, had been mentally
exhausting.
When Hermione returned, she was carrying a small
stack of books. Harry was only surprised with how
short the stack actually was.
She handed him the Third Year Ancient Runes text
and said, "We need to cram as much of that into your
head as we can between now and tomorrow after
morning tea."
"Hermione," he sighed. "I told you, I've been studying
the subject for quite a while."
"Yes, but you haven't experienced the subject from
the point-of-view of the classroom environment. On
top of that, you didn't have access to any of the notes
taken during the class. And, further, you didn't have
access to the notes and such of the short period of
first term this year.
"I want to revise with you and make sure you study
the right subject areas for the exam tomorrow."
"Fiiiiine!" he sighed, sitting back up and accepting the
book off her.
With the intensity Hermione was displaying, they had
a late night ahead of them.
An hour and half later, Harry wrote a note to Neville
informing him he and Hermione would be having a
'Dobby' dinner in their apartment while they reviewed
for Harry's exam the next day. And then asked Dobby
to deliver it.
It was a long night, too. They didn't get to bed until
after eleven.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 369
Though tired the next morning, both teens managed
to climb out of their beds, get themselves ready and
head down together to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Dropping somewhat bonelessly onto the bench, Harry
groaned, "I feel like I got stomped on by a hippogriff."
"Eat," Hermione demanded. "Just nothing too heavy.
You need brain food, so I recommend eating at least
one banana and carrying one on you in case you get
hungry before the next break."
"Double Charms," Harry muttered. "I don't think
Professor Flitwick is going to allow me to munch on
banana during class."
"He might," she said. "Especially if you tell him you
have an exam to sit before lunch."
Harry eventually added a banana to his breakfast and
stuffed another in his pocket. It would not hurt to
carry it.
When the mail arrived and on top of the Daily Prophet
he received a couple items. After scanning them first,
he read them.
One was from Samuel Greengrass. From the tone of
the letter, Harry could almost feel the gratitude oozing
off the page. If Ted had not contacted him that day,
he'd be contacting Ted. He wanted this done with all
haste.
The second was from Ted, thereby rendering his first
thought moot.
It was a copy of a standard Concubine Bond
Agreement, but with the amendments Ted thought
Harry wanted. He wanted Harry to read it and, if there
was something he specifically wanted to not be
included, he was to send him a message by house elf
as soon as he could.
He also said that, even if he didn't receive news from
Harry, he'd be contacting Lord Greengrass this day to
set up an appointment. He hoped to have that
appointment within the next week.
Harry thought, from the tone of Greengrass's letter,
he'd be lucky to hold the man off from wanting it
immediately.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Riddle was furious. He had just finished reading the
article in that morning's Daily Prophet that stated
Potter was back at Hogwarts, safe and sound. MacNair
had failed him.
"Wormtail!" he wheeze-yelled.
The ugly, dumpy man quickly scurried in and asked,
"Y-yes, Master?"
"Get a message to MacNair," snarled the homunculus
"He is to be before me no later than the sixth hour
after noon; tonight!"
"Y-yes, Master!" Pettigrew was quick to reply, before
he hurried back out of the room.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As a class with a Professor who wasn't new to staff, in
Charms they only had a short period of revision
before they moved onto new material. However,
Flitwick also warned them they were now operating
under an accelerated learning curve, as they were
doing work they should have done six weeks earlier.
Neither Harry nor Hermione had any problems with
that. And Neville, with his new wand, was almost
vibrating in his seat next to Hermione in anticipation.
Glancing to him, Harry quietly chuckled.
One of the first they tried was the Summoning Charm,
Accio. It seems they were working in reverse order, as
that was the last charm they were working on before
the first task.
The Professor had set up a series of small cushions
under the desk and began asking students to attempt
to summon them. As they were all in the first row, they
were among the first to try.
When it was Neville's turn, he looked with almost
anticipation before he firmly intoned, "Accio cushion!"
And all dozen or so of them flew straight at the boy.
