The rest of the summer passed agonizingly slow for Harry, he had already done everything that he could from Grimmauld. He needed to get back into Hogwarts he had worked for nearly two years to forge connections with the more connected of his schoolmates. Unfortunately the longer they went without talking to him the more likely they were to believe the Prophet's version of events over his. There was also Dumbledore's promise to tell him everything, but Harry seriously doubted anything worthwhile would come of that. He had heard far to many of Dumbledore's promises to put any stock in them. The man would never outright lie, but Dumbledore (as far as Harry could see) thrived on half truths and misdirection.
Harry was overjoyed when the Hogwarts Letters finally arrived, and he even managed to pretend to be pleased when Ron made prefect. Harry didn't want the job for himself anyway as a badge often opened you to ridicule instead of respect. Even so Harry couldn't help but question the intelligence of giving the job to Ron. He would no doubt find some way to abuse his power before the Opening Feast was over. In his opinion Dean, Seamus, or hell even Neville would've been the better choice by far.
There was also another interesting development that week, the newly formed Federalist-Conservative Coalition had apparently been busy. The fruits of their Labors appeared in the prophet two days before school began. Harry had the decency to skim through the article, which seemed to suggest that the ministry could appoint Teachers to Hogwarts without Dumbledore's approval. On the whole though he could've cared less, it was Dumbledore's problem.
Harry awoke the morning of September 1st to a cacophony of screams.
"YOU IDIOTS!" screamed Mrs. Weasley, "YOU COULD HAVE DONE HER SERIOUS INJURY."
"FILTHY MUDBLOODS DIRTYING THE HOUSE OF MY FOREFATHERS!" Mrs. Black yelled back.
"What the hell," muttered Harry weakly.
"Five 'oar 'inutes," Ron mumbled from the bed next to Harry's.
"Wake up you two!" Hermione said bursting into the room, "if we don't get a move on we'll miss the train!"
"Knock first Hermione!" Ron squealed wrapping the covers around himself tightly, as he had taken to sleeping in the nude to Harry's extreme discomfort.
"Ignore him," Harry said amused as he got out of bed, he often wondered whether Hermione noticed Ron's infatuation with her. On one hand she could know and simply be ignoring it. but on the other hand she didn't have very much experience with romance so she might actually have been clueless.
"Don't worry I was going anyway," Hermione said amicably, "oh and Mum and Dad sent Hedwig back," She said as the bird swooped in through the door and into to her cage. "One more thing, be careful around Moody he's ready to blow a gasket, apparently Sturgis didn't show up for guard duty or something."
"Thanks," Harry said throwing on a shirt as Hermione turned to go. "She's gone mate," he said to Ron who had been hiding under his covers.
"Bloody rude she is," Ron said as he got up and started searching for a pair of pants, "just barging in like that."
"Yeah but what are you going to do," Harry replied resisting the urge to laugh at the still blushing Ron.
"WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, as Harry threw on a pair of pants and picked up his trunk.
The trip to King's cross took longer then Harry remembered it being the night he had met Tonks, but he hadn't been dragging luggage then. Mrs. Weasley bemoaned the fact that Mr. Weasley couldn't borrow cars from the Ministry and went on about how Fudge wouldn't even trust him with ink anymore. Personally Harry felt that Fudge was right to mistrust the Weasley Patriarch, but kept silent as he felt it would be impolitic to say so.
In order to avoid Mrs. Weasley and her ranting Harry deftly pretended to tie his shoe.
"Keep up Harry," Tonks who was acting as the rearguard called happily.
"Any news on the new defense teacher?" Harry asked Tonks quietly so Ginny who was about six feet in front of them wouldn't here.
"Yeah, Dolores Umbridge, real piece of work that one," Tonks replied with a snort, "don't know what she's doing teaching defense she's been a Civil Servant all her life."
"Well it's Fudge, what do you expect," Harry pointed out, to which Tonks could really only shrug. Though Harry couldn't help but feel as if he should remember that name from somewhere.
