Author's note: Ernie's way of talking was an experiment I decided to keep; I didn't do it with Filch, so it's kind of jarring, and I apologize.

I SPENT MONTHS WRITING THIS. My writing is jumpier than usual, since I gave up trying to pad the sections with information and just pushed to get something done. Also my writing style might have changed thanks to the hiatus. I blame school.

Chapter Ten: The Best Laid Plans

Daphne sat down at a table in the library, penning a paper plan. To her left, Hermione Granger was diligently recording information spoken in the meeting. To her right, Harry Potter was reading an older transcript, and in front of her Ernie Macmillan sat back and relaxed.

"What does a 'treasurer' do in this club, anyway?" Ernie asked, effectively breaking the silence. Daphne sighed and put her pen down.

"I don't...know," she admitted. "But Henry said...it was a good idea, and...I'm inclined to believe him."

"Yeah, but, it don't really mean anything, does it?" Ernie said with a shrug. "I mean, yeah, I get it, he's your brother and you wanna help him out an' all, but what am I really supposed to do?"

"The...the plan was..." Daphne mentally cursed her sudden bout of anxiety as she struggled to formulate a complete sentence. "I, um...we were going to...bounce ideas off of each other? And...it was a good idea to bring a Hufflepuff into the mix, since...I'm a Slytherin, and they're...both Gryffindors. It's...a mediator for these meetings?"

Ernie sat back and rubbed his chin. "So...'s just a name, then? Really don't mean anything, huh? I mean," he waved aimlessly. "I got no idea how we could raise funds, or even if we're allowed to."

Daphne nodded, not trusting her words at this point. Hermione spoke up. "I think that's brilliant, really, I know you're pretty enthusiastic about this stuff like the rest of us so we can just bounce potential ideas off of each other, the four of us, and then we can talk about it next club meeting." Hermione glanced at Daphne as she finished, and Daphne gratefully nodded to her. "So, any ideas?"

Harry spoke up from his spot. "I have an idea on the money part," he said. "We could probably sell minor rune arrays for a price, and use it as fundraiser material. I kind of remember Muggles doing something similar with...cookies, I think."

Hermione's eyes lit up. "Fundraising! Why didn't I think of that?"

Daphne hummed. "Um...what would we do with...any potential monetary gain?"

Ernie shrugged. "Right now, that ain't a concern, since we have no outstanding fiscal liabilities, but if we need to it's good to have financial assets in reserve."

"Wow, big words, didn't expect that," Daphne muttered, then froze. "I-I didn't mean to..."

Ernie waved her off. "Yeah, I know, I don't really look the part to be smart about this kinda stuff." Then he grinned. "But my pops always said it was a good idea for a man to know about where his money goes."

Daphne nodded again, face burning crimson. Ernie's grin grew wider. "Of course, If ya keep talkin' without thinkin' about what you're sayin', no wonder you need a mediator."

It was at that point that Henry walked into the library. Daphne hid her face behind her book.

"Hey there, children I like to hang around with!" Henry said happily. "You guys got the studying down?"

"I have no idea what that means," Daphne said bluntly, and Henry chuckled.

"Okay, okay." Henry stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Anything you kids need help with?"

"We have absolutely no idea what we're doing," Harry said. Henry laughed, and Daphne suddenly realized how much older he looked.

"To be fair, I don't know what I'm doing, either." Henry paused. "I actually read a book about clubs the other day. Apparently I did it wrong. Half of the positions I suggested aren't even necessary."

Daphne and Henry had a small square-off with their eyes, before Henry sighed. "Ernie and Hermione's spots aren't necessary."

"Pfft," Ernie said, standing up. "In that case, see ya."

"I'd rather have three over one," Daphne replied coolly, and Ernie stopped in his tracks.

"Perhaps," Henry hummed, non-committal. "But it's tougher to manage that." Daphne arched an eyebrow. Henry chuckled. "I know, I know, you're a Greengrass, you can handle this. Spare me the discourse, Daphne. I've had the old man's rant before." But despite his words and relaxed posture, his eyes were hard and calculating.

