"Harry!  Harry, wait up!"

Harry kept right on walking, despite Hermione's pleas behind him.

Chapter 31. Insights and Birthday Delights

I need a chance to think about what just happened, Harry silently decided as a wave of thoughts and emotions swelled within, compelling him to seek solitude.

"Potter!" Snape's voice resounding down the hallway certainly didn't make the prospect of turning back more appealing.

"POTTER!" Heavy footsteps were approaching behind Harry and he felt the tingle of a spell crossing his Perimeter Charm.  The Full Body Bind hit Harry from behind, causing him to stumbled in mid-stride, but he did not fall over.  The spell-repellent dragonhide of his boots gave him leverage to remain upright and then break through the bind.  He then whipped around to face the snarling face of Snape.

Students had begun to trickle down the hallway, on their way to their next class for the afternoon.  The sight of Snape and Harry, both with wands drawn and both looking fit to kill, made just about everyone stop and back away. 

Harry was defiantly meeting Snape's glare.  Snape hissed as his long sallow fingers curled in a pincer-like grip around Harry's upper arm. "You can either follow me to the dungeons now, Potter, or you can spend a week in detention and explain yourself to the headmaster."

Coolly, Harry jerked his arm away from Snape, brandishing his wand and said, "Actually, I was just on my way to speak with Professor Dumbledore now."  It was a lie, Harry had no clue where he had been going; just anyway that was away.

Snape's lip curled as he said, "Yes, you can be sure I'll be having a word with the headmaster, too."

"A chat seems like a lovely idea, boys," Dumbledore sang out pleasantly, causing both Harry and Snape to jump in surprise and spin around to see Dumbledore standing in the hallway.  "Come along, then, just in here will do," he said as he gestured to a room just off the corridor.

Snape swept in first and Harry followed, briefly glancing at Dumbledore's face to guess how much the headmaster already knew.  Dumbledore's face betrayed nothing.

An instant after the door was shut, Snape billowed towards Dumbledore and began to rant, "Potter is out of control!  He just violated the mind of another student in the middle of a class demonstration!"  Snape spun, his face white with rage as he faced Harry and with two long strides was pointing a yellowed finger at Harry's chest, "Were you enjoying yourself,
Potter?  Do you enjoy lording yourself over other helpless students, hmm?"

"Helpless?" cried Harry in disgusted indignation. 

Snape was baring his teeth in a mockery of a grin.  "Yes, and I bet you just can't wait to have your revenge on him."

Harry was prevented from retorting when Dumbledore stepped between them and held up his hands in a plea for silence.  "Let us try to speak one at a time," Dumbledore suggested, looking at both Harry and Snape, making each feel castigated.  He nodded once then at Snape to go ahead.

Snape drew himself up and spoke directly to Dumbledore, as if Harry were not even there, "Headmaster, Potter was unable to defeat his opponent and he resorted to using Legilimency on a student when he realized he could not win."  Harry had to bit his lip to keep from shouting out that these were misleading lies.  Snape went on, clinically detailing his version of the duel, "Potter resorted to pranks and foolish stunts with which to amuse his classmates instead of demonstrating core basics of defense in the duel he was assigned.  He even took out two of his own team members in the very beginning simply because they were from Slytherin House.  When he proved unable to defeat Mister Malfoy, Potter resorted to breaking into his mind in a vindictive and reckless attempt to gain access to information with which to humiliate a student of my House.  This behavior cannot be tolerated!"

Dumbledore merely looked on, contemplative.  He turned to Harry then.  "Harry?  Might you give me your version of the events?"

Harry took a deep breath and felt relief at the prospect of being able to explain what little truth Snape had to hold up his statements.  "Sir, I tried to end the duel peaceably, but Malfoy kept refusing to concede."

"And why should he?  He still had his wand!" Snape cut in.  Dumbledore silenced him with a look.

Harry's eyes narrowed and he looked at Snape as he said coolly, "Yes, and isn't there some Ministry law about not possessing more than one serviceable wand at a time?"  Harry saw Snape just glare back and Harry turned back to Dumbledore.  "I was even ready to concede at one point just to get it over, but Malfoy wasn't about to be happy with just knocking me out and getting me to concede—his curses were vicious!  He used Castrare, Flamacreacio, and Apotosus—all of them!  I wouldn't even have known how to counter the Imploding Curse if I hadn't read about it in Duelling with Wizards Who Play Dirty!  But I disarmed him—twice, once with each of his wands—and he still wouldn't concede."  Harry shook his head at the memory of how Malfoy wouldn't give in.  "He wouldn't give in when he knew he was beat and then he kept bating me.  He knew things, sir.  He knew all about that night at the Ministry and he flaunted how much he knew.  She's told him everything—everything!"  Harry felt a chill wash over him as he recalled the realization that Malfoy knew Harry had tried to curse Bellatrix with the Cruciatus. 

Harry took a deep breath to steady himself.  "He wouldn't give in.  I tried to walk away."  Harry turned to glare at Snape as he said, "But he insisted I go back out and finish it!"

Snape sneered, "I never—"

"Severus!"

Harry's eyes narrowed as he recalled Malfoy's words, 'You've got to make me feel pain so I want to give in.  Have you got in touch with your inner anger, yet, Potter?  Wee…baby…Potter…'  "He wanted me to torture him into concession," Harry said quietly, almost to himself.  "It's just a class.  I'm not sure what made me do it, but I wasn't going to give in to Malfoy's bating.  If I would have tried to hex and curse him until he was willing to give in, he would have endured it just to make me look awful.  I didn't voice the incantation; no one who doesn't know of it would know what I did.  I cast Legilimens," Harry concluded simply.

Dumbledore was watching Harry closely.  "Did you see anything, Harry?"

Harry nodded and then looked sharply at Dumbledore.  "Sir, you said that he isn't Marked. But I saw him—I saw him with Voldemort, kneeling and kissing the hems of his robes as all his servants do."

Grimacing, Snape spat out, "Ridiculous!  Potter, you don't know what you're doing!  You're not even versed in the art of Legilimency!"

Dumbledore held up his hand against to quiet Snape.  "Tell me, Harry, tell me more specifically what it all was that you saw.  Was your questing specific?"

Harry crossed his arms and focuses on recalling the scenes he saw in Malfoy's mind. "I was… probing for things Malfoy did not want me to know."

"You, specifically, Harry or just things he wouldn't wish known in general?" Dumbledore inquired intently.

"Me, specifically, me," Harry said.  "I've known he's been up to something since he told me he wanted to kill me after his father was carted off last year.  I saw…several things.  Like I said, I saw Voldemort and Malfoy as he kissed his robes, kneeling before him and…I think I felt—could I have felt Malfoy's feelings associated with these memories?"