As it turned out that all of Mrs. Weasley's rushing was pointless as they made it to the station in good time. Harry and Mrs. Weasley were the first through onto the platform.
"No trouble," asked Moody once he made it through.
"None at all," replied Lupin who had come through with Hermione.
"I still don't like that Podmore didn't show, that's the second time this week," Moody said gruffly. "He used to be dependable who knows with him know," Moody finished shaking his head.
"Well look after yourselves," said Lupin as he tried to give Harry a fatherly hug, it was mainly just awkward though.
"Keep your head down and your eyes peeled," warned Moody, which for him might as well have been an 'I love'. "And watch what you put into writing!" he snapped.
"I will, don't worry," Harry replied since he had been planning on doing that anyway.
"Well have a good year you lot," Tonks chirped, "it's been nice meeting you all."
"Quick, quick, Mrs. Weasley said giving everyone a hug, "onto the train you don't want to be late."
"See you!" cried Ginny leaning out of the train window as the engine began to pick up speed. Soon the figures of their minders began to shrink, and disappear all together. Harry bean to feel a sense of euphoria overtake him, he was going home. After spending his entire childhood dealing with the Dursleys, Hogwarts was the first place where he had ever felt worth something. A lot had changed in him since he was a scared first year, but he felt as if that castle would always be his true home.
"Harry why don't you and Ginny find us a compartment, me and Ron have to go to a Prefect meeting," Hermione commanded rather politely.
"Sorry mate," Ron said having the decency to look mildly apologetic, "I'd rather not go at all, I'm not Percy, but kind of have to."
"Don't worry mate your nothing like Percy," Harry replied before adding mentally, 'Percy is kind of, sort of, mildly intelligent unlike you.'
"Thanks," Ron replied looking genuinely touched by Harry's apparent compliment.
"Well come on Harry," Ginny said before heading off down the corridor.
Harry for his part sighed slightly, For some reason he had liked her better when she was too scared to speak. "Wingardium Leviosa," he said pointing his wand at his trunk, he couldn't help but grin when it floated up to meet him, there was nothing like magic to cheer you up.
As Harry followed Ginny down the corridor he tried to gauge how much support he had. The first thing he noticed was that there was nearly as much staring and pointing as when he had been a first year. Unfortunately however fear and scorn had replaced admiration and glee.
The next thing he noticed was that when he greeted some of his friends, they would act odd. Some of them looked nervous, others aloof, but it seemed that many of the close alliances he had worked 4 years to cultivate had been torn apart in a summer.
There were exceptions of course, Marcus Belby's greeting was warm if slightly subdued, and Eddie Carmichael seemed to oblivious to Harry's recent decline in popularity. Neville was also happy to see Harry, though the day Harry lost Neville's trust was the day that he could forget about politics. He had taken Neville from jumping at shadows to being a halfway competent wizard, and in return Neville had taken to Harry's defense with an almost terrifying zeal.
"Oh don't be silly Neville, Lovegood's alright," Ginny admonished.
Harry wasn't sure what exactly Neville had said but he apparently didn't want to share a compartment with the Lovegood girl. Which wasn't surprising as he still had the habit of stuttering around most women of even mild attractiveness.
"Do you mind if we sit here Luna?" asked Ginny as she opened the compartment door.
The rather oddly attired girl merely nodded without even looking up from her magazine. Harry now understood why Neville didn't want to sit with Luna she gave off a distinct air of oddness.
"Right," Harry said once he had stored his trunk in the luggage rack, "I have to go to the bathroom, so bye," he said eager to get away from the odd pair.
"And I have to er…" Neville paused desperately trying to think of an excuse, "Help him… bye."
"Good cover Neville!" Harry said sarcastically once they were out of ear shot.
"Sorry," the boy said meekly.
"Well don't apologize to me mate; I think you just blew your thing with Ginny," Harry pointed out lightly.
"Probably for the best," Neville said with a shrug, "she was a little demanding."
"And when did you become the spirit of independence?" Harry asked clearly amused.
