Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong

Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.

On Wednesday evening after dinner, Dudley kept Harry back. "Harry, I need to speak with you in private. Do you have two minutes?"

Harry cast his cousin a surprised look. "Of course. Any time." He inwardly grinned, as he could well imagine the reason for his cousin's uncharacteristic excitement. 'On Saturday, the third-years will be allowed to go to Hogsmeade for the first time,' he thought, knowingly.

He led the other boy into the founders' quarters and motioned him to take a seat. "What's wrong?"

Dudley wrung his hands in obvious excitement. "It's about Hogsmeade."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"Do you think I could invite Astoria to go on a date with me? I mean, not together with everyone else, but just the two of us? Ah, I mean, yes, I could ask her, but will she agree, or will I risk our friendship by asking such a thing? I mean, she's only thirteen and may not want to have a boyfriend yet."

'I am not the best person for such an advice,' Harry thought, feeling uncomfortable. "You have been best friends ever since your first day at Hogwarts, haven't you? You won't ruin your friendship by asking anything. Otherwise, your friendship isn't worth anything. Apart from that, I believe that Astoria would be happy if you asked her."

"Really? Do you really think she'd be happy?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, I think so." 'Was I that excited, when I asked Luna out the first time?' he wondered, only to recall, 'Oh yes, there was something.'

"All right. I'll ask her then. Thanks, Harry."

"Any time," Harry replied, smiling.

HP

At the same time, Albus asked Severus and Minerva into his office for a short meeting. "I won't keep you long, my boy," he reassured him, apparently having noticed Severus' frown.

Once they were seated in the headmaster's office, the old wizard pensively rubbed his beard, before he informed them that someone had to have broken into his office. "They stole the Horcrux from inside my drawer. Neither Fawkes nor the portraits have noticed anything."

"How would anyone be able to break into your office?" Minerva's expression was laced with disbelief. "The gargoyle would have refused them in the first place."

Albus let out a deep sigh. "I am not sure, but I suspect that Voldemort sent a house-elf to retrieve the item for him. The house-elves can pop in here, and they can turn themselves invisible and silent."

"Perhaps, you could ward your office against intrusion by house-elves?" Severus suggested, knowing that Harry would not need elven methods, as he could simply make use of Unspeakable methods if he wanted to get into the headmaster's office again for some reason.

"Maybe, that would be an idea. Nevertheless, the ring is gone," Albus replied in a grave voice. "It is important that we find all the Horcruxes. Otherwise, Voldemort cannot be killed."

Severus sighed. "Albus, you should really consider letting Lord Gaunt take the curse off your arm."

"What?" Minerva looked from him to the headmaster in apparent disbelief. "He can take off the curse?"

Albus sighed. "Apparently, he offered to do so, but I don't trust him. He is Voldemort after all," he said, forcefully, causing Minerva to let out a snort. "Severus, my boy, you don't think that Harry would be willing to heal me now, do you?"

Severus shook his head. "I am sorry, Albus, but hearing about Lord Gaunt's offer, Harry decided to not heal you, considering that much less effort would be needed if Lord Gaunt simply took off the curse."

The old wizard nodded in apparent understanding. "It's understandable. He doesn't know everything that is involved here."

'And if you told him, he wouldn't believe you anyway, because he knows better,' Severus thought in silent amusement.

HP

On Friday evening, Dumbledore called Harry into his office. 'Dad, Dumbledore just sent Twinkle to call me into his office. I'll go and see what he wants.'

'Take Lucy with you and be careful.'

'I will.'

He was called in, as soon as he arrived in front of the door. "Headmaster," he uttered a greeting.

"Harry, my boy, how nice of you to visit an old man on this fine evening. Would you care for a lemon drop?"

"No, thank you."

"I'd like to ask you for a favour. On Saturday morning, when your classmates will go to Hogsmeade, I'd like for you to accompany me to a cave, where I believe that we will find another of Voldemort's Horcruxes."

"And why should I accompany you?" Harry asked in disbelief, only to urgently think to Marvolo. 'Dumbledore intends to go to a cave and retrieve another Horcrux on Saturday morning.'

'That's fine. I already took that one and left a fake one. Let him have some fun' came the immediate and pleasant response.

Having missed the headmaster's explanation, Harry let out a sigh to win a moment to think.

"I am sorry, but I will go to Hogsmeade together with my girlfriend."

"Harry, it is much too dangerous for you to go to Hogsmeade with Voldemort on the loose," Dumbledore told him in his grandfatherly voice, causing Harry to snort.

"On Sunday morning, I'd be willing to accompany you."

"That's good, but still, you should be reasonable and stay in the castle instead of going to Hogsmeade."

"My parents believe that it is safe."

"Perhaps, they do not know the whole truth," Dumbledore said in a grave voice.

"And you know everything, sir? Why then, if I may ask, did you allow me to be neglected and mistreated by my relatives? My parents did no such a thing. They rescued me, helped me and kept me safe ever since we first met. As I said, I will accompany you on Sunday after breakfast, but not on Saturday. Good night, Professor." Looking over to Fawkes, he added, "Shall we go flying again sometime during the weekend?"

#With pleasure.#

With that, Harry swiftly left the office with Lucy in tow, before he popped them right home to discuss his excursion with the headmaster with Severus and Marvolo.

tbc...

Thank you so very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter.