CH 62

For dinner, Harry and Daphne sat together at the Ravenclaw table. Of course, quite a few of his fellow 'Claws wanted to know where the couple had been all day. Harry just smiled and said, "I have a feeling everything will become public knowledge at breakfast, tomorrow morning."

Harry noticed and pointed out to Daphne that Dumbledore had not joined the staff for the evening meal. His place at the table conspicuously remained vacant. Neither cared, but it was an interesting factoid.

After the meal, the two remained at table for a little while as their friends joined them. After a few questions, they gave the highlights about what had happened that day: Harry's aunt and uncle found guilty and handed over to the muggle police, Harry's godfather finally got his trial and was freed, and Dumbledore's charges. After about a further half an hour the group left the Hall and split to go to their different common rooms. Class would restart the next day. Monday.

Returning to his common room and dorm, Harry set on filling out an owl order form for Flourish and Blotts for the book 'Wizarding World Etiquette and You'. Which he was supposed to have already ordered but it was the weekend, anyway. Plus he requested a list of similar books in their stock.

Harry browsed the shelves of his memories of Flourish and Blotts in his mind and added to the list a couple of books on Occlumency for beginners. He knew he would soon be asked by the others about his memory skills so decided to keep the books handy to offer to them.

The next morning, the seven were sitting together at the Hufflepuff table finishing their breakfasts when the mail rolled in. A great deal of it was aimed directly at Daphne, with some overflow aimed at Harry.

As soon as the mail owls began landing on the table both Harry's and Daphne's rings were going crazy. The two looked at the piles before them in shock. There was even a howler hovering in the air above Daphne's pile.

While everyone else around them were also in shock, a couple of hands started to reach forward to the piles. Harry thrust both hands out and knocked the hands away. "Nobody touch anything!" he yelled, drawing his wand out. The hands were snatched back as if scalded. "Some of this stuff is booby-trapped!"

"Everybody back away!" he yelled again. While Harry was keeping everyone from touching anything, both Professor Flitwick and the Headmaster hurried over.

"Mister Potter?" asked Professor Flitwick. "What is going on?"

"I don't know, Sir," replied Harry, who was waving his wand over the entire mess. "But I'm detecting harmful intent-based magics. There's both mind altering charms and harmful potions at work, here."

Both Professor Flitwick and Dumbledore moved forward with their own wands drawn. Both had their wands moving in elaborate movements.

Speaking up as both started to work, Harry said, "You're not to cancel any of it, Sirs. I want the aurors called to investigate. These, whatever else they are, are attacks on the Head of an Ancient House and his betrothed. That makes it a criminal matter."

Pausing for a moment, both Professors, with grim looks, nodded and continued to work.

Students around them were talking about what they were watching.

A few moments of work and those packages still attached to the legs of owls were released, allowing the birds to depart. However, Hedwig immediately flew to Harry's shoulder and glared back down at the offending piles. She also gave him a couple of indignant hoots and a nuzzle of his ear.

With a disappointed sigh, Dumbledore was the first to back away. "You are correct, Mister Potter. Though most of it is simple mail, I'm detecting at least three that have been infused with various potions, two with compulsion charms, and one I cannot figure out what it is, but is clearly harmful."

Lowering his own wand, Professor Flitwick looked ropable. "I detect the same. Plus one that has a small explosive component with, I think, undiluted bubotuber pus."

With a frown, Dumbledore gave his wand another flick over the piles and said, "Yes, aimed at Miss Greengrass. It would have exploded the moment she touched it. I have neutralised the explosion but left the rest of it in place."

Turning to Professor Flitwick he said, "Please take over here, Filius. I'll summon the aurors through my office. Mister Potter is correct in that this cannot be allowed to go past, uninvestigated." He turned and rapidly left the Hall for his office.

Professor Flitwick had the Ravenclaw students either move further down the table or across to other House tables. Those sitting nearby at the Gryffindor table were also moved away.

Daphne immediately moved to Harry to be hugged. She was upset. "Who would do such a thing?" she querulously asked.

"People who are not happy with you for becoming betrothed to me; people not happy with me for becoming betrothed to you, or becoming close with someone who's not of the 'Light'; people thinking I attacked their children last Sunday night; or maybe just mothers, daughters, whatever, not happy with you for snagging the Boy-Who-Lived. It doesn't matter what drives people to do something like this, it's still a criminal matter and I want them dealt with as such," replied Harry.

When everyone, except Harry and Daphne, were moved away, the professor moved next to Harry and said, "I did not recognise the movements of your wand for that detection spell you used, Mister Potter. Care to explain?"

With a sigh, Harry quietly replied, "That was a bit of theatre, as you would put it, Professor. A little bit of misdirection. The detections were made by the betrothal rings Daphne and I wear. They're charmed to actively detect harmful potions, poisons and spells whenever such comes in close proximity to the rings. I want to keep the abilities of the rings as secret as possible for as long as possible." Indicating the stacks of mail, he said, "And this, in part, is why."

With a look of initial surprise, the Professor's expression cleared in understanding. He said, "Ah, yes. I remember your parents wore similar rings once they were engaged. I once worked with your mother to see if the charms could be expanded. I'm very happy to see that they work as designed. And, that neither of you are hurt."

After Dumbledore returned with a small group of aurors, the aurors set to work on bundling everything up and taking it away. The senior auror said to both Harry and Daphne, "We'll go through it all and see what we can track back to identify the culprits. Any mail we clear will be sent back to you immediately. You should have it at lunch."

Harry nodded and said, "Thank you. I'm expecting some very important personal mail today and I don't want to miss it."

After the aurors left with the mail Harry and Daphne joined the other five at the Hufflepuff table. He was handed a copy of the Daily Prophet by one of the 'Puffs looking at him with a bit of awe. "Here, I noticed your copy was taken with the rest of your mail. You might want to read the front page."

With a word of thanks to the 'Puff, Harry unfolded the paper. Three articles on the front page immediately caught his attention.

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