Dumbledore nodded and said, "Most especially if the feeling is what makes the memory something he would never want you to know.  Did you perceive his feelings, too, Harry?"

Harry nodded slowly and said, "Yes, he felt…fear… and loathing.  But, I also saw him then with—with her—Bellatrix.  He was in pain and I could swear she was torturing him with the Cruciatus.  Why would she do that to him?  I saw his father…after a quidditch match…" 

Harry's mind was swimming with the memories of Malfoy's that he'd seen when Snape announced, "Headmaster, I must insist, Potter should be Obliviated."

"What?  NO!" Harry shouted.

"He'll no doubt use this information against Mister Malfoy—"

"The information could prove valuable, Severus."

"Potter will use to lord himself—to humiliate—"

"I would do no such thing!" Harry cried and then narrowed his eyes as he pinned Snape with a glare.  "I'm—not—like—him!"

Harry could only enjoy the briefest moment of shock on Snape's face before he snarled and spat as he declared: "You're exactly like him!"

"That'll do to be getting on with," Dumbledore said with an air of finality while laying a claming hand upon Snape's shoulder.  "Severus, no one will be getting Obliviated.  Harry, I think we need to have you collect all your memories of what you saw and put them onto parchment.  I think it would be best if you did this now while it is fresh in your mind; the more detail the better, Harry.  We can go over it further tomorrow.  Why don't you return to the classroom and use the Defense office, I believe Miss Granger is waiting for you just outside."

Harry thought putting all the memories down on parchment sounded like an excellent idea.  He stopped just before opening the door to leave and lifted the hem of his robe and dug into his boot, extracting six wands.  He set them all upon the desk.  "Malfoy's spare was still in the classroom," he muttered as he left without looking back.

Hermione was indeed waiting just outside the door for Harry.  But when he came out and the door shut again behind him, Hermione grabbed his arm and whispered, "Shh, he didn't ward the door, I already heard everything.  Maybe we can still listen."

"He knew you were out here," Harry whispered back.

Hermione held up a finger to her lips and stepped closer to Harry, looking up at him as they heard Snape begin his ranting again about what Harry did.  "I don't want to listen to this, again," Harry said quietly.  At least in there, he could argue and explain himself when Snape distorted the truth.

Dumbledore's calm voice cut Snape off as he said, "Severus, Harry did nothing wrong.  The Ministry does not even officially recognize the arts of Legilimency—he's broken no rules. In fact, I think Harry showed great intuition to perceive that Mister Malfoy, while not likely to cave in under physical pressure, would be coercible by assaulting his mind.  If Harry can interpret what he has seen, then this may indeed, be an asset to our intelligence.  I think this event can work in our favor in many ways, Severus, and there is nothing to be done for it now."

"And what of Malfoy, sir?  He has news now of Potter's study in Occlumency and now Legilimency—you think that will be kept silent?  And what do you think will happen to young Malfoy if what Potter says is true?  If Malfoy has already been taken into the service of the Dark Lord then it will be hell to pay for him if word gets out that he let Potter break into his mind!"

"Severus, I do not believe, for these very reasons, that Mister Malfoy will want this event to become known for what it was.  Mister Malfoy only has much to lose by telling others of what truly transpired.  And as for Voldemort's knowledge of Harry's abilities and studies—well, he would be quite a fool to not expect Harry to have had rigorous training in Occlumency to prevent further attacks such as last year.  Legilimency skills are naturally enhanced and developed trough this training, as you well know. 

"And while we are speaking, Severus, have you had any news of Harry's emotions affecting Lord Voldemort?"

There was a moment of tense silence before Harry and Hermione could hear Snape's low voice saying, "I do not believe so.  But he appears to be growing weaker.  Bellatrix has been hysterical about it.  I've been getting requests and demands for all sorts of elixirs and potions; even being urged to research and experiment for something to stop the apparent drain.  There was word last week that one elixir seemed to have some effect, but it now seems to be even worse.   No one knows what's causing it.  At this rate, he might not be much of a match for anyone, much less Potter."

"Most curious," came Dumbledore's contemplative voice.  "We shall see, Severus, we shall see."

Harry blinked at what he had just overheard and then tugged Hermione away from the door.  "C'mon, we can't be caught out here."

The Defense classroom was empty now and Harry led Hermione to the back office.  "You heard everything when I was in there?" he asked.

"Yes," Hermione said as she handed Harry his bag.   She then shut and warded the door and sunk into a chair. 

Harry was about to ask what could possibly be causing Voldemort be getting weaker when Hermione said triumphantly, "I thought it might have been Legilimency!"

Harry looked up at her.  "What did it look like to you?  What did everyone see?"  It had been odd to be the one casting the spell and guiding it, but Harry had never just observed the spell being cast and someone having their memories probed.

Hermione said, "Well, most people thought you were just brandishing your wand at him and that Malfoy was cowering.  After Snape forced you back out there, Harry, you looked murderous.  If I were Malfoy, I would have been shaking, too. 

"But then I saw the briefest glint of a silver spark fly out of your wand and your eyes—Harry I can always tell the instant you cast a spell without an incantation because your eyes flash with this intensity—like you're focusing and releasing the spell at that very instant.  No one else would know to see it, but I've seen it all summer."  Hermione leaned back in her chair and looked intently at Harry.   

"I thought it might have been Legilimency when the bell rang and neither you nor Malfoy moved.  I remember you saying that when you're under the spell, you're not aware of your surroundings.  Then Snape stopped you." 

Harry listened and couldn't stop thinking about what he had all seen.  "Here," Hermione said, digging in her bag.  "I can never find what I—oh, here it is.  She handed Harry a fresh parchment.  "You should get to writing it down while it's still fresh."

Harry took the parchment and opened the draw of the desk to find ink and a quill. "Wait here?  It won't take long," he said and Hermione nodded.

"Are you finished?" Hermione asked as Harry set his quill down and blew across the parchment. 

Harry nodded and after pausing a moment, handed the parchment to Hermione.  She read it over quickly and then narrowed her eyes, bit her lip and read it over again more slowly.  Harry could see her checks tinge with pink as she must have been reading the one where Malfoy had been wanking.

"Do you still have that book on magic of the mind?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's in my dorm.  Why?"

Hermione seemed to be studying each word with the utmost of scrutiny as she slowly read across the parchment.  "I'd like to see it later.  You've made this as a list and entitled it, 'Things Malfoy Doesn't Want Me to Know About'—why?"

Harry explained more specifically about the questing he put into the probing of the spell and repeated what Dumbledore said about the feelings he gleaned from the memories may be the key to interpreting just why Malfoy wouldn't want Harry to know. 

Hermione just seemed to stare at the parchment more intently, like it was an Arithmancy problem that she had to solve.  "So we can assume each of these incidents are somehow connected to you," Hermione stated. 

