Chapter Fourteen: Broken Bones
"Did you slip her the note?" Harry asked Colin as he and his brother slipped into the DA room the next evening. A group almost as large as the DA was assembled inside, although it was a little different in composition: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna were already there, as were the Boneses, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie MacMillan, and Hannah Abbott, as well as Katie, Simon Capper, Wilhelm Whisp and now the Creeveys. However, they had also been joined by the other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Hagrid, Jamie, Mark and Civis, at last but not least, several ex- students: Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Angelina, Alicia, plus Jason Draper, Corrine Anderson and Jarred Laken.
"Is everything ready? Everyone's here?" Harry asked, looking at Civis and Hermione, who had been preparing everything and sending out invitations. Both nodded.
"She's coming," Civis told them.
"Right, everyone to your places," said Harry, reaching into his pocket to check that the small, gift-wrapped box was still there. It was. When he was satisfied that everyone was in their places - the twins, Bill, Fleur, Angelina and Alicia had taken refuge in Harry's office - he took out his wand. "Restinguere."
The room was plunged into darkness, and Harry tensed, waiting for Ginny to open the door.
Seconds later, the door open and Harry could still Ginny silhouetted against the light from the corridor. "Harry, I got your note. Are you in here?"
Harry waited a few seconds and used a whispered Fire Charm to bring light into torches suspended around the room. With a yelled, "SURPRISE!" Everyone leaped out from behind their hiding places. Because Harry was the closest to the door, he reached Ginny first, and was surprised - but not displeased - when Ginny, beaming with glee, jumped on him and gave him a hug. "This was your idea, wasn't it?" she whispered into his ear.
"Yeah, well, Hermione and Luna told me you haven't had a birthday party since you came to Hogwarts, and I knew that that's what I miss most about my birthday, especially now, so I thought I'd arrange one for you. Do you like it?"
"I love it, Harry. Thank you." Ginny told him, releasing her hold around his neck, and settling into the curve of one of his arms.
Harry guided her over to her usual seat and sat down on the chair's broad arm, taking the small box with the necklace inside from his pocket. "I hope you like this too. It's for you. Happy Birthday, Gin."
Ginny smiled and shyly took it from him, ripped off the wrapping paper - which was red with a pattern of Snitches (Harry had bought the roll in Quality Quidditch Supplies back in August) - and eased open the box. For the second time that night, her face lit up in delight. "Harry, it's beautiful. But. it must have a cost a fortune!"
"Maybe it did, maybe it didn't," Harry said, evasively. "But you're worth every Knut of it."
"Thank you."
"Would you like me to put it on for you?" Harry asked.
Not trusting herself to speak, Ginny just nodded, and waited as Harry removed the necklace from its case, then flicked open the catch of the chain and moved to place it around her neck. His hand lingered in her hair for a moment as he pushed it out of the way, then fastened the clasp at the nape of her neck.
The intimacy of the moment was disrupted seconds later, by Fred breaking in with his usual lack of tact. "Heh, Harry. You can't keep her to yourself all night. Give the rest of us a chance!"
With a frown, Harry ceded to the request, and returned to his chair a few feet away. Then he watched with pleasure as Ginny opened gift after gift from the guests - though some part of him felt a surge of joy that none of them produced the extravagant reaction that the necklace had.
Part way through the party, Fleur moved to Harry's side and bent down to talk to him. "'Arry, might I 'ave a word?"
"Of course, Fleur," Harry told her. "What is it?"
"I could not 'elp but notice earlier... what iz zair between you and Ginny?"
Harry sighed, he knew that he'd have to talk to someone about him and Ginny, but Fleur wasn't who he had had in mind. "I'd rather not talk about it, Fleur."
"I zink you should talk to someone, 'Arry." Fleur said. "If not me, zen perhaps your godfather or..."
"I don't know what I feel about her..." Harry admitted. "All I know is... When she's sad, I'm sad for her. When she's happy, I'm happy too. No matter how bad I feel, she can always get through to me. If anything happened to her... it would kill me." He turned to Fleur. "What you think?"
