Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K.R!
This story is a collaboration work between Avoranger and Cal the Wandcrafter!
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Astoria wasted no time in becoming a nuisance as soon as she stepped onto their front yard.
"Did you and Potter have fun alone on the train? I'm assuming that's where you went when you left me and Tracey," she quipped.
"What do you mean, Daphne and Harry Potter were alone in the carriage, Astoria?" their father asked, shocked.
Daphne, wishing she could hex her sister, replied, "Tori is just being a brat again. We weren't doing anything, just making plans. OWLs are coming up, after all." Both statements were true, just taken separately… So it wasn't a complete lie.
"Quit lying, Daphne, you and Harry Potter are dating!" Astoria blurted out with a smirk.
"And why am I just now learning about this?" he interrogated.
"Father!" Daphne protested, sulking.
"Sit, Daphne," he commanded as they reached the living room.
Reluctantly, Daphne took a seat on her favourite couch, crossing her arms in irritation.
"Young lady! Is it true?" their father questioned again. "If Astoria hadn't spilled the beans, when were you planning to tell us about him?"
"Well, I was planning on talking to you about five minutes after we got home, actually. Too bad Astoria had to be such an ass," Daphne stubbornly replied.
"Daphne, watch your language, young lady!" Cyrus scolded. Daphne turned her head, meeting his gaze warily, and he sighed before continuing, "You and your sister were away for three months, and the only things we have heard from you is…" He paused for a second, and a pensive look crossed his face for just a moment before continuing, "a bunch of letters with nothing more than simple well wishes, and vapid and bland responses about your classes. There was nothing about any of your friends, or what you've been up to, or anything else. It's normal for us to worry. You're old enough to notice the opposite sex, but what we want is for you to talk to us as your parents. We don't want anything bad to happen to you, especially considering our family reputation. I know there are boys with good intentions, but there are also those who might use you for personal gain," he explained in a caring tone. "I'm just disappointed that you didn't trust us enough to mention him in your letters," he added.
Astoria, startled, protested, "But dad, I did write about Daphne dating someone in my letters!"
"And you, Astoria!" he scolded. "You shouldn't be selling out your sister! I know you're just trying to start a fight with her! And no, you didn't." her father objected.
"But dad, I swear I did! I wasn't trying to start a fight, I thought it would be funny to tease her, because I thought you knew!"
"Well, it seems your letters also got intercepted, Tori," Daphne said, answering her sister's confused gaze.
Astoria was taken aback at that, thinking back to what all she had written - she was sure there wasn't anything as political or secretive as Daphne would likely have sent, however… she had mentioned Potter quite often… Could that have been enough to have her post swiped?
"What do you mean by intercepted?" Cyrus already had a hunch about what they were talking about, remembering back to his conversation with Amelia.
"We suspect this is Professor Umbridge's doing, father," said Daphne, explaining calmly. "The first time I suspected it was being tampered with was after your letters' replies were unusually cold and formal, almost like someone from would imagine a Lord addressing his daughter, instead of how we normally speak, and then you didn't address a topic I had asked about."
Her father leaned back on the couch, looking thoughtful.
"Are you sure about this?" He made sure of his daughter's words. "Amelia and I have suspected something similar, but haven't really talked about it much since.
"Absolutely. Harry, along with several students and I, talked about it a few days ago. Apparently, it wasn't just me; their post had similar issues as well."
"Who's that other student besides Mr. Potter?" he asked curiously.
"Luna Lovegood's father hasn't sent her the latest issue of the Quibbler since September, Neville Longbottom's letters were asking about some plant seeds that he was needing from his greenhouse, and didn't send them, and was oddly cheerful in her replies. Then there's Susan Bones, who got all her letters answered," Daphne explained.
He looked thoughtful once again. He really needed to talk with Amelia as soon as possible. "Well if Madame Longbottom is sending happy letters, something must be afoot…"
"You forgot to mention that Susan got detention by Umbridge because she stood up to Pansy for bullying first years!," Astoria quipped.
"Oh! Yeah, she is forbidden to go home for winter break and has to stay at the castle."
He glanced at his wife. "Alright, let's be straightforward. Starting next term, I want you to send us letters through Jo. If you need to, find a house elf at Hogwarts that you can trust, and have them pass it on. Just remember, do not be caught. If Umbridge is intercepting the post and forging letters, this could be extreme ammunition to use against her. I have sent you confidential letters about our family business this year, and if she has been stealing them…" He trailed off, letting the implications hang.
"Yes, father!" chimed the two young ladies in perfect harmony.
"Jo is ready to serve, sir!" The air crackled as a diminutive house elf materialised, executing a deep bow. "Jo will ensure that all Missy Daphy's and Missy Story's missives find their way securely into your hands!"
"Well, since Jo has graciously agreed, let's return to the matter at hand – Harry Potter," he nodded with resolve.
Daphne emitted a melodious groan, her face hidden in her hand. "I thought we were done discussing that," she muttered.
"Oh no, young lady! You can't escape that easily. Do you truly expect us to overlook the fact that you've suddenly taken an interest in dating Harry Potter?"
She sighed in surrender. "Well, I was hoping to break the news to you in my own time."
Her father fixed her with a piercing gaze, demanding further elucidation. "You've never shown any inclination toward anyone, especially a young man. Why now? He's not trying to exert undue influence or take advantage of you, is he? Just because he's the Boy-Who-Lived doesn't grant him carte blanche! I may not be a dark lord, but I can certainly give him a run for his money!"
"Father! No! Harry is a perfect gentleman! He would never stoop to such behaviour! He's kind, caring, makes me laugh, and he would never dream of hurting or using me," she asserted.
"But I saw you snogging him in an empty classroom!" The younger sister added fuel to the fire.
"When? We never did anything like that in front of you!"
Astoria looked smug, revelling in her sister's unwitting admission, while Daphne's face turned a shade of red, torn between anger and embarrassment. Her father observed with an amused shake of his head, masked by a veneer of disappointment.
"Shut up, Astoria!" Daphne snapped, her nerves palpable.
Now, Issa Greengrass seized control of the teasing banter, observing her eldest daughter caught in the playful crossfire between her father and sister. Amusement danced in her eyes, finding the situation rather amusing. It warmed her heart to witness a glimmer of humour and mirth in Daphne's eyes, a side of her daughter seldom revealed. The previous year, she had been cold, rigid – a princess in demeanour. Yet, something had shifted. The latter part of the summer had unveiled a facet of her that was both a blessing and a cause for concern.
"Daphne, we have no qualms about you having a boyfriend, and now that we've sorted out the mail situation, let's keep each other in the loop going forward, shall we? We simply want to shield you from potential hurt. Mr. Potter is no ordinary boy, Daphne dear," her mother expressed gently and understandingly.
"I know, Mother," she replied with a hint of vulnerability.
"If the reputation painted by the Daily Prophet were true—" her father began.
"Oh, hush, Cyrus! Just the other day, you were ranting about how infuriating those lying smear merchants are. Don't pretend you believe that rag anymore!" She turned to her husband, a deadpan glare concealing a hidden grin.
"How about this? We planned to meet the day before Christmas for some last-minute shopping. Harry needed to visit his vault and find something that had belonged to his father – a journal full of jokes they had penned back in school for Professor Lupin. I can't recall all the details, but he was excited to meet you and wanted to know if you would help chaperone, allowing him to introduce himself."
Cyrus took a deep breath, stealing a glance at his wife for her opinion. By the smile on her face, it seemed she was aligned with Daphne. He knew that if he declined the offer, his eldest would implore her mother to persuade him, and eventually, he would yield.
He took another deep breath before responding. "The day before Christmas, correct?" he inquired.
"Yes, Father! The day before Christmas!" she affirmed, now wearing a radiant smile.
His eyebrow arched at the unusual choice of rendezvous for a couple. "Can I come too?" Astoria asked eagerly.
"No!" Daphne and her father declared in unison.
Astoria pouted in disappointment.
—
Severus Snape arrived at the castle after nightfall, choosing a time when Minerva could settle in early to avoid arousing Umbridge's suspicion. The relentless control exerted by Umbridge over the castle, as if it were her personal dominion due to her role as the Minister's right hand, proved infuriating. In certain aspects, she seemed no better than the Dark Lord, but driven by even more absurd motivations. Sure he hated Potter as much as anyone, but for some reason Dolores had taken a particularly nasty stance towards the boy that even gave Severus the creeps.
An hour before midnight, Snape stealthily made his way to the headmaster's office, having dispatched a note to Minerva through his personal house elf. Unfortunately, Umbridge had opted to remain at the castle during the winter break – a decision Snape found rather foolish. He fervently wished for her departure, even if only for a few weeks, to spare him the temptation to publicly throttle her.