Harry wasn't sure he wanted this to necessarily to be true and merely said, "Well, linked, perhaps not necessarily directly related to me."  There was one memory in particular that Harry was absolutely certain he did not want associated directly with him.

"Well, the one after the quidditch match seems easy; it was likely just after you beat him yet again.  You have here Malfoy felt hatred and rage—I imagine that would be exactly how he felt after losing to you, especially if he father berated him then for not being able to defeat you in quidditch."  Hermione was in full analytical mode now and Harry, with his own mind racing, watched her work over the possibilities.  "Then again," she said, "it might be that Draco really felt this towards his father.  But, perhaps that can't be; then we don't have the link to you as to the feeling."

After a few more moments, she asked, "Okay, why might Bellatrix Lestrange putting him under the Cruciatus some how be linked to you?  Was she torturing him?  And if so, why?"

Harry looked away from her perplexed expression and pretended to ponder it.  However, he had an inkling he knew that one.  Draco knew; he had to have known, all about Harry's rage-filled attempt to curse Bellatrix.  Something in the back of Harry's mind whispered to him that one had to feel and know the curse in order to be able to cast it properly and the memory in Malfoy's mind was evidence that he had been taught how to cast it now.  Perhaps Bellatrix goaded Malfoy with the knowledge that he, Harry, had already attempted the curse.  Perhaps Malfoy blamed Harry for having to be put under the curse.  Perhaps Malfoy was learning the curse in order to use on Harry.  They all seemed quite likely to Harry.

"Harry?  Are you listening?" Hermione's voice cut into Harry's thoughts.  "Harry, what happened with Tracey and Daphne?" 

Harry was happy to get on to a different topic and as he told Hermione, he casually reached for the parchment of Draco Malfoy's memories and rolled it away. 

All over the school, students were relaying the story of how the mere the threat of Harry Potter, sent to finish the duel by Snape, made Draco Malfoy cower in fear and break down.  Malfoy had yet to emerge from the Hospital wing, as he still hadn't gotten his mouth back.  Pansy Parkinson also seemed to be held up, waiting for a restorative to get rid of her hexed nose and paws.  Also, Crabbe and Goyle were being kept at separate ends of the Hospital wing to prevent them from compromising each other's virtues.  Harry had an antidote for the Lust Dust from Fred and George but he didn't feel compelled to offer it up.

As Harry entered the Room of Requirement to begin the evening's DA lesson, he was met with a raucous chorus of shouts and cheers for his handiwork that afternoon.  But there was one voice that Harry noted, he did not hear.  In fact, he couldn't even see him anywhere.

Ron had been distressingly absent or quiet since the duel.  Harry and Hermione had joined the Gryffindors for dinner in the Great Hall that evening and found their year mates gushing with details of the duel to the other members of the House.  AS they approached the table, Harry had heard Ron gushing with the rest of them but as soon as Ron had turned and saw Harry and Hermione walk in together, Ron had grown silent and had since resumed his distance to them both. 

As the DA began to work on the Reductor Curse, Harry realized that he could find neither Tracey nor Daphne.  Hermione was working with Blaise and Harry walked over and asked, "Have either of you seen Tracey or Daphne?" 

Blaise shrugged and Hermione said, "Did you talk to them after the duel, Harry?"

"Obviously not—when would I have had time?"  Harry said, irritated now that both girls had seemingly dropped him all together. 

Hermione, frowned slightly at Harry's waspish tone and said, "Well, maybe they thought they wouldn't be wanted here."  She leaned in a whispered, "I think there were quite a few people who saw them talking to Pansy before the class, like Ron did.  It's pretty common knowledge now that they had planned to turn on you."

"This is ridiculous," Harry muttered as he pulled the Marauder's Map out of pocket and went off to the side to activate the map.  He searched the castle on the map until he saw Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass sitting together in the library. 

Just as Harry was about to deactivate the map, he saw Ron Weasley in room with Viktor Krum.  "That's odd," Harry muttered to himself.  The might be starting up a club of Hermione's rejected lovers, Harry thought with irritation as he folded the worn piece of blank parchment, stuffed it into his pocket and told Hermione, "I'll be back."

"Don't you both have some place to be?"  Harry demanded, as he splayed both hands upon the table and leaned over to look between twin faces of shock.

The library was not very busy tonight and Tracey and Daphne were in a secluded corner just behind the Restricted Section. 

"Tuesdays and Thursdays, unless you hear otherwise—you do remember the schedule, don't you?" Harry inquired again, determined to not let them slip out of the DA.

 Tracey swallowed with effort and Daphne flipped her braid back over her shoulder and began, "You don't need us, Gryffindor."  Her chin rose and she did her best to look down upon someone who was physically looming over her as she went on, "You don't need anyone; you proved that very clearly today.  So, you can take your charitable invitation to your little army and stuff it."

Harry gaped at Daphne.  "What in blazes is that supposed to mean?"  He pulled out a chair and sat down before she could answer.  "Listen, you know as well as I do, why I Stunned the both of you."

"Exactly," Daphne said coolly.  "So you needn't bother with us any longer."

Harry looked at her for a moment before turning to look shrewdly upon Tracy.  "Is this how you feel, too?"  Tracey couldn't meet Harry's eyes.  "Well, for your information," Harry said.  "I didn't ask the both of you to join the DA just to get a good mark in Defense class.  I asked you to join because I thought you might like the opportunity to adequately learn how to defend yourselves.  You know, give you the skills so you wouldn't have to fear being blackmailed or coerced by other people.  Give you the skills to be able to stand up for yourselves and enable you to make your own choices—not just have them made for you."  Harry leaned in closer to them and kept his voice low as he went on, "You know, it never even occurred to me that you would betray me because of our House divisions or who I am.  Never—not until you both failed to show up on time today and then couldn't look me in the eye.  That's when I had this inkling something was up.  But, only when someone else said they saw you in the Hall with Pansy Parkinson and not revising some Arithmancy test, did I put it all together.  Did I think you each had a change of heart?  Saw this as a fine chance to take your shot at me?  No—I only thought that you had to have been blackmailed, coerced, persuaded--somehow by your other Housemates with questionable allegiances.  I never once doubted you." 

Neither Tracey nor Daphne could look Harry in the eye by now.  "I'm not trying to get you to swear your allegiance to me or against Voldemort." Both girls flinched at the name.  "But I am trying to enable you to not be easy prey for someone else who might plan to force your allegiance to someone else.  It's your choice now if you want to come to the DA.  I won't lie and say I would not be disappointed if you didn't return."  With one more look at their bowed heads, Harry pushed his chair back away from the table and stood up.  

"Wait," Tracey said, looking up with a pleading look on her face.  "Are you going back there now?"

