Chapter 23

That sounds like a good idea," said Hermione.

Harry nodded, looked to Neville and Ginny and said, "Excuse us. Daphne and Hermione are going to start teaching me something about Ancient Runes."

The three then rose to leave. As they did so, Harry could see the look of longing that flitted across Ginny's face as Harry started to move .

As they walked down the corridor towards the library, Harry said to the two girls, "I'm sorry; but, I got real tense when Ginny came and sat near us. I don't know how well I faked away from how much I currently dislike her."

"You weren't the only one, Harry," said Hermione, giving his hand a squeeze.

"She's right," said Daphne from his other side; his left.

'When did they develop this order?' he thought. 'Me, in the middle, makes sense. But, Daphne always takes my left and Hermione takes my right.'

The two girls led Harry to a table in the back of the library. And, after they dropped their school bags onto its surface, Hermione said, "I'll go look for information on potions; and potion detection charms."

"I'll look for the introduction book to Ancient Runes we used last year," said Daphne. "It's too early for all the copies to have been checked out yet. And I haven't heard word back from my parents about my text from last year."

Thinking a bit, Harry said, "And I'll see what the library has on soul bonds."

After searching the shelves, Harry came back with three books on the subject of soul relationships, one of which covered soul bonds. Daphne and Hermione were already waiting for him with books of their own.

Taking a quick look at them, Harry said, "We might want to just check all these out. Don't forget, you two have Arithmancy, this afternoon."

"We know," said Daphne. A quick check through the books, and Daphne kept her four, Hermione put aside two of her eight, and Harry discarded one. He discarded it because it simply didn't match what they already knew.

"Alright," said Hermione. "I think it'll be these."

Daphne nodded and said, "Agreed." Then she looked at Harry and said, "As you're off this afternoon, how about... once we get them checked out... you take these back to our apartment and see what you can find out about the potions and the bond. We'll join you as soon as class finishes. Then we'll see what we can teach you about Ancient Runes."

Harry nodded and said, "Sounds like a plan."

The three quickly reshelved the books they weren't taking, checked out the books they were, and headed off. Harry even escorted them to the Arithmancy classroom before he headed up to the seventh floor.

When the girls finished for the day, the double period of Arithmancy, they hurried up to the apartment.

"Well?" asked Daphne as she walked in and saw Harry sitting on a couch with parchment, ink and quills scattered across the surface of the coffee table in front of him.

"Afternoon, ladies," he said. "To start with, I'll go through the potions. If they're the ones I think they are it's unsurprising we had moments of... non-lucidity... from them the last go around."

Both sat opposite Harry as he sorted through his notes.

"The big one... the love potion... I'm pretty sure it's Amortentia. And, of course, it's not really love we're talking about. It should more rightly be called an obsession or lust potion. At least, I seem to remember that was Molly's potion of choice for Arthur..." a glance at Hermione saw the girl nod back. "After the initial dosing, it needs to be renewed no more often than once every two days, lest those close to the 'victim' notice sudden changes in behaviour. It's also not to be given no less often than once every three days if it's to remain effective.

"The normal vector is either direct or, in concentrated form, in a drink. So, that means, for that particular one, we only need to watch what we drink. It also cannot be given with something alcoholic, as alcohol quickly breaks down the effect of it. And, given too strong the dose, the victim can quickly develop an allergy to it. So, it needs to be carefully administered to maintain long-term use. And, we know Molly has figured that out already.

"Next, is the loyalty potion... Fidelitas. It's actually very similar to Amortentia, with only a few ingredients changed. For it, too, the effect is closer to obsession than loyalty. It, too, needs to be renewed no less often than once every three days, and no more often than once every two days. It, too, needs to be carefully dosed lest the recipient develop an allergy to it.

"What I've not been able to determine yet, is: if the loyalty and love potions are so similar, how Molly's able to get around the allergy and or poisoning problems when you're dosing someone with both at the same time. The potion books don't answer that.

"Finally, we have the repulsion potion... Invidia. This one is used to have the ingester focus on the worst faults and habits of the target. It's also a weakened version of the Hate potion. Again, it's not so much hate, as it is an extreme version of detesting someone for their faults.

