HPF51-60

Chapter 51

"I've looked it up; Beauxbatons have a number of

students who are Veela. Do you want to see someone

like Draco Malfoy sneer at one such Beauxbatons

student and call her a half-breed? Even a blind man can

see he will do it! That's yet another example of bullying;

and will be one aimed by a Hogwarts student at a

visiting student. What sort of international incident will

that create? Hmm?

"And, speaking of bullying, any form of it... whether it's

by word or deed... needs the perpetrators to feel like

the wrath of the Gods have descended upon them

when they're caught bullying another. For instance, I

guarantee none of the staff are aware that young Luna

Lovegood is being horrendously bullied by just about

every member of her own House; plus quite a few

other individuals. So much for that 'Your House is your

family' nonsense Professor McGonagall here spouts off

to the unsorted First Years each year; yeah?

"And the reason the staff are unaware of this, is

because the students have no faith in the staff meting

out reasonable punishment; let alone actually listening

to a student when they come to them with a complaint.

The staff has taught the students well. Don't bring your

complaints to us. That whole 'Heir of Slytherin' thing is

a prime example of bullying going on right under the

noses of the staff, and nothing being done to stop it.

You could have... should have... and failed to do so.

"You also speak of forgiveness, Headmaster. Well,

before you can have forgiveness there must first be

recognition by the perpetrator they did something

wrong; and be sorry for doing it. That's remorse. Next

is repentance. They must, more or less, vow not to do it

again. Thirdly, they must face atonement. In part, that's

punishment. Then, once they feel genuine remorse,

have accepted they've done wrong, repented and

made a promise to fix their ways... and been properly

punished for it... then, and only then, can forgiveness

be considered. Not before. Even the Holy

Bible recognises that. You seem to just want to skip the

important steps and get right to the forgiveness

part. That. Does. Not. Work.

"The three of us also want to be re-sorted. It's creating

problems for us being a mix of Gryffindors and

Slytherin. Hermione and I no longer feel safe at the

Gryffindor table with two of the Weasleys already

attempting to poison us with love and compulsion

potions. We don't want to give them any further, or

easy, opportunity by sitting table with them ever again.

And it makes everyone uncomfortable if Hermione and

I take seat at the Slytherin table. Having us re-sorted

into one House... either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff... will

make the three of us less uncomfortable and reduces

the risk of harm to the three of us.

"You also have this whole Tri-Wizard Tournament thing,

this year. I'm telling you, right now, I have

absolutely no intention of participating in it other than

as a spectator. However, as usually happens, I'll

somehow be dragged into it, risking my own life yet

again. Well, I won't have it. I will not participate,

Headmaster. I don't give a flying rat's arse about the

thing. I Will Not Compete. And, if someone attempts to

force me to do so, there will be ever-loving Hell to pay.

I will make it an unbreakable vow if push comes to

shove. So, you need to make damned sure I'm kept the

Hell out of it.

"Finally, I'm beginning to suspect you're holding off on

getting my godfather a trial in an attempt to force me

to return to Privet Drive each summer. I want a proper

home, Headmaster. And Privet Drive is not my home;

it's my prison." Harry heard the little trinket on one of

the cabinets give a little chirp before it died, and saw

the Headmaster give a tiny wince in response. "You are

the Chief Warlock. It is within your purview and

mandate to get it done. So, please, get it done. Right

now, I am in the process of organising a solicitor for

him through Matthias Greengrass."

"Contrary to the ludicrous views of Professor Snape, I

am being systematically abused at Privet Drive;

physically, psychologically and emotionally. And, with

the bond forming between Daphne, Hermione and I,

we need to stay together over the breaks lest we risk

harm to the forming bond. I will not subject them to

the Dursleys for even a moment.

"Those are my bare minimum conditions for me to stay.

They are not negotiable. I have to protect myself and

my ladies, here. If you cannot meet those conditions in

full as they have been explained to you, you need to

tell me now."

Dumbledore almost impassively sat there for a few

moments longer before glancing at both Professors. He

then looked back and Harry and asked, "Could you

please give us a little time to discuss this? You've

spoken about matters of which... I swear to you... I'm

completely unaware. I promise the three of you I will

have a decision by lunch time, today."

Harry stared back at the Headmaster for a few more

moments before turning to the two girls. "Ladies?" he

asked. "Should I?"

"Giving up your magic is a huge step to take, Harry,"

said Hermione. "I know you can easily live life in the

muggle world, but it means returning to live with those

horrid relatives of yours."

"Though they end up giving me only rags to wear, feed

me only table scraps, and make me do all the chores

and handyman jobs around the house and yard, while

the rest of them sit on their bums and just abuse me,

that's still preferable to staying here with the way

things are," Harry softly replied.

He didn't see the look of shock and subsequent sudden

glare at the Headmaster by Professor McGonagall,

who'd been listening in.

"Besides, though I occasionally cop a beating...

especially from my whale of a cousin... at least they're

not trying to kill me," he reasoned.

"I'd much prefer you to stay, Harry," Daphne sniffled.

"But I also understand your need to get away from here.

I say give the Headmaster until lunch time today, as he

requested. If even one of your conditions is not met, I

support your need to leave our world."

"Thank you, Daphne," he replied.

"I do, too, Harry," Hermione softly added.

"Thank you," he replied with a small smile.

He then turned back to the Headmaster and said,

"We've agreed to give you until lunch time today to

decide whether or not you'll meet my conditions,

Headmaster. If, however, I have not heard from you by

then, or you disagree with even a tiny part of those

conditions, I'm gone."

"Thank you, Harry," Dumbledore firmly said. "I shall be

meeting with the senior teaching staff between now

and then. You've provided information even I want

answered."

Harry gave a short nod before turning to escort the two

ladies from the Headmaster's office, and off towards

their classes, before Dumbledore called him back.

When Harry turned to look back, the Headmaster was

holding his wand out and said, "Please take your wand

with you, Mister Potter. For now, at least, you'll need it

for class."

Chapter 52

Harry thought about it for a moment before walking

back to the desk and accepting the wand. "Thank you,

Headmaster." Then turned back and rejoined the girls

in leaving the office.

As they walked, in the usual formation once they'd

descended the stairs to the corridor, Daphne asked,

"Would you have really gone ahead with it, Harry? Left

the magical world?"

He replied, "Dumbledore would never have allowed it

to happen. The prophecy makes sure of that. I just

needed him to believe I was resolute in my desire to

leave. That way, I've forced his hand to get things fixed

around here."

Hermione cut in and said, "Dumbledore will bend over

backwards, wear a pink tutu and sing 'I'm a Little

Teapot' in the middle of Diagon Alley during the height

of Christmas shopping, if he felt he had to do that to

keep Harry here," She then looked at Harry and asked,

"What would you have done if he'd let you walk out

that door?"

"Gone directly to Gringotts, pulled out all of my trust

fund and named you my Heir... so the likes of Malfoy

wouldn't be able to get his hands on the Potter

fortune," he replied. "Then, gone to the offices of

the Daily Prophet and given Rita Skeeter a tell-all

exclusive interview of my life, together with why I was

choosing to leave the magical world. Then gone to the

DMLE where, I've no doubt, Dumbledore would have

been waiting for me to stop me. If not, I'd have

requested it.

"I also have little doubt Madam Bones would have bent

over backwards to stop me, as well. She'd want to

know why I was choosing that path, and that would

have put her on the warpath against Dumbledore.