Harry nodded and then said, "If you want, wait five minutes before following me up there," and left.

Harry was pacing in the Room of Requirement as he awaited their arrival.  Hermione kept giving him worried looks.  Harry paused to watch Luna clap gleefully as one her Ravenclaw first years decimated two legs of a wooden chair to splinters with a Reductor Curse.  Neville looked at Harry and grinned.  Harry saw Neville's eyes dart towards the entrance and the grin on his face faltered. 

Harry turned and saw Tracey and Daphne enter the room cautiously and then freeze uncomfortable as several DA members stopped their work to glare coldly at the newest arrivals.  Harry felt the tension in the room and he hastened to get everyone back to work, however, before he could set up Tracey and Daphne to work on the new curse, Ernie Macmillan stepped forward and said coldly to the girls: "We all saw you turn on Harry today.  We know what side you've chosen." 

A few other DA members had moved to stand beside Ernie and were each looking menacingly towards the Slytherin girls.  Harry was a little stunned at the sudden condemnation the members of the DA were willing to issue and he stepped in front of Ernie and faced the other DA members. "No one has chosen any sides today.  I asked both Tracey and Daphne to come back here to continue to be a part of the DA."

Looking spitefully at the girls behind him, Zacharias Smith said, "But, Harry, surely you —"

"No," Harry said, holding up his hands to quiet any protestations.  "Now just hold on."  Harry sighed as he realized he'd have to give everyone basically the same talk that he'd given minutes ago to get Tracey and Daphne to come back. 

After he was through and he felt most people understood what he was trying to say, he then locked eyes with Hermione and said, "Hermione can you tell everyone about the loyalty and intent spells on the door?"

Hermione looked startled at Harry's request and then shook her hair back before she stood up and explained.  "Well, each time we have a DA meeting, I arrive here early and place some charms and jinxes on the doorway—they're linked to the room of course and the room helps support them.  But anyway, the point I think Harry wants me to make is, they ensure that you can only see the door and enter the room if your intents do not include to cause harm or to betray the group as a whole or Harry."  She looked up and saw Harry nodding at her.  "No one can get in here if they aren't trustworthy as far as this group is concerned." 

Harry smiled at her and then said, "Ok, so anyone who gets in—you can rest assured they are trustworthy enough to be here.  On a different note, I think we've just about caught all our new members up to speed and next time, we can begin work on the Patronus Charm.  That's all I have to say."

The group broke up early after that and cleared out.  "I was talking to Tracey just now," Hermione said as she and Harry cleaned up the room.  "I explained to them how to use an Imperturbment Charm to ensure privacy when they need it and also Proximity Charms so they can sleep peaceably without worrying about someone sneaking up on them in the middle of the night."

Harry snorted, "It won't stop that from happening."

Hermione frowned and brushed a strand of hair out of her face, "No, but at least they can wake up before it does and have a fighting chance.  I don't think I ever realized how tough it has to be for them to live with people who you can't trust."  She surveyed the room, checking for anything else to put away and said, "So, I see Ron is back to ignoring you and glaring at me."

"He glares at you?" Harry asked. 

Hermione looked like he questioned whether Snape was really greasy.

"Why does he glare at you?  He doesn't even look at me!"

"Beats me, Harry. I guess it was too much to hope that he'd just forget he was supposed to be angry."

 There was something else Harry was going to say about Ron but Hermione got a sly look on her face and stepped in close and twined her arms around Harry's neck as she asked, "Do you have your cloak with you?"

Harry nodded as his arms instinctively wrapped around her waist.  "Why?"

Hermione looked positively impish as she grinned and said, "Because then we can use it to sneak back after the room helps give us what we need."

She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as she said, "We need a room that is locked to anyone and where no one can get in or walk in and find us.  It needs a big, huge, soft, bed."  She opened her eyes and found Harry grinning back at her devilishly.  

As Harry began to nip and kiss at her neck, she murmured, "You know, Harry, I don't believe I've ever told you how sexy you are when you stand up before a group and give a speech."

"You were back late last night," Dean said, smirking at Harry the next morning as Harry laid across his bed and kept flipping through pages of a Diagon Alley catalogue. 

Harry mumbled something incoherent and kept flipping; he had to order a gift like now to get it in two days time for Hermione's birthday. 

"Yeah, mate, you weren't in the Common Room last night.  We never saw you come in," Seamus said slyly.  "Now that I think on it, we only just saw you now, mate.  Did you even spend the night in your own bed?"

Harry looked up, blushing red and quickly looked down again as Neville returned from the showers. 

"Harry got lucky last night," Seamus sang.  Neville nearly dropped Trevor at this.

"Shut it," Harry ground out as he threw his pillow across the room at Seamus.

"Ooh!" chorused Dean and Seamus. 

"He did get lucky!"

A few more taunts followed this and then Neville said something that made Harry drop his mouth and gape.  "You know Harry," said Neville quietly.  "As the Prefect I could turn you in to Professor McGonagall for being out past curfew."  If Harry thought this was surprising, then it was nothing compared to what Neville said next: "Unless of course, you can confirm that you were with another Prefect last night.  Then I guess I could let it slide."

"Go Neville," Dean breathed out appreciating his dorm mate's sly blackmailing of Harry.

"Yeah…with…Prefect," Harry muttered making the other three boys call out and whoop. 

They were still teasing and asking overly personal questions when Ron walked back in, just as Seamus remarked, "It's always the quiet ones, isn't it.  Who would have thought Hermione Granger would have a wild side.  Come on, give us details—what's it like?"

Harry was beat red by now and as he saw Ron turn to face his wardrobe, Harry saw the tips of Ron's ears tingeing red, too.  "A gentleman never kisses and tells," Harry mumbled.

"Ah, tosh—you!  A gentleman?  Hah!" Seamus called as Harry hastened to head down to the Common Room to leave them behind. 

As he came down the stairs he saw Hermione sitting on the floor, looking harassed and stuffing her books into her bulging book bag. "Oh, Harry, good morning," she said as she sniffed and growled in frustration as all her books just wouldn't fit.

"Here," Harry said, taking one of the books from her.  "Why are you carrying these all around anyway?  You don't have all these classes today.  Hermione—you don't have a time-turner again, do you?"

Hermione still looked harassed and said, "No, I just didn't want to have to come back here during the day, all right.  I've had enough of Lavender and Parvati."

Harry slid onto the floor behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.  He felt her relax immediately into his embrace. 

A gasp from the bottom of the girls' staircase made them both look over to see Lavender grinning madly at them.  Parvati stopped as she too reached the bottom, gasped as she saw them and then adopted the same feral grin.  They both walked over and sat in armchairs looking down with predatory anticipation at Harry and Hermione. 

