A/N1: Standard disclaimer; see chapter 1 for details.

A/N2: This chapter takes place on the same night as the previous one.

It was an enthusiastic and jovial band which was met by the remainder of the hastily assembled Aurors. Members of the Quidditch team had regained their earlier 'high' from the win over Ravenclaw and mention was made of restarting the party in the common room, curfew be damned. The three remaining Weasley brothers split off when they entered the Great Hall, intent upon the hospital wing, but were halted by the screams of their mother.

"Fred, George, Ron! Are you trying to send me to an early grave by getting in trouble after curfew? And what are you doing wandering around when your sister is missing?"

"What? Did Percy and Ollie get lost on the way back?"

At that moment a lynx patronus sprinted towards the Head Auror. "Madam Bones, the Weasley girl was brought into the infirmary by her brother. She appears to be suffering from slight oxygen deprivation and lowered body temperature."

An ethereal jack rabbit hopped in as soon as the lynx faded. "Harry Potter," a female voice shouted, "if you've been hurt doing something dangerous, I will personally tear you a new one! And that'll be before Sirius gets hold of you!"

Everyone turned in shock to look at the boy. "Um," he gave a half grin, "I don't think Cousin Dora meant for everyone to hear that."

"Tonks!" Amelia Bones muttered, shaking her head before she set off a noise spell which drowned out excited Weasley exclamations. "Silence!" Nodding towards the older red-headed couple, she said, "Arthur, Molly, I assume you want to check up on your daughter. You others," she spoke to the group of mostly Gryffindors, "be seated and we will debrief you all in order. Ah, Dumbledore, how kind of you to join us." She hid her smile at the Headmaster's reddened proboscis.

"I am just sorry that someone," he glared at his deputy, "found it necessary to contact you over a school matter. A simple case of a prank gone wrong, I am sure."

"You and I, I fear, do not agree on the definition of that word. This was a long-running plan of some malevolence which resulted in a missing child."

Steadman decided to get a dig in. "Of course, the headmaster knows all about missing children, does he not?" He nodded at Bones' inquiring eyebrow, letting her know that there was a story behind that comment. Her Majesty might not want to act in a direct manner at this time, but he was not averse to a little destabilization of the officious old man's reputation. He and McGonagall had quite a chat while waiting for Bones to come through the floo. The majority of her force had apparated to the gates, where he had advised the groundskeeper that there was a possibility of more company so he might as well wait there.

"Hey!" A plaintive cry came from the benches where the students sat. "D'you think we could have a little grub while we wait?"

Dumbledore sat in solitary silence at the head table, his appearance one of a person extremely put out with the interlopers in his domain. His mood had not improved when he was informed brusquely that there was no need for his assistance in the questioning of the students; moreover, each interview was conducted within a conjured bubble of silence, and he was truly at a loss as to how things had ended up this way. His eyes lit up when the Weasley parents re-entered the Hall with Percy; at last, allies had arrived.

His hopes rose when the matriarch headed straight towards Harry's coterie and engulfed him in a strangling hug. Having previously experienced Hagrid's grip, it took little effort for the boy to free himself. "I beg your pardon, Madam," he stated frostily.

"Oh, Harry," she reached out a hand for his hair, visibly startled when he ducked away, "I refuse to stand upon ceremony with my daughter's boyfriend."

Her three older sons groaned before Percy attempted to correct the misunderstanding. "Mother, that's not the case."

She was having none of it. "Young man, are you calling your sister a liar? You are not too old to take over my knee!"

"Um, Mollywobbles," her husband placed a calming hand on her arm, "maybe Ginny was a little confused." He had been noticed that the trio sitting with Harry had quickly gathered around him, wands pointed to the floor but still drawn, and they had been joined by the entirety of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, including his twin sons.

"Nonsense!" she retorted. "Ginny may have been a little tired, but the story she told was just like those books she has in her room."

"Her Majesty may have banned the sale, but it looks like some are still floating around," Draco murmured to his friend.

"Yeah," Harry muttered back, "next thing you know she'll be planning the wedding."

"Can you imagine, Arthur," she turned to her husband, "our little girl, a lady!"

Neville nudged him. "Don't forget to invite me to the ceremony."

Hermione smiled. "No need to look for the exit, Harry; Steadman has this in hand."

Indeed, their guardian was already breaking off Dumbledore's congratulations on the match to the Weasleys. "Dumbledore, keep your crooked nose out of this, or I'll sic Minerva on you again." He surveyed the older man's countenance. "You wouldn't make as good an impression on your gullible countrymen with a thrice-broken beak." The deputy headmistress was glowering as if she would be more than willing to reintroduce her fist to his face, so the other man wisely closed his mouth.

"And you are?" Arthur asked politely.

"I am the guardian of Lord Lyonesse, et al.," he explained with a wave of his hand towards the quartet. "Unfortunately, this year your daughter has been subjected to a vile sort of bullying, brought on, in part, by her inexplicable and fierce possessiveness of my ward."

"I fail to see what was wrong with my Ginny trying to keep hussies away from her boyfriend."

"Mum," Ron said loudly from the table, spitting bits of half-chewed food as he did so, "Harry's not her boyfriend."

"But you know she's always had a crush on him. As you're his best friend, I thought you would support her in this relationship."

"There is no rela–" Harry's latest protest was cut short by Fred and George stepping up and offering him a guilty look.

"Sorry about this, mate," they said in unison before turning to their mother.

"Mum, we were just teasing Ronnie last summer."

"See, he made his big play the first night here"

"And got shot down."

"We didn't know you would hear"

"And take it serious."

"No, that's my godfather," Harry interjected with a quip. He turned to the boys' parents, his smile fading. "Please believe your sons. This time, at least, they are telling the truth."

"But...my little girl," Molly looked lost, "she'll be so disappointed."

"Life is full of disappointments." Steadman stepped forward and bowed. "Madam, please remember that my ward is also a victim of this horrendous plot. His honour has been cast into doubt, and he was even offered violence earlier this evening."

"No, Mum"

"It wasn't us"

"If you check Ronnie's knuckles"

"You'll see that they're skinned."

Her head spun towards her youngest son. As he was in the process of biting a large roast beef sandwich, the raw state of his fingers could easily be ascertained. "Wha'?" he asked, mouth full and spewing crumbs of bread across the table.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Her voice caused the jewels in the House Point Counters to rattle. "Never tell me that you hit The-Boy-Who-Lived!"

Harry facepalmed when Draco breathed, "Like mother, like daughter."

"Your father will deal with you for that, let me assure you."

"Whipped," Neville muttered.

"And another thing! Look at you!" Her youngest son lifted his eyebrows in confusion. "I did not raise you with such table manners." She glared at her other three sons. "Tell me that he does not eat like that at every meal."

"Actually–"

Percy was interrupted by Fred (or George). "Since we've already ruined our reputation"

"By telling the truth"

"We might as well let you know"

"That this isn't as bad as at most meals."

With a flick of her wand, Ron's plate and the sandwich in his hand disappeared. "Hey!" he protested.

"You had better start trying to eat like a civilized wizard the rest of the school year," Mrs. Weasley raged, "for this summer, if you set one fork wrong at a meal, you won't be getting any food until the next day."

"Mu-u-u-um!"