"I've been living with Gran for as long as I can remember, I don't want to marry someone like her," Neville explained. "Not that I don't love Gran…"
"Don't worry I know what you mean, I got off lucky with Parvati all I had to do was nod and say uhuh at the right time," Harry bragged a little.
"Then why did you breakup with her?" Neville said confused.
"Well…" Harry began searching for the right words "after a while I realized it was like driving in South Africa, you know?"
"No I have absolutely no idea," Neville replied confused.
"Exactly!" Harry said as he opened the door to a compartment full of Ravenclaws. "Belby in here?" Harry said pretending it was the real reason he had went in, "oh hello Cho."
"Hi Harry," she said as the eight other girls who were crammed into the compartment burst out into giggles. "Did you have a nice summer?" she asked politely.
"Can't complain, no Snape for three months; though it was rather busy with all that's been going on," Harry said lightly, "and yourself?"
"Oh it was alright all things considered," she said weakly.
"Ah… I forgot you and Cedric were rather close weren't you," he said sympathetically, "sorry to ask it was rude of me."
"It's alright I know you didn't quite mean it like that," she replied awkwardly.
"Excellent," Harry said only mildly less embarrassed then her, "after that I hate to run off but I do really have to find Belby, he has my owl," Harry lied smoothly.
"Okay, but make sure to find me again before the year is over," she said glaring at her friends who had started giggling again.
"So are you two going to… you know?" Neville said slyly once Harry had closed the door.
"I have the idea that I would regret that," Harry said to Neville as he started to walk up the corridor.
"Regret going out with Cho Chang? She's like one of the hottest girls in-" Neville began.
"The hottest Neville," Harry interrupted with a smile on his face.
"Fine, the hottest girl in the school, how could you possibly regret that?" Neville asked.
"When you go out with a girl, you don't just go out with the girl you go out with all her friends as well," Harry explained. "And I couldn't stand another second of those giggling idiots, god knows how I would make it to the end of the year, or god forbid longer." "How would a bloke even just go up to a like that girl and ask her out?" "Simple really," Harry said with a chuckle, "you just go up to her and ask her out. It helps if you spring it on them, that way they can't think it over, the Germans have a word for it… 'blitzkrieg' I think."
"I'd be to scared to do anything like that," Neville answered downcast.
"Neville women are like bugs-" Harry began.
"They'll mate with you and then tear off your head and lay their eggs in your stomach?"
"What?" Harry asked looking at his friend in shock. "I was going to say they're more afraid of you, then you are of them… Though I suppose what you said works too…"
"Oh Marcus," Harry said as a sixth year Ravenclaw walked out of compartment a few feet in front of him, "if Cho asks, you had my owl."
"Still do, she's sitting right above my trunk, want to go get her?" the dark haired boy replied with a straight face.
"Good man," Harry said with a grin, "you remember Neville right?"
"Of course, pleasure to see you again milord," Marcus was one of the only people at Hogwarts who insisted on using courtesy titles. The thought among all but the most traditional in the student body was that everyone was equal in Hogwarts; a school of thought that Dumbledore had encouraged.
"That's not really necessary Mark," Neville replied uncomfortably.
"Maybe not, but I like traditions I think they help keep us grounded, don't you agree Harry?"
"They're nice in their place," Harry said evenly, "any idea who the Ravenclaw prefects are?"
"Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil," he answered.
"Bad luck for you Harry?" Neville said with a grin.
"Why's that?" asked Marcus.
"She still hasn't gotten over me dumping her sister," Harry replied blushing a little, "apparently they take family seriously in her… well family."
"I've been meaning to ask," began Marcus, "why did you dump Parvati? Most boys in Ravenclaw would give an arm and a leg to be her broomstick." "Dating Parvati was like well… having soup in the Falklands really," Harry explained with a straight face.
"I'm sorry, what?" Belby asked confused.
"Don't bother he spits out a stupid metaphor whenever I ask him too," Neville said from Harry's other side.
"Well, well, what do we have here," drawled an unpleasantly familiar voice.
"Malfoy," Harry said calmly enough.