"No, I doubt very much I'll ever get an actual

opportunity to walk away from the magical world. No

one will ever accept the Boy-Who-Lived would want

to not live in the magical world. There'd be rioting in

the streets. Well, except for the period between

Voldemort's resurrection and the battle at the Ministry;

or, whatever is going to happen here."

"And what's going to happen... what are you going to

do... when your name comes out of the Goblet?" asked

Daphne.

"Create one Hell of an almighty stink," he replied with

a shrug. "I don't know if there actually is a loophole in

the so-called magical contract that can be used to get

me out it or not. But, that's beside the point. What I've

set up, back there, is how I'm going to deal with the

student body before things like those 'Potter Stinks'

badges come out.

"I'm okay with competing, now. I know what I'm going

to face; and, I'll be prepared. I just don't want to have

to tolerate the scorn and derision from the other

students as I did the first time through. I've made it so

the staff will have to come down on them, hard. I'll

remind Dumbledore how, by not competing, I'll be

'squibbed'. And how that'll be a free pass for me to

escape into the muggle world. There's nothing he could

do to stop it, if that's the case. He'll make damned sure

I choose to compete by forcing the student body to

leave me alone."

"In other words, you've got him over a barrel," smirked

Hermione.

"Eww!" Harry shuddered in response. "You know he's

gay, right? That's a vision I didn't want. He might

actually like the idea of being over a barrel."

Both girls laughed in response.

At 11:00am, the senior staff of the school attended a

mandatory staff meeting in the Headmaster's office.

They were told to cancel any classes they may have had

for that period and the next two hours, and attend.

Lunch would be provided.

As they all congregated in the office, Dumbledore

conjured a conference table with surrounding chairs.

"Please, be seated," he requested.

Once the senior staff - The Headmaster, Professors

McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape and Sprout, and Madam

Pomfrey - were all seated, the Headmaster said,

"Professors McGonagall, Snape and I recently had a

most worrying and troubling meeting with Mister

Potter and his two bondmates. The meeting was

originally supposed to only cover Mister Potter and his

bondmates' concerns about the return of the two

youngest Weasley children to this school."

"I'm not surprised," huffed Professor Sprout.

After a moment to glare at the Professor, who didn't

look abashed at all, Dumbledore continued, "In the

meeting, Mister Potter raised a number of other

concerns - as well as his concern about the two

Weasley children. He raised issues of which I'm only

partly aware or not aware of at all. We are going to

discuss those points, right now."

"I cannot believe you're going to kow-tow to that

little..." Professor Snape began to snarl.

With a firm slap of his palm against the surface of the

table, Dumbledore interrupted him and barked back,

"Severus! Enough!"

The Potions Master visibly flinched back but did hold

his tongue.

Looking back at the rest of the staff, the Headmaster

began to raise the points Harry had raised with him. "It

appears, and I have no reason to doubt him after what

I heard, Mister Potter believes things have gotten so

bad for him at Hogwarts, he is willing... I dare say even

eager... to see his wand snapped, his magic bound and

his eviction from the magical community

as more desirable than remaining a student here."

Of those staff who weren't at the earlier meeting,

Professor Sprout gasped in horror, as did Madam

Pomfrey, while Professor Flitwick looked completely

stunned.

"That's horrible!" stuttered Madam Pomfrey. "Why

would he want such a thing?"

"That's what we're going to discuss," the Headmaster

firmly replied.

During the subsequent meeting, he also let them know

just how angry he was with them for him not being

aware of many of the points raised.

Finally acting as the executive unit they were supposed

to be, the staff, with the Headmaster leading the

discussion, made decisions.

Once again sitting table at the Slytherin table, the three

had just finished lunch when Professor McGonagall

approached and said, "A decision has been reached. I'll

escort you to the Headmaster's office once you've

completed your lunch."

A quick glance at both girls to make sure they'd

finished, and Harry looked back up at the Professor and

said, "Thank you, Professor. We're done. If you've not,

though, we can hold off."

"No, I've completed my meal, thank you," she replied

with a smile. "If you're ready, we can go."

The three teens then rose and followed the Professor

back to the Headmaster's office.

Chapter 53

Inside were Dumbledore, the four Heads of Houses and

Madam Pomfrey. They were sitting in a circle around a

small table that Harry suspected was very recently a

much larger one for their meeting. There were three

chairs left vacant together, with another next to the

Headmaster. To that last was where Professor

McGonagall headed.

As Harry escorted the two girls to the other three

chairs, before sitting in the middle one, as

surreptitiously as possible he tried to gauge the mood

of the senior teaching staff. They all looked quite happy,

except for Dumbledore. He looked like he'd sucked on

too many of those Lemon Drops he favoured, with a

somewhat pinched countenance.

As Harry sat down, the Headmaster said, "Thank you

for coming again, Harry. And, thank you for giving us

the time to go over your... conditions."

Harry gave a slight head nod in response.

"As I mentioned earlier you raised a couple of points of

which I was unaware were going on in this school," the

Headmaster continued. "Firstly, we were all completely

unaware of the bullying of Miss Lovegood that was

going on. That will be dealt with this afternoon and

during the evening meal. Professor Flitwick, as Head of

House, will be immediately addressing that problem.

"As for the general and... oft times... public bullying

that's occurring, the entire staff has been instructed to

come down on the perpetrators of it with the full

weight of the Headmaster's office. You are correct in

positing that displays of one or more students bullying

another or others is not something we want our

soon-to-be arriving guests from Beauxbatons and

Durmstrang to witness.

"No, it's something that should never occur. So, the

staff has been told to be extra vigilant in both looking

for it, and dealing with it. And that includes use of slurs

such as 'mudblood' or 'half-breed'.

"You also indicated great disappointment in how the

House point system is being... tainted. That, too, is

being addressed. New guidelines for both awarding

and deducting points are being drawn up. And the

teaching staff will be required to adhere to it. Further,

if you have a complaint about what you believe to be

unfair points deducted or awarded, you can raise the

issue with your Head of House or, if they're the one you

believe is being unfair, you... indeed, any student... can

raise it with me. What you are probably unaware of, is

that there is a ledger kept within this office that

records the awarding and deducting of points, and why,

and it will now be constantly reviewed.

"Now we get to the more serious issues you raised.

Though, I do recognise bullying as a serious issue. First,

Professor Snape is now on probation. I have spoken

with our Head Boy and Girl, and other senior class

students, and have confirmed everything you told me. I

was completely unaware of just how... bad... it had

become. For that, I am deeply sorry; and, hope you can

find it in your heart to eventually forgive me for being

lax in that regard in the past.

"Professor Snape has now been instructed he is to use

the points awarding and deducting guidelines when

awarding and deducting points. He is to also refrain

from using or intimating any denigrating language

when communicating with students. He will be

monitored for compliance. If he breaches these

instructions in future, he will be summarily dismissed.

He will also provide proper instruction for the making

of each and every potion. He will no longer be allowed

to just say, 'Instructions are on the board. You have one

hour.' or similar. I, or Professor McGonagall, will

conduct random reviews to ensure these conditions are

met."

With a surprisingly genuine sigh, he said, "As for the

two Weasley children. I had already spoken with Arthur

and Molly, Mister and Missus Weasley, about the two

children before that... unpleasantness... this morning.

At that time, I gave them both my assurances the

children could return to school and classes until the

trial. As such, I cannot go back on that promise."

