Disclaimer: Not mine. Anything that's recognizable belongs to JKR and those she has blessed with millions of Dollars, Pounds, Euros, Rupees, Rubles, Lira, Marks, Pesos, Yen (well, you get the idea) from her efforts.

A/N: I was starting to read a perfectly good harem fic when this rabid little bunny came jumping in and wouldn't leave well enough alone. What was really frustrating is that the idea had absolutely nothing in common with what I was reading (think apples and freight trains). Thanks must be given to Herman Tumbleweed for all his help in making this readable and canoncansodoff for ideas to help develop it further.

Chapter 4

Albus Dumbledore rose from his seat at the head of the table in the formal dining room of Black Manor. "Well, if no one has anything else to discuss..." he looked around at the assembled members of the Order of the Phoenix. When no one responded, he went on, "Then I suggest we call this meeting adjourned. Thank you, my friends. You all have your assignments. Be careful and have a pleasant evening."

As the membership slowly dispersed from the House of Black, the old man spied the two he was looking for standing huddled together, speaking quietly. Becoming slightly concerned, he called out, "Remus? Nymphadora? May I have a moment of your time?" As they turned and approached him, his eyes twinkled brightly. Gesturing the younger two to sit, he returned to his seat, folding his hands on the table in front of him.

"I have some concerns which I believe you two can help me with," the old fossil began. He directed his attention to the care-worn werewolf. "Remus, in spite of your lack of success with the other magical beings, you found it necessary to return. May I ask why?"

"Albus," Remus shook his head slowly, frustrated with having to repeat himself. "I don't know what else I can tell you that I didn't already address in the meeting. At this point in time, it's a waste of effort and resources. They want nothing to do with this war, but Voldemort is making a good case for himself as the Ministry has done nothing to help our efforts. If I continue to brow-beat them, we, meaning the Order, will simply further alienate them as the Ministry already has. I feel, as I already said, that it would be better to allow them some time to assess the situation for themselves. I've made some good contacts that I will not simply abandon; however, they need time to make their own decisions. I will not push them into Voldemort's court by attempting to force the issue."

"Very well, I will accept your judgement in this. How is young Harry doing, then?" The meddling Headmaster's twinkle shifted into overdrive as he added, "I assume that is a good part of why you decided to return."

"Well, yes, part of it, anyway." Remus answered hesitantly, wondering about the abrupt change in topic. Taking a breath, he locked gazes with the leader of the Order as he felt the wolf inside respond. "It's a good thing I did, too." Now that he'd started, his passion for Harry's well-being enabled him to continue, ignoring all of Albus' attempts to interrupt. "When I got here, he'd been spending all of his spare time in the library reading, even mostly ignoring the Weasleys when they were here. Not that it's a bad thing in itself, but it is unusual for him. In fact, other than at meals, the only one he had any significant interaction with was his owl."

At this point, Tonks managed to add, "It's true, Professor. He was..." the currently purple haired, DD breasted Auror cocked her head to one side, thinking, "he seemed to be... driven, I guess would be the best word. Driven to learn all that he can about anything and everything. In fact, he and Ron got into a row over it."

Albus' bushy eyebrows rose to nearly his hairline. "Really?"

"Well, it wasn't that much of a row, and I honestly think it was more a matter of Ron insulting Hermione's fascination with learning that started it," Remus observed. At the Headmaster's subtle gesture of continued interest, Remus shook his head. "No, Albus, there's no need to discuss it. The details aren't important. It's not even important enough to qualify as teenage angst.

"Harry is going through a lot right now with Sirius'... death. So am I, for that matter. I came back to... to see if I could help him... and myself... with it." Remus' emotions were being kept tightly under wraps at this declaration, but it was obvious that it cost him dearly to maintain that control. "We've spoken at some length about... Sirius and... and things," the greying lycanthrope's voice grew thick with suppressed feelings. "He's a good kid, Albus. There is nothing to worry about."

Clearing his throat, the old meddler said, "Well then, I trust all is as well as can be expected. I must, however, insist that a close eye be kept on Harry for the rest of his time here, including his choice of reading material. I'm concerned about what he could learn with unfettered access to such a collection, however. Perhaps I should go through..."

"NO!" both Remus and Tonks yelled. Glancing at each other, Remus nodded to Tonks to explain, "It wouldn't work Professor, she told the self-important old relic. The Black Library is Harry's and is quite thoroughly cursed to prevent any intrusion. No matter what you did, the books would return to their proper place. Not to mention that he's not very happy with you right now." Holding her hands up in a dismissive gesture, she explained, "I don't know why. He won't say anything about it, but it's quite obvious."