"Hello, Harry," Lavender cooed.

"You know, Harry, Hermione just won't give us any good girl talk about what you two were doing out so late last night," Parvati said as if she felt very sorry to confess one of Hermione's shortcomings.

"Yeah," Lavender pouted. "She's trying to keep us convinced she's just a good little girl."

"Hermione?  A good girl?  With all the rules she's broken?" Harry almost laughed at the idea as Hermione whipped her head around to glare at him.

"Ooh!  Hermione Granger has broken rules?" Parvati nearly squealed in anticipatory glee.

"Tell us, tell us!" Lavender demanded.

Harry smirked and shook his head.  He turned to look down at Hermione and said, "So they're mad because you won't spill all the juicy details about what you and I do together?"  Hermione nodded sadly and Harry grinned as he kissed her and said, "That's my good girl."  Hermione grinned back at him as Lavender and Parvati huffed in disappointment. 

"Now give me your Transfiguration and Potions books, since we have those together I'll carry them for you," Harry offered as they stood up, ignoring the other two, and left through the portrait hole.  "You go on to breakfast, I'll be down in a minute."  Harry shoved her off and ducked into a loo.  He finally knew what to get Hermione for her birthday and he wasn't going to wait another minute to order it.  He ducked into a stall, flipped through the catalogue until he found what he wanted and then drew out his Gringotts moneybag and pressed the seal of the bag to the seal emblem on the page.  The seals were infused with a soft gold light and Harry felt one burden lift from his shoulders; he finally had her birthday gift ordered.

"Good afternoon, Harry," Dumbledore greeted as Harry arrived for his session.  "I must apologize—I must be leaving.  In speaking with my friends on the International Confederation of Wizards, we have agreed to convene this afternoon to discuss Cornelius's intentions with Gringotts.  Do you have your recollection of the events you saw from Mister Malfoy's mind?"

Harry nodded, pulled the parchment roll from his bag and proffered it to Professor Dumbledore.  "I added some comments about what their possible meanings are, sir."

 Dumbledore took the parchment roll and, without looking at it, drew his wand and made a copy of it, handing the original back to Harry as he said, "I will go over it later when I return, but for now, Harry, remember that these memories you've seen are things Mister Malfoy does not want you, specifically you, to have seen.  That is very important to remember as you try to discern their meaning."

Harry nodded again as he took the roll back and felt relieved he wouldn't have to go over each and every thing he'd seen with Professor Dumbledore.  (Especially one in particular.)

"Now," Dumbledore said as he pulled a pocket watch out of a deep robe pocket. "I believe you are more than capable of working with the Boggart on your own.  Also, I believe you are prepared to move on to working to project images towards the Boggart, creating it to shift shapes to match the images you project.  Before you start, Harry, make a list of what you want to project so you have the ideas ready in your mind.  Do you have any questions?"

Harry couldn't think of any and was about to leave as Dumbledore said, "Oh yes, Harry, one more thing."  Harry turned around in the doorway and Dumbledore asked, "Was there anything strange about last week for a few days?  Anything that you felt or experienced that seemed…out of the ordinary?" 

Dumbledore was looking at him intently, but Harry couldn't think of anything out of the ordinary. In fact, last week had been a rather lousy week as Hermione had been cool to him for several days after he'd made his blunder about the article.  "No, sir, nothing strange that I can think of."

Harry still hadn't thought of anything that had been strange as two more days passed and he arrived to meet with Dumbledore yet again.  (There was of course, the recent strange development wherein Draco Malfoy, even though he now had his sneering mouth back, would not say a word whatsoever when Harry was even somewhat near.)

"Any news from the Confederation, sir?" Harry asked as he arrived in Dumbledore's office. 

Dumbledore nodded solemnly and gestured for Harry to be seated. "Yes, yes, our meetings were most enlightening."  Dumbledore seated himself across from Harry and waved a tea service tray over, before them.  He urged Harry to help himself as he spoke, "The International Confederation is most alarmed with the news of our Minister's intentions.  Gringotts, as any as I am sure you remember, was founded as a part of the implementation of the original International Statute for Wizarding Secrecy."  Harry recalled that when Wizards decided to segregate themselves from muggle society, they established their own banking system. This decree had been issued just following the end of many fierce Goblin rebellions.  It was with an offer of peace and an offered intent to live harmoniously with Goblins that the Wizarding world handed over the right to be the sole bank in the Wizarding world.

"It is true," Dumbledore went on, "that Cornelius is not the first person to try to lay claim to another's Gringotts vault, but he would be the first to succeed if it happens.  The Confederation is very adamant in their conviction that this is not the time to possibly weaken Wizard-Goblin relations."

A new thought occurred to Harry and he asked, "Sir, do other nations accept that Voldemort has returned?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely and said, "Yes, the Confederation was split upon believing this last year.  But when Cornelius had to issue his statement to them a few months ago, confirming his return, very few saw any reason to continue doubting.  Cornelius was, after all, the one leading the doubts."  Dumbledore took a sip of tea before commenting, "They were very welcoming when they asked me to return as chairperson to the Confederation."

Dumbledore set down his teacup and looked very tired to Harry.  Dumbledore then said, "There are rumblings abroad if increased dark activity.  Germany is particularly concerned."  Harry felt a pang of dread slice through him at this news.  Dumbledore confirmed Harry's fear when he said, "It would seem that Voldemort has chosen to recruit his forces from outside of Britain."

He doesn't need an army just to kill me, Harry thought.  "Sir, what is his goal with all of this?  I mean, besides killing me off.  I know he seeks immortality, but…well, what for?"

Dumbledore looked slightly amused and twinkled for moment and then answered, "Well, Harry, it's an interesting question, isn't it?"  Dumbledore stroked his long silver beard and then said, with a faraway look in his blue eyes, "I believe you must understand not just Lord Voldemort, Harry, but also the man he once was, Tom Riddle, in order to know who and what you are fighting against.  I can help you here, Harry.  I can help you understand who it was I knew as Tom Riddle the student.  I might also suggest speaking with Miss Weasley at some point."

"Ginny?"

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, she did spend a year in correspondence with his diary, after all.  It might be quite enlightening the things she knows about young Tom."

Harry recalled Ginny's words from last week.  "Ginny said he didn't feel like anyone accepted him here."  Harry saw Dumbledore's face register surprise at this and Harry explained, "I was talking with Ron and Ginny and Hermione about being open to inviting more members of Slytherin House into the DA.  We were talking about not just blindly condemning the lot of them for the House they were sorted into.  Ginny brought up how in the diary, Tom Riddle had told her that other House members hated him for being a Slytherin and how other Slytherins looked down upon him for being a half-blood."  Harry paused in thought for a moment and then mused, "I suppose he might have felt compelled to prove himself to just about everyone."

"Hmm," Dumbledore said.  "Yes, that certainly seems to be a good guess as to his initial motivations.   Well, we shall plan to devote more time to understanding Voldemort in your lessons with me in the future.  I must apologize; I have been quite busy of late and have not had the time to properly ponder your insights into Mister Malfoy's mind, yet.  I hope to do so before out next meeting.  However, for now, I wish to see how well you can project your thoughts with the Boggart now, were there any other questions you had about anything, Harry?"

"Er, well there is one thing, sir," Harry said tentatively.  "I was wondering you see, well, a few days ago when you and I and Professor Snape were in that room after my duel, I was wondering if you had realized that the room had not been silenced or warded.  Hermione, who had been waiting outside, had been able to hear everything, sir."  Harry really couldn't believe this would have slipped both Professor Snape's and Dumbledore's minds, but he had to ask.  It seemed like a serious mistake that could have had terrible repercussions if it had been overlooked in a different situation. 

Dumbledore merely twinkled.  "But surely it saved you time to not have to repeat yourself to Miss Granger, yes?"  Harry nodded dumbly and then Dumbledore added, "And as for after you left the room, Harry, I need you to begin to realize just how much critical information and insight Professor Snape can offer.  As you should have noticed, Harry, he is very different when around just myself."  Harry fought the urge to scowl; of course Snape was different when he was around anyone but Harry.  Dumbledore's stern look made Harry feel reprimanded, though.  "It is very imperative, Harry, that you and Professor Snape do eventually learn to work together.  If something were to happen to myself, I would no longer be able to be your go-between.  Hopefully, you can agree that the welfare of the Order is more important than grudges."  Dumbledore looked very weary as he remarked, "It takes an awful lot of energy, Harry, to maintain a grudge.  Professor Snape has spent a very large portion of his life bearing grudges.  I would not do well to recommend that for anyone; it makes for very little time leftover to enjoy just living."

Harry spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the Defense classroom while his third years took their second year level examination.  It was entirely a theoretical exam and left Harry with nothing to do but sit in front and occasionally make sure no one was trying to cheat. 

He spent the time going over the Gryffindor Quidditch Playbook and wondering when Ron was going to give up the cold front towards him and Hermione.  Harry supposed it was hard for him to see them occasionally holding hands or whispering together in a manner more intimate than just friends, but still.  If Ron was any kind of friend at all, he would never just throw it all away simply because he was sore about being rejected by Hermione and then being offended because he didn't get an engraved announcement the minute Harry and her had gotten together.  Harry resolved to try to get Ron to speak to him about quidditch sometime soon to try to mend things between them. 

The opportunity presented itself late that evening in the Common Room when Ron was left sitting near Ginny and Katie and just a few other team members.

"Hey guys," Harry said, sliding into a chair across from Ron, who looked up only briefly before returning to whatever he was working on.  "Just a reminder, first practice is the Saturday after next.  Katie, can you be prepared to help the other Chasers learn their plays?" 

"Aye, aye, Captain," Katie said with a mock salute. 

"Ron? Can you help me go through the book and pick out anything we might try to use against Ravenclaw?"

Ron seemed to turn a slight pink color at this and mumbled something without looking up.  Ginny said, "Well, we'll leave you two to it, then," and grabbed Katie and Zoe and dragged them away to leave Ron and Harry alone.

Ron was now fully red in the face and Harry tried to casually bring out the playbook and muttered the password to it.  "Did you want to look through the book again?" Harry asked lightly as he laid the book upon the table.

Ron looked like he was deciding between two different chess pieces to sacrifice and eventually set down his quill and slid the book towards him and began flipping through the pages. 

"Do you know who their new Beaters are yet?" Ron asked casually after a few minutes of silence.

Harry inwardly felt a huge sigh of relief at Ron's willingness to talk quidditch.  "Er, no, not really.  Do you think that the Hawkshead might be able to intimidate the Beaters since they're new?"

Ron grunted noncommittally.  "This Waggle and Weave play here by our Beaters might keep them out of the game," Ron suggested pointing at a page in the book.

"Here, mark it," Harry said scooting closer to the table and giving Ron a scrap of parchment to hold the page. 

After a about a quarter hour of casually suggesting plays to consider, Harry finally pulled up his courage and said, "So, I was wondering…if you might want to let me apologize…"  Ron seemed to freeze for a second and then flipped the page of the book and didn't say a word. 

Harry decided it was a good start that Ron hadn't stormed off already and pushed onward. "You see, er, well, I feel really bad for not knowing how to tell you about…well, about, you know, me and Hermione.  You see, it wasn't planned at all…it all just sort of happened one night at…at Headquarters and well…neither of us knew where it was going to go then and we didn't want to tell anyone if we didn't even know what it meant, so we kind of just kept quiet.  Then when school started, you…well, I mean…" Ron was flipping through pages without really reading them now and Harry wanted to hurry up and get it all out before Ron left.  "We thought you might be angry about the news and we weren't really sure we wanted the rest of the school to know.  Plus Ginny had been asking us to keep up the ruse that she and I were…I mean she was using it to, you know, write to Dean and stuff without you caring about it and all.  We were trying to pick the right time to tell you…I tried that one time after I'd just told Krum…" 

Harry looked searchingly across at Ron who was studiously not looking up from the book.  Harry gulped and asked a question that just occurred to him, "Do you…do you even still want to be friends?"  It had just occurred to Harry that maybe Ron didn't care enough to want to get over this fight.  It was a thought that felt like a sharp kick from Dudley right into Harry's stomach.

Ron fidgeted with a page of the book for a minute and then just when Harry was preparing to hear the worst answer (or none at all), Ron heaved a sigh and said, "I just wish things were the same as last year."

Harry looked up sharply and said, "Last year sucked."

Ron looked up, surprised and then said, "Well the year before then."

"That one wasn't all that much better," Harry said consideringly.  He and Ron were at least making skittish eye contact now.

Ron actually quirked up one side of his mouth as he offered, "How about third year then?  That one wasn't so bad, we won the cup."

"Third year sounds good."  Their eyes met across the table as Harry grinned.  It only lasted a moment, before Ron looked back down at the table, all traces of any humour gone.  But at least Harry now knew Ron still wanted to be friends.  "I'm really sorry, Ron," Harry said quietly.

Ron chewed on a fingernail and then said, "Everything feels like it's changed."

"Friends are still friends, though, aren't they?" Harry said, hoping Ron thought he was making some semblance of sense.

Ron shrugged.  "Sometimes…sometimes I just feel like I want to go on like nothing's different.  Be friends again and all….then sometimes….well, sometimes I want to just curse someone, you know?" 

