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Corruption: Chapter Three.

Ylsa looked at her watch. Talia was fifteen minutes late. That in itself was not surprising, as Talia was always late, but that didn't mean Ylsa had to suddenly develop some patience.

"Christ, babe, where were you?" She said, tapping her foot. Behind her, Talia Mesclon sighed resignedly.

"I could never sneak up on on ye, could I? Yo' too observant fo' yo' own good." She stepped forward to beside Ylsa and held out pen.

"Thank y'." said Ylsa, and she grasped the proffered pen. They both disappeared with a crackle, leaving nothing but the smell of ozone in the air.

----

Kingsley Shacklebolt collapsed at the kitchen table of Grimmauld Place. He was considerably dishiveled as he laid his head on his arms and tried to doze a bit. His efforts were in vain, for just as he was doing so, the door banged open and Weasley Circus began. Ginny and Ron were arguing like there was no tomorrow. The twins were teasing a furious Percy. Mrs Weasley was shouting at them all while trying to begin the breakfast. Kingsley groaned in horror.

"Bad night?" Said Harry, sitting down in the chair beside him. Kingsley mumbled something incomprehensible. Harry chuckled at the large man's plight, before turning to Mrs Weasley. "May I help with anything? I can imagine the hassle it is cooking for your 'clan'..."

Mrs Weasley smiled in adoration, the effect brightening up her tired and overworked face. "Would you really, Harry? You're such a treasure!"

Harry smoothly took over the large frying pan she was holding, then freed one hand to pull out the chair he had just vacated so she could sit down. She collapsed in much the same way as Kingsley, looking almost as dishiveled. She turned to the half-dead auror next to her.

"Are you alright? You look terrible!" She exclaimed. Kingsley opened a bleary eye.

"Thanks." He said sarcasticly. "I've just had one of the worse shifts ever. Can someone please tell his lordship to give us a bloody break? We can't seem to keep up with his reign of terror."

Molly cooed sympathetically. She was about to say something, when, with a crack, Dumbledore appeared amid the chaos.

"My word--!" He managed before being swamped with a mass of red-headed, freckled greetings. He slowly waded his way through the hysteria, nodded a greeting to Harry, who was mysteriously managing to avoid the hysteria, and sat down opposite the two exhausted adults.

"Good morning, Albus." said Molly, echoed faintly by Kingsley, who looked as though he was wishing he was dead. Dumbledore looked at them bemusedly.

"Good morning Molly, Kingsley. You two look, ah, rather hassled, shall we say?"

They glared darkly at him. He chuckled in response.

"I can imagine. Now, in light of that revelation, I'm afraid I may be the bringer of bad news." The glare became a Death Glare. Dumbledore, for all his magnificance, was looking wary of the adult's wrath. "As I'm sure you know, we are accepting an exchange student to Hogwarts this year." The pair nodded tiredly. "Well, due to a recent upsurge in the number of Voldemort-related incidents--" here, Kingsley groaned again. "--we have decided that she will come early, to stay at Grimmauld Place. We can't risk her being harmed, as it would reflect badly on our ministry."

There was a derisive snort from Harry's vicinity.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow before returning his attention to the conversation. " I would like you, Molly, to try and make her feel welcome. And, if you could ask the children to also try, I would be grateful. Kingsley, I am warning you because you will have one more person to protect. To maintain political friendships she must not be put at risk. Can I count on your help?" He said, addressing them both.

As Molly and Kingslrey gave him their affirmative, there was loud clang as someone rang the doorbell. Mrs Black began to screech.

----

"That was NOT a portkey." Said Ylsa, glaring at her former mentor. Talia grinned like a Hyena.

"O' course not. Unauthorised portkeys are illegal, remember? That, mon amie, was a Caer. Much more fun. And there are no laws whatsoever 'bout dem."

"A 'sky'?" replied Ylsa, incredulous. Talia shrugged in response.

"I dunno either. It's jus' a name." They stood quietly for a minute, before Ylsa, hair standing on end with static electricity, asked another question.

"More fun!"

Talia led the way, laughing her head off.

----

They stopped in front of two houses. Ylsa looked around Talia's shoulder. "Wha--?" Talia handed her a piece of parchment. Ylsa looked down at it, speaking the words in her head.

The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.

"The hell? Talia?" She stopped short as Number Twelve pushed it's way into being between numbers eleven and thirteen. "Neat trick. Fidelius?" Talia nodded, before reaching for the doorbell.

----

Dumbledore, Kingsley, all of the Wealsleys, and Harry--who had just finished serving breakfast-- made for the front door. Dumbldore answered it. "Ah, Mme Mesclon, Mme Vesuvio, welcome to Gr--" He was cut off by everyone else.

"Enchante, Mme et Mme, my name is Fred--"

"--And welcome to Grimmauld Place. My name is Geo--"

"--Filthy, nasty mudbloods! Get out! Get out! GET OU--"

"--Shut up! Please! For just one min--"

"--My God, will everyone, for one minute, please just SHUT UP."

Everyone went silent. They turned to Harry in shock. He cleared his throat and adjusted his roads, before proffering a hand to Talia. "Hallo there. I'm Harry. Pleased to meet you." Ylsa smiled behing Talia. This one had a head on his shoulders. Don't think I don't notice what you're doing, mate, I saw it at once. Talia gracefully accepted his hand, and he brought it towards him and kissed it.

"A pleasure, Harry. My name is Talia Mesclon. This is my former student Ylsa Vesuvio." She said, introducing the short-haired woman behind her. Ylsa held out her hand and Harry kissed it as well.

"Enchante." He murmured. "May I help you both with your bags?" he said before picking up the two suitcases. The rest of the hall's population were staring at Harry like he was a complete stranger, apart from Ginny who was blushing like a Beet. Dumbledore was the first to recover.

"Your rooms are on the fourth floor. If you would, Harry?" Harry nodded and led the two upstairs. Dumbledore watched his retreating back with a calculating stare. Something was wrong, different about Harry. This was not the Harry who rushed off to save others rashly, in the heat of the moment. This was not the Harry who wrecked his office at the end of the last year, trying to come to terms. This was not the headstrong, bullish young Gryffindor who had gotten himslef into so much trouble at school.

He needed to find out what was different, or Harry would soon be beyond his influence.

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Vesuvio