DISCLAIMER! This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. New Movie is coming in April! Hurrah! Yeah, for Fanfiction – a great place to stretch your imagination and enjoy someone else's creativity too! This story is the sequel to The Potter Cartouche.

Chapter 18: Runes and A Tournament Somewhere

The following day was calm around Hogwarts; the firsties had their first flying lesson, and Harry heard enthusiastic reports from the Gryffindor first years. He followed an eager Neville into the greenhouse, where Professor Sprout welcomed them for their fourth year. She outlined a productive year where they were involved with propagating and harvesting several important magical plants used in the potion's classes here at the school. Neville volunteered for extra lessons and projects in the greenhouse while Harry made good notes but admitted his interests lay with runes again this year.

On Thursday afternoon, Harry and all the third- and fourth-year boys entered the new locker room (converted classrooms) with muggle-style lockers and uniforms for each student. Professor Lupin, dressed in the same uniform as the boys would wear, talked to them about the benefits of physical exercise for young wizards. Then Ron Weasley, mouthy pureblood, questioned how this muggle thing (exercise) could help the purebloods.

Lupin replied, "Every wizard has a magical core that determines how strong your spells will be. Exercise will make your core stronger and help it grow larger. Even the purebloods can be made more powerful by this activity. Exercise will make you more attractive to witches, too."

Harry was on edge for a time, but Lupin kept his distance and didn't try to talk with Harry more than any other student. The first day, the boys ran, sprinted, did push-ups and jumping jacks. Many of them were flushed and breathing hard at the end of the class, but Lupin gave them well-earned praise. Lupin promised them the chance to go swimming after a month of exercise.

"This might be good," Ron admitted, while he attempted to flex his arms and make a muscle. "Maybe I can catch the eye of some bird this year."

CHANGE SCENE: Dumbledore's New Scheme Begins

In his office, Albus Dumbledore stopped writing his lecture on the use of marigold feathers from the African savannah's magical vanishing ostriches to soothe a restless dragon while extracting a barrel of the creature's blood without killing the dragon. There were many uses for the magical blood of the fiery beasties in medical potions.

However, his mind leapt from the current topic for a seminar to one that would be much more interesting – the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

'Why didn't I think of this earlier?' he questioned himself. 'I didn't think there was any chance that Harry Potter would be light and had to find some way to kill him for the greater good. But now…his mother's love is so powerful; he can't go dark.'

Pulling out his correspondence from the summer of 1993, he found the documents that detailed the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

'It would have been marvellous here at Hogwarts! Dragons! Mysterious Clues and Dark Lords running amok throughout a school year would have left a lasting impression on so many young minds,' he imagined and sighed with regret. 'Let's see…talk about the history and how the tournament was the very first event for international cooperation occurring since the end of the Roman Empire where magic ruled muggles and wizards alike.'

'No need to mention witches using their power to protest…or the number of dead participants or spectators…my goodness, the black death in the fourteenth century was carried into Europe and North Africa by wizards returning from the tournament at the Babylonian School of Sorcery – isn't that what destroyed the school there at Babylon? And the plague kept everyone away from the site for a century. The city was already deserted, and the plague destroyed the ancient school.'

'Inferni – an army of inferni used in the second task – were the source of the Black Death, and they killed all the living wizards, witches and creatures around the school in just three days…survivors spread the plague to muggles all around the Mediterranean, Europe and Britain.'

'How can I spin this to make the tournament in Alexandria sound attractive? Something our seventh-year students might like to visit at Yule?'

SCENE CHANGE: Gold and Runes

Dobby watched his wizard cast the spell that made gold from limestone chips, and this time, Harry made three bags full. Three-tens-tens nuggets of gold were created, but the elf would deliver only one bag today. A second bag would be given tomorrow as a wedding gift to honour Bloodhook with his upcoming wedding to King Ragnock's most-hideous daughter. The third bag would be delivered a few days later to keep funding the care of Sirius Black.

When Dobby and Harry learned the truth behind the description of 'most-hideous' from Professor Flitwick, the wizard and elf had been struck silent for a time. The half-goblin explained, "It's true…female goblins are hideous by goblin standards but are lovely dolls to wizard's eyes. They are the source of the legend about gnomes in Germany. Anyway, Bloodhook describing his bride as the most-hideous daughter of King Ragnock means the girl is guaranteed to be extremely attractive by human standards. Until they open their mouths…female goblins have sharp pointed teeth like male goblins."

"Is a bag of gold an appropriate wedding gift?" Harry asked the professor.

Flitwick nodded before turning to Harry's elf and asking, "Dobby Potter Elf, did you collect Snape's blood the evening he decapitated himself?"

"Yes, Professor Charming, Dobby collect lots of evil, greasy git's, nasty blood and hide in bottle before kitties lick it up."

Ignoring the elf's comment about 'kitties', Flitwick instructed the elf, "Make certain some of the blood is dripped over the bag before you deliver it to the cavern of the bride's father. He will display the bloody bag as a trophy for ten years or more before allowing Bloodhook to put the gold to use. And Ironstream can brag that Freshgold honoured the marriage of Ragnock's most hideous daughter to a goblin with a client who sends a wedding gift dripping with his enemy's blood."

When they were alone, Harry asked, "Dobby, how did you know to keep Snape's blood?"

Nodding his head vigorously, the elf explained, "Dobby talk to elves at goblins bank many times. Learning what goblins want to see and like. And Dobby knows things to collect that help my wizard later."

"Like Draco's hair?" asked Harry, who watched Dobby still nodding his head.

CHANGE OF SCENE: The Dark Lord

Barty Crouch, Jr. kept his father in line with the Dark Lord's plans – Crouch, Sr. was a fountain of knowledge on the prisoners in Azkaban, the DMLE's strength, the reports on known locations of Death Eaters in other nations, and the new Minister's plans for strengthening Magical Britain. A confidential report regarding the manufacturing problems in the Malfoy quarry in Wiltshire proved interesting because it meant Narcissa would not have excess funds to share with any sympathisers. Another rumour Crouch, Sr. brought home was that the Malfoy boy had been sent home for five days and then permanently expelled from the school the same day he returned.

The Daily Prophet carried the story about Severus Snape's death caused by his reflected spell, angered Lord Voldemort. The article, on page 2, did not list the name of any of the underage students involved, leaving the wizard disgruntled.

Unknown to Lord Voldemort or Crouch, Jr., even while under the imperious curse, Crouch, Sr. was able to do some independent actions – he couldn't do anything to betray or reveal the location of the Dark Lord or his son. Still, the day-to-day tasks at the ministry were independent. He kept his ideas out of his mind when he returned home at night and so was able to create orders to execute the remaining Death Eaters imprisoned in Azkaban. In a private meeting with Minister Diggory, Crouch, Sr. offered the order to the wizard and mentioned how if the Aurors moved on a Sunday afternoon, the last eight Death Eaters in Britain could be thrown through the veil without any commotion.

"We both lost our sons because of these animals…let's rid Britain of the last of them," Crouch, Sr. argued.

"And how do we announce it?" Diggory asked. "When someone talks…."

"We don't make any announcement," Barty told his boss. "Bones can fire me for interfering, but she can't fire you."

Thinking about his son, Diggory signed the order and authorised Barty Crouch, Sr., to make the necessary arrangements. On that Sunday morning, sitting quietly in his chair at the breakfast table with the Dark Lord and his son plotting a resurrection ritual, Barty Sr. spoke up, "I need to go to the ministry. I have to write a report for Diggory for tomorrow morning."

"About what?" asked Junior.

"An attempt to decrease expenses by reducing staffing levels in different ministry departments."

"I thought he wanted to make the ministry stronger. Didn't he fire a bunch of purebloods?

"He did, and now he's looking at eliminating departments like Preservation of Magical Artefacts for Magical Britain."

"Fine. Don't mention me or the dark lord or anything about us," the son instructed his father.

"No, of course not," Barty Crouch, Sr., assured his son.

Four Aurors, all veterans who had lost family and friends to Death Eaters, were recruited by Barty Crouch, Sr., early in the week and sworn to secrecy. The Aurors travelled to Azkaban and met with the warden, a veteran Diggory briefed about the 'move' on Friday. The warden allowed the Aurors to stun and transfigure the prisoners into little figurines. Four of the prisoners died due to the transfiguration, and two others died from suffocation while being transported inside sealed plastic bags because of incomplete transfigurations. In the Department of Mysteries, the Unspeakables did not interfere though they recorded the Aurors' arrival. Levitating dead bodies through the veil did not count as execution, but when Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange were restored to their proper forms, the couple was still alive. As they were thrown through the veil, Bellatrix sang, "I'll see him soon! I'll see the Dark Lord soon!"

