Chapter 32
To add to their problems for the morning, when the Daily Prophet was delivered with the mail, the story of the bond between the three was the leading story on the front page.
Hermione sighed and pointed to the article. Harry looked 'over' her shoulder and read it with her, while Daphne found it in her own copy.
* # *
BOY-WHO-LIVED IN THREE-WAY SOUL BOND
Ever vigilant for important news for our loyal readers, I've come across the most astounding piece of information. The hero of our wizarding world, Harry Potter (14), known to many as the Boy-Who-Lived after his astonishing defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named thirteen years ago this Halloween, is involved in a three-way soul bond with two witches, writes Rita Skeeter, special correspondent.
We, at the Daily Prophet, would like to congratulate Mister Potter and his two bondmates, Miss Daphne Greengrass (14) of House Greengrass, and Miss Hermione Granger (14) muggleborn. While we do not know the exact situation which led to the bondings, the date and time leads us to believe both took place one minute apart while they were travelling to Hogwarts aboard the Hogwarts Express on the 1st of this month.
This reporter will work hard for you to learn all the facts on this most unusual circumstance and report them in your newspaper for your information.
Already, we know all three have just begun their fourth year at our most famous of schools of magic. And, we have also learned that Mister Potter and Miss Granger are both of Gryffindor House, while Miss Greengrass is of Slytherin House.
Normally, this might prove to be a problem. However, due to the nature of soul bonds, the three teens would have been offered a private apartment within the castle. This offer is allowed and encouraged under Ministerial law to allow the partners involved to become more comfortable with one another; and to strengthen the bond.
For our younger witches out there, it now means Mister Potter is 'taken'. And, any marriage contracts that may have existed for any of the three are now void. Sorry ladies!
* # *
"Damn it!" Harry sighed. "The way this is written, I think we need to expect buggy little Skeeter to come crawling around."
"I'll get my jar ready," smirked Hermione.
"Sorry?" asked Daphne, confused. "Jar?"
"Rita's an unregistered animagus," Hermione quietly replied, a little gleefully. "Her form is that of a water beetle."
"Our first time through," explained Harry, "Hermione, here, figured out what she was; after she reported that nonsense about the supposed three-way relationship between her, me and Krum."
Looking back in surprise, Daphne breathed, "So that's how she does it. Dad's been wondering about that for a long time, as have many others. Skeeter's published stuff before that was privileged information. It's hurt Dad, dearly."
"Last time through, Hermione trapped Skeeter in an unbreakable glass jar for a couple of weeks," said Harry. "By the time she let her out, Skeeter was willing to do anything we wanted... at least, for a while."
"This time, I'm getting a bloody magical oath off her," said Hermione. "I didn't do that, last time."
By the time Harry had read through most of the paper, with the girls continually stopping so they could read the fashion pages and the like and talk to each other about them, most of the rest of the school had already headed off to their first class. They were still sitting in a now mostly empty Great Hall when Madam Bones approached them and sat opposite. Two aurors stood at her back, looking around.
"Mister Potter," she said.
"Ma'am," replied Harry, with a slightly quirked eyebrow and a small smile.
"Firstly," she said. "Congratulations to the three of you on your soul bond. I hope you realise how incredibly rare it is."
After the three acknowledged both, she said, "I want you to step me through what happened, this morning."
Harry had a naughty idea. "Well, I was having this lovely dream that included..."
"Stop!" she barked and glared at him. Harry couldn't help but chuckle back.
"I'm well aware of what a fourteen year old boy is likely to have been dreaming of, Mister Potter," she said. "Start from when the three of you walked into the Great Hall, please."
With a light gesture of acknowledgement, Harry described the whole matter from when she said until the twins left.
When he'd finished, she turned to look at Daphne and asked, "Is there anything you feel Mister Potter left out, Miss Greengrass?"
"No, Madam," replied Daphne.
Then the older witch turned to Hermione and asked, "And you, Miss Granger?"
"No, Ma'am," she replied.
"Thank you," Madam Bones said, starting to rise. "And, thank you for waiting for us, here. I know no one asked you to do that."
"It made sense, Ma'am," he quietly replied.
"It is my experience many witches and wizards tend to lack common sense, Mister Potter," she said with a wry grimace. "Please expect to receive communications from me if, as is likely, this matter goes to court."
"Yes, Ma'am," Harry replied. "You do realise, of course, that neither of them should have the education needed to brew such potions?"
"Yes, Mister Potter," she said. Then she and her two aurors headed back out of the Hall.
"Well, ladies, what now?" Harry asked them. "We seem to have some time on our hands."
"We need those containers for the basilisk venom," said Hermione. "I suggest we go to the Room of Lost Things and see what's in there we can use."
"Alright," said Harry. "However... first... Hermione and I have a Dah-Dah class to get to. And Daphne's got Charms."
Hermione looked almost appalled that they'd almost missed a class. "Oh, Gods!" she said, almost horrified. "I don't believe I forgot about a class!"
Harry just laughed and said, "Again, relax, Hermione. It's no big deal for us, remember?"
Quickly, the three made their own way out of the Great Hall.
After his last class for the day, his first with the fake-Moody was the morning class, Harry returned to the apartment and pulled out his unfinished homework. He didn't want it still hanging over him when they visited the Grangers, that evening. He knuckled down and got it done.
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