An odd thought trudged its way into the old man's mind. "You said that his owl has been spending a great deal of time with him?" Albus asked. "How did he get her past the enchantments I put up?"

Tonks rolled her eyes. "It's his house, Professor. As the Master of the House, he's an exception for anything like that; no matter who casts the charms. It wouldn't matter, anyway. Hedwig is his familiar."

"Of course, I had forgotten that. But have they actually completed the bond already? It normally takes many years for it to even begin to form." The old man didn't like where this was going. Something just wasn't right about this and it had bothered him a great deal for quite some time, although he at a loss to figure out why.

It was Remus' turn to chuckle, "Albus, they are fully bonded and have been since at least Harry's third year. I noticed it while discussing Familiars in his third year Defence class. I even used Harry and Hedwig in a demonstration for the rest of his class. Now as to how or why? I really don't know other than to suggest that we should add the Laws of Magic to the list of other rules Harry tends to ignore."

"I suspect that we should, "Albus chuckled in spite of himself. "In any case, please ensure that he's not reading or doing anything... inappropriate. I shall see you both at the next meeting."

Accepting the dismissal, Tonks returned to her flat as Remus retired to his suite of rooms upstairs, both having disturbing thoughts about their conversation with the supposedly wise old Headmaster.

As they left, Dumbledore sat back, deep in thought, the twinkle gradually leaving his eyes. "Well," he thought, "I guess my fears were unfounded after all. A full Familiar Bond would be impossible if I were correct. However, I still need to keep him from those damned books..."

oOoOo

Remus left his bedroom and ran up the stairs to find the source of the resounding crash that had just shaken the dilapidated old manor house. When he reached the landing near the library, he was greeted by the sight of a singed and completely dishevelled Leader of the Light laying flat on his arse down the hallway from the now invisible library entrance.

"We tried to tell you Albus. You can't fight the Black Family magic," wheezed the uncontrollably laughing Marauder. He then returned to his suite thinking how much Sirius would have loved to have seen Albus in such a state.

oOoOo

Harry-owl was enjoying the night air beneath his wings, but finally decided that he'd left his girls alone together long enough. "My girls?" He thought. "Where the hell did that come from? Hedwig I can see, but when did Hermione get brought into the mix?" Mentally shaking these peculiar thoughts from his mind, he banked and headed back to Hermione's house. "I hope they haven't hexed the shite out of each other."

oOoOo

After a long, slow snog, the two girls pulled away from each other, panting heavily. "Damn," they both started, and then fell back to the bed, giggling like the teenage girls they were. "Well, that was..." they giggled even more as they started speaking in sync once again.

Hermione put a quill-calloused hand gently across Nyta's swollen lips. "Let me," she laughed. "That was... unexpected, but very nice," her warm chocolate brown eyes were soft as she gazed into Nyta's twinkling hazel ones. "I don't know what to think, though. Can we really do this? I mean," the uncertain girl's eyes lost focus as she thought about it, "we've, in a way, only just met. Yet, it's as if we've known each other for ages." A look of desperate confusion crossed her face as she looked away and concluded, "I don't know what's happening here."

"I do understand," was the sympathetic reply. "Harry and I went through the same thing and came to some conclusions of our own." Hope came to Hermione's face as she turned her gaze back to the woman she'd always known as an owl. "We've known each other for five years now, Hermione. I'm the same person that I always have been; I'm just... currently packaged a bit differently."

"What a package." Hermione murmured.

"I could say the same for you." The tittered reply mortified the younger girl, as she didn't think she'd commented out loud. "Don't freak, sweetie, I'm very glad you feel that way. But you also have to accept the fact that you're a knock-out, too. Anyhow, in Harry's and my case, we attributed some of it to the Familiar Bond, but now I'm not so certain. It's happening the same way with you as it did with Harry. Although..."

Hermione continued the thought, "...it's often felt to me as if we also had some kind of a bond. I thought it was because of Harry you knew if I had something for him, but now, I'm not so sure..." a sudden chortle spilled from her lips. "Damn, we're starting to sound like Fred and George."

"Merlin forbid!" they exclaimed together, then they fell back to the bed, laughing. After they got their mutual mirth under control with a few stolen kisses and some minor soft touching, they sat back up. This time, Nyta held her hand up to indicate her turn to start speaking.