Unspeakable 42 waylaid Barty Crouch, Sr. on his way out of the Department of Mysteries and took the man for an examination. When Augustus Rookwood died for violating his new oath of allegiance, the other Unspeakables found Rockwood's extensive studies on the Imperious Curse. Here was a ministry official who was obviously under the curse, and the Unspeakables were interested in studying the effects of the spell in action.

The wizards were surprised but unconcerned by Barty Crouch Sr.'s devious plan to kill the Death Eaters – it was illegal and could send Diggory and Crouch, Sr. to the veil themselves if it became known. However, the Unspeakables didn't interfere with any plans until they examined the ministry official and found that the curse that held him was from the Dark Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle. Riddle's possession of a willing wizard meant the body was fairly stable and he would last until spring at least.

Working with Director Bones from the DMLE, the Department of Mysteries would work in concert with the goblins to end this terrorist at Yule. But being realists, they also inserted a failsafe into the situation with a spell they hid inside the magical core of Barty Crouch, Sr. If (when) the Dark Lord or Barty Crouch, Jr. cast Avada Kedavra on Crouch, Sr., his magical core would explode and fill the room with a ball of superhot flame for ten long seconds. If they were in the Crouch home when the event occurred, the entire building and its inhabitants would be immolated instantly.

CHANGE SCENE: Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater

"Do you think it's okay for a couple to have secrets?" Percy asked Penny as they walked through a muggle shopping mall that same Sunday afternoon.

"Secrets?"

"From each other," Percy explained, not watching his girlfriend who blushed as fiercely as he was.

"I know I don't want to have secrets from you, but circumstances mean I do have a few."

"Really? I do too," Percy replied. "There're things at work that I can't tell you."

Taking his hand and leading him into a café where they sat at a table and ordered tea, Penny lifted Percy's chin and smiled before she said, "My dad's work is often unspeakable and so there're lots of secrets in our household. But that's okay because it's got to do with work, not our family."

"I don't think Mum would let Dad have any secrets," Percy said. "Even his Wizengamot stuff, Mum demands that he tells her everything."

"Is that safe? Some things are state secrets, and it might harm your mum and dad if he talks about them.

Percy frowned and said, "Mum wouldn't believe anything she doesn't want to believe."

Penny remained silent while Percy was lost in his thoughts as well. "My parents had a big argument last month. Somebody with galleons wanted to pay for Ginny to get treatments for being possessed in her first year and then being around Dementors all year last year."

"That's wonderful!"

"Yeah, but Mum wanted the money to pay for robes and other useless stuff. The lawyer, Ted Tonks, said no and Mum started yelling…she yelled loud and long enough to attract the attention of Madam Bones who yelled back. And Mr Tonks rescinded the offer before he walked out."

"Oh no," Penny cried and took Percy's hand again.

"Dad is depressed about it, and he wouldn't talk to Mum for days before the kids left for Hogwarts. So, I went to the bank and asked about a loan to pay for the healers."

"A loan?" asked Penny, dreaded to hear how large a debt Percy incurred.

"It didn't come about. The goblin I talked to, one named Bloodhook, told me on condition of not telling Dad or Mum, that Madam Bones arranged for the Department for Child Welfare to take guardianship for Ginny's health, and the anonymous benefactor still paid for the treatments. She's meeting with a mind healer every week this year at Hogwarts."

Penny's face lit up and she said, "That's great!"

"I'm glad I didn't have to take a loan because I want our future to be all we have to pay for," Percy admitted, again making Penny smile.

Then she confessed, "I have a secret to share with you too."

"What secret do you have, Miss Clearwater?" Percy asked his lovely girlfriend.

"It involves money, and you have to swear not to tell your Mum, Dad, or siblings."

Percy looked askew at his girlfriend and said, "That's a pretty specific list of people."

"It is," she agreed with a slow nod of her head. "And when I tell you more, you'll understand why."

"Okay," Percy agreed, and they went through the formal process of making the magical promise. Then Penelope explained about Harry Potter giving her ten thousand galleons from the proceeds made in the first sales of parts of the basilisk.

"It's compensation for being petrified," she concluded.

"Ted Tonks was the lawyer for your cheque too. I bet Potter's the anonymous benefactor who is paying for Ginny's treatments. No wonder Mr Tonks insisted on it remaining anonymous."

"My parents were adamant that I not tell you about the money until a few weeks passed and you agreed to not tell your parents."

Percy sighed and nodded. "Are you sure you want to saddle yourself with Molly Weasley as a mother-in-law?"

"Do you want a father-in-law who does things that no one can speak about?" she asked.