"I'd suggest analyzing ze last fourteen seconds of conversation. I zink you'll find you anzered your own question."
"Yes... I think you're right," Harry admitted. "But... well I'm sure you've heard about the crush she used to have me? Cho and Michael?"
Fleur nodded, "'Arry, all I can say is to follow your heart, and don't yet your natural fears about your emotions get in ze way." At that moment, Bill came over and towed Fleur away towards the table where the deserts were.
----
Eventually, the party broke up, with most of the students heading back to their common rooms. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Civis and the three Guardians followed Harry into his office.
"Well, what happened last night, Harry?" asked Hermione. "Can you tell us?"
Harry nodded grimly. "It was another attack."
"What? Who?"
"Anita Bones, Susan's little sister."
"Is she okay?"
Harry nodded. "She had a minor skull fracture, a couple broken ribs, and a sprained ankle, plus a few cuts and bruises. Malone and Madam Pomfrey had fixed her up by the time I got up there."
"Malfoy?" asked Ginny.
"Got to be," Harry told her. "We still can't prove it though. Jonas found a Prefect's badge at scene."
"Won't that help?"
"No, Neville," Hermione told him. "Malfoy was wearing a badge at breakfast this morning. I happened to notice."
Harry nodded. "I checked with Romulus Moon. As far as he knows, Malfoy and his cronies spent all afternoon practising Quidditch, and Bern confirms it."
"Yeah, right. Does anyone believe that?"
"Not for a minute, Ron," Harry assured him. "But we can't prove it."
"So we just have to wait, until he attacks again? Or slips up in some other way?"
For a minute or two, everyone was quiet. Then Draper spoke. "Welcome to my world."
----
Surprisingly enough, everything was fairly quiet for the next month or so, there were no more attacks on the students and although the Daily Prophet reported attacks on Muggle, Muggle-born and Ministry targets almost daily, so far - thanks to the Aurors of the Dark Force Defence League and the Order of the Phoenix - no-one they knew had been hurt. While Harry tried to be optimistic, he knew it was too good to last and at every meeting of the DA he urged the members to be vigilant and progressed further and further into offensive and defensive magic, and eventually most of the club - with the exception of one or two of the third and fourth years - quickly assimilated techniques not usually taught until seventh year, and Harry planned to teach them some spells he had learned from Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody before the end of the year.
Harry was in the middle of a Double Potions lesson on the Monday before classes broke up for Christmas when Maxine Guvara, a first-year Gryffindor, knocked on the door of the Potions classroom. Snape frowned and told her to come in. "Excuse me Professor, the Headmaster wants to see Harry Potter in his office right away."
"Very well," Snape said with a sneer. "Potter, I'll expect you back as soon as you're finished."
"I will come back if it's possible, Severus. However, it may not be." Harry told him. He gathered up his things and took his cauldron off the fire. "I'll be back for that." He leaned over to Hermione, who was as usual sharing the table with him. "Save some of yours will you? I'd like some for my collection."
Hermione nodded. She'd noticed after the third lesson that Harry had got into the habit of pocketing some of each potion they worked on, and you didn't need to be a genius - which she was - to figure out why he might want some of the mild sleeping draught known as the Dormirus Potion.
"Do you know what's up?" Harry asked Maxine as they hurried towards Dumbledore's office.
"No, but I do know that he wanted Professors McGonagall and Sprout, and the Bones." Maxine admitted.
Oh dear, that can't be good, thought Harry and speeded up. As if they haven't gone through enough with Anita being attacked, it looks like something else has gone wrong. I just wonder what Albus wants me for?
They reached Dumbledore's office in record time, Harry gasped the password ("Blood pops!") to the gargoyle then turned to Maxine. "I'm sure you have a class right now?"
"Yes, History of Magic."
"Well then, I suggest you go back," Harry said, then added with a grin, "I doubt you'll have missed much."
"Yes, I doubt I have," agreed the girl and ran off.