Harry was about to interrupt when the Headmaster,

recognising Harry's ire, held up his hand and continued,

"However, I also understand your view on how it

makes you both uncomfortable and feel there is further

risk to being attacked via potion with them in the

school, though I do not agree.

"To address that, all Weasley children, including Percy,

were subjected to a snap inspection of their belongings,

late this morning; and their incoming mail will be

monitored. Other than prank items in the possession of

the twins, there were no other suspicious packages.

What the younger Weasleys had in their possession

from before, were already seized by aurors from within

the DMLE when they were first taken away. I can assure

you that they will be closely watched and monitored to

ensure they do not attempt such a heinous act again.

"Further, it has been decided you will be allowed to be

re-sorted and change Houses. It is clearly

uncomfortable for the three of you to remain in the

Houses you are currently within. If you want to be

re-sorted, it will occur immediately before the evening

meal, this evening. The student body will only be told it

is an option made available to you due to the bond, so

that you can all be in the same House."

Harry simply nodded in response.

"As to the matter of your godfather, Sirius Black; I, once

again, apologise I have been somewhat lax in that area.

It is good that you're organising a solicitor for him; and

I commend you for that. Once you have the solicitor

organised, and he or she is ready for trial, I will use my

office as Chief Warlock to push for the trial. I can only

hope that he is exonerated. The Ministry, including the

Wizengamot, is rife with corruption. As such, nothing is

a given."

"The final matter you raised was the Tri-Wizard

Tournament, and how you feared you'd be entered into

the event against your wishes or desire. With what you

have gone through over the past three years you've

been here, it's quite understandable you fear the worst.

So, I'm going to tell you how the choosing of the

champions will take place. I trust the three of you not

to share this information with anyone else."

Harry and the two girls nodded.

With a responding nod, Dumbledore then went on to

describe the Goblet of Fire, and how it would be used.

He also gave the information that the minimum age of

a contestant was seventeen.

Harry was then ready with his questions.

"What is to stop someone of-age deciding to submit my

name against my wishes?" he asked.

His first question and Dumbledore clearly didn't expect

it. He was surprised by it. "I must say, that did not

occur to me. I shall take steps to ensure that cannot

happen."

"And, if it still does? If my name comes out of this...

Goblet... after all?" Harry asked. "It sounds like an

incredibly dangerous artefact, Sir. It could be used by

one wizard to see the magic stripped from another."

"There are safeguards to the second part of your

question. But, in the highly unlikely event of the first,

you would have to compete."

Chapter 54

And, before Harry could interrupt again, Dumbledore

said, "I see your concern, Harry. And, I will take steps to

combat against it. But, it's now too late to stop this

from happening. Contracts have been signed and

arrangements have been made."

"You can still skip using the cup... Goblet... and just

have a standard magically binding contract," Harry

muttered back.

"Sorry, no," said Dumbledore. "Tradition holds that the

Goblet be used."

"It's not much of a tradition if the Tri-Wizard

Tournament hasn't be held for centuries," Harry shot

back, to which the Headmaster only acknowledged

with a slight nod. With a sigh, he said, "Please tell me

this is not going to occur on Halloween. You know what

that day means to me."

"Errr... sorry," the Headmaster sheepishly replied. "The

draw will take place at the conclusion of the Halloween

feast."

With an admirable acting performance, Harry looked at

the Headmaster with much disappointment. "First

year," he said, beginning to tick them off his fingers.

"Troll. Troll in the dungeon. Thought you'd want to

know. I, dragging a very reluctant Ron Weasley along,

manage to rescue Hermione here from said troll with

only moments to spare.

"Second year. It's Nearly Headless Nick's 500th

Deathday party, Missus Norris gets petrified, and it's

the start of almost exactly six months and one week of

being held to ridicule, fear, contempt and similar by the

entire student body, while the entire teaching staff

appeared to sit back and did absolutely nothing about

it.

"Third year. Sirius Black, the so-called escaped mass

murderer and right hand man of Voldemort, is in the

castle. He attacks the portrait of Imogene - the Fat Lady;

and we all have to sleep in sleeping bags in the Great

Hall. Of course, I was in no danger, but we didn't know

that at the time, did we?

"And now, fourth year. It's that exact, same, day you're

holding the draw for the champions for the Tri-Wizard

Tournament," Harry sighed in exasperation. "You know

there's no way in Hell my name's not going to come out

of that Goblet now, don't you?"

Dumbledore stared back with a look that was a cross

between consternation and constipation before he

finally cleared his throat and shook himself out of it.

"Yes. Well," he muttered. "I do see your point, young

Harry."

Muttering sulphurously for a few moments, Harry then

sat up straighter and said, "It's now clear to me that my

name will be coming out of that Goblet on Halloween.

It seems I'm Lady Fate's personal punching bag and

that date is the date she's set aside to personally

torment me.

"I can already see what's going to happen. The event is

designed for witches and wizards over the age of

seventeen. Therefore, the events are designed for

those witches and wizards who have that level of

education. It'll even challenge their knowledge and

skills. I'm fourteen with only three years of magical

education. In other words, I'm toast.

"On top of that, as I'm only fourteen and the event is

only open to those who are seventeen and above,

when my name comes out of the Goblet, everyone's

going to say I somehow cheated my way in. So, yet

again, I'm going to be slandered and ridiculed. The

question I have is, is the staff going to actively work at

preventing it, this time around? If not, I'm out of here.

"Of course, if I do get held up for slander and ridicule

again by the sheep of the wizarding world, I will have

absolutely no problem with flipping the lot of you the

finger, and refusing to compete. In other words, I can

use it as the perfect opportunity to have my magic

stripped, rather than bound. That way, no one can stop

me from going back to the muggle world to live, and I

can wipe my hands of the lot of you. With a muggle

population in Britain approaching sixty million, it won't

be hard for me to disappear into the crowds."

Harry could see his words were having a profound

effect on the staff. Professor McGonagall was trying to

sit stoically as she stared off into the distance, but her

eyes were leaking tears. Professor Snape sat scowling

with his head down and appeared quite tense.

However, he remained quiet - thankfully. Professor

Flitwick was still in shock and looked ready to vomit.

Professor Sprout was quietly sobbing while shaking her

head in apparent dismay and an attempted refusal to

believe what she was hearing, as was Madam Pomfrey.

Staring straight at the Headmaster, Harry asked, "So,

Headmaster, what is the plan for when my name comes

out of the Goblet? Because, I really don't think

anything you do is going to stop it from happening."

After clearing his throat again, Dumbledore firmly said,

"I assure you, Harry, I'll be doing my best to ensure that

does not happen. However, if you're correct, I don't

know what I can do once it happens."

Harry shook his head in annoyance and said, "Then, I'll

start." He drew his wand and held it up in his hand. "I,

Harry James Potter, swear on my magic and my very

life I will not submit my name to the Goblet of Fire. Nor

will I ask, or in any other way actively encourage

another, to submit my name to the Goblet of Fire. I do

not want to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I

do not want to be involved in the Tri-Wizard

Tournament other than as a spectator. As I say, so I

swear."

There was a quick and almost blinding flash of light as

the oath was accepted. And he immediately cast a

stream of sparklers.

Harry turned to the senior staff and said, "I trust that is

enough for everyone here to know and understand me

being in the Tri-Wizard Tournament is not something I

will work towards achieving?"

Most of the staff looked horrified at what Harry had

just done. It was Dumbledore who replied, "Harry, a

magical oath is not something that should ever be

taken lightly..."

Interrupting, Harry replied, "And what part of this

entire conversation could be considered 'light',

Headmaster? I understand what will happen if I decide

to take the option of having my magic either stripped

or bound, and my then being ostracised to the

mundane world. Compared to that, a magical oath is

merely a doddle."

"Nevertheless," the Headmaster sighed, "It is still a

serious act to undertake. But, what is done is done. I

believe I speak for all the staff when I say we do not

doubt you have no wish to participate as a champion in

the Tri-Wizard Tournament. However, what would you

have us do if... or, as you believe, when... your name

comes out of the Goblet?"

Harry frowned and appeared deep in thought. A few

moments later, he looked back at the Headmaster and

replied, "As soon as my name comes out, I'm going to

make a very public magical oath similar to the one I

just made, here, stating it wasn't me. I also demand

you make damned sure none of the sheep you call

students has a go at me about it. It would be collective

bullying at its worse.

"Because, I'm telling you now, if the student body

even thinks about denigrating, slandering, defaming,

vilifying, ostracising, scorning or similar me or either of

my bondmates, I will retaliate with physical force. I will

not stand for it. Not for even one jot of a moment. I will

not tolerate another second year."

Chapter 55

"I believe, once we begin to enforce the rules regarding

bullying at tonight's meal, that will not happen," said

Dumbledore.

"Well, Sir," Harry retorted, "A famous theoretical

physicist, Albert Einstein, once said 'Two things are

infinite: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not

too sure about the first'(1). No matter how much you...

impress... upon the student population that such

actions will be harshly treated, there will still be those

who will choose the stupid option and ignore you. I,

however, will not ignore them."

With a sigh, the Headmaster sat back and said, "Alright,

Harry; I think we've covered all the points you've raised.

Are you satisfied with what you've heard here?"

Instead of answering immediately, Harry turned to the

two girls and non-verbally asked for their views.

Hermione, who was still clearly upset, nodded back; as

did Daphne when he turned to her.

Turning back to the Headmaster he replied, "So long as

there is an immediate major shift towards what we've

spoken about, and then that major shift continues, I

currently withdraw my wish to be evicted from the

magical world."

The Headmaster visibly sighed in relief.

"However, I reserve the right to make such a

determination in future," Harry continued. "I will wait

to see what happens... especially surrounding the

tournament... and will be constantly internally

reviewing my decision. There must be radical changes

to have occurred before I will remove my desire off the

table completely.

"Further, if I do end up deciding to leave the magical

world, I expect my wishes to be honoured. It

is my choice. And I really don't give a flying toss if the

magical world gets all up in arms about how the

Boy-Who-Lived would make such a decision. My

decision will be my own; not theirs. And I really could

care less about the so-called Boy-Who-Lived

because he is not me. You can blame the idiots who

have, without my authorisation, used my name to sell

products for that.

"I'm also supposed to be this great bloody hero who

got rid of Voldemort for the magical people. However,

not one of them even wrote to me to say thank you.

The first letter I ever received from anyone... let alone

the magical world... was my Hogwarts acceptance letter.

And I had no way to reply to that, anyway."

Harry watched as the Headmaster almost

imperceptibly winced.

"If I'm supposed to be their hero, then why was I

ignored by them?" Harry asked. "No. They clearly

couldn't care less about me. All mouth and no action.

Therefore, I can't see them really being upset if I decide

to leave."

"Mister Potter," said Professor McGonagall, getting

Harry's attention. "Plenty of people wrote to you. No

one ever heard back."

Glaring back, Harry replied, "I assure you, Professor; I

never received..."

"Harry," the Headmaster interrupted.

Turning to look at the Headmaster with a frown, Harry

asked, "Headmaster?"

Clearly uncomfortable and even squirming slightly in

his seat, the Headmaster said, "The reason you didn't

receive any mail is because I was concerned that some

of it would contain harmful potions, charms, portkeys

or the like. They represented a great risk to you and

your safety. Furthermore, I knew your aunt and uncle

would not appreciate being... bothered... by the

magical community. As your magical guardian, I made

the decision to intercept your mail and have it stored

elsewhere until..."

Harry listened first, with dawning comprehension, then

mutating to anger. Eventually, he'd heard enough and

surged to his feet in rage.

"Jesus bloody Christ, Dumbledore!" he roared as

Dumbledore was immediately cut off and the staff

visibly flinched back. "Do you have any bloody idea as

to the consequences of your actions? It's no wonder

the student body out there denigrate me one moment

and worship me the next.

"Holy bloody Hell! There'll be kids out there... not to

mention their parents and guardians... who wrote to

me and never heard a bloody peep out of me back!

God damn it; some may have even sent me gifts and

they now think I'm a right prick for not even

acknowledging them! Including over the past three

years. It's no bloody surprise, now, why I'm getting

treated the way I do! They fucking hate me!"

Harry grabbed hold of his spiking emotions, not even

noticing that documents and trinkets had been sent

flying during his rage at the Headmaster by his almost

uncontrolled magic. Once he'd managed to get his

emotions back into check, he collapsed back into his

seat.

"You imbecilic prick!" he moaned. "What have

you done?"

No one even dared to reply. Only Hermione first, then

Daphne, moved closer to him and hugged him.

"Oh my God!" he sobbed into his hands.

The first to recover of the staff, Professor McGonagall

glared at the Headmaster and quietly but firmly

demanded, "Albus? Where is Mister Potter's mail?"

Calming himself down, the Headmaster quietly replied,

"It's being stored in an unused storeroom here, in the

castle. I have not taken the time to go and have a look

at it, so I have no idea how much is there. I'm also

concerned that some of it may still have those illicit

charms, potions, portkeys or the like I mentioned

attached to them.

"Therefore, I ask that you not go looking for it, at this

time, Mister Potter."

"Fuck you, old man!" Harry snarled back. "I don't know

what the laws are in the magical world surrounding

intercepting the mail of another; but, in the muggle

world, it's an automatic stay in one of Her Majesty's

gaols!

"I now take full responsibility and possession of my

mail. Any and all mail redirection charms or whatever

you have in place concerning me, you will immediately

strip away, never to return them... or organise for

another to place such upon me and mine. I'll have our

two house elves go through it all and separate out

anything that's dodgy, and set them aside for the DMLE

to deal with. As for the rest, I'm going to need time to

go through it all and send out letters of apology to each

and every person who sent me something, and explain

what happened.

"While your motives for intercepting my mail were just,

the method by which you went about it is abhorrent.

Once you began to intercept my mail, it fell to you to

treat it with respect according to how you

believed I'd want it dealt with. And, I assure you, I

consider ignoring it a loathsome and despicable act. It's

no wonder there are those like Professor Snape who

consider me arrogant.

"At the conclusion of this meeting, you will

immediately take me to where you've stored my mail.

At that time I will use our two house elves to begin the

process of sorting it and separating out the letters and

packages that are suspect. Then, I'm going to begin the

process of going through each and every item and

responding to it. I don't care if it's been up to almost

thirteen years since the sender sent the letter or

package. They deserve a reply; and, they're going to get

one; no matter how long it takes me to do so."

When he finally finished his rant and collapsed back in

on himself in his seat, Harry let the girls cuddle back

into him from either side.

Dumbledore appeared to be getting his own emotions

back into check. Once he was calmer, he said, "Harry,

I'm truly, truly sorry this has happened. It was my

intent to do just as you suggested; but, I managed to

put it off until it was too late, and the amount became

too large.

"It was then my intent to use the house elves to sort

out the... as you put it... suspect packages and letters

and see the lot handed over to you when you first

arrived here in the beginning of your First Year. But,

again, it had slipped my mind."

After a short hesitation he said, "Very well, Harry. At

the conclusion of this meeting I will take you to where

your mail is stored. I only ask you ensure it is all

checked, and bring anything suspect to me, before you

handle any of it."

Harry didn't even bother to reply. He took a deep

breath of air and said to no one in particular, "I need to

get out of here. I need to get some fresh air."

He then stood and said, "I'll come back later. I'm

finding the conditions in here, quite stifling, at the

moment."

Not even bothering to see if the Headmaster or the rest

of the staff acknowledged him; the two girls stood

either side and walked out with him. They were

headed directly for the main doors of the castle to walk

down to sit near the edge of the lake.

Once they were gone, Professor McGonagall staring at

the Headmaster, fuming. Once she could, she growled,

"How could you, Albus? What other harm have you

done to that poor boy?"

"What I've done is..." the Headmaster tried.

Professor McGonagall just barked straight over the top

of him. "Don't even think of saying 'It's for the Greater

Good', Albus. If it's for your so-called Greater Good to

cause harm to that boy, I want no part of it.

"A lot of what is driving that boy out of our world is

directly attributed to what you have caused to happen

to him. You have meddled in his life long enough. It is

high time you made sure his godfather gets his trial and

Harry gets to develop a family with him. Because,

it's only family that will keep that boy from leaving our

world.

"And, if he does end up taking that option, it will

become very clear very quickly exactly why he left. I

doubt very much you will manage to hold on to any of

your positions of power once the dust finally settles."

Chapter 56

After they spent time just talking at the edge of the

lake, the three reviewed what they'd managed to so far

accomplish.

"Alright," began Hermione. "The horcruxes. The

diadem horcrux has been cleaned and is ready to hand

back to the school, once this is done. We either need to

get Sirius to get us the locket horcrux so we can put it

to the same ritual... then get him to see if he can get

the cup horcrux from the goblins from Lestrange's

vault... or I go to the goblins and get it direct.

Dumbledore still gets the ring. And Nagini is for later."

"I'll see if I can deal with Nagini at the graveyard in

June," said Harry. "She's already the final horcrux, so I

can deal with her now, rather than later when she'll be

much harder to get. I also need to practice wandless

summoning to summon my wand back to my hand. I

don't want to be without my wand in the graveyard,

again."

"We'll organise a second wand for you during the

Christmas break," Daphne cut in. "One that you can

keep hidden in the sleeve of your right arm and you can

pop into your hand if you're bound."

"That's a good idea," said Harry. "Thank you, Daphne."

She merely nodded back.

After a nod of acceptance as well, Hermione continued,

"The Hallows. Harry is now the rightful owner of the

Elder Wand, even if Dumbledore has it back in his

possession. We'll get the stone from the ring later, once

Dumbledore has it. And Harry already has the cloak.

"Sirius. Daphne's father is organising a solicitor for us,

and Harry now has Dumbledore actually starting to

work at getting Sirius a trial. We can't do anything

further on that until we speak with the solicitor.

"The press. Harry has already put the hard word to the

staff about how he get's treated, without actually

saying so, once his name comes out of the Goblet. A

solicitor with defamation experience is also being

organised by Daphne's father. As we've got almost two

months until Halloween we've got plenty of time to

deal with that issue.

"The basilisk. Daphne's father is also organising for that

to be rendered down. From that we'll save enough hide

to ensure the three of us, at least, have full body suits

of armour."

"Good," Harry firmly said. "I'll be one Hell of a lot

happier if I know both of you are protected from most

curses and hexes."

"The latest issue is a new one; Harry's mail." Hermione

turned to look at Harry directly and said, "Did

Dumbledore ever tell you he had your mail in the

castle?"

"No," Harry growled. "Clearly, he didn't think it

important enough to tell me."

Daphne snorted in an unladylike fashion and said, "It's

more likely he was worried that, if you knew about it

and had read some of it, you wouldn't have gone ahead

with your little suicide at the wand of V-Voldemort."

Harry smiled back and gently placed his hand on the

blonde girl's leg. He gave it a gentle squeeze of

assurance, and was pleased when she didn't flinch

away. She was clearly beginning to trust him; and that

he wouldn't take things too far. It was progress.

"What are we going to do about the prophecy orb?"

Hermione asked. "We really don't want to leave it in

the Dee-oh-Em."

Harry thought for a moment and replied, "I want to go

and get it this Christmas but I don't know if we'll have

time. If possible, I also want to replace it with a fake

containing a false prophecy. As long as we keep the

first two lines intact, we can 'fiddle' with the rest and

make it seem like, if I can get hold of him, Riddle's toast;

and there's nothing he can do about it."

Hermione giggled and said, "The one with the power to

vanquish the dark lord approaches... born to those who

thrice defied him; born as the seventh month dies...

And the dark lord shall mark him as his equal; but, he

shall have power the dark lord knows not... and the

one with the power will kick the dark tosser's arse into

the next millennium, where he shall forevermore burn

in the fires of Hell... The one with the power to

vanquish the dark lord shall be born as the seventh

month dies."

Harry roared with laughter while Daphne grinned back

at Hermione. "Descriptive," she smiled. "But, not

exactly prophecy material, is it?"

"I'll work on it," Hermione laughed. "If we're successful,

it'll make Riddle panic."

"Yes, but we have no idea what he'll do as a result,"

said Daphne. "He may flee Britain completely. Or, he

may decide he no longer wants to be the one who

takes Harry out; and puts a bounty on his head."

Calming down, Harry said, "It's still better than him

getting the full prophecy."

"It shall end where it all began, as the chosen one

defeats his foe," Harry murmured after almost a

minute of silence. "It's descriptive without giving

anything away. It'll drive Riddle nuts trying to figure

out what 'where it all began' means, so he can stay the

Hell away from the place. And, once the Prophet starts

calling me 'The Chosen One', it'll demonstrate to him

the prophecy is real."

Hermione hesitated a moment before she said, "As I

said, I'll work on it. But, I like the way you're thinking."

After sitting staring at the lake for a few minutes more,

Harry said, "Ladies, I'm sorry that you missed your class

on Ancient Runes. And, Herbology this afternoon,

when it comes to that."

"Don't be silly, Harry," Hermione gently scolded him.

"It's not as if we've not gone through this before.

We've all already completed our sixth year of

education. Daphne almost completed her Seventh Year.

For us, it's all just revision."

"Hermione's right," said Daphne, supporting her

bond-sister. "Anyway, we should think about heading

back to the Headmaster's office. We'll be joining you

when you go to look at your undelivered mail."

Harry nodded and the three stood before walking back

to the castle.

As they approached the Headmaster's gargoyle, they

arrived just in time to see the other Professors come

down.

"Ah, Mister Potter, Miss Greengrass and Miss Granger;

you're just in time," said Professor Flitwick, the first to

spot them.

"If you don't have class now, Professor," said Harry.

"Would you care to join us? I think I speak for the three

of us when I say we believe we'll be in your House by

the time we sit for dinner."