"Your dad can't be as scary as my mum but that doesn't matter. I love you Penny Clearwater.

"I love you, Percival Weasley," she asked as she leaned closer and kissed his lips for a second.

Grinning, Percy replied, "I love you too Penelope Clearwater."

Smiling with happiness, Penny kissed Percy with more intensity and left the man breathless for a moment in the café. When his senses recovered, Percy asked, "What do your parents want you to do with the money?"

"It'll help pay for my studies with Gringotts to be an accountant, but I'll also be working for the goblins so that will offset a lot of expenses. And we can use a chunk of it for a down payment on a cottage next year…if you're willing."

"Next year!" Percy asked. "Yes!"

His face fell a moment later when he asked, "What about the wedding? My mum…"

Still smiling, the young witch announced, "We've talked about eloping to Corfu. How about next summer while my parents and my brother and his family are there on vacation?"

"How about we never tell my mum about your parents being there? Mum can channel a banshee when she is riled and leave us deaf for a week," Percy commented.

"Deal," Penny said, pleased at how well Percy took the news of her plans.

SCENE CHANGE: Runes and Problems

On Tuesday, Harry was early for the second runes class and waited patiently while the three Slytherin students entered the classroom with Professor Babbling. The witch looked disturbed, and Harry paid close attention to the conversation.

"And will the seventh years be able to work on their projects?" asked Daphne Greengrass.

Babbling sighed, "None of the sandstone plates ordered was delivered for my classes. Something happened at the Malfoy quarry and all of Britain faces a shortage of plates for runes. Gringotts may be able to source plates for runes from other parts of the world, but our ministry has poor relations with our neighbours and none of them will move quickly to help us."

"What do you mean, professor?" asked Harry.

"We buy all the sandstone plates used in our classes from that quarry, and there's not another source here in Britain. The Malfoy family holds a monopoly that keeps other plates out of the country. Anyone who imports a plate has to pay an import duty of almost five times the plate's cost with all that money being split evenly between the ministry and the Malfoy family."

Harry opened his book bag and pulled out a sandstone plate left from last year and examined it closely. Babbling stepped over, borrowed Harry's plate, and used it to turn the discussion into a lecture on the exactness of the size, thickness, length, and width of the standard plate in Britain. Then she talked about the concept of 'brother' plates in twos, threes, and the ultimate four brother plates.

Greengrass asked, "Is that why 'sisters' are used to link the runes together?"

"Yes," Babbling said. "Sisters link the brothers together. I think Hogwarts has hundreds of brother and sister rune arrays in the wardroom."

"What does the shortage of sandstone plates mean for us?" asked Tracy Davis.

"It means you will not be carving on sandstone plates this autumn. I have a limited number of plates and they must be saved for the fifth- sixth- and seventh-year students. They must have plates to carve to prepare OWLS and NEWTS next spring," Babbling explained.

"Does this mean we'll draw on paper again this year?" asked Blaise.

Tracy Davis smirked and said, "We'll be good theorists when our OWLS come with our carving tools dust-free."

Harry spent the majority of class time listening to Professor Babbling's lecture on brother plates and sister runic arrays, and how those items were linked together to create wards (in theory). He wrote down many ideas in a regular muggle notebook with a biro – something he noticed all of the Slytherins also doing.

When the class was ending, Harry asked, "Professor, would we be able to practice carving on the back of used plates? Or some other things?"

Babbling paused to consider the idea and replied, "Probably not on the back of a plate that's been carved on. The runes on the other side might react badly. But if we can source sandstone from some other quarry – even if it isn't a properly sized plate, you could practice drawing and carving the cartouche and the runes.

"There aren't any other quarries in Britain," replied Daphne Greengrass. "Malfoy holds a monopoly and that's one reason why they are so rich."

"But there are muggle quarries," Harry said. "We might be able to get sheets of sandstone to practice carving."

"From muggles?" asked Blaise. "Do wizards get anything from muggles?"

Babbling glanced at Harry and she motioned him to be silent as she explained, "Mr Zambini, Magical Britain buys things such as wheat to make our bread, beer and ale from the muggles. And we buy cloth, wine, coffee and tea from muggles."

Glancing at Daphne, Professor Babbling asked, "Isn't that true, Miss Greengrass?"

"Yes, professor. We get sugar, chocolate, and lots of luxury items from the muggles."

"Through your family's business I suppose," Blaise said. "And that's another monopoly that makes your family wealthy…like the Malfoys."