When Harry ascended to Dumbledore's office, he noticed that in addition to Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall and Susan Bones, there was another unfamiliar woman there, and she was dressed in what appeared to be Muggle clothing: black leggings, a frilly, deep-purple blouse of deep and knee- length dragon-hide boots, her long, curly, black hair was tying back in a head-scarf of the same colour as her blouse.
"Harry, I'm glad you could come, I don't think you know Serina Wayling?" Dumbledore said. Harry shook his head. "Serina is a member of the Order, and like Mundungus is occasionally used for. dubious purposes."
"What the old dingbat is trying not to stay." Serina added, ignoring the scowl from Professor McGonagall. "Is that I'm a thief."
"A thief?"
"Yes, does that bother you?"
"Nope, long as you leave my stuff alone, and that of my friends."
"No problem," she assured. "I don't steal from friends, or those who can't afford."
"Does that include the Malfoys?"
"Of course," purred Serina. "A girl's gotta steal from someone, and they've got lots of. nice, sparkly things. Half the time they don't even miss them."
McGonagall sighed, Harry could tell she was not comfortable with this conversation. "Could we get down to business?"
"Unfortunately, we are still waiting for Pomona and young Miss Bones," Dumbledore reminded her. "However, I believe they are on their way up."
Sure enough, the dumpy Herbology Professor arrived seconds later with Susan's little sister in tow. "If you will all take a seat?" asked Dumbledore. "Serina, if you would begin?"
Serina nodded, but before she began, she leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear. "Just remember, Harry. If you need something pinched, I'm your pussy cat?"
"You're a cat Animagus?"
"Mmmm. Nothing so pedestrian. I'm a panther."
"Serina, if you please?"
"Certainly, Albie." Professor McGonagall bristled, and Serina, noticed smiled to herself. "Well, as I'm sure most of you know, the Order has been guarding certain Wizarding and Muggle-born families since last summer."
Harry glanced around, this appeared to be news only to Professor Sprout. "My daughter, Helena, and I have been watching over the Bones estate for the last four months, it's been quiet and we haven't had anything to do. However, when I got back from a trip to Knockturn Alley to talk to a couple of contacts there. well, that had changed. It was lucky that I Apparated back to our observation post in the woods, instead into the house like I sometimes do, because the house was in ruins. After looking around for a bit I started to find the bodies. seven Hit Wizards were dead, and two were injured, the only one left alive was an old friend of mine, Sergeant Hank Rocklin."
"What about our parents. Aunt Amelia?"
"I found them too. By that time, Rocklin had gone for help and I'd found Helena, she had got pinned by a big chunk of masonry. She has a shattered pelvis, a damaged spine, and both her legs are broken."
"Will she be okay?" Harry asked.
"She'll live, some aren't so lucky," she paused. "I'm sorry, Susan, Anita. Your parents and your aunt Amelia are dead."
Sharon just sat there in shocked disbelief, but Anita let out a great sob and buried her face in her sister's robes. Harry could tell she was crying but wasn't sure what he should do. He had a idea what they were going through, but he was never very good with emotional people, that was Ginny or Mrs Weasley's department. He decided to focus on what he could think of. "What's going to happen to them, Albus? I mean, they obviously can't go home, there's nothing left. Will they go and stay with relatives?"
"We don't have any anymore," said Susan. "We've nowhere, only Hogwarts."
"That is not precisely true, Susan," said Dumbledore gently. "You do have a living relative, and he was indeed got somewhere where you can stay."
Suddenly, Harry realised why he'd been called there. "My great-grandfather Algernon's wife was Agatha Bones!"
"You are correct, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "You are their only living relative, and according to ancient wizard law are required to open your home to them. Will you?"
"Of course."
"But that doesn't help much. He lives with those awful Muggles!"
"Actually, I don't anymore," Harry told Susan. "I live at Gryphon's Eyrie with Professor Lupin, my godfather, Sirius Black and his cousin Tonks."
"What's Gryphon's Eyrie?" asked Anita. "And why are you living there?"
"It's the ancestral home of the Potter family. We've lived there, on and off, since the late 11th century." Harry replied. "It's a small castle hidden in the mountains of Scotland, somewhere off the North Sea coast."