As Harry tried to dive under the bench he heard
Hermione give a little "Eep!" sound and saw Neville
look almost horrified before all of them hit the three of
them with some force.
Harry was lucky enough to have ducked far enough
under the bench only to be tagged by a single cushion
that clipped his shoulder, while both Hermione and
Neville found themselves knocked back off their
stools and onto the floor behind from the force of the
hits.
"Oh, I say!" exclaimed the Professor.
Chuckling to himself, Harry was able to help Hermione
to her feet again as Neville scrambled to his, looking
both sheepish and smug.
While the rest of the class were apparently stunned by
the power the boy demonstrated, Harry already knew
what the likely outcome was - he remembered about
the mass stunning of the owls before they left for the
unanticipated long break. It was why he was quick to
duck under the desk.
Hermione then grabbed one of the cushions - one that
had remained on their desk - by a corner and gave the
sandy-haired boy a whack with it.
"Neville!" she snapped. "Haven't you got all that
power under control yet?" Then gave him another
couple of whacks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 370
Neville was doing an admirable job of blocking her
strikes with his closest forearm, but was clearly
pleased. "Sorry," he said, grinning away.
"Miss Granger!" barked the Professor. "Please cease
with your attempts to beat young Mister Longbottom
half to death with a cushion!"
Hermione jumped in surprise, spun to look back to the
front and the Professor, dropped the cushion and
exclaimed, "Sorry!"
However, while the Professor was doing his best to try
to display a stern expression, he couldn't maintain it
and laughed.
When he got control of himself again he said, "Forgive
me; but, that would have to be one of the funniest
things I've witnessed as a Professor. And I've seen
some doozies."
Harry had already bent back down and started to
stack all the cushions on their side of the desk onto
their desktop. After about three he just resorted to
tossing them directly onto the floor under the
blackboard. After all, they were just conjured
cushions.
After that, Neville focussed on getting his power back
under control by casting repetitive Lumos charms and
regulating the amount of magical energy he was
pushing.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After Charms came morning tea. Then they were on to
Ancient Runes.
Though he'd given all outward signs he was
unconcerned about his chances in the exam to
Hermione - all to keep her calm, which didn't work -
Harry was actually somewhat worried.
He realised Hermione was right in that, while he'd read
and studied the assigned texts and others while selfstudying, he'd not had access to the class notes and
the like.
Thankfully, Hermione remembered where she'd stored
them at home and called Betsy to go and get them for
her.
When the little female elf popped in and Hermione told
her, she replied, "But, Mistress Herm-i-o-ne, Betsy did
packs them. They be in your room." And indicated
towards Hermione's room.
Surprised, Hermione looked to the door of her room
before turning back to the elf. "Thank you, Betsy.
Would you mind getting them and bringing them in
here, please?"
"Yes, Mistress," the elf replied. It popped away and
was back a moment later, holding the notes and
offering them.
Accepting them, Hermione smiled at her and said,
"Thank you, Betsy. You may return to what you were
doing."
Once the elf popped away yet again, she went to sort
them out and realised they already were. Then she
handed them to Harry.
"This is all my notes and assignments from Third
Year," she explained. "Read through them and, as
you're going, if you don't understand something just
ask me and I'll try to clarify it for you."
Those notes, as he expected, were extensive. And he
did have quite a few questions.
Now it was the next day and he was sitting in the
Ancient Runes class while the class was revising.
Before they entered he'd managed to snag Daphne
and asked her if she wanted to sit next to him.
"I know that's not something you can do in our other
classes," he said, "But, you're the only Slytherin in
this class. Hermione told me you've sat with her the
past year and a bit, so it won't look odd if you sit with
her, this time. I'll just be joining you."
Her smile back showed she was happy with that. And
did join the pair of them.
He expected her to sit on the other side of Hermione.
However, she chose to push him along where he sat at
the end of the desk and sat next to him on the other
side from Hermione.
"That's going to send a message," he quietly muttered
to her.
"That's the intent," she muttered back and smiled.