Chapter 30

Ron," said Hermione. "While you've not been properly introduced due to your previous shoddy behaviour; that's no reason to continue to be rude to Daphne."

Ron looked back at Hermione for a few moments in surprise. His expression almost immediately morphed until he looked like he was going to snap something back, but thought better of it. Then he flicked a quick glance at Daphne before he finally mumbled, 'Mornin'."

"And good morning to you, too, Mister Weasley," Daphne smirked back.

Again, Ron flicked his eyes to her for a moment with an angry retort on his lips, before looking away again. He then muttered something unintelligible under his breath and then promptly ignored her.

For the moment, that was more than enough for Harry. As long as he wasn't being outright rude, he'd tolerate the other boy being near him. However, all three knew the friendship would be over for good soon enough. Ron wasn't their biggest problem, at the moment; he wasn't even third on the list. Their main problem was Ginny.

As if the mere thought of her name was a magic all its own, in she walked.

Carefully watching her, Hermione gave Harry a nudge. Once she saw he was paying attention to her, she then flicked her chin towards the redhead as she was walking towards them.

Harry caught the flick and then did the same for Daphne.

Harry did not miss the look of determination that seemed to pass, for only a moment, across the face of the youngest Weasley as he carefully watched her.

Leaning in to whisper in Daphne's ear, he said, "She's going to do it now, you know."

And turned to Hermione and did the same. He didn't notice he was seen by Ron.

"Here!" the boy said. "What're you whispering about?"

"If I wanted you to know, Ron," said Harry staring the boy down. "I wouldn't have whispered it, now, would I?"

Ron grumbled a bit, but returned to bending over his plate and shovelling food into his mouth just as Ginny sat down beside him and closer to them.

With a big smile on her face, she said directly to Harry, "Hi, Harry. I've not seen you in the common room for a couple of days. Where've you been staying?"

"In a private apartment, Ginny," he replied, buttering a piece of toast and reaching for the marmalade.

"Oh?" she asked. "I didn't know you could get one of those."

"As if we could afford it," muttered Ron, barely breaking the rhythm in which he kept eating.

Watching him eat, Harry realised it had to be the original loyalty potions that kept him keeping that friendship with the boy. Ron was managing a very good impersonation of his cousin, Dudley. And, it was not pleasant to watch.

"They're for special situations, Ginny," he replied. "And, before you ask, it's to do with our bonds. We need it to help solidify our bonds."

Out of the blue, a flash of annoyance flashed over Ginny's face before she suddenly looked toward the head table and said, "Oh! I see our Headmaster hasn't returned from wherever he went, yet."

Of course, all of them immediately turned to look at the head table for a moment. When he turned back, Harry noticed that the pumpkin juice in his goblet bubbling a little.

He quickly glanced at Ginny and noticed she was looking a little pleased with herself, as did Ron. Both her hands were below the edgeof the table.

Before either of the girls could reach for their juices, Harry reached out and picked his up. But, just before he took a sip, he made a show of sniffing it.

He then pulled it away from himself and frowned down at it, then reached for his wand and cast the detection for mind altering potions over it. It immediately glowed bright blue.

"Nobody touches anything," he said. He then cast the same detections over the table. Only his goblet glowed. So, he'd managed to detect it before Ginny or Ron could dose the other two.

"Excuse me," he muttered, rising.

Still holding the goblet in his off hand, he climbed over the bench and made his way to the head table, directly to Professor McGonagall.

"Excuse me, Professor," he said.

"Mister Potter?" she asked.

"I believe I just saw Ginny Weasley dump a potion of some kind in my pumpkin juice," he explained. "When I cast a detection charm over it, the result was positive for a mind-altering potion of some kind."

The Professor looked at him in shock, before she looked over at the Gryffindor table.

Harry didn't see it as it was going on behind him, but the Professor suddenly surged to her feet and barked out, "Stay right where you are, Mister and Miss Weasley!"

Harry turned around to see Ginny and Ron freeze in place where they were trying to hurriedly leave the hall.

"Come here, you two!" commanded the Professor. "Right now!"

As both slowly made their way towards the head table, looking like deer caught in the headlights of a truck, the Professor turned to her right and said, "Professor Flitwick, would you be so kind as to check this goblet for potions?"

Grimly, from where he had overheard and was in a bit of shock, the little Professor stood on his seat and drew his wand as Harry placed the goblet on the table before him.

With a few muttered incantations and wand gestures, Harry saw the goblet glow blue for a moment before shifting to pink and immediately to green.

"Definitely potioned, Professor McGonagall," said the little Professor. "I'd like to ask..."

But Professor McGonagall, looking quite irate, called down the table to her right. "Professor Snape! Your expertise as Potions Master is needed here."

With a frown and a mutter that, to Harry, sounded like, "What has the Potter brat done now?" Snape made his way along the table.

"Yes?" he enquired with an overly affected look of curiosity.

"Professor; please check that goblet," said Professor McGonagall, indicating the goblet, "For unauthorised potions."

Both redheads came to stand near but just behind and to one side of Harry. Ginny looked absolutely terrified; but Ron looked angry.

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