"Bond or no," she started slowly, thinking it through as she spoke, "I think it has more to do with trust than anything else. As an owl, you and Harry both treated me... more like a person than anything else. You trusted me with your secrets and your hearts. I gave back what little I could and you both accepted it without hesitation. Granted, I wasn't really in a position to betray you, but as I said, animals, and owls in particular, are hard to fool. I knew that you both trusted and loved me as much as any human you cared about. Even more than some." Hermione just nodded her agreement, allowing her new love to follow this intriguing train of thought. "Perhaps some of the real me was able to show through..."

"... and we fell in love with Nyta, rather than Hedwig," Hermione concluded softly and slowly. "I think that's precisely what happened. I often wondered what you'd be like as a person." She reached out for the other girl's hands, adding even more softly, "Now I'm happy to say that I'll get to find out. So far, I think it's the best thing that could have happened to all of us." After a moment of uneasy quiet, the nervous beauty shyly mused, "Now we just have to get Harry's head out of his arse. Do you really think he loves me?"

"Girl, I've known that for several years. He's a guy, you can't expect him to figure it out for himself, but I've been working on him and he's almost there. I'm more concerned with getting him to accept the three of us, but I have a plan..."

oOoOo

Harry-owl was finally approaching the Granger house. He hadn't meant to be gone so long, but who knew chasing small rodents was so much fun? As he approached the window he was aiming for, his superior owl vision noticed a ruckus on the bed. "Oh shite!" he thought, "They're fighting! Not good, not bloody good at all!" He approached in a steep dive and zoomed through the window, transforming as he landed. Drawing his wand, he was ready to stun them apart when he heard... giggling? Looking more closely, he realized they weren't fighting at all; they were... snogging?

As the stunned wizard stood there, trying to come to grips with what he was witnessing, two heads with kilometre-wide smiles popped up and greeted him in unison with cheery voices, "Hi, Harry." The girls untangled themselves from each other and straightened what little clothing they still had on.

Nyta reached out and grabbed the still gobsmacked young man's hand, pulled him to a seat on the bed between the sexy, partially dressed young witches, and greeted him with a passionate kiss. When they came up for air, Hermione gave him her own equally blistering kiss.

After they broke that kiss, the blushing brunette addressed her oldest and dearest friend. "Harry, this isn't the way I was planning on telling you, but... well... Hedw... er, Nyta and..."

"Hedwig is fine, love," Nyta interrupted tenderly, "I prefer it, actually, but only from you two. Sorry, please continue."

"Er, okay, well... Hed and I spoke quite a bit while you were gone," the anxious witch started, gaining courage as she went on, "and we realized a few things. First of all, Harry, you need to know that what she told you about me is true: I'm absolutely in love with you and have been for a long time. Don't question it; accept it as fact. I'm hoping that she was equally right about your feelings for me." Accepting his dumb nod as an answer, she released an unknowingly held breath in a sigh of relief. "Good. That leads to the next thing..."

"... we also realized," Nyta picked up the conversation, "that we, Hermione and I, love each other just as much as we each love you." At this proclamation, Harry's human eyes grew to cover an even larger part of his face than they did in his owl form. "We decided that, if you agree of course, all three of us should be together."

"There is precedent under Wizarding Law," the conversation changed seamlessly back to the other girl, "but we don't have to worry about that quite yet. What we do have to worry about is..."

"... how we're going to be able to spend enough time together to properly get to know each other," Nyta concluded.

"Aaargh!" Harry's head had been pivoting back and forth between his current and, apparently, new girlfriends. His neck was becoming somewhat sore and he was more than a little dizzy. Taking a deep breath to calm and centre himself from both the conversation and their lack of attire (being mostly unclad from the waist up), he asked both of them, "Let me get this straight. We," turning to Nyta, "are still going to be together?" Nyta nodded enthusiastically. "And you and I," turning to Hermione, "are getting together at the same time?" Hermione responded with a shyer, but no less enthusiastic nod of her own. "And you two," glancing at both young ladies, "will be together as well?"

A resounding cry of "Yes!" came from both witches. Harry then found himself pushed back on the bed with two sets of lips on his and his tongue involved in a three-way battle. He decided then and there that his overly moral side could go screw itself.

oOoOo

Several hours later, Harry-owl and Hedwig were winging their way back to London. They had stayed much longer at Hermione's home than they should have, but neither of them regretted it for a moment. She had been briefly brought up to date on what had happened so far this summer and on some of their future plans. Hermione's temper had flared when she learned the complete story behind Nyta being cursed and added her desire for vengeance to Harry's.

Interestingly enough, that had raised a greater emotional response than the promise to find her Animagus form; something the brilliant young scholar had always wanted to try. Some of the things she had come up with in the name of revenge were more than frightening. Harry learned one important thing from that: Don't get between Hermione and someone she loves. Ever.

Of course, not all of the time was involved in conversation. They spent plenty of time beginning to get to know each other physically as well. Perhaps not as well as any of them might have liked, but enough to cause great anticipation for the time they could arrange for Hermione to finally visit Black Manor. Still, Hermione was a thoroughly satisfied young lady when she finally went to sleep, matching white and black feathers on her pillow.

oOoOo

At breakfast the next morning, Tonks was laughing hysterically at Remus' account of Dumbledore's attempted assault on the library. "You mean to say," the young Auror asked between fits of giggles, "the old fart was stupid enough to try to steal Harry's books, even after we warned him?" She had stopped by to have breakfast with the "old wolf", as she sometimes called him, which she frequently did these days.

Remus chuckled his answer. "I don't know if he meant to actually steal them, but it was obvious he had planned something the House didn't like." His mood became more sombre as he toyed with his nearly empty cup of tea. "I dread having to tell Harry about this. He is already rather upset with the Headmaster. I'm afraid of how he'll react."

As her hair shifted from green to a muted dark blue, reflecting her changing mood, the Metamorphmagus asked, "Why is Harry so upset with Dumbledore, Remus?"

Still playing with his tea, the lycan replied thoughtfully, "I'm not completely sure, Tonks. I know that staying with Petunia has always been an issue between them, and I suspect that Harry, on some level, blames Albus for what happened to Sirius." His expression darkened at that thought. "I do, too, to an extent. But there's something else involved – something big. I don't know what it is. I can't get Harry to talk about it, and you know what asking Albus anything is like." They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Looking up at the clock on the wall, Tonks exclaimed, "Shite. Gotta get to work. Bye." She flounced her way to the floo, hair shifting back to its normal spiky pink.

Leaning back in his chair, thinking furiously, the former Defence Professor came to a decision. Swallowing his now cold tea, he rose from the table and headed upstairs to find Harry. It was time to have another long talk.

oOoOo

Harry woke up suddenly, confused. Looking around, he realized that he was still in his owl form and had been sleeping on Hedwig's perch. His memory of the flight home last night finally came back to his consciousness. The Animagi had been so tired when they returned from visiting Hermione that their owl instincts had taken over and, as a result, they immediately perched and went to sleep. Sensing his mate next to him, the black owl scooted closer to the white one and nuzzled her awake. Responding to her avian pheromones, he proceeded to do to her what owls have done for eons.

oOoOo

Remus had looked in all of Harry's usual haunts in the house, as few as they were, and decided to check to see if the boy was still asleep. As he approached the door to the master suite, he heard some loud, indefinable sounds. Worried, and finding the door locked, he drew his wand and silently cast Alohomora. Entering quickly with his wand out and a curse on his lips, he looked around the room and didn't see Harry at all. Following the odd sounds led his gaze to the owl perch by the window where he saw Hedwig and a strange, black owl... "Mating?" He thought. Remus was stunned as the reality of the situation sunk in. While he stood and stared, the owls became aware of his presence in the room. Together, they launched themselves towards the interloper, talons extended. The werewolf ducked and dodged as the enraged raptors circled and attacked, over and over, until they had chased the wizard from the room. Thanking Merlin for his near escape, he chuckled to himself over the strange event until catching a whiff of something foul. Reaching up and finding several large, wet sticky masses in his hair, and on his back and shoulders, the fugitive thought, "Oh shite," and headed to take a much needed shower. "Who knew," he thought wryly, "that owls had such good aim?"

oOoOo

Returning to human form after they were certain not to be interrupted again, Harry and Nyta fell on the bed, howling with laughter. They were confident that at least one Order member wouldn't try to invade Harry's privacy again.

When they finally calmed down, they just held each other closely, still exhausted from the night before. Harry recast the locking and silencing charms on the door and looked back to his mate. "Guess it's too late to go back to sleep, how about a shower?"

Nyta replied in a lust-filled voice, "Only if we get to finish what you started." Looking back at the large perch, she added with a smirk, "We really need to try that again."

With an animalistic growl, the young wizard picked his love up off the bed and carried her to the ensuite bath with his face buried in her chest. As they passed the door they had chased Remus through, he paused, looking up at it with a sad smile.