Daphne tried to smile. It probably didn't turn out very pleasant. "Then you know my position on this."

Henry's grin dropped and he stared at Daphne before nodding curtly, once, and walking away.

Once he left, Hermione instantly rounded on her. "Why did you have to be so rude? He was only trying to help!"

"He was being patronizing," Daphne replied, eyes cold. "There's a major difference, there."

"There's no way you could have-"

"When you've lived with him," Daphne interrupted Hermione's rant. "It's much easier to tell when he's truly feeling helpful, and when he's only doing anything out of some misguided sense of pity. Pity we don't need."

"Why are you so cold?" Harry asked, seemingly at random, and Daphne blinked at the non-sequitir. Then she opened her eyes in amazement and blushed.

"S-sorry. I...do that a lot." Daphne instantly reverted to the meek and shy girl she started out as. Harry and Ernie were not convinced, but Hermione convinced the two to focus on the planning instead of the behavior change.

At first, Harry Potter didn't know what to make of the new Professor. Ron was adamant that he was a Dark wizard, as he does with all Slytherins, and Hermione was refuting that because of his preference for Muggle suits. But then he stood up and made his introductory speech, and all previous assumptions flew out the metaphorical window. A Squib teacher, and one well-versed with Muggle culture, at that. Harry thought that his class would be interesting, although he was mildly annoyed that he still couldn't drop Trelawney's class.

And then he actually talked to the Squib professor, and, to his eternal embarrassment, bawled his eyes out in their first meeting. But Harry couldn't help it; Professor Greengrass, Henry as he liked to be called, was just so comfortable. He radiated this sort of "big-brother" feeling that was at once comfortable and protective.

Henry managed to get him into his class (dropping Divination, of course), where Harry realized a hidden passion for runes, and actually did well in, disregarding Ron's complaints. And Henry was always available after his classes; Harry often went to his office, to talk about anything Harry wanted off his chest, and Henry was kind and cool and everything that he wanted in an older brother figure.

Sirius was his godfather, yes, and Dumbledore filled the role as his grandfather, but Henry was definitely the 'big brother' in Harry's mind.

They talked about all sorts of stuff, ranging from Quidditch to presents to irrational anger, and everything in between. More than once Harry came in with a Voldemort complaint, and Henry was always willing to pause in his work to listen to Harry's complaints and offer advice.

But Daphne made Henry look so sad and frustrated, and Harry didn't like that look on his face at all. Harry surreptitiously grabbed Hermione and asked her to come with him to cheer the professor up; Hermione, always eager to please authority, agreed. Arriving at Henry's office, Harry knocked on the door firmly, and the door swung open slowly.

Henry sat there, fiddling with a Muggle pen. He looked up at the two, and smiled. "What is it, Harry? Hermione?"

"Professor, we just wanted to apologize for Daphne being rude to you," Harry started, but subsided at Henry's nonchalant waving of his hand.

"It's not a problem. She does that all the time, I'm honestly used to it." Henry grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "It wouldn't be her if she didn't ridicule me at every turn."

"Still," Harry frowned. "It shouldn't be like that. It's not really fair since you just wanted to help."

"Thanks, Harry," Henry almost muttered. "But, to be perfectly honest, if she wasn't the way she was, I would break her." This time his smile turned distinctly malicious. "It's one of the banes of living in a house of snakes."

Hermione gasped, and Harry was tempted to do the same. "But, Professor-"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand," Henry continued on, as lazily as if he was talking about the weather. "But the Greengrass family has traditionally been very Slytherin. Utterly neutral, yes, but Slytherin, through and through. Growing up in such an environment, regardless of who you are, you get this sense of self-superiority and delusions of grandeur that are very hard to overcome." His smile turned somewhat more cheery. "Astoria's the first one in a long while that hasn't succumbed to the allure of power. I'm really happy for her, actually, even if my old man messed everything up with his stupid plots." He turned to Harry, eyes assessing the boy. "I have a dislike for old people with absurd plots and attempts to take over my life. I already know three, and I think you know one, yourself."