"You don't know where it is?"
"No, I don't," Harry admitted. "It's location is known only to one living person."
"Who?"
"Civis. As Warden of Gryphon's Eyrie it was felt he needed to know."
"Is it safe?"
"It is, Susan," Harry assured her. "It's Unplottable, invisible to all known wizard or Muggle methods of surveillance or location methods, including visual, and it is surrounded by anti-Portkey and anti-Apparation wards. The only entry point is via Floo to the fireplace in the Entrance Hall, the only door out of which is protected by an Unbreakable Hostility Charm, which prevents anyone who wants to harm anyone inside from entering. In other words... It's about the safest place to live in Britain, except maybe Hogwarts."
"If there are no other questions?" asked Dumbledore."
"Was anything salvaged from our house?"
"Yes, it has all been transferred to Gryphon's Eyrie." Dumbledore replied. "The Reading of The Will, will take place tomorrow afternoon at four, and the funeral will be in two days. Your parents and your aunt specified a private ceremony so only you and a few of their colleagues will be present."
"How will we get there?"
"By carriage, you should meet me in the Entrance Hall at nine o'clock."
"You're coming with us?"
"Yes, as a senior member of the Wizengamot, I have been invited to attend the funeral. Mr Draper, Miss Anderson and Mr Laken will also be coming for your protection."
"Thank you, Professor."
"I will seen you then. Good night."
Harry and the Bones rose and moved to leave, Anita and Susan went first, hugging each other close, and Harry brought up the rear. When they reached the base of the stairs, Harry headed for the DADA corridor, intending to use the fireplace in his office to take to his godfather.
A/N: Fleur's line: "I'd suggest analyzing ze last fourteen seconds of conversation. I zink you'll find you anzered your own question." (minus my poor attempt at a French accent) was taken from Devin K. Grayson and Phil Jimenez's JLA/Titans: The Technis Imperative. As always reviews will be greatly appreciated and I will aim to address any responsible concerns you have.
"Did you slip her the note?" Harry asked Colin as he and his brother slipped into the DA room the next evening. A group almost as large as the DA was assembled inside, although it was a little different in composition: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna were already there, as were the Boneses, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie MacMillan, and Hannah Abbott, as well as Katie, Simon Capper, Wilhelm Whisp and now the Creeveys. However, they had also been joined by the other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Hagrid, Jamie, Mark and Civis, at last but not least, several ex- students: Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Angelina, Alicia, plus Jason Draper, Corrine Anderson and Jarred Laken.
"Is everything ready? Everyone's here?" Harry asked, looking at Civis and Hermione, who had been preparing everything and sending out invitations. Both nodded.
"She's coming," Civis told them.
"Right, everyone to your places," said Harry, reaching into his pocket to check that the small, gift-wrapped box was still there. It was. When he was satisfied that everyone was in their places - the twins, Bill, Fleur, Angelina and Alicia had taken refuge in Harry's office - he took out his wand. "Restinguere."
The room was plunged into darkness, and Harry tensed, waiting for Ginny to open the door.
Seconds later, the door open and Harry could still Ginny silhouetted against the light from the corridor. "Harry, I got your note. Are you in here?"
Harry waited a few seconds and used a whispered Fire Charm to bring light into torches suspended around the room. With a yelled, "SURPRISE!" Everyone leaped out from behind their hiding places. Because Harry was the closest to the door, he reached Ginny first, and was surprised - but not displeased - when Ginny, beaming with glee, jumped on him and gave him a hug. "This was your idea, wasn't it?" she whispered into his ear.
"Yeah, well, Hermione and Luna told me you haven't had a birthday party since you came to Hogwarts, and I knew that that's what I miss most about my birthday, especially now, so I thought I'd arrange one for you. Do you like it?"
"I love it, Harry. Thank you." Ginny told him, releasing her hold around his neck, and settling into the curve of one of his arms.