Babbling called her students to order and said that she'd speak to the headmaster about sourcing some sandstone from the muggles.

In his secure classroom again, Harry wished that Justin was present at Hogwarts. 'I bet his dad has contacts or could find out about the muggle quarries quickly. Wait…I wonder if Bloodhook can find out the info and get me some sandstone.'

CHANGE SCENE: Discussion of Sandstone in Gringotts

Dobby made an unusual trip to Gringotts without a bag of gold but simply a letter. Bloodhook took the letter and told Dobby that he'd call when he had an answer. Checking with his father and Stoneface, the vault manager for Hogwarts, the goblins checked with sandstone quarries in other nations about available plates – the prices for the plates were cheaper than the Malfoy plates in Britain but when the import duties imposed by the ministry meant the plates became astronomical in price.

"The Wizengamot would require three months to change the law and other lords will fight this change because the law protects their monopolies," Ironstream told his son.

"Don't we have sandstone quarries of our own?"

"Yes, but by treaty, we can't sell plates to British wizards," the older goblin reminded his son.

"And the wizards know we'd never 'give' something to them. If any wizard bought our plates, they'd have to pay the same import duty for importing from 'our country'," Bloodhook replied. Then he asked, "How do we find quarries among the muggles?"

"Lord Abbot," replied Ironstream. "He's moving among the muggles – the mundane world – regularly to source ingredients, metals, and precious liquids."

"Liquids?"

"Brandy from France, Scottish whiskey, Russian vodka," Ironstream explained. "Our king enjoys bathing in vodka I understand."

"Bathing in vodka?" asked Bloodhook, not enjoying that image in his mind's eye.

"Yes, and then he has the bath vodka poured back into bottles. He gifts the bottles to his favourite enemies and some wizards."

Bloodhook snorted, an affectation he'd copied from Freshgold. King Ragnock's standing among all the goblin tribes had risen with the gifts of fresh gold provided to a few banks to begin their refresh of galleons. The king would be expected to provide regular gifts to his competitors, enemies, and friends. A 'flavoured' vodka was an appropriate goblin gift.

"Does he label the bottles as 'King Vodka'?" the younger goblin asked.

Ironstream smirked and replied, "I shall suggest it today."

"Enough about vodka! How do I help Freshgold?"

Ironstream copied his son by snorting and saying, "You're the vault manager for Freshgold. Do you need your father's guidance to resolve a simple thing like breaking a monopoly of the Wizengamot?"

Growling, Bloodhook left, in search for Abbot's vault manager.

Later the same day, Samuel Abbot was ushered around the queue of wizards and witches the moment he entered the bank and led into the depths of Gringotts as if the goblins valued that wizard's time as much as they did their own. A few wizards grumbled but kept their objections to themselves rather than irritate the clerks at the desks who might slow their actions to keep the wizards in the queue for an even longer wait.

In his vault manager's office, with Bloodhook present, Abbot was made aware of the need to source sandstone.

"I can send you the business directories this afternoon. Do you want me to attempt to source some material? The ministry would be all over me for violating Malfoy's monopoly and the other lords won't let anyone break up…"

"Business dies when choked by a wizarding monopoly," growled Bloodhook for a moment only. Once anyone learned about Freshgold's spells, there'd be screams about breaking that monopoly.

"We don't want you to have any problems with the ministry," Bloodhook assured the wizard. "Gringotts will reach out and source the sandstone and perhaps, someone will 'gift' it to Hogwarts."

Abbot spoke up and added, "There are several builders who had to stop work on new buildings because they can't get plates for new wards, and the ministry will not be able to maintain their wards either. Several need replacement."

"How do you know this?"

"As Lord Abbot, I am in the Wizengamot now and I was assigned to the maintenance committee," Samuel replied. "Diggory got my first report about the weakening arrays that keep out the river water and hide our building entrances to the muggles."

Bloodhook growled again and agreed to mention that information to his father who appeared to be moving into the position of advisor to King Ragnock.

CHANGE SCENE: Letters for Freshgold

The letter written to Freshgold provided little hope for sourcing sandstone and no hope for new plates. Bloodhook explained the monopolies that dominated Magical Britain's economy. Harry replied in a short letter that asked about breaking the monopoly. This generated a long letter from Ironstream about all the changes in the Wizengamot that would have to occur first, a letter from Samuel Abbot about import duties that were applied to select items being imported (such as sandstone plates), and a final letter from King Ragnock mentioning attempting to arrange the purchase of the Malfoy Quarry in Wiltshire by a consortium of several wizards (half-blood and forward-looking purebloods) and Gringotts.