"What, my Harry?" a worried Nyta asked gently.

With the same sad smile, he looked back at her and softly said, "Nothing, really. I was just thinking how proud Sirius would have been to see that." With that, he kissed his lover's lips gently and took the last few steps into the bathroom, where they got very dirty before getting equally as clean.

oOoOo

The next several days passed quietly in much the same way as the days before the Weasleys left for France had. The only difference in the routine was the two trips they made to visit Hermione. Again, only so much could happen there (although quite a bit did), but they were able to really get to know each other and the strong emotional connections they had previously shared were enhanced and strengthened. It truly was, as Nyta had observed to Hermione that first night, as if Harry and Hermione had always known Nyta rather than Hedwig, and had fallen for the white haired witch rather than the Snowy Owl.

Finally, the day came when Harry had to meet with Sirius' solicitor, Bloodsucker, at Gringotts. Hedwig had delivered a letter from Harry requesting the meeting while her love was talking to Remus in the library that day. As they both knew that the Half-Baked Duck Society would never permit an excursion for any reason, even to a safe place like Gringotts, the appointment had been arranged for 9 pm so Harry-owl and Hedwig could fly there after dinner. Harry had simply claimed to want an early evening with a book, as usual. His more studious nature over the past few weeks had convinced the adults in the house to leave him be when he wanted to study.

As he landed in the shadows between two buildings in Diagon Alley, Harry returned to human form wearing a long, dark cloak over the Muggle clothes that he and Nyta had snuck off to Harrods the previous day to purchase. Pulling up a deep hood over his head, he waited for Hedwig to land on his shoulder before silently crossing the Alley to the white marble monstrosity the Goblins held court in.

Having a Goblin solicitor turned out to be a blessing. Since Sirius had written the will before he had been imprisoned for things he'd never been formally charged with, let alone convicted of, they had accepted and processed his Will as they would have any other business: efficiently and confidentially. The now even wealthier young wizard received a detailed listing of his new assets and some parchments describing the enchantments on the old manor. Even a quick glance told Harry that nothing the bumbling old meddler could do to the old manor's enchantments would have any effect on him and that he could override anything the old fool chose to do. It was a shame that Sirius had not seemed to know this.

Also, the Goblin was asked to look into the Potter Estate as Harry wanted to know if his parents had left a will. Bloodsucker was shocked and angered at that request. It was common knowledge in Gringotts that the Potters certainly did have a will, as the old Pureblood families always did. Bank policy would demand the reading of it, even if the parties were unable to receive their bequests due to age or other concerns. He swore to get to the bottom of this outrage. Muttering Goblin imprecations, he wrote a memo to the Estate Department of the bank, demanding an investigation. This would, unfortunately, take several days.

They were, however, able to glean from Sirius' will that Harry was never to go to the Dursleys. It seemed that Sirius had mentioned in his will that in case of his premature demise, Harry would be left to the next of the potential guardians listed in his parents' will; namely Remus Lupin or Minerva McGonagall, but never to Lily's sister; again, as was stated in the Potter's will.

The wizened old Goblin had so impressed the couple that they took him into their confidence and revealed Nyta's true identity. Bloodsucker was tasked with determining Nyta's official status and the status of her family's estate, who had all been killed during Voldemort's first attempt at power. Although it would take time and galleons, Nyta knew Harry well enough to not complain about him shouldering the cost. Besides, they both already knew that they'd be together for a long time.

When asked if the couple wanted to pursue a case against the person who'd cursed her (and whom they hadn't identified to anyone but Hermione yet), the two simply told their new Goblin friend, with evil grins, that they were already making plans for their foe, because it was personal. That type of revenge was something that every Goblin respected and appreciated.

After all of the business was complete, the young Animagi, with the solicitor's consent (and to his vast amusement), both transformed and flew out the window for the short trip back to Grimmauld Place. Now they could finally have their mutual love come to stay with them, and the sorry old son of a bitch could do nothing about it.

oOoOo

The following Friday evening, a late model Mercedes stopped in front of a small, unkempt square in Grimmauld Place. Hermione leaned across the car to give her mother a hug and thanked her for dropping her off. She grabbed Crookshanks, who was in his carrier, from the back seat before exiting the car to retrieve her trunk from the boot.

Mrs Granger was understandably concerned about the sleazy and run-down neighbourhood that her daughter expected to be left in. "Are you sure this is the place?" she asked, leaning out of the car window and looking around. "It seems rather... dodgy."