"Have a nice summer Potter? Beca-"
"Oh it was alright, I wanted to go holidaying in France but I decided against it, to many foreigners you see, and then I thought why no-"
"I don't really care about your summer Potter," Malfoy said interrupting Harry in turn. "Now as I was sayi-"
"Well then you shouldn't have asked," Harry said cutting into Malfoy's speech before it had even began. In his experience you had to stop Malfoy before he got going otherwise the guy would never shut up.
"What?" Malfoy asked confused.
"If you didn't want to know about my summer then you shouldn't have asked."
"Whatever Potter, the point I was trying to make was that I'm a prefect now and-"
"That's right it completely slipped my mind, congratulations didn't think you had it in you," Harry said holding out his hand as if he expected Malfoy to shake it.
"As I was saying!" Malfoy said looking like he was biting out every word, "I'm a prefect now and I'll be watching you very closely," he finished leaning in threateningly.
"You have it backwards Malfoy, it is I who will be watching you," Harry said also leaning in, making the pose seem mildly homoerotic.
"Perhaps," Malfoy answered, "but your not a prefect."
"And you won't be either if you fuck with me," Harry voice was low and dangerous. "You see in the past prefects have abused their power, molested little girls, molested little boys, smuggled in candy, real sick shit. So when Dumbledore took over he made it so anyone can complain about any prefect, and if you get over three… Well I rather not say."
"You're lying!" Malfoy said furiously.
"Try me," Harry replied with a straight face.
"We're going!" Malfoy said to Crabbe and Goyle before storming off in the direction he had come from. As Neville and Harry tried to hold back laughter, Marcus for his part gave a wry smile.
"So what happens after the third complaint?" asked Marcus.
"Absolutely nothing," Harry replied with a laugh, "I made the whole thing up."
"How long do you think it'll take him to figure that out?" asked Neville.
"No more then a week," Harry guessed with a shrug.
"Your overestimating him," opinioned Marcus, "I give him a month at least."
"Not a day under six months," answered an amused Neville.
The rest of the ride passed in a strictly ordinary fashion, and Harry was lucky enough to get to spend it away from Ron, Ginny, and the odd girl. Instead he and Neville sat with Belby and a few Hufflepuffs who weren't exactly great conversationalist.
When the necessity of changing did eventually force Harry and his friend back to their original compartment they was greeted with a rather stony silence. He later found out that Hermione and Ron had badmouthed a paper the Lovegood girl's father edited.
"I didn't mean too," said Hermione when they got into the carriage which would take the to the school, "how was I supposed to know her father was the editor."
"I tried to tell you," pointed out Ginny.
"No you didn't," Hermione replied slightly miffed.
"Yes I did," Ginny shot back, "why do you think I kicked you,"
"You said it was an accident!"
"Well I couldn't exactly tell you why I did it in front of her could I?" Ginny explained reasonably.
"You could've mouthed it or something."
Meanwhile Ron and Harry shared a look that said one thing, "I'm staying the hell out of this one!"
The Entrance Hall was coated with bright torches, as the multitudes of scurrying feet made their way into the Great Hall for the Start of Term Feast. Harry couldn't help but smile as he looked up at the ceiling which portrayed the starless night sky.
"Come one, come on," muttered Ron as the Tables slowly started to fill up with people.
"Oh will you calm down!" Hermione snapped apparently still mad, "whose that at the Head Table?"
"The new defense teacher" answered Ron.
"Dolores Umbridge, according to Tonks she was a civil servant until yesterday, so in other words a political appointee," Harry explained.
"Why didn't you tell us that earlier?" Hermione asked giving him an odd look.
"She only told me when we were on the way to the station," Harry said defensively. Any further discussion was forestalled by the arrival of Professor McGonagall with the first years. The Sorting Hat sang a song that was slightly more interesting than normal but ultimately still boring. Then the first years were sorted, Harry didn't pay much attention to that, and before he knew it Dumbledore had began to speak.
