Tuesday, August 1 ------------------

Shortly after dinner Snape and Lupin arrived - nearly at the same time. Each had spent the day going through the libraries available to then in search of some clue as to what had happened the day before. Though they did not find anything researching, neither of then came empty handed. Remus had brought with him a protection amulet that Dumbledore had given him just before he withdrew from the British wizrding world after the Potters were killed. Remus generally wore it as the full moon approached. On the back of the amulet were three carved runes - a hook, an 'F' and an 'M'. Severus brought with him the first Christmas gift that the Headmaster had given to him (also just after the Potters were killed). It was a crystal apple with a silver stem and leaves, that rested on a silver tray. Apparently Dumbledore liked the muggle adage 'an apple for a teacher'. On the underside of the tray were three runes - a hook, a 'K' and a '4'.

"Is there some significance to each of the items having three runes?" Asked Harry.

"Three is a strongly magical number." Remus explained. "It is also the most stable number. A tripod or a three legged stool will never wobble, unlike its four legged counterparts. The number three has always been a number with strong religious and spiritual significance. There will always be three runes in the foundation of a runic structure. Three runes can be used to stabilize or strengthen other magics - I assume that is its purpose in this case."

While Lupin was lecturing Harry on the basics of the subject of Runes, Snape was copying all of the symbols they had found on to a parchment. First he folded the parchment in half lengthwise, then into thirds. In each square he carefully copied one of the symbols. This way he was able to isolate each symbol easily.

When Lupin had finished speaking, Harry saw what his Professor had done and asked about it.

"I have made this to be able to isolate each known symbol. When searching through runic alphabets we may not identify the symbol correctly because the base of the the symbol is not as we are assuming it is. The easiest example to explain would be the "M" - when held one way it looks like an "M", turn it and it becomes a "W", turn it differently and it is a stylized "E". By isolating each symbol, and rotating it, we are more likely to figure out what set of runes the symbols belonged to."

Harry absorbed all that his professors were telling him. He found the subject fascinating, though maybe only because it was so important at the moment.

Snape made two more copies of the parchment and gave one to Lupin and left one with Harry for research.

During a lull in the conversation, Dudley walked into the room. "Harry, I'm heading to the mall - do you need anything?"

"No, thanks Dudley. Oh, by the way, we found more symbols - assuming they are all related. Maybe it will help you when you look through those magazines." Harry showed Dudley the paper that Snape had made.

"It would be so much easier if Hermione could help." Harry groused. "She is amazing at research."

"I don't think that it would be a good idea to contact her, Harry." Stated Lupin. "I doubt that the post, even with Hedwig, is secure."
"I could phone her." Explained Harry, "But it wouldn't matter. She doesn't have access to the school library so I doubt that she could do anything more than worry."

"I gotta run," said Dudley. "Can I take one of these?" referring to the papers that Snape had made. After receiving an affirmative answer, he pocketed the page and left for the night.

After Dudley's departure, Snape returned to the conversation about the runes. "It looks like the letters are in a triangular pattern in relation to each other. It is easier to tell this on the amulet and tray than the letter. But even so, we don't know what kind of triangle. Are all the symbols written with their base at the bottom, or are they written with their base turned towards the center of the triangle? The former would be for stabilization and strengthening while the latter would be stabilization and radiation - or extension. Although some runic languages can only be written with their bases at the bottom."

"This is really a fascinating subject, I am sorry now that I did not take Runes in school instead of Divination. You know, Sir," he said to Snape, "You teach pretty well when you want to ..." Harry let the sentence drift off, embarrassed at the insult he implied.

Snape just gave a dry laugh at the boy's comment. "Maybe my teaching skills are directly proportional to the desire to learn on the student's part..." The professor let his implied insult sink in for a moment before he continued, "Which may mean that this is a good time to give you this." Snape handed Harry a slim book - Mind Games - A Beginner's Guide to Occlumency.

"It would be foolish of me to come here every day, for it increases the risk of detection. I will attempt to come twice a week, and during those visits we will review what you have read and practice together."

Harry accepted the book and graciously thanked the older wizard for it. He immediately began looking through it.

