Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Dumbledore noticed at lunchtime that Harry was missing from the Hufflepuff table.

This made Dumbledore feel uneasy. If anyone had kidnapped Harry and offered him a permanent home, then the blood wards at Privet Drive would fail and he wouldn't be able to mold and control the boy the way wanted to.

Dumbledore also noticed that Amy, Susan, and Hannah were missing as well. Dumbledore hadn't liked seeing Harry being friendly with Susan, as he knew Susan's Aunt Amelia, who was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was a threat to interfere if she found out about anything amiss or unusual.

The matter of most urgent attention was to make sure the blood wards were still active, therefore, after lunch, Dumbledore trotted up to his office and examined a few of his silver instruments. To Dumbledore's relief, his tools showed him that the blood wards were still active and that no attempts had been made to interfere with them.

Perhaps Harry and his friends had to skip lunch to catch up on some homework. Maybe they'd arranged a private friends only lunch for the day. Whatever the reason for Harry and his friends not being at lunch, it didn't seem like anything was actually up.

But Dumbledore's relief was short lived when he saw Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah weren't at dinner either.

Strongly suspecting the interference of Amelia Bones, Dumbledore apparated to Bones Manor that evening.

Having heard the crack when Dumbledore had entered her home, Amelia Bones raced down to the living room that Dumbledore had apparated into and when she saw who it was she calmly asked "Why are you here Albus?"

"Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah were not at lunch or dinner today. They seem to have left Hogwarts. I know you would have been the one to pull them."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, " lied Amelia.

"No one else would have removed them, " insisted Dumbledore, "Harry's parents are dead, Amy grew up in an orphanage as her parents abandoned her at birth because she is an albino, Hannah's father died in war not too long before Harry's parents. As for Hannah's mother, she is alive and I think a big part of Hannah's life. But Heather Abbott is such a hands off woman that she wouldn't intervene no matter what she thought or heard about anything regarding Hogwarts. And Susan's parents died in the war as well. You are the only important adult in Susan's life. So it must have been you."

Amelia inwardly smiled. Their bluff was working. Heather had historically been a hands off woman and that's EXACTLY why they'd arranged for Heather rather than Amelia to house and teach the children. They knew Dumbledore would suspect Amelia if the kids disappeared from Hogwarts but that he wouldn't even consider the possibility of Heather being involved.

"I'm going to search every room in this manor for Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah, " declared Dumbledore and he went off and searched the house without even waiting for a response.

While Dumbledore was searching the house, an owl swooped in, dropped a letter into Amelia's hands, and swopped out again.

Amelia had just finished reading the letter when Dumbledore arrived back in the living room.

"Well, they really appear not to be here, " conceded Dumbledore.

"This letter just arrived, " Amelia said seriously, handing Dumbledore the letter.

"Dear Madam Bones, this morning we received a concerning letter from our daughters about an issue at Hogwarts. We have photocopied said letter and the copy appears below. - Patrick and Patricia Patil.

The photocopied letter read:

"Dear mom and dad:

During the Welcoming Feast, Professor Dumbledore made a strange announcement. Dumbledore proclaimed that "The third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. We have two concerns about this. First, if there really is a danger at Hogwarts that Dumbledore knows about, why didn't he remove the danger instead of just telling people to stay away from it? Hogwarts is a school of children and teens after all. Secondly, given the natural curiosity of kids, announcing to a large group of children and teens that a dangerous corridor exists in their school almost feels like an invitation to the kids to go and check out said corridor out. We have a sinking feeling that Dumbledore is up to something and we felt that you two, as members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, as well as the Wizengamot, should be informed.

- your loyal and loving daughters-

Parvati and Padma."

"The issue of the third floor corridor, " explained Dumbledore, "Is a matter between Nicolas Flamel and myself. I had to make that announcement so that Hogwarts pupils would be aware of the danger."

"I understand, " said Amelia calmly, "You see now that I am not guilty of interference."

"I do, " accepted Dumbledore, "And therefore I will return to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore disapparated.

Less than a minute later, Amelia grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into her fireplace.

"Flamel Manor!" cried out Amelia in a crisp clear voice.