Harry wasn't sure he knew exactly what Ron was talking about but said, "Yeah, the being friends part is good.  And…and as long as you curse Malfoy, that part's not so bad…"

A flicker of a grin flitted across Ron's face.  "You and I," he motioned between Harry and himself.  "We're not so bad, you know?"  Harry grinned at this.  "But, well, when she's around—it's all different." 

Harry's grin fell but at least, he felt they were making progress.  If he and Ron could at least be civil and friendly again, then it was only a matter of time before the old trio was back in place.  Granted, Ron would have to be the one to initiate making amends with Hermione when the time came, but him talking to Harry was a good start.  "Well, then, I still think you and I should be friends again.   Eventually, we'll all be friends again."

"I don't know about that part, Harry."  Ron closed the book and set it down.  "I don't know… I can handle…this," he motioned between them again.  "But I don't know … I …"

"Okay, well, that's a start, at least."  Harry swallowed and decided that they had at least made progress.  "We're friends then?" he asked.  "You won't ignore me and if…if you feel the urge to beat me in chess or talk quidditch or whatever, you'll talk to me again?"  Ron quirked his mouth and nodded.  "No matter if I'm sitting in our dorm alone or across the room beside Hermione?"

Ron shrugged.

"Hey, Harry!" Colin Creevey flew into the seat beside Harry, effectively interrupting the rest of Ron and Harry's conversation.  "Guess who just got chosen to be the next quidditch commentator?  Guess!"

"Er…" Harry looked to Ron for help. 

Ron just grimaced and stood up, saying, "I think I'll head up to bed."

"Guess, Harry!  It's me!  Bet you're surprised, aren't you, Harry?  I know I was.  But you know, McGonagall said I could have the job since no one else wanted to do it.  I was thinking I might try to do some interviews…give me material to quote from during the games—what do you think, Harry?"

Harry just groaned as Colin dogged his steps up to the dormitory where Harry was quite content to trade Colin's nattering for the soft and soothing voices that just seemed to live to whisk Harry off to a peaceful slumber.

"Good morning," Harry said as he snuck a kiss in on Hermione's neck as she recopied her notes from last week's Healing class.  There were only a few people in the common room this morning as Harry slid into the seat beside Hermione at their favorite table and grinned at her.

She looked back at him warily.  "Good morning.  What is up with you today?"

Harry's eyes shot open in surprise and his grin grew wider.  He batted his eyelashes innocently and said, "Can't I wish you a good morning? Do I even want to try to wish you a happy birthday?"

Hermione tried to hide the smile that played at her mouth by Harry still saw it and caught her face with his hand and drew her to him for yet another kiss.  "Harry Birthday, Hermione," he murmured. 

"You already wished me a happy birthday last night, Harry.  After midnight," Hermione protested weakly as he nuzzled her ear. 

"So?  Besides, I still have to give you your birthday gift.  You do want it don't you?" Harry teased, grinning against her neck. 

Hermione pulled back and looked at Harry squarely.  He knew she had to have been going spare wondering what he had gotten for her (well, he knew this only because Ginny told him so).  Hermione was trying to look nonchalant but failing miserably as her one foot was bouncing with agitation and she couldn't stop from biting her lower lip. 

Harry grinned, "How does it feel to be the first one to turn of age?  I bet you want to sneak off to Hogsmeade and curse people randomly now, don't you?"  Hermione was scrunching up her nose at his stalling and he laughed, saying. "You want your gift then?" She frowned and nodded once, trying not to smile. 

Harry grinned again and brought out a small silver box from his robe pocket.  "It's not what it looks like," he said immediately.  The box looked exactly like a small jewellery gift box and Harry was slightly disturbed that it came packaged as thus.  "And, I should tell you now, that I also wanted to do something else for you, but seeing as we have absolutely no free time today, I was hoping we could do it tomorrow."  He cut Hermione off before she even asked and said, "I already know you decided to wait on your Apparition test since there isn't much point in being licensed in a hurry while you're at Hogwarts.  Professor Dumbledore told me you had changed from hoping to take it tomorrow, so, you have no excuse to not be free tomorrow.  Plus, it's my last Saturday without having a quidditch practice so I wanted to make the best of it."

Hermione couldn't help but smile up at Harry and said, "Are you going to tell me what you have planned to make the best of it?"

"Sure—we're going to spend the whole day in the library!" Harry said as he grinned widely.  Hermione smacked him on the arm and he laughed.  "Alright, I guess I'll have to think of something else to do.  Now you'll have to wait."  It wasn't elaborate, but Harry had wanted to somehow plan for some alone time with just the two of them.  He had asked dobby to prepare a picnic for two for the afternoon and Dobby had promptly taken off on the whole idea.  He assured Harry that Dobby would prepare a most romantic and perfect afternoon for Harry Potter and Harry Potter's friend. 

Hermione was looking sternly at him and she plucked the silver box from Harry's hand.  "Can I open this or not, now?"  She didn't even wait for Harry to say okay before she lifted the top of the box.  As the box was opened, it grew and expanded about ten times in size making Hermione gasp at the unexpectedly large box now sitting in her lap. 

"I would have warned you about that," Harry said watching her with amusement. 

Hermione looked away from Harry and down into the box and pulled out a leather bag.  Harry figured he'd have to explain the odd choice of gift but was surprised when Hermione rushed out, "Oh my god, it's the Notably Toteable Library Satchel!"  Harry could not believe she actually knew what it was. 

She gushed on, "Oh, it's got six different compartments!  It can hold over a ten stone in books without weighing any more than it does empty!  Oh, and look, this is the model with the instant-shrink features and the hidden Mokeskin pockets—oh, Harry," she said, pausing to look up at him with wide eyes. "This must have cost a fortune!  I've looked at them in Flourish & Blotts nearly every time I've ever…oh, but they've always been too…Harry..." she shook her head, "You shouldn't have…"

"I can't believe you know what it is," Harry said with disbelief.  "I thought I'd have to explain…I thought you might think it was too impersonal…"

"Ooh," Hermione said in almost a sob as she cupped Harry's face in one hand while she traced the strap on the leather bag.

Harry watched her look adoringly at the bag and said, "See, I knew you carry around more than the number of book that will actually fit into your bag now, plus, I've seen you have to mend it more times than I could count.  I saw this and knew you'd like it but…"

"Oh, I do," Hermione said, picking up the bag and flipping it over.  She looked back at Harry and said in a very serious tone, "It's just an awful lot of money, Harry.  I would never have asked for anything this expensive."

"Hermione," Harry said, levelly his gaze at her, "you've seen my inventory statements from Gringotts—you know I've got more than I know what to do with.  Besides, you'll use it, won't you?"

Hermione looked longingly at the bag in her hands and said, "You're absolutely sure?"