Harry guided her over to her usual seat and sat down on the chair's broad arm, taking the small box with the necklace inside from his pocket. "I hope you like this too. It's for you. Happy Birthday, Gin."
Ginny smiled and shyly took it from him, ripped off the wrapping paper - which was red with a pattern of Snitches (Harry had bought the roll in Quality Quidditch Supplies back in August) - and eased open the box. For the second time that night, her face lit up in delight. "Harry, it's beautiful. But. it must have a cost a fortune!"
"Maybe it did, maybe it didn't," Harry said, evasively. "But you're worth every Knut of it."
"Thank you."
"Would you like me to put it on for you?" Harry asked.
Not trusting herself to speak, Ginny just nodded, and waited as Harry removed the necklace from its case, then flicked open the catch of the chain and moved to place it around her neck. His hand lingered in her hair for a moment as he pushed it out of the way, then fastened the clasp at the nape of her neck.
The intimacy of the moment was disrupted seconds later, by Fred breaking in with his usual lack of tact. "Heh, Harry. You can't keep her to yourself all night. Give the rest of us a chance!"
With a frown, Harry ceded to the request, and returned to his chair a few feet away. Then he watched with pleasure as Ginny opened gift after gift from the guests - though some part of him felt a surge of joy that none of them produced the extravagant reaction that the necklace had.
Part way through the party, Fleur moved to Harry's side and bent down to talk to him. "'Arry, might I 'ave a word?"
"Of course, Fleur," Harry told her. "What is it?"
"I could not 'elp but notice earlier... what iz zair between you and Ginny?"
Harry sighed, he knew that he'd have to talk to someone about him and Ginny, but Fleur wasn't who he had had in mind. "I'd rather not talk about it, Fleur."
"I zink you should talk to someone, 'Arry." Fleur said. "If not me, zen perhaps your godfather or..."
"I don't know what I feel about her..." Harry admitted. "All I know is... When she's sad, I'm sad for her. When she's happy, I'm happy too. No matter how bad I feel, she can always get through to me. If anything happened to her... it would kill me." He turned to Fleur. "What you think?"
"I'd suggest analyzing ze last fourteen seconds of conversation. I zink you'll find you anzered your own question."
"Yes... I think you're right," Harry admitted. "But... well I'm sure you've heard about the crush she used to have me? Cho and Michael?"
Fleur nodded, "'Arry, all I can say is to follow your heart, and don't yet your natural fears about your emotions get in ze way." At that moment, Bill came over and towed Fleur away towards the table where the deserts were.
----
Eventually, the party broke up, with most of the students heading back to their common rooms. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Civis and the three Guardians followed Harry into his office.
"Well, what happened last night, Harry?" asked Hermione. "Can you tell us?"
Harry nodded grimly. "It was another attack."
"What? Who?"
"Anita Bones, Susan's little sister."
"Is she okay?"
Harry nodded. "She had a minor skull fracture, a couple broken ribs, and a sprained ankle, plus a few cuts and bruises. Malone and Madam Pomfrey had fixed her up by the time I got up there."
"Malfoy?" asked Ginny.
"Got to be," Harry told her. "We still can't prove it though. Jonas found a Prefect's badge at scene."
"Won't that help?"
"No, Neville," Hermione told him. "Malfoy was wearing a badge at breakfast this morning. I happened to notice."
Harry nodded. "I checked with Romulus Moon. As far as he knows, Malfoy and his cronies spent all afternoon practising Quidditch, and Bern confirms it."
"Yeah, right. Does anyone believe that?"
"Not for a minute, Ron," Harry assured him. "But we can't prove it."
"So we just have to wait, until he attacks again? Or slips up in some other way?"
For a minute or two, everyone was quiet. Then Draper spoke. "Welcome to my world."
----
Surprisingly enough, everything was fairly quiet for the next month or so, there were no more attacks on the students and although the Daily Prophet reported attacks on Muggle, Muggle-born and Ministry targets almost daily, so far - thanks to the Aurors of the Dark Force Defence League and the Order of the Phoenix - no-one they knew had been hurt. While Harry tried to be optimistic, he knew it was too good to last and at every meeting of the DA he urged the members to be vigilant and progressed further and further into offensive and defensive magic, and eventually most of the club - with the exception of one or two of the third and fourth years - quickly assimilated techniques not usually taught until seventh year, and Harry planned to teach them some spells he had learned from Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody before the end of the year.