'We just need an additional two hundred thousand galleons to make the purchase.'

Harry and Dobby spoke for several minutes about making that investment and the two decided they did not have enough knowledge about manufacturing to invest a piece of his fortune in the quarry. In a carefully worded reply, Harry declined to invest in the quarry. Ragnock withdrew his support and the deal fell apart, leaving Regent Malfoy scrambling to save the family's vaults. The manor house and the surrounding acreage would be offered on the market before Yule.

CHANGE SCENE: The Walls Closing In

When Narcissa turned to the vault manager for the Black family, she was shocked to learn that her sister, Andromeda, and her muddy husband were acting as regents for Lord Sirius Black in all matters regarding the vaults and family business investments. In a meeting at the ministry, Narcissa was unable to control her anger and prejudices; the witch drew her wand and cursed her sister and brother-in-law before Aurors subdued her. As a result of the assault, Mrs Malfoy was held overnight in a ministry cell. Mr and Mrs Tonks chose to not press charges and Narcissa returned home to discover her son in a snit because the only house-elf left in their household had died.

"I didn't have breakfast! I don't have clean robes!" whined Draco.

When Narcissa discovered the elf died because of Draco's torture the previous evening while his mother was absent, she sat and didn't speak for almost twenty minutes.

SCENE CHANGE: Sandstone

Determined to find some sandstone that he and his fellow students could use for carving in Runes class, Harry went to the Come and Go Room to ask for some sandstone samples that were not sourced from the Malfoy quarry.

"I have to have something that can't be tied back to any monopoly," he told Hogwarts. The castle listened to one of her most promising students and found several ancient blank sandstone plates that were several centuries old and three boxes of pieces of sandstone. The ancient plates were all single plates and Harry studied them closely – plates used to be larger and thinner than the ones in use today. Using his wand to duplicate and document the specifications of one of the ancient plates, Harry returned them to the Room and said, "These are heirlooms that we need to put on display in a case someday. Keep protecting them please."

Then he pulled out paper soaked in magic, his biro, and the boxes of pieces of sandstone. Taking a deep breath, he planned to use the duplicated plate as the spark and the box of bits of sandstone as the material for the new plates.

Dobby sat quietly – his wizard wasn't doing anything dangerous. Then Harry paused and asked, "Hogwarts, are there any old porcelain dishes I can use? Ones that are cracked or broken that can't be repaired?"

A huge stack of plates, bowls, and cups appeared. Harry and Dobby quickly separated a pile of plates from the stack, and Harry used a bit of sandstone to as the spark with his paper cartouche with the description of the sandstone plate written out. Aiming the paper at the pile of plates and placing the bit of sandstone on the paper, Harry tapped his wand on the paper.

Professor Babbling walked into her classroom the next morning and discovered a pallet of sandstone plates just inside the door. She quickly took one from the top of the crate and found it to be in the ancient design used in the original runic arrays and wards underneath Hogwarts. A note on the pallet read, 'Hogwarts provides for her students. Use this in your class and more will be provided when needed.'

Headmaster Bennet and Deputy Headmistress Longbottom arrived shortly after breakfast to inspect the plates and while neither of them was a Runes Master, they understood the monopoly laws that kept them from sourcing plates from overseas. Using their wands to cast diagnostics, Bennet and Longbottom agreed that the plates were British sandstone, not from the Malfoy quarry in Wiltshire, and appeared to be British stone that was soaked in magic and ready to use for carving runic arrays.

"If they were created using transfiguration, there'd be magical residue," Bennet said. He summoned elves and sent one plate to each transfiguration professor with a request for their analysis, and he sent one plate to the potions and charms professors with the same requests. At lunch, Headmaster Bennet announced that the castle had provided all the plates needed for all students to practice their rune carvings.

"We shall have to continue our efforts to find the different brother plates needed for OWLS and NEWTS," the headmaster added. While he didn't dare claim credit for the appearance of the sandstone plates, Albus Dumbledore stated aloud that Hogwarts always provided help to her students when they needed it most.

Babbling set her classes to work with the new plates and despite requests from the ministry to examine samples, she and Headmaster Bennet refused to provide any of the plates for their examination. Madam Marchbanks and other members of the Ministry Educational Board arrived to examine the plates the next Tuesday morning and one wizard, Mr Clarence Peabody, attempted to confiscate the supply of plates in the classroom that morning.