"Positive," Harry said, tucking a strand of hair back around her ear.  "Don't doubt me."

Dinner that evening was interrupted by a loud bag and succession of mini explosions over the Slytherin table.  As Harry and his fellow Gryffindors looked over to see what was making all the noise, they saw a flurry of silver and green Weasley Wizard Whizbangs (or Whizbangles as the miniature version was called) going off. There were the same as Harry remembered from his birthday party in the summer.  A set then exploded over the Ravenclaw table (blue and silver) and then another over the Hufflepuff table (black and gold).  Miniature Catherine wheels were now spinning out of the sparks and pops, leaving adverts lines trailing behind.  'Weasley Wizard Whizbangs—The Gift That Just Keeps on Giving!' and 'Say it with a BANG!' 

A set then erupted amid a shower of gold and red sparks over the Gryffindor table and they looked up and saw yet more adverts for WWW.  'Don't Mangle it—Say it with a BANGLE, you Twit!'  Then they saw one that made Harry nudge Hermione and point; it said, 'Birthday BANGS to The Birthday Girl!'

"Did you do this?" she asked watching the sparklers whiz by and begin to fade away. 

Harry shook his head and looked across at Ginny who looked just as surprised.  He knew there was no way Ron would have done it.  "Must have been Fred and George," he said.  "They must be here for the meeting tonight," he added in an undertone.  "Trust them not to miss a chance to advertise."

Sure enough, when Harry and Hermione entered the antechamber off the Great Hall, Fred and George where there and looked to be getting a stern lecture from Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, we were just trying to wish a good friend a happy birthday," George whinged. 

"It's not like they turned the Slytherins into yipping pug dogs," Fred protested.

"Hey—Harry!  We heard you did a revealing spell on dear old Pansy and showed her true form!"

"Mister Weasley!" McGonagall huffed at the twins who were now snickering at their own jokes.

"Why aren't you two working tonight?" Harry asked.

The twins looked at each other in mock hurt and then turned to Harry and said, "What?"

"You don't want us here?"

"You'd rather we leave?" 

McGonagall muttered something that sounded a lot like, "…doesn't sound half bad…"

"Professor!" George said in indignation.

"We heard that!" Fred echoed.

"I'm truly wounded—brother—we're not wanted!"

McGonagall then turned towards and Harry and then said quite clearly, "Potter, I give you permission to hex their mouths off like you did to Malfoy."

It turned out that Fred and George were at the meeting to hand out a few of their products.  Remus, they said, was watching the store for the night in Diagon Alley.  (Apparently, they had made a deal to sign him on as a part-time employee as he was able to give them ideas from things the Marauders had done in school and also help out at the store when needed.) 

They brought their Extendable Ears and a new product called Enhancing Eyes that let someone see around corners and into dark, dimly lit nooks, and a tray of new edible jokes.  It was actually Snape who was most interested (in other words, he didn't sneer outright) in the twins' crafted treats.  There were Confundus Confections that caused whomever ate one to become Confounded.  There was a Petrification Potion that they actually asked Snape to help with; the twins said that, ideally, they wanted to make it into a powder or something more easily administered.  They also had a new line called Truly Telling Treats and Teas that had a miniscule amount of truth serum within them to enable about one question's worth of truth to be forced upon whomever consumed one. It was such a small amount that it would be undetectable to even a trained nose like Snape's overly large one.  

The twins also told everyone that they were working on an alarm system for homes and businesses to keep out unwanted guests.  Apparently, it involved the use of several failed experiments and a nasty combination of Provisional hexes.

After the twins' presentation of their items, Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "Well, any other questions, I think, can be pushed to the end of this meeting."   Snape was the last to set down a Confundus Confection as Dumbledore began, "First, an update, Hagrid, as most of you already know, is about to leave out on a journey to contact Giant communities in Scandinavia.  He just got word today of his journey's route and we can expect him to depart before this time next week."

Hagrid had already told this to Harry after Care of Magical Creatures that afternoon.  Grawp was apparently very excited to be travelling again with Hagrid. They were going to be taking a portkey made by Dumbledore to the very north-eastern reach of Scotland and then catch a ship to Norway.  Harry was very sad to have to see Hagrid off onto another journey but on the other hand, he knew their classes could only improve.  That afternoon, Hagrid had got nearly half a dozen of Aragog's children to pay the class a visit without trying to eat them.  They had to be reminded of this a few times however and Ron had seemed extremely thankful that Harry had a Skivving Snackbox to lend to him so Ron could fake a nosebleed and leave before the lesson truly got started. 

"Second, both the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizards have convened this week to discuss the possible issues with our Minister's intents towards Gringotts.  It is very clear, from both councils, that the current treaty we have with Gringotts, is not to be disregarded nor may be amended by or for any one nation." 

Dumbledore nodded at Kingsley and said, "Amelia and I spoke and she is prepared to enforce the Councils' decrees if necessary.  Also, we spoke about her wish to be included in the Order.  I informed her that it is most likely that she would be a welcome addition to our…intelligence, and therefore, I promised to alert her when she may expect to be inducted.  I also ask, anyone else who knows of someone they wish to sponsor to pledge for membership, please send me a parchment about who it is and you can let them know they shall pledge on Halloween.  The meeting will be held in Hogsmeade that evening.  Details shall be forthcoming."

 Harry already knew most of the stuff Dumbledore was going over and most of the things that anyone else had to bring up.  Dumbledore had taken to forwarding a copy of any parchments received about the Order, to Harry. 

As soon as Dumbledore had wrapped up his summary of activities, Snape and McGonagall both returned to Fred and George's table of items.  Harry marvelled at how appreciative they both seemed of the twins' talents now that they weren't merely being used to disrupt classes. 

"Harry," Dumbledore said, calling Harry's attention to him.  "I just wanted to remind you, the Goblins are still awaiting word from you.  Perhaps you might draft a letter for them and we can go over it Sunday afternoon before you owl it off."

"Oh, er, right.  I can do that," Harry said, fully intending on getting Hermione to help him with it.

Dumbledore twinkled knowingly.  "One other thing, Harry, I have read your summary of the event with Mister Malfoy."  Dumbledore paused and looked around the room, his twinkling gaze resting upon the twins across the room.  "I think your speculations about their meanings are a very good start.  I'd like to go over this as well with you on Sunday."  Harry nodded; he'd been expecting this since they had not had a chance to go over it yet together. 

"I also believe," Dumbledore, said slowly, "that it might be most helpful to have Professor Snape sit in on that discussion.  His insight and knowledge of Mister Malfoy far exceeds our own." 

Harry was now not looking forward to Sunday at all.


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Reminder:  You may always find chapters posted on my Yahoo Group.  The website is linked on my bio page.  The Yahoo Group name is: HP_AoF.  Cheers!