"Yes, mum, this is the right place," the anxious young witch tried to reassure her. "I told you, the house is magically hidden. The magic involved won't even allow me to enter as long as you're watching." Hermione's voice softened as she appreciated her mum's worry. "This is where I spent last summer. I know you can't see the house, but don't worry, I can. Relax, I'll be fine. I'll send an owl as soon as I can."

"Okay, then, if you're sure" the elder woman gave in hesitantly. After giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek, she slowly pulled away from the kerb to head back into London proper, carefully watching in the mirror.

The beautiful young brunette watched her mother drive off before setting Crookshanks' carrier on top of her trunk and dragged both across the street to Number Twelve. As she crossed the enchantments, the Hogwarts Whiz Kid drew her wand and levitated her belongings and pet up the steps and gently set them next to the front door. She thought, "I wish I had known last summer that we could do magic here. Just another bone to pick with that bastard," her feelings mirroring her rapidly lessening opinion of the Headmaster. She knocked on the door, knowing that ringing the bell would wake that disgusting painting of Sirius' mum.

oOoOo

Dumbledore was sitting in the dining room, preparing for that evening's Order meeting, when he heard a knock at the front door. Curious, he got up and went to answer it. Opening the door, he was surprised to see Hermione Granger, her trunk, and her half kneazle.

"Good evening, Headmaster," his student politely greeted. "May I come in?"

Nonplussed, the elderly schemer quickly recovered himself and, equally as politely, refused her entry. "I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but there is an Order meeting starting shortly and I'm afraid that we won't be able to receive you. May I ask how you came to be here?" By this time, a small group of early arrivals had begun to gather in the hallway behind him, listening intently to the exchange. Then a commotion began as someone forced his way past the growing membership.

"She's here because I invited her, Headmaster," answered a familiar, masculine voice.

"Harry," Dumbledore started to chide the young man who had finally reached the doorway, "You know that..."

Harry held up his hand to cut off the old geezer. "What I know, Professor Dumbledore, is that this is my house; a fact that you conveniently overlook at every possible opportunity. What I also know is that Sirius' will has been read and fully executed. What I also know is that Hermione is welcome here, anytime. More welcome, in fact, than some of the people you give free reign to in my home, despite any objections I may have." Shouldering the centenarian aside, Harry opened the door fully, allowing Hermione to enter as she levitated her belongings with her.

Stopping alongside the flustered and reddening Headmaster, Hermione sweetly inquired, "I'm curious, sir, why it was never explained to us last summer that underage magic was undetectable by the Ministry in a location under the Fidelius Charm? Honestly, it took me fifteen minutes in the Hogwarts Library to learn that. I'm sure, though, that it was just an oversight on your and Mrs Weasley's parts."

"Miss Granger!" came an outraged cry from Minerva McGonagall. Both teens blatantly ignored it.

Chuckling quietly, Harry led her to the grand staircase that led to the upper stories of the manor. Part way up, he stopped and turned to face the now fully assembled Order. "Oh, Headmaster?" The exasperated old wizard glared in response. "I'd appreciate it if you'd confine the Order's activities to the first floor and below. There is no reason for them to occupy any other rooms here as I believe that they all have homes of their own and this is not a bed-and-breakfast." He looked at his father's old friend with a fond smile, "Of course, you're still welcome to stay here, Moony." Harry's eyes narrowed as he searched out his next victim. His demeanour changed to anger as he spotted the old crook, "And Fletcher? If I see you trying to get into any more locked rooms or I find that you've taken any of the things I've suddenly been unable to account for, your arse is mine. In fact, I'd better be able to find everything. And soon." Looking back at the now fuming Headmaster, Harry concluded, "And stay the hell out of my library!"

"Mr Potter! Really, now!" The Transfiguration professor again expressed her disbelief at the behaviour of two of her Gryffindors. She was again ignored.

Hedwig chose this moment to leave her perch on top of the conveniently placed portrait she had been observing from to glide to her wizard's shoulder. She chuttered softly in his ear and rubbed her head gently against his face. Hermione took his arm and led him up the stairs, her trunk, and Crookshanks' still occupied carrier floating behind her, ignoring the stares and glares from the crowd below.

The silence was broken by a thundering laugh from Alastor Moody. "Dunno what you did to rile the lad up, Albus, but I'm sure as hell glad it ain't me he's mad at." Still chortling, the paranoid ex-Auror led the others into the dining room for the meeting.