Harry was startled by Henry's sudden moodswing. Previously, Henry seemed to be more sociable and comfortable, if affable at times. But at this moment Harry felt the sheer coldness in his voice, and shivered a bit under his penetrating gaze. Hermione, too, looked no better off, although she managed to stutter out, "H-how did you just...?"

"Change my demeanor so fast?" Henry smiled such a bland smile that it had Harry taking a step back. "It's the Greengrass specialty." He stood up, ignoring the two student's frightened flinches as he paced around his own office. "Daphne has her bouts of coldness that I'm sure you're familiar with. Our mother, too, has bouts of madness, although hers are far more pronounced and less...sporadic. And, unfortunately, I haven't escaped that fate, either, despite my being neither female nor a witch. As you can tell," Henry finally finished his spiel, leaning in far too close to Harry for his comfort. "It's a bit scary, isn't it?"

Harry wanted to respond that, no, it's not, and that this isn't really Henry speaking, but his back was dripping with nervous sweat that he simply couldn't deny, Hermione was still frozen to her spot like the petrification three years ago, and Henry simply stood there smiling his damn expressionless smile.

"So, in the end, you understand now why we treat each other the way we do," Henry finished, almost with a chirp in his voice, as the soul-crushing atmosphere dissipated entirely. Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and he heard rather than saw Hermione's knees collapse. "Of course, I grew up in Japan and away from the house of snakes, but I'm very familiar with the way Daphne treats me and, vice-versa, I'm aware of the way I treat her." He blinked, and the smile slipped entirely off of his face. "Hermione, what are you doing on the floor?"

"I, uh," Hermione's mind scrambled to provide a coherent sentence. "Slipped."

"While standing up," Henry stated calmly. "I don't know whether I should be impressed or scared of your clumsiness." He then waved his arms around in a pattern Harry wasn't familiar with. "Well, whatever, I'm sure you two have more work to do." And with that, Harry and Hermione basically flew out of his office. As the door slammed behind them, Harry swore he could see a glimpse of sheer hatred cross his face.

Astoria giggled as she bounced around on a bubble. Henry's lesson on combination runes struck her as odd, since it wasn't at her class's level and she didn't understand it yet, but volunteering to be the demonstration was always a lot of fun. Unless it hurt. Astoria silently thanked her brother for using her in a demonstration that didn't hurt.

"That's what happens when you add the properties of rubber to the base of a bubble," Henry finished.

With a clap, the bubble disappeared, and Astoria landed hard on her butt. She took back her silent thanks. Wincing, she slowly got up, ignoring the bit of pain that disappeared shortly after.

"And this is at the core of convergent runes," Henry continued to the club, helping Astoria up. "This isn't in the N.E.W.T.'s here, because the British Ministry of Magic deemed it 'far too difficult', but it's really not that hard if you're using a language other than Futhark. Just runic language combination utilizing polar runes and-oh, hello, Professor Umbridge. Or is it Inquisitor?"

"Head Inquisitor, yes," Umbridge smiled the sickly-sweet smile she became known (and reviled) for. Astoria suppressed a shudder. "It appears that you really are a brilliant person, despite your undesirable Squib status."

"Well, yes," Henry said, blinking innocently. "That's why I'm the youngest Professor on staff since Severus. I mean, Professor Snape."

"If you want to advance in the world," Umbridge continued, "then you'd have to get into a valued mar-"

Henry threw his arms up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Let's not even go there. I have a fianceé, okay? And we're getting married next month."

"Oh." Umbridge briefly looked put out. "Well, the Ministry can help-"

"Look, Dolores," Henry said, putting his face in his palm. "I appreciate your help with everything. It's just...please don't butt into my personal life. No pun intended, Tori," he looked at Astoria with a wry grin, and Astoria giggled. "But, really, my personal life is fine. Everything's great." He blinked. "I just jinxed it, didn't I?"

"Jinx?" Umbridge blinked. "But you're a Squib."