"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a booming voice, his arms outstretched a wide and beaming smile on his face "welcome! To our old hands," was it Harry's imagination or did those eyes seem to linger on him, "welcome back. There is a time for speeches, this is not it, so tuck in."
And miraculously great piles of food appeared on the tables before them; as usual Ron didn't waste a second before reaching for a drumstick.
"Where were you on the train anyways?" Hermione asked as she reached for a baked potato.
"Went to the bathroom," Harry replied going for a plate of Yorkshire puddings.
"With Neville? And for five hours?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Well we didn't go in the stall at the same time or anything," Harry answered, "but if you must know I happened to run into Cho."
"Oh really!" Ron said leaning in and inadvertently spraying Harry with bits of Ham.
"Er… yes really," Harry said leaning away from Ron.
"Well what did you talk about?" Hermione said nervously.
"Well I asked her summer was and sh-" Harry began.
"Oh Harry you didn't," Hermione interrupted, "Cedric only died three months ago."
"Well I know that now," Harry muttered still slightly embarrassed at his slip up. It was the exactly the sort of stupid and insensitive mistake he prided himself on never making.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few minutes of your time, for the start of term notices," Dumbledore said before starting the same speech he made every year. "First year ought to know that the forest is out of bounds; A few older students could also do with a reminder," he looked at Harry when he said that.
"Mr. Filch are caretaker has asked me to remind you all that magic is prohibited in the halls. As is a number of other things, a list of which may be found stapled to Mr. Filch's office door."
"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very happy to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who will be taking over are Care of Magical Creatures Department."
'Maybe now we'll actually learn something besides running,' Harry though to himself.
"We are also delighted to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge late of the ministry."
Harry couldn't quite match up the plump women with his image of a civil servant, which had been shaped by years of Yes Minister reruns. He also couldn't remember where he had heard that name before, and it was really starting to bug him.
"And finally tryouts for the House Quidditch will take place on the-" he broke off and looked at Professor Umbridge who had inexplicably stood up.
"Bad time to go to the loo," Ron commented stupidly.
"Hem, hem," more then a few of the students in the Hall groaned now that it was clear she intended to make a speech. Dumbledore for his part looked slightly taken aback but let her continue.
"Thank you headmaster for those kind words of welcome," Umbridge said in a girlish voice. "It's lovely to be at Hogwarts, and to see such lovely faces staring back at me."
"If your going to make a speech could you at least not copy and paste it," Harry muttered under his breath. She continued on in a completely ordinary speech praising the teachers next, none of whom seemed to take the compliment. Then she went into a long and protracted section where she basically said progress is only good if its good. Throughout the whole thing Harry kept trying to remember where he had heard her name but it wasn't coming to him no matter how hard he tried.
"That was the dullest speech I ever heard," Ron said more or less mirroring Harry's thoughts on the matter.
"Maybe but it was certainly informative," replied Hermione.
"Informative?" Harry said looking at Hermione as if she was crazy, "it couldn't have been more uninformative if Sir Humphrey had written it."
"Oh really Harry, that show went out with Thatcher," Hermione commented condescendingly. "And in any case the speech was very informative, 'no progress for progress sake'.
"What does it mean?" asked Ron.
"I'll tell you what it means, it means that the Ministry is trying to take over Hogwarts," Hermione answered gravely.
"Didn't we already know that," Harry pointed out, "it was all over the prophet two days ago, Educational Decree 22 and all that."
"What why didn't you tell us?" Hermione asked furiously.
"Well it was in the papers," Harry replied defensively, "I assumed you already knew."
"Uh aren't we supposed to be escorting the first years," Ron interjected in order to stop any looming fight. Hermione looked like he wanted to continue questing Harry but had to reluctantly be led away by Ron. Harry for his part couldn't help breathe a sigh of relief, he didn't want a fight with Hermione if he could avoid it. He'd seen her and Ron go at it often enough to know that she aimed below the belt.
"If you and Hermione are going at it leave me out of it," Neville said walking up to Harry from his place further down the table.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence mate," Harry replied sarcastically, as Neville took Ron's vacated seat.