"The repulsion potion can be dried and administered in powdered form, or kept in liquid form. However, it can only be absorbed through the stomach or other soft tissue; not through the skin. So, as with the other two, it's main vector is via food or drink. But, alcohol doesn't have any affect on it, and can even enhance its effects."

"So, you two need to watch what you drink, and I need to watch both food and drink," said Daphne.

"Actually, we don't know if Molly's been able to make any... shall we say, improvements... on any or all of the potions," said Hermione. "That means we need to keep an eye on both food and drink for the love and loyalty potions, anyway. Plus, even if it's effects are greatly diminished if in the food, they'll still make us violently ill."

"That's where the potion detection charms come into play," said Harry, moving parchment aside to pick up another couple of sheets. "We're not worried as much with poisoning attempts, as we are with mind altering potions... as all three clearly are. For that, there is one charm that would cover the three. It won't detect which mind altering potion it is, but will detect that one's there. There are other detection charms that will identify which of them are present. And the charm Specialis Revelius willidentify what ingredients are in something."

"So, you can tell what potion was used by what the ingredients are in whatever it was placed within," said Hermione, understanding.

"Only a true potions master can make a professional appraisal of which potion has been used," said Daphne. "The general one is all we're going to need. Once it's detected, we can make a complaint and let the experts handle it from there."

"Those were my thoughts, too," nodded Harry. "However, there's another vector that may be – problematic."

"Oh?" asked Daphne.

"Yeah; Amortentia can be used in aerosol form," explained Harry. "That is, it can be used in a perfume. I daresay, considering their similarities, so can Fidelitas. Odour-bearing molecules from a perfume – diffuser – can carry tiny drops of the potion in the air. The victim could then end up inhaling them through the lungs. Don't forget; the lungs are also soft tissue."

Daphne shook her head in denial before she explained. "Yes, Amortentia, I know, is sometimes used in perfumes. However, it's never strong enough to have more than a very mild effect; or last more than an hour or two after the perfume is removed. It would be ineffective for what the Weasleys are trying to accomplish."

"We know it won't work on us, but will it still make us sick?" asked Hermione.

"Let's hope we never have to find out," muttered Harry.

"That aside, how does the charm work?" asked Hermione.

"Like any other charm," said Harry; "intent, incantation, wand gesture and focusing your magic. Get them right and, if the target area has been dosed with a mind altering potion, the specific object will glow bright blue for a few seconds."

"But, we'll have to do that in public," said Hermione. "People will see."

Harry snorted and said, "Hermione, what is Alastor Moody's constant cry?"

"Constant vigilance," she replied. Then realised what Harry was driving at. "Of course. Now that he's... supposedly... here, it makes sense some students would adopt that maxim. Why not us?"

Harry smiled and nodded in response.

Sitting back, he said, "Now that we have a fair idea of when to expect the next dosing attempt... tomorrow morning at the earliest... and we have a way to detect if the attempt has been made... before we start on Ancient Runes and homework... Hermione, do your parents receive a copy of the Daily Prophet?"

"No," she replied. "I didn't want to risk them discovering just how dangerous Hogwarts really is; and then using that as an excuse to pull me out of school. Why?"

"Because it's not going to be very long before the story of our bonding reaches the ears of at least one journalist for the Prophet. As soon as they have the story, they'll run with it," said Harry.

"And, if my parents received the Prophet, they'd be alerted at the same time," nodded Hermione. "Yet another reason I'm glad they don't."

"Next," said Harry. "Starting the day after the story breaks, we can expect to start receiving hate mail. Remember what happened after that nonsense Skeeter wrote about Krum, you and me?"

Hermione winced and unconsciously wiggled her fingers. "Yeah," she said.

"Well, the same is very likely to happen... again... regarding our three-way bond," said Harry. "The only difference is, this time it'll happen earlier in the timeline; and it'll be us two and Daphne, rather than us two and Krum."

"He's right," said Daphne. "So, starting immediately after the news of the bond is published, you no longer directly touch incoming owl mail. Where possible, Harry and I will deal with it until we can get it stopped. And howlers are getting torched with an incendiary charm as soon as they arrive and before they can... howl."

"Then we should also learn a poison detection charm, while we're at it, anyway" sighed Hermione.

The three then set to work learning the two specific detection charms before heading down to the Great Hall for dinner. Homework and Ancient Runes would wait until after the evening meal.