Surprised but clearly pleased, the diminutive Professor

said, "I'd be delighted to. And, I must say, I'd be quite

pleased to welcome you into the House of the eagles; if

that's where you end up being sorted."

"We've decided to have a chat with the Hat, Professor,"

said Hermione. "Your House is the one into which we'll

be requesting it sort us."

"Well, that pleases me, immensely," the Professor

beamed, before his face dropped into one of sadness.

"I have also investigated what you told the Headmaster

about how Miss Lovegood is being treated by her

Housemates. I assure you, it is currently being dealt

with. You shall hear more of that at the evening meal. I

also apologise I was not aware of it before now."

Chapter 57

"Luna is such a gentle soul, Professor; she could not

find it in her heart to complain about her treatment,"

replied Harry. "I take it she told you it was something

like Nargles or Wrackspurts responsible?"

"That she did, Mister Potter," said the Professor. "I

have also come to understand she uses those...

mythical creatures... to mask her pain."

"Yes, Sir," said Harry. "Those creatures are her way of

bonding with her father since the passing of her mother.

It's something she and her father can share, as if it's all

some big secret. However, if she was properly tested, I

believe you'll discover she naturally sees magical auras.

That's why she often seems so spaced out. She's

looking at things very few other people can see. And,

even then, they can only see when they activate their

mage sight.

"What she sees and calls Nargles, Wrackspurts and the

like; I believe is something to do with her natural mage

sight. Just saying, Sir."

The little Professor stared up at Harry with a slight

frown on his face before he gave a small nod and said,

"Thank you, Mister Potter. I believe that's also

something I'll investigate further."

The three teens and the little Professor finally headed

back to the Headmaster's office.

When they entered, the Headmaster said, "Welcome

back. I was just about to send for you, Mister Potter. I

take it we are all heading for the storeroom?"

"You take it correctly, Sir," replied Harry. Harry was

surprised the old man didn't try and dismiss anyone

again. It was a pleasant surprise.

The Headmaster led their little party up to the seventh

floor and into a tower that Harry thought was currently

unused. Just inside the Headmaster stepped to the left,

drew an old key from his robes, and unlocked a heavy

wooden door. The hinges squeaked as he swung the

door, inwards.

After the old man stepped within, Harry followed. He

was just in time to hear the Headmaster mutter in

surprise, "Oh, dear."

Harry stepped right in to clear the doorway for the rest

of their party to follow. Inside, the room was filled with

shelving. Opposite the door was a window with a

surmounting owl window.

The shelves were literally covered in mail. There were

large and small envelopes; large and small packages.

"Bloody Hell!" muttered Harry, looking around. "That's

a lot of mail."

The Headmaster moved over to the shelf on the far left

and said, "If the charms I placed on the room worked

properly... Ah, yes."

Turning back to Harry, he said, "The mail arrives via owl

on that centre table with the owl perch on it." He

pointed at the table. "From there, the owl is

automatically relieved of its burden and allowed, even

encouraged, to depart immediately afterwards."

Professor Flitwick moved to the table and began to

make intricate gestures with his wand, frowning and

grinning at odd times.

"Once the mail is released," the Headmaster continued.

"The magic in the room, driven by runes, then sorts the

mail according to quite simple commands.

"It is all sorted in chronological order, starting with this

shelf over here." And indicated the first shelf he'd

approached. "Letters, cards and the like go on the

upper shelves; while packages go on the lower

shelves." He pointed out each.

Turning back to Harry, he said, "When I first set up this

room, I expected it to be about ten times more than I

would ever need. However, now looking around, it

appears I almost didn't plan for enough. There is,

almost literally I'm afraid, about ten times more mail

than I originally anticipated.

"I had expected that the 'fame' of the so-called

Boy-Who-Lived would wane within a few years.

However, that does not seem to be the case." He

moved to the opposite side of the room and began to

look at various items of mail. "If anything, it appears

your fame has increased with time; especially, over the

course of the last three plus years."

"It's a lot of mail," said Hermione, quite awed by what

she was seeing.

"Indeed," said Professor Flitwick.

"Where do we even start?" asked Daphne, also awed

by what she was seeing.

"One letter at a time, right from the beginning," said

Harry. "The walk of a thousand miles begins with a

simple, small step; and is merely repeated over and

over again."

"Yes," said Professor Flitwick, pleased with what Harry

said. "But I believe magic can help a lot with this

massive task."

"And house elves," said Daphne.

"We need a plan to deal with this," said Hermione,

clearly thinking furiously. "We need a system."

Harry grinned back at her, knowing this sort of thing

was what she enjoyed doing. He prompted, "We'll need

to create form letters. Then use dicta-quills to copy

them over and over; for as many as needed. Different

form letters based on the intended audience, the

original; and on what it is they sent."

Hermione nodded and said, "Lots of parchment. Lots of

parchment. And ink." She began to nibble on her

bottom lip and continued, "We'll have to hire a lot of

owls, too. The school owls are for all the students. And,

it'll be unfair to deprive the rest of the students of

them. Owl post would also be swamped and unable to

handle the load, depending on how fast we worked

through it all."

As she talked, Harry looked at Daphne and grinned. She

smirked back.

"We'll need a bigger room," Hermione continued.

"We'll need to move all this to something like a large

unused classroom, shelves and all. Then, set aside part

of the room as the work area. It'll also need to have a

large owl window for outgoing flights and returning

owls. Plenty of roost spaces, too; near the window."

"It can be a project for our house elves to handle in

their spare time," said Daphne.

Hermione glared at her for a moment before her

expression softened. "So long as they promise not to

work too hard at it, I can live with that."

Seeing the odd expression on the Headmaster's face at

what Hermione said, Harry told him, "Hermione is very

concerned about the way house elves are treated, their

health and welfare."

"An admirable quality," the Headmaster replied, giving

a small bow to Hermione. He then handed the key to

Harry and said, "I shall have the redirection ward

removed within the next couple of days. And, don't

worry, your aunt and uncle will never know I was

there."

Chapter 58

Harry accepted the key and nodded back, "Thank you,

Headmaster."

With that, the Headmaster said, "I shall see you at the

evening meal," And swept out of the room.

Professor Flitwick said, "I look forward to seeing you at

the sorting." And followed him out.

Once both adults were gone, Harry turned to the two

girls and sighed. "Contrary to what I said earlier, how

on Earth am I going to handle all this?"

"We, Harry," Hermione said, almost offhandedly.

"She's right," said Daphne. "We're in this together,

remember?"

"This," said Harry, waving his hand at all the shelves, "I

doubt very much was under consideration when you

agreed to the return."

"No," Daphne replied with a shrug, moving closer to

hold his left arm at the elbow. She tilted her head to

rest it on his left shoulder. "But, I think it could be a fun

project."

"Students," Harry suddenly said, coming up with an

idea. "We hire students looking to make some pocket

money. I've got plenty in my trust vault, at the moment.

It won't run me short."

"Trustworthy students," said Daphne, understanding.

"Hufflepuffs?"

Checking to make sure the adults had truly left, Harry

turned back to her and said, "Cedric Diggory,

remember? He becomes the true champion."

"I remember," said Daphne, as if he'd insulted her.

"However, the Headmaster has assured you... us... he

will make sure everyone understands you're in the

Tournament unwillingly."

"Some of the 'Claws might be willing to do the work,

too," Hermione pointed out. "We're going to need

seniors to check each item for potions, enchantments

and the like, anyway. Such people are usually found in

Ravenclaw."