"It's a...figure of speech," Henry replied. "I don't actually mean a jinx, I just mean that something bad's gonna happen now that I said nothing bad's happening." At the blank looks he received, he sighed. "Never mind.""

Umbridge nodded. "Fair enough." And with that, she turned to leave.

Henry waved at her. "Yes, you'll get an invitation to it!" Umbridge kept walking but waved her arm in acknowledgment. Henry put his arm down. "Right, where were we?"

"Did she seriously just try to get you to marry her?" Daphne asked in a deadpan.

"You're getting married?!" Astoria squealed.

Henry laughed. "Of course I am!" He then turned to Daphne. "And, no, she offered to choose a bride for me, which I obviously don't need, and then offered the Ministry to host the wedding, which...wouldn't be a good idea." He looked a bit shifty at this. "For many reasons."

"How do you know that?" Daphne asked, again in that monotone. "She certainly didn't say any of that herself."

If anything, Henry looked even more shifty. "We hang out a lot." Before any more comments could be made on that vein, Henry coughed loudly. "Something that I managed to get approved is a field trip, for those in this club who are interested." Every person in the club looked interested, so Henry soldiered on. "I'm planning on taking you all to the rune society I grew up in. In Japan."

He shrugged, ignoring the raucous cheers that twelve teenagers can generate. "I'll need you guys to get forms signed by your parents, of course, except for you, Harry - I asked the Headmaster already, and he approved - and then Daphne and Astoria for obvious reasons." Smiling, he pulled out the forms from seemingly nowhere, and handed them out. "It'll take place sometime over the winter break." He then looked quizzical. "I don't think you'll be back in time for Christmas, but you'll definitely be back before the new year. At least, that's the plan."

"How long is the trip?" someone asked. Astoria didn't pay attention to who it was, but she was already really excited for the trip. Not only to go to a new place, but she also got to stay with her big brother!

"About six days," Henry replied. "But it might go on longer."

Astoria grinned, and Henry grinned in response. "It'll be a learning experience, but I'll try to make it fun. We'll see." He clapped his hands together and papers flew out of his desk and into piles. "Everyone, make sure to pick up a stack and send it to your parents. Except for Harry, Daphne and Astoria, of course." Henry paused. "Also, you'll need passports."

Henry grinned as the last members of the club left, chattering eagerly. He closed the door behind himself, and locked it, before turning to the person behind him. "I'm ready. Let's go."

Umbridge nodded.

Notebook

December 3

The beginning of January! That's when I'm getting married! She confirmed it with her family. Oh, god, I'm so excited.

Also, I just read my previous entry, and: diary? I thought I outgrew that years ago. Heck, that's why I write 'Notebook' at the top of every page. I don't know, it's just a small thing I noticed. I always notice the small things, it seems, even when it doesn't particularly benefit me to notice. It can get annoying after a while, for both me and whoever's near me.

Harry Potter's probably mad at me, now that I've revealed the Greengrass secret to him. Who knows, maybe it'll stick and he won't blindly trust people after that. One can only hope. On the plus side, it's not really a secret; I think everyone who studies history knows about the Greengrass madness. Hogwarts...well, actually, maybe not, since Binns is gone now, and I'll have to ask if Babbling knows about it. I'm not really sure why I mentioned it to him, or that girl Granger, but I'm sure I had a reason I thought was appropriate. I don't know.

When I took this job, I certainly didn't expect to befriend Madame Umbridge, considering my mother's sheer dislike of the woman, but that's apparently what happened. I really have inherited my father's gift of companionship. Now, if only I could've gotten rid of my mother's madness traits... Oh well, I can't win 'em all.

I remember when I got this book. I only really used it in the beginning to keep my English skill sharp, in the land of the rising sun, but now it's been invaluable for keeping track of my thought processes. I skimmed through earlier entries and, wow, I'm pretty stupid. Oh well. It's like a little glimpse of history. Maybe when I die I'll just give it to my wife or one of my sisters or something.

Henry