That's how I figured it," sighed Harry.
Nodding, Matthias continued, "I'll owl you with the details; and ask, what ever solicitor I find, to do the same. But, given the nature of the issues, it might be more than one."
"Understood," Harry frowned and nodded. "I... hadn't thought of that, before. But, of course, you're right."
For the rest of their visit, the Greengrasses and the future Potters spoke of inconsequential matters. It ended with an invitation.
"This Christmas is out, if what I'm hearing is correct," said Deece. "But, I'd like for you two," she said, indicating Harry and Hermione, "to think about coming to stay with us at Greengrass Farm for at least part of both the Easter and summer breaks."
Harry glanced at Hermione and, between them, they each knew the other would want that.
"We accept," replied Harry. "And, thank you."
Deece smiled and said, "There's no need to thank us. You're bonded to our eldest daughter. You're now family."
After the Greengrass parents left, and Astoria headed back to her own House, the three sat down to talk about what was discussed.
"Why didn't I know of all this, Harry?" asked an upset Daphne. "I was here. Why does none of the rest of us know this? Not how big the basilisk was, not about Riddle, not the true story about your godfather, nothing."
"Because Dumbledore's been hiding it all," replied Hermione. "Think about what would have happened if the wider wizarding community knew of all this?"
"Dumbledore would have been sacked on the spot," said Harry. "If not lynched."
Thinking a bit, he asked Daphne, "What do you know about what happened to Professor Quirrell in first year?"
With a quizzical frown, Daphne said, "He was injured in the last month of the year and retired. Understandable, really; as a defence Professor rarely makes it to the end of the year."
"Daphne, Professor Quirrell is dead. He was being possessed by Riddle and I killed him in self defence," Harry flatly said.
Daphne stared back in dawning horror as she went white. "No!"
"Yes," said Hermione. "I didn't see Harry actually kill him; but, I know when and where it happened. Clearly, that's something else Dumbledore's covered up."
"But, how?" asked Harry, clearly confused. "We've got... what... three hundred and fifty students, here? How could news of all this not have gotten out?"
"Area wide charms?" Daphne asked while looking at Hermione.
Hermione frowned back and said, "It's possible. Something tied into the wards, perhaps?"
"It would have to be something very subtle," mused Daphne. "It'd be detected by parents or guardians each time the students returned home on breaks, otherwise."
"It would only need to be subtle," Harry cut in. "All it would have to do is make the student think it was unimportant to discuss with others. It wouldn't be an obliviation, so much as a consideration that the information the person had wasn't important enough to tell anyone else."
"A mild compulsion, then," said Daphne. "It could be tied into the wards; or, it could be in potion or charm form. The first makes more sense than the second or third, because there are some students who deliberately carry around potion and poison detectors... especially in Slytherin... and a compulsion potion, no matter how weak, risks being detected.
"And a charm would have to be quite powerful to last the entire time of the student's break. That's the sort of thing that's also aimed at an individual, rather than an area effect as this seems to be. No, it's a ward based on a charm; it has to be."
"Then, it's Dumbledore," sighed Harry. "No one else has control of the wards. Dumbledore's supposed to hand the wards off to McGonagall if and when he leaves the school grounds. However, I'm very sure he never does that. The fact there is compulsion charms tied into the wards should be spotted by McGonagall pretty quickly if she gets the wards handed to her."
"If it's hidden under or behind other wards... or forms part of another or more wards... she wouldn't," argued Daphne. "She'd have to go looking for them; and she has no reason to do that."
After the conversation petered off, the three decided to shelve everything else and head down to the Great Hall for the evening meal.
.
.
.
🍀Visit my site at tiendup for more advanced content...🍀
🍀Read the complete novel in PDF, available at my Store!🍀
https://sunflowersfic.tiendup.com/