"I'd offer the chance to the twins; but, I don't want to

find out they use the opportunity to pull pranks," Harry

sighed. "Then, I'd have to fire them. We're having

enough Weasley trouble, as it is."

After they stood there for a few moments longer,

Hermione huffed and said, "Alright. If we wait to move

everything until after the Headmaster removes the

mail redirection wards that gives us time to organise a

large classroom with a lockable door... and get it

warded.

"The classroom needs to then be stripped of most of

the furniture to allow room for the shelving in here...

letters, packages and all... to be moved to the new

room. The classroom also needs to have a large

window with an existing... or, with the option to have

fitted... a decent sized owl window."

"Depending on where we get sorted, the classroom

should be near our new common room," said Harry.

"That means we really can't go looking for a new home

for all this until after we've been sorted, and learn of

where we can find our common room."

"We get Dobby and Winky to move all this to there,"

Hermione continued as if she hadn't heard what Harry

had said.

"Then we can organise the rest of the space as a work

area," she mused. "One area for checking the mail, one

for opening it and setting it out for others to read and

judge which of the form letters best suits a response,

one for drafting the responses, one for finalising

everything and, where necessary, for Harry to sign the

response, and one for then sending out the response

and dealing with the owls."

"You're thinking of a production line," Harry muttered,

amused.

Hermione turned to him with a big grin and said, "I am,

aren't I?"

"You also need a section of your line that works out

how to deal with the now responded-to mail. There are

going to be a great many gifts of all sorts, in there. We

need to figure out what we're going to do with them."

"Noted," said Hermione, again thinking about it.

"A job for another day, then," said Daphne. "Come on.

Let's go back to our... current... apartment and relax for

a while."

"Current?" asked Harry.

"I daresay we'll need to be re-housed in an apartment

closer to the Ravenclaw tower; or, down near the

Hufflepuff burrow, if we're sorted into there."

Harry snorted and said, "I didn't even think of that.

You're right, of course."

"Of course I am," she smirked. "I am a Slytherin, after

all. Well, for next couple of hours, at any rate."

Harry turned more fully towards her and hugged her.

"You'll always be a Slytherin, Daphne. You'll just be

wearing Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff colours, is all."

"Do you think we can ask for an apartment with more

than three private rooms?" asked Hermione, coming

over to join them.

With a shrug, Harry replied, "We can always ask. We'll

need a good enough reason to have more than three,

though."

As they made their way out of the room, and Harry

locked the door before dropping the key into his pocket,

Daphne said, "For visitors... guests. We can explain

how we want our various families to come and stay for

short durations so they, too, become comfortable with

our three-way bond."

"I don't know if my parents can come," Hermione

quietly said, as the three headed back to their

apartment in their usual formation. "What with the

muggle repelling wards."

"There's ways around that," explained Daphne. "All it

takes is a charm in the short term; or an enchanted

object in the longer term. We'll sort something out for

your parents, I promise."

A much happier Hermione brightened up and said,

"That would be marvellous! I've wanted my parents to

see Hogwarts for the longest time."

After returning to their apartment, Hermione ducked

across to the Gryffindor common room to collect

homework assignments for the classes they missed

that day. For Harry it was just COMC. For the other two

it was COMC and Arithmancy for Hermione, and just

Arithmancy for Daphne.

In the time between when they returned, and before

going down for the evening meal, the three worked on

their assignments. Harry even paid attention to the

Arithmancy assignment the girls worked through, as he

was trying to work through the Ancient Runes

exercises.

While working, Harry casually mentioned to Hermione,

"You know how you suggested we can get Winky to

help us move my mail to a classroom?"

"Uh-hmm," Hermione almost absently replied.

"None of us have bonded her yet," he explained. "She's

probably currently down in the kitchens getting drunk

on butterbeers."

Chapter 59

Hermione's head snapped up with a look of horrified

comprehension. "We forgot about her!"

With a nod, Harry replied, "We did."

"Pardon?" asked Daphne looking up. "Who's Winky?"

"Crouch's ex-house elf," replied Hermione. "He gave

her clothes at the World Cup because she was unable

to keep Crouch Junior from running off. It wasn't her

fault, though. It was Crouch's fault and he blamed her."

"Dobby!" she called.

With a pop Dobby appeared. "Yes, Miss Grangy?"

Ignoring his name for her, she asked him, "Can you

bring Winky here, please? I know you've been looking

after her."

With a little look of fear, Dobby popped away. And, a

few moments later, he was back. With him he brought

Winky; looking dishevelled, drunk, sad and weepy.

"Winky is a bad elf," the little female elf sobbed. "Why

does Dobby's Miss Grangy want to talk to a bad elf?"

"Because you are not a bad elf, Winky," explained

Hermione. "Your old Master Crouch gave you orders

you could not meet, even with your elf magic. He was

the one at fault, and he blamed you for it. He was

being very unfair. Even the other wizards there, told

him so."

"Master still gave Winky clothes!" the elf sniffled.

"Winky is not wanted by a family now."

"Rubbish!" Hermione shot back. "I have a family and I

want you."

With a look for a hope, the little elf looked back at

Hermione and plaintively asked, "Y-You do?"

Dobby was looking very excited. He said to her, "Miss

Grangy is family with the Great Harry Potter Sir and

Miss Daffy!"

Winky looked at Dobby with awe before looking at

Harry, who smiled and nodded, and at Daphne, who

also smiled back; before she once more turned her

eyes to Hermione.

"You want Winky?" she asked again.

With a bit of frustrated sigh, Hermione said, "Yes.

However, you have to accept the same pay as Dobby,

accept the same conditions of employment, and no

more drinking butterbeer."

"Winky can do that," replied the little elf, slowly

nodding her head in wonder.

"Good," Hermione firmly stated. "Now, come and show

me how you can bond with me."

A quick house elf bonding ceremony later, and

Hermione owned her very own house elf.

Harry started giggling behind his hand, trying not to

laugh.

As Dobby took Winky away, again, to explain the

conditions of employment, and help her choose a

uniform, Hermione scowled at Harry. "What?" she

snapped.

"There goes Spew!" he laughed.

Hermione glared at him for a little while before she

took on an aloof air and harrumphed at him, "Well, I

know better now; don't I?"

Harry laughed while Daphne smiled. After a few

seconds, Hermione decided he'd laughed enough and

threw a wadded ball of parchment at him. "Hush, you!"

she mock-growled.

He eventually calmed down and the three returned to

their homework.

With plenty of time before the commencement of

dinner, the three checked their rooms to make sure

they had everything sufficiently packed for a quick

move to a different apartment. Of course, the house

elves would have taken care of everything, but Harry

and Daphne were making that little bit of an effort for

Hermione's peace of mind. Then headed down to the

Great Hall.

As Ron and Ginny Weasley were still in the school and

sitting at the Gryffindor table, the three bondmates

went and sat at the Slytherin table as everyone began

to settle down. Of course, the school gossip-vine had

been in full swing all day. It was even more noticeable

as the entire Ravenclaw table sat in sad silence, not

even looking around.

As they were sitting down together, Tracey was sitting

opposite with Horace and Blaise. She lean forward

towards Daphne and asked, "Rumour has it something

big is going to happen tonight. It has something to do

with you three, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Daphne replied. "There're a couple of big things,

actually. And I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you a

heads-up about it before now."

Frowning and clearly a little worried, Tracey asked,

"What's going on? The 'Claws look like all their

Christmases have been cancelled."