"Hey don't blame me just because I know which horse to bet on," Neville shot back in a friendly voice.
"Never bet against me Neville," Harry responded playfully. "I have the speed of a thoroughbred, the endurance of an Arabian, and the intelligence of a…" Harry paused unsure of how to continue, "what's an intelligent type horse?"
"My Gran always says Irish horses are more intelligent then Irishmen," Neville said with a straight face, "of course considering what she says about Irishmen…"
"Hello Seamus," Harry said looking over Neville's shoulder. Neville for his part whirled around clearly expecting a fist to be flying in his direction.
"Damn it Harry that wasn't funny," Neville muttered as he sat back down.
"Yes it was trust me ," Harry replied shaking his head in mild amusement.
"I'm going to the Tower, you coming? Or are you planning on sitting here all night," Neville said getting up.
"No I'm going to the Library," Harry answered as nonchalantly as he could.
"The Library?" Neville repeated looking at Harry as if he was insane, "we haven't even had a class yet, and you would be breaking curfew."
"I know, I know, but I've go to figure something out."
"And it can't wait till tomorrow?" Neville asked skeptically.
"No if I don't figure this out now it'll just bug me all night," Harry said as he got up and started walking towards the doors.
"Mental," muttered Neville before he took off towards Gryffindor Tower.
Harry made it out of the Great hall easy enough though on his way to the library he got the impression he was being followed. With all of the whispering portraits that inhabited Hogwarts it was a pretty common feeling to have so he brushed it off and kept moving.
"Potter!" came a voice that although quiet still made Harry jump as he hadn't been expecting it.
"Er…" Harry said when he turned around to see a platinum blonde in Slytherin robes who he only vaguely recognized. 'Grass, Gold, Duck, Green,' Harry thought desperately searching for the name as he surveyed the girl. She was pale with strikingly bright green eyes, her nose was a little small and her lips a little thin, but in Harry's opinion it didn't detract at all from the beauty of her face. "Greengrass!" Harry exclaimed triumphantly.
"It took you that long to remember my name?" she said haughtily, "I'm hurt."
"Hardly my fault, it's not like we speak much," Harry replied his eyes moving down her athletically slim body. "But in any case did you have reason for interrupting my midnight stroll?"
"Midnight stroll?" she asked quirking an eyebrow, "are you also found of moonlight walks along the beach?' she asked sarcastically. "Though if you must know I was following you," she answered.
"Well I am flattered," Harry said with a grin, "but I'm not really looking for anything permanent at the moment." It wasn't everyday that a beautiful women admitted to following you after all such opportunities for innuendo couldn't be missed.
"Merlin, your worse then Malfoy," Daphne frowned, "mind you I didn't think it was possible."
"Oh okay so your just spying on me," Harry said making an exaggerated movement towards his wand, "for who?"
"Spies generally don't wear uniforms," she answered the Slytherin badge on her robe for emphasis, "they also don't call your name and try to talk to you."
"Not a stalker, not a spy," Harry replied sarcastically, "that really only leaves assassin and you don't look like the type." 'Unless they ever make a James Bond movie with 15 year olds,' Harry added mentally.
"Assassin?" she asked with a small laugh, "that really reveals the paranoid cesspit that your mind must be. If you must know however I am but a humble messenger," she curtseyed sarcastically.
"If you had a message to give, you could've done it in the Great Hall," Harry pointed out logically.
"And be seen conversing with you?" Daphne looked distinctly amused at the idea, "I do have a reputation to keep."
"Fine, I'll bite," Harry's voice as cautious, "whose your message from?"
"That would be telling," she answered teasingly, "in any case it's all in this letter," she finished producing a thick scroll with a blue and yellow ribbon tying it together.
"And how am I supposed to know it's not cursed?" Harry asked as he eyed the parchment, he wasn't willing to take risks with Slytherins. He had friends in every other house but Slytherins kept to themselves, to find one breaking the tradition like this was suspect to say the least.
"Wow, you really are paranoid," she looked at him as one might look at an animal at a zoo, wondering what it would do next.