Harry was in the middle of a Double Potions lesson on the Monday before classes broke up for Christmas when Maxine Guvara, a first-year Gryffindor, knocked on the door of the Potions classroom. Snape frowned and told her to come in. "Excuse me Professor, the Headmaster wants to see Harry Potter in his office right away."
"Very well," Snape said with a sneer. "Potter, I'll expect you back as soon as you're finished."
"I will come back if it's possible, Severus. However, it may not be." Harry told him. He gathered up his things and took his cauldron off the fire. "I'll be back for that." He leaned over to Hermione, who was as usual sharing the table with him. "Save some of yours will you? I'd like some for my collection."
Hermione nodded. She'd noticed after the third lesson that Harry had got into the habit of pocketing some of each potion they worked on, and you didn't need to be a genius - which she was - to figure out why he might want some of the mild sleeping draught known as the Dormirus Potion.
"Do you know what's up?" Harry asked Maxine as they hurried towards Dumbledore's office.
"No, but I do know that he wanted Professors McGonagall and Sprout, and the Bones." Maxine admitted.
Oh dear, that can't be good, thought Harry and speeded up. As if they haven't gone through enough with Anita being attacked, it looks like something else has gone wrong. I just wonder what Albus wants me for?
They reached Dumbledore's office in record time, Harry gasped the password ("Blood pops!") to the gargoyle then turned to Maxine. "I'm sure you have a class right now?"
"Yes, History of Magic."
"Well then, I suggest you go back," Harry said, then added with a grin, "I doubt you'll have missed much."
"Yes, I doubt I have," agreed the girl and ran off.
When Harry ascended to Dumbledore's office, he noticed that in addition to Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall and Susan Bones, there was another unfamiliar woman there, and she was dressed in what appeared to be Muggle clothing: black leggings, a frilly, deep-purple blouse of deep and knee- length dragon-hide boots, her long, curly, black hair was tying back in a head-scarf of the same colour as her blouse.
"Harry, I'm glad you could come, I don't think you know Serina Wayling?" Dumbledore said. Harry shook his head. "Serina is a member of the Order, and like Mundungus is occasionally used for. dubious purposes."
"What the old dingbat is trying not to stay." Serina added, ignoring the scowl from Professor McGonagall. "Is that I'm a thief."
"A thief?"
"Yes, does that bother you?"
"Nope, long as you leave my stuff alone, and that of my friends."
"No problem," she assured. "I don't steal from friends, or those who can't afford."
"Does that include the Malfoys?"
"Of course," purred Serina. "A girl's gotta steal from someone, and they've got lots of. nice, sparkly things. Half the time they don't even miss them."
McGonagall sighed, Harry could tell she was not comfortable with this conversation. "Could we get down to business?"
"Unfortunately, we are still waiting for Pomona and young Miss Bones," Dumbledore reminded her. "However, I believe they are on their way up."
Sure enough, the dumpy Herbology Professor arrived seconds later with Susan's little sister in tow. "If you will all take a seat?" asked Dumbledore. "Serina, if you would begin?"
Serina nodded, but before she began, she leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear. "Just remember, Harry. If you need something pinched, I'm your pussy cat?"
"You're a cat Animagus?"
"Mmmm. Nothing so pedestrian. I'm a panther."
"Serina, if you please?"
"Certainly, Albie." Professor McGonagall bristled, and Serina, noticed smiled to herself. "Well, as I'm sure most of you know, the Order has been guarding certain Wizarding and Muggle-born families since last summer."