After arguing with the wizard and Madam Marchbanks, Babbling seemed defeated but when the wizard attempted to shrink the plates before moving them, they all disintegrated into the sand from which they originated millions of years in the past.

"What did you do, Peabody?" asked Marchbanks, aghast that the hard-to-find plates were destroyed.

Babbling sighed and explained, "The plates are soaked in the ambient magic of Hogwarts. When that man tried to shrink them, the magic reacted badly. We're fortunate the only thing that happened was for them to disintegrate. If there'd been runes or even cartouches carved on them already, they might have exploded."

"Then they aren't safe for students to use!" declared Peabody. "They're dangerous!"

"Idiot! Don't you know anything about runes?" shouted Babbling now. "All runic arrays are dangerous once they are carved. That's why masters are so very careful when they use sisters to link brother runes."

Marchbanks realized the wizard did not understand the professor's explanation, but she did and ordered Peabody to stop. At that moment Headmaster Bennet arrived with Deputy Headmistress Longbottom, and they proceeded to tear strips from Marchbanks, Peabody, and the other ministry goons attempting to confiscate the plates.

"The ministry must be certain these plates are safe!" Marchbanks attempted to argue.

"And are any of you masters with runes or runic arrays?" Bennet demanded to know. "Or did someone offer some galleons for a sample plate?"

Marchbanks was insulted by the accusation, but she noticed that Peabody looked embarrassed. The old witch declared, "That was not my purpose here today!"

Bennet nodded and said, "If the ministry has a concern, let them hire a master to conduct an examination."

"Hogwarts! It's a Hogwarts matter!" Peabody shouted. "You hire the master of runes to evaluate them."

Deputy Headmistress Longbottom said, "I shall do just that. And we might provide the report with Madam Marchbanks to share with other officials at the Ministry."

She turned to the witch who was usually an ally and warned, "Griselda, the open-door policy that the board of governors implemented for Hogwarts, was to keep the headmaster and me from covering up things like basilisks and escaped prisoners breaking into the school. It was not for random officials to show up and make off with our materials and supplies!"

She glanced at Peabody and then back at Marchbanks before asking, "I suggest you have yourself checked for a compulsion charm, Griselda. I can't imagine what made you participate in this waste of time."

Harry and the other students sat quietly in the classroom as the adults argued before they left the classroom. Professor Babbling vanished the sand from the plates that were destroyed, and an elf replaced them, placing one on each student's desk. Using his trusty biro, he drew the image of the cartouche on the blank plate and then set about carving it into the stone.

The Slytherin students whispered as they worked, and Harry listened though he didn't participate in the conversation.

"My dad says the Malfoys are losing their manor house. The quarry is not operating because they don't have the money to pay the workers," Tracy Davis said.

"My mum wrote that Mrs Malfoy tried to get help from Lord Black but he's totally bonkers and can't do more than piss on the side of the chairs," Blaise said.

"You're vulgar and rude, Zambini," hissed Daphne.

SCENE CHANGE: Brothers

A master rune carver was contracted to come to Hogwarts in the middle of October and the man arrived with two journeymen who examined the single brother plates that the castle 'provided'. To provide an educational lecture, Babbling met with the master and his assistants in the Great Hall with all the students in the rune classes attending, as well as Longbottom and Bennet. Headmaster Emeritus Dumbledore declined the invitation because he was preparing his lecture for the next Sunday. Madam Marchbanks and Mr Clarence Peabody invited themselves again.

The master of runes, an Irishman with excellent manners and a desire to teach his journeymen students as well as the Hogwarts students, examined the plate and discussed his findings out loud, asking the witch and wizard who studied underneath him about the quality of the stone, the cut of the stone and the size.

"We lost the spells to cut stone this thin during a war when a magical family died out and their Grimoire shrivelled up and fell apart. Other wizards made another spell but no one in Britain has ever been able to cut the stone this thin."

"And do you think the plates are suitable to use?" asked Babbling.

"Very much so," the Irish wizard said. "Do you know how the castle made them?"

"Made them?" asked Headmaster Bennet. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, they're manufactured from real sandstone, and each plate is an exact duplicate of the others. Don't attempt to stack any of them," he said, just before a table appeared nearby with an assortment of red two-layer brother plates, yellow three-layer brother plates, and just two blue four-layer plates.

"What's this?" the master of the runes demanded to know. "Is this part of your inventory?"