"With everything I've been through I have to be paranoid," Harry's voice had a note of anger in it.
"I'm sure," she said even though her voice made her seem anything but, "in any case the seal has a coat of arms on it."
"So?" it was Harry's turn to look at her like she was mental.
"It's bad manners to send a cursed letter bearing a coat of arms," she answered as if it was obvious. "It's also considered bad manners not to take a gentleman at his word, and the coat of arms would symbolize the senders word."
"You except me to risk my life because of a stupid tradition?"
"A tradition can be out of date, but it can never be stupid," Daphne said condescendingly, "if it was stupid it wouldn't be a tradition in the first place. However" she continued grudgingly, "if you insist on being so obtuse, I'll open the damn scroll for you." And with one simple movement her hands lifted the seal and opened the scroll. "See, I thought you Gryffindors were supposed to be courageous," she mocked while handing Harry the paper.
"I'm brave when the moment comes," he answered glancing at the scroll, "in the meantime I'm cautious."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night Potter," she said with a snort, "if you'll excuse me I'm off to bed, I would after all like to be awake for Transfiguration tomorrow." And with that she was gone.
As soon as Harry was sure he was alone he opened the scroll and began to read.
The Right Honorable Viscount Downey
To
The Honorable Harry Potter
He had been waiting for a reply from the peer for nearly two weeks now and had begun to think that none would ever come.
Dear Mr. Potter your letter received on 15th august meet most welcome ears. Having long been an admirer of yours-
'Blah, blah, blah,' Harry thought to himself as the letter went on for quite awhile in that vain. Although at the time he thought the first half of the letter to be needless ass kissing, he would soon come to recognize it as the only way a pureblood knew how to write a letter. Indeed in time he would even come to recognize the subtle insults a clever man could hide in those formalities.
In accordance with prudence and indeed your expressed request I have seen fit to regard this letter's security as a matter of no small importance. Initial attempts to send this letter through a house elf proved unsuccessful. As such I have entrusted it's delivery to a classmate of yours who I know to be a sound individual.
Harry had indeed been wondering why Daphne had delivered the letter, but if the wards at Grimmauld had blocked house elves then he supposed it made sense to use a human messenger.
As I feel certain points in your letter need to be addressed in person I have arranged for a room at La Maison, on the night of the 8th.
'The House' was a very unimaginative name for one of the most famous restaurants in Southern England. La Maison, was from what Harry heard a manor separated into roughly 33 rooms which had no connection to each other. Guests would enter through a fireplace located in an antechamber, and food would be served by house elves. It was in other words completely impossible for a conversation that was had in the restaurant to reach the outside world. As such the place was frequented by lobbyist, politicians, and anyone else who valued privacy.
The letter was pretty much over after that, as all the important things had been said. Harry mulled it over as he continued towards the library, the thought of not going didn't even cross his mind, but the thought of how to go did certainly factor. He had yet to learn how to apparate, being confined inside the wards at Hogwarts like he was. Floo was the only way to get into the restaurant but he couldn't think of any fires that would be unwatched when he needed to go.
"Alohomora," Harry said waving his wand to dispel the lock on the library door. Once inside he went straight to the references, he knew exactly the book he was looking for. And there it was laying on the shelf next to the hundred and fifth edition of Word Worthy Wizards. He picked up the newest copy of Which Witch is Which, together the two books were the wizarding version of the muggle Who's Who. Magically updated between issues they had information on every MW, Peer, Judge, artist, doctor, writer, researcher, and senior civil servant.
"Ah, here we go Umbridge," Harry said aloud as he came to what he was looking for. "Spent most of her career as Principal Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Agriculture," Harry read out loud before dissolving into laughter. It was just like Fudge to appoint an expert in farming and administration to teach defense. But he abruptly stopped laughing, as right under her Appointment to Senior Undersecretary there was a small notation, "chaired inquiry into the death of Cedric Diggory." 'Whatever else this year will be it damn sure won't be boring' he thought to himself as he placed the book back on his shelf and walked back to his dorm.
A/N As always please review.