Harry glanced around, this appeared to be news only to Professor Sprout. "My daughter, Helena, and I have been watching over the Bones estate for the last four months, it's been quiet and we haven't had anything to do. However, when I got back from a trip to Knockturn Alley to talk to a couple of contacts there. well, that had changed. It was lucky that I Apparated back to our observation post in the woods, instead into the house like I sometimes do, because the house was in ruins. After looking around for a bit I started to find the bodies. seven Hit Wizards were dead, and two were injured, the only one left alive was an old friend of mine, Sergeant Hank Rocklin."
"What about our parents. Aunt Amelia?"
"I found them too. By that time, Rocklin had gone for help and I'd found Helena, she had got pinned by a big chunk of masonry. She has a shattered pelvis, a damaged spine, and both her legs are broken."
"Will she be okay?" Harry asked.
"She'll live, some aren't so lucky," she paused. "I'm sorry, Susan, Anita. Your parents and your aunt Amelia are dead."
Sharon just sat there in shocked disbelief, but Anita let out a great sob and buried her face in her sister's robes. Harry could tell she was crying but wasn't sure what he should do. He had a idea what they were going through, but he was never very good with emotional people, that was Ginny or Mrs Weasley's department. He decided to focus on what he could think of. "What's going to happen to them, Albus? I mean, they obviously can't go home, there's nothing left. Will they go and stay with relatives?"
"We don't have any anymore," said Susan. "We've nowhere, only Hogwarts."
"That is not precisely true, Susan," said Dumbledore gently. "You do have a living relative, and he was indeed got somewhere where you can stay."
Suddenly, Harry realised why he'd been called there. "My great-grandfather Algernon's wife was Agatha Bones!"
"You are correct, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "You are their only living relative, and according to ancient wizard law are required to open your home to them. Will you?"
"Of course."
"But that doesn't help much. He lives with those awful Muggles!"
"Actually, I don't anymore," Harry told Susan. "I live at Gryphon's Eyrie with Professor Lupin, my godfather, Sirius Black and his cousin Tonks."
"What's Gryphon's Eyrie?" asked Anita. "And why are you living there?"
"It's the ancestral home of the Potter family. We've lived there, on and off, since the late 11th century." Harry replied. "It's a small castle hidden in the mountains of Scotland, somewhere off the North Sea coast."
"You don't know where it is?"
"No, I don't," Harry admitted. "It's location is known only to one living person."
"Who?"
"Civis. As Warden of Gryphon's Eyrie it was felt he needed to know."
"Is it safe?"
"It is, Susan," Harry assured her. "It's Unplottable, invisible to all known wizard or Muggle methods of surveillance or location methods, including visual, and it is surrounded by anti-Portkey and anti-Apparation wards. The only entry point is via Floo to the fireplace in the Entrance Hall, the only door out of which is protected by an Unbreakable Hostility Charm, which prevents anyone who wants to harm anyone inside from entering. In other words... It's about the safest place to live in Britain, except maybe Hogwarts."
"If there are no other questions?" asked Dumbledore."
"Was anything salvaged from our house?"
"Yes, it has all been transferred to Gryphon's Eyrie." Dumbledore replied. "The Reading of The Will, will take place tomorrow afternoon at four, and the funeral will be in two days. Your parents and your aunt specified a private ceremony so only you and a few of their colleagues will be present."
"How will we get there?"
"By carriage, you should meet me in the Entrance Hall at nine o'clock."
"You're coming with us?"
"Yes, as a senior member of the Wizengamot, I have been invited to attend the funeral. Mr Draper, Miss Anderson and Mr Laken will also be coming for your protection."
"Thank you, Professor."
"I will seen you then. Good night."
Harry and the Bones rose and moved to leave, Anita and Susan went first, hugging each other close, and Harry brought up the rear. When they reached the base of the stairs, Harry headed for the DADA corridor, intending to use the fireplace in his office to take to his godfather.
A/N: Fleur's line: "I'd suggest analyzing ze last fourteen seconds of conversation. I zink you'll find you anzered your own question." (minus my poor attempt at a French accent) was taken from Devin K. Grayson and Phil Jimenez's JLA/Titans: The Technis Imperative. As always reviews will be greatly appreciated and I will aim to address any responsible concerns you have.