"No, Master Connell," Babbling assured the wizard. "I'm just as surprised as you to see these plates."

There were several seconds of silver bells ringing and most members of the audience smiled hearing the bells. The students watched as the Irishman, his assistants and Professor Babbling examined the different sets of brother plates.

"Why are the plates different colours?" asked Babbling. "I've never seen or heard of anything like this before."

"There are almost three dozen of the red and yellow brother plates – enough for my students to practice this autumn and then use in our tests in the middle of January," Babbling said. "Hogwarts is providing what we need."

"But why did she provide two of the blue ones?" asked Headmaster Bennet. "They're four-layer brother plates and none of our seventh years is ready to carve a four-layer runic array."

At just that moment, Fawkes flashed into the room and warbled a greeting to the visitors that made the Irishman grin, "Your marvellous castle provides the two sets of blue plates as payment of my fee."

Motioning toward his journeymen apprentices, he said, "Alicia and Frederick are to carve their four-layer runic arrays next month and graduate from being journeymen. I was going to buy their blank four-layer plates in Italy where they'll carve and test for their mastery."

He carefully picked up the first four plates and examined them carefully, top and bottom, and announced, "These are not exact copies, but they were manufactured by some unknown magic. And I think they'll make powerful runic arrays."

His examination of the second set of four plates confused him slightly. "They are twin sets…the bottoms match. They were manufactured simultaneously…I think"

Glancing at his assistants he said, "Your idea about twin brother arrays might be something you can test with your master exams."

The witch and wizard looked excited and pleased with their teacher's pronouncement.

"Now see here," Peabody said, attempting to interrupt. "You can't just walk out of here with two four-brother plates! They're terribly expensive."

"Yes, they are," the master of the runes replied. "And so are my services."

"And this is a Hogwarts matter, Mr Peabody. As you suggested at our last meeting, the school contracted with the gentleman to provide his opinion," Headmaster Bennet reminded the wizard. "If Hogwarts provided two blue sets of plates just when the journeymen need them, she meant for it to happen."

At just that moment, the Bloody Baron appeared and approached Peabody. He whispered to the wizard who turned pale and ran from the Great Hall. Everyone in the chamber heard the chimes of silver bells tingling for a time, though no one noticed the grin on Harry Potter's face.

SLIGHT SCENE CHANGE: Harry in the Room of Requirement Two Days Earlier

"There is a master of runes coming to examine the sandstone plates we made and sent to Professor Babbling. He's got to approve them for the students to use and I thought we could go ahead and get some more plates ready for him to approve."

Harry felt the castle questioning him and he explained, "I want to show them how great you are with these things. I want to figure out how to make two-layer sandstone plates and three-layer plates. That'll give Professor Babbling everything she needs until late in January when we can make more."

The castle seemed to be thinking so Harry added, "I thought to try with the plates again. Stack them in twos with the pattern lined up." Before he could speak again, a table appeared with a collection of teacups and saucers from a century ago, the teacups with their handles all pointed exactly the same direction and the saucers in exactly the same positions.

"Teacup and saucers! You're smarter than me!" Harry shouted with laughter in his voice that the castle echoed with the chimes of small bells. With his magic saturated paper, cartouche and words for two-brother plates written in red ink, Harry added the piece of sandstone and then tapped the paper with his wand.

A collection of red-tinted, two brother sandstone plates appeared in perfect order on the long table. Harry declared, "This is perfect! Babbling and the students will flip out! Now, what do you think we should use to make the three-layer plates?"

A second table appeared with sets of three dessert plates arranged on the table. The dishes themselves were yellow and white, and Harry's paper cartouche quickly turned them into three-layer brother plates with a yellow tinge.

"I'll get Dobby to make these appear in the classroom when the master is here," Harry said. "Thanks, Hogwarts."

Then the castle made a final table appear with two sets of four blue soup bowls stacked up and Harry asked, "Four-layer brother plates? They're supposed to be very hard to make."

For some reason, Harry heard a snort of disbelief in his mind and some thoughts, 'You make gold. You just made a thousand galleons worth of sandstone plates from discarded tableware – in colour mind you – colours! A four-layer brother plate set can't be any harder than that. Now make 'em and keep the blue colour too.'

Grinning from ear-to-ear, Harry pulled out one more sheet of paper, drew a cartouche with the words for the sandstone plates, added a piece of sandstone and tapped his wand against the paper. Hogwarts must have been happy because small silver bells were heard chiming in many parts of the castle that evening.

END OF CHAPTER