"I also don't think I should come everyday, Harry." Said Remus. "The more we come and go, the more likely it is it will be noticed, or mentioned to the Headmaster. Severus has free access to Headquarters, so he and I will still be able to research and pass information between ourselves."

"What am I supposed to do in the meanwhile?" Said Harry, the disappointment bleeding into his voice.

"Just carry on as you have been, Potter." Ordered Snape. "Don't give the watchers any reason to comment to Dumbledore. As we mentioned, the owl post is insecure, and this abode is not connected to the floo network. Neither of us have muggle phones - so there is really no safe way to communicate with you."

Harry sat sullenly for a few moments. "Hold on." He suddenly said, and ran upstairs to his room. He returned after just a minute.

"I have two ideas about how we can keep in touch between visits. Tell me what you think." Harry showed his professors the broken mirror and his charmed galleon. "This is my DA galleon. Hermione charmed them for all of us in the group so we would know when the next meeting was planned. When one of us changes the date on ours, all of the other galleon's dates change, and they heat up. I never used the mirror," He admitted, a dark shadow crossing over his face, "So I don't know how it works."

Remus explained about the mirrors that Sirius and James had once used. "Only the two were made, Peter and I never had one. This is a good idea, since I can find Sirius' at Grimauld Place. It only allows communication though, it doesn't have an alarm - like the galleon - to let you know when someone is trying to contact you."

"Can we combine them somehow?" Harry asked.

"I would rather spend my time researching what happened yesterday than dealing with this." Snape snapped irritably. "Potter, someone will be here every second day. Surely you can keep yourself occupied and out of trouble for that long."

"I just don't like being left in the dark about things." The boy complained.

"I'll look into it a bit, Harry." Remus said, trying to calm the boy. He then tried, unsuccessfully, to fix the mirror. "Meanwhile, you use the biggest piece (careful not to cut yourself on the edges) and I will find the other mirror."

Placated, Harry returned to reading the occlumency book until it was time for the older wizards to leave.

Saturday August 5 -----------

Dudley burst into the house, slamming the door behind him.

"Harry! Harry I got it!." He yelled excitedly.

Harry ran down the stairs, wand in hand - wondering what all the noise was about.

"Dudley, what did you get? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine. Listen, I was just at the library," Dudley saw the incredulous look on his cousin's face at this and lightly punched his shoulder. "Oh, stuff it you - say a word and I wont tell you the news."

Harry smiled, "Go on then." He said.

"I told the librarian that I needed help identifying an ancient language. I told her my annoying cousin was using it to write letters in code and I wanted to crack the code. She helped me find all these books and I was able to find it in one. That page that your really-scary professor made was brilliant, since we were thinking of some of the symbols in the wrong direction. Here, I made a photocopy of it from the book."

Harry was staring dumbfounded at his cousin - and then smiled widely and hugged the shorter boy.

"Your brilliant, Duds. I never thought I would say it, but you-are-brilliant!"

Harry took the page and looked at it. After a moment he looked at Dudley and said, "Weird stuff, don't you think?"

Dudley chuckled. "Its Phoenician. The librarian told me that this is a right-to-left alphabet, so it starts at the top right, not the top left. This page shows the letter, its name, and the meaning of the name of the letter."**

"This is great Dudley. Its the first real clue that we have as to what is going on, and this will help us narrow down the research. The professors are both coming tonight, why don't you tell them what you found?" Harry asked, wanting his cousin to take the credit for this huge breakthrough.

"No thanks." Dudley said, backing away a bit from Harry. "I'm a bit frightened by those two, you know? Besides," Dudley said, putting on a haughty air and buffing his nails on his shoulder. "My work here is done." He turned and walked up the stairs, leaving his happily chuckling cousin behind.

**remove the spaces and use this URL to see the alphabet - http://www . phoenician . org / alphabet_phoenician . GIF
remember, it is right-to-left, unlike English

and here is a site that also gives the history of the letters (but not in 'alphabetical' order!) http://phoenicia . org / tblalpha . html

For those that were wondering, the letters in the chapter names come from this alphabet - based on the sounds the Phoenician letters make.

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