"For a start, we're being re-sorted," Daphne replied, a

little worried about her friend's reaction. "These

two..." indicating Harry and Hermione, "... need to get

out of the Lion's Den because of what happened with

the two youngest Weasleys. And, because they're being

re-sorted, so am I."

Tracey appeared to think about that for a little while as

Blaise asked, "Any idea into which House you'll go? Or,

is that what's got the 'Claws so down?"

"Ravenclaw, Mister Smarty Pants," Harry spoke up,

grinning at Blaise. "We've decided to ask the Hat to

place the three of us into Ravenclaw. And what has the

'Claws down, as you put it, has nothing to do with that.

That's something else."

"We'll miss you in the Snake Pit," said Tracey, a little

sadly to Daphne. "And, I'll miss our late night talks."

"You'll still be able to have them, occasionally," Harry

said, trying to soothe her. "Hermione and I don't mind

if you spend the occasional night in our apartment with

us. I'm sure we can sort something out."

Tracey smirked at Harry and asked, "Trying to get me in

bed with you, Mister Potter?"

Harry just gently laughed back and said, "Definitely not,

Miss Davis. We'll be speaking with Professor Flitwick

about a larger apartment."

"We're asking for one with four bedrooms," explained

Daphne. "We're using the excuse that, because a

three-way soul bond is such a big and unusual thing,

we'd like our families to stay with us for the occasional

night, here and there, so they can also become

comfortable with our new relationship."

"Clever," said Horace.

They were interrupted from chatting further when the

Headmaster stood up and moved to his lectern.

Though he had almost total silence descend on the hall

during the time he stood and moved to the lectern, he

still said, "Quiet down, please."

Chapter 60

Once the last of the chatter died off, he said, "We have

a couple of items of business to attend to before we

start tonight's meal. We'll get them out of the way now,

so you won't have to hold back after you've filled your

young tummies and have become sleepy.

"For the first announcement, I call on Professor Flitwick

to address you."

The Headmaster stepped aside from the lectern and

conjured a smell set of steps where he'd stood as

Professor Flitwick came around the head table and

took his place at the lectern.

Allowing a moment for the light chatter that had arisen

as he walked to the lectern to die back down, Professor

Flitwick said, "It has been brought to the attention of

the senior staff we have been quite lax, or simply blind,

to what's been going on in a few areas.

"One of those areas is that a member of Ravenclaw

House has been the victim of long term ongoing and

systematic bullying. This afternoon, I held a full House

meeting in the Ravenclaw tower common room to

investigate just how bad it had become. I was both

shocked and appalled to discover it was even worse

than even I could imagine.

"As a result, I made a number of sweeping changes,

and handed out quite a number of punishments. One:

all Ravenclaw prefect positions have been stripped

from those who held them. It is an important

responsibility of the prefects to both protect House

members from just this sort of thing, as well as act as a

conduit between the Head of House and the students

under their care. That not one of them even informed

me of what was going on, that some of them were

even involved, and that it took a member of another

House to inform me, speaks to how badly all

Ravenclaw Prefects were remiss in their duties. I will

endeavour to select new prefects for Ravenclaw House

over the coming week who better understand their

responsibilities.

"Two: Because of the great number of members of the

House who were involved in the bullying of one of their

own, let alone anyone else, I hereby deduct one

thousand points from the Ravenclaw tally for the

House Cup. Though the House Cup is not running this

year, having the loss of points displayed for everyone to

see... including the delegations from our soon-to-be

visiting schools of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang... I

hope will stand as a stark reminder of their shame, and

my disgust with them.

"Three: Again, though the Quidditch Cup is not being

held this year, all members of the Ravenclaw Quidditch

team have been stripped from their positions. I shall

select a new Team Captain, and task that captain with

developing a new team, later in the school year. With

the exception of two existing members of the team, the

rest of the existing team is now forbidden from playing

until further notice.

"Four: In my shame in not being aware of this bullying

within my own House, I offered my resignation as Head

of House for Ravenclaw to the Headmaster. However,

he has chosen not to accept it. So, instead, I offer my

most sincere apologies to you all, to the staff, but...

most especially... to the victim herself. Miss Lovegood

is a wonderful person and a true Ravenclaw. She has

Ravenclaw's Gift. If there is anyone who deserves to be

a 'Claw across the entire school population, it is Miss

Lovegood. And, as a mark of my own shame, I have

offered myself to her as her Personal Champion."

That made quite a few of the students, who knew what

he meant, to gasp in surprise. Even amongst those

Harry and his bondmates were sitting with, there was

shock. A Personal Champion was effectively both

bodyguard, as 'shield', and meter of justice, as 'wand'.

It was the responsibility of the Personal Champion to

act as defender and warrior for those to whom they

were Champion. If Luna was to be challenged,

Professor Flitwick would stand in her stead.

"Did you know about this?" Tracey demanded in a

whisper.

"About the bullying; yes," Daphne whispered back.

"But not the Champion thing."

Further discussion was cut off as the Headmaster, once

more, took the lectern. "The bullying, however, has not

been limited to just one person within one House. It

has been most clearly impressed upon me that we, the

staff, have been entirely too lax in dealing with this

abysmal behaviour across the entire school.

"That ends now. As of now, all bullying will be punished

most harshly. Personal slurs, such as 'Loony', 'Scarhead',

and the like, are now forbidden. Likewise, are generic

slurs such as 'Mudblood', 'half-breed', 'filthy snake'...

and 'dunderhead'."

As he said each, the Headmaster looked at the main

perpetrators of those slurs, including Professor Snape;

before he turned back to face the hall, at large.

"How punishments and awards are issued has also

been addressed. The staff and I are in the process of

reviewing how such are handed out. We're setting

down a system that will see fairness return to the point

system; as well as to detentions. We're aware that

many of you have become... disillusioned... with the

point system; and have, as a result, developed the

behaviour of just ignoring the point system entirely.

You feel it is a waste of time; and, having now reviewed

the ledger that lists down each and every point

deduction and award, it does not surprise me. It is my

hope the new methodology will see you, once again,

respecting the point system for its fairness.

"To aid us, and you, we're also implementing a review

process. If you feel you have received unjust point

deductions, or another has received unjust points

awarded, you can take the matter to your Head of

House. The matter will then be reviewed. However, be

warned, abuse of this system could see you punished,

as well.

"As you're aware, we'll be hosting delegations from

both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang starting from a few

days before Halloween. And they will remain here until

late June. In many cases your behaviour has been

appalling. This new point system should go a long way

towards rectifying that. However, for those who feel

they can ignore this directive, I point out that the castle

is going to need a good spring cleaning between now

and when the delegations arrive; and for the time they

are here. I'm sure Mister Filch would love to have your

assistance in getting the castle cleaned and ready for

our guests."

The Headmaster then paused for a few moments to let

the chatter die down again before moving on to the

next item. With a nod towards Professor McGonagall,

who rose from her place and ducked out for a moment

through the staff entrance, the Headmaster said, "As

you'd also be aware by now, three of your fellow

students have found themselves in a unique situation.

They are involved in a three-way soul bond.

"On the very rare occasions of when a soul bond or

binding occurs between current students, when both...

or, in this case, the three... reside in different Houses.

They are offered the opportunity to be re-sorted. After

wisely having considered it for some time, Mister

Potter, Miss Granger and Miss Greengrass have decided

to accept this offer.