"Enter, Severus!" Dumbledore's voice resonated from behind the door, prompting Snape to comply, the same way the interaction between the two had always been.
"Good evening, Headmaster," he greeted. "Minerva will be joining us for tonight's discussion."
"Ah, that's surprising but not unexpected," Dumbledore nodded in understanding. "Lemon drop, Severus?"
"No, thank you, Headmaster."
A few minutes later, McGonagall entered the office. "Thanks for the note, Severus," she acknowledged before turning to the Headmaster. "Good evening, Albus," she greeted.
"Good evening, Minerva. Before the night grows late, let's delve into our discussion for tonight." McGonagall and Snape nodded in agreement.
"This morning, after I received an invitation letter from Arthur… because, as you know, I'm forbidden to go anywhere. " Dumbledore chuckled, finding amusement in the absurdity of Umbridge's directive. "Naturally, I was curious as to what could have caused such a commotion, so I passed a message to Everard and Dilys to discreetly investigate around the Ministry. It seems someone broke into the Department of Mysteries and destroyed numerous Prophecy orbs in the process. Also, there's a sizable snake carcass. What did Arthur tell you at the meeting? Is this related to the information I received?"
Snape nodded, "What you heard was true. Someone, no," he corrected himself, "something trespassed into the Department of Mysteries and caused a catastrophe, prompting the Unspeakables to intervene. I have reason to believe that this snake was Voldemort's pet, Nagini. It was killed by two Unspeakables."
Dumbledore, though taken aback, concealed his surprise. The revelation of the Unspeakables' intervention and Voldemort recklessly sending his loyal pet into the Hall of Prophecy surpassed his predictions. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "That's a surprising move from the Unspeakables but not an unwelcome one. Anything else?"
"The Unspeakables appeared moments before Nagini attempted to attack him, and one of them saved his life. According to Arthur, the snake was nearly impervious to magic but susceptible to specific dark lethal spells. So, he was instructed to not hold back if he insisted on aiding in the snake's defeat, rather than returning home and reporting to you."
Dumbledore nodded in understanding, a hint of worry etched on his face. "That was a dangerous yet courageous decision on Mr. Weasley's part, and one I will agree with in this course of action," he reflected.
"Apparently, the snake had a similar reaction as how Potter fell ill last summer when it got stabbed," Snape continued in a sombre tone. "The two Unspeakables also mentioned the incident that happened to Ms. Weasley a few years ago. They told him that he had just performed an exorcism."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in surprise when Snape suddenly mentioned Harry's illness.
"We never told anyone about the incident in the Chamber of Secrets, so how did they know?" McGonagall expressed her concern.
Again, Dumbledore looked thoughtful while stroking his beard. Something akin to what happened to Harry last summer occurred with the snake. What did it mean? Harry certainly wasn't dead after his illness, yet the after-effects mirrored those of the snake. It was indeed worrisome. His mind was plagued with thoughts of doubt as he contemplated a certain enigmatic lightning bolt scar.
Then, there was another case involving Voldemort that required immediate investigation, but Dumbledore's thoughts abruptly halted, unable to formulate a plan after the discussion. Dolores Umbridge was like a pebble on the soles of his shoes; he couldn't take any decisive action until she was gone from the castle. He sighed heavily in frustration, feeling trapped. "That's indeed a mystery, but their kind always manages to uncover what they wish to know, reluctant to share their methods unless necessary, as evidenced by their actions last night. It seems logical that their wards must have sensed something dark entering their territory without explicit approval. This prompted them to take action and aid Arthur in the process."
"Hold on, Albus! So you're saying the Order's activity in the Department of Mysteries has likely been known since the beginning? But why are they not saying anything, not even bothering to rebuke us!" McGonagall interjected in an irritated tone. "Isn't that worrisome? They could come after us for trespassing whenever they feel like it or hold onto it for blackmailing us! Why are you not worried?!" she said panicky.
He sighed and comforted her in a grandfatherly tone, "I don't know, Minerva. Knowing Croaker, it could be one of a thousand reasons. So don't worry; I will handle it personally if needed."
Minerva wasn't entirely satisfied with his answer but lessened her worry, "Nymphadora seems to have the impression that the two members may be Muggle-born or half-blood, as they have apparently code-named themselves after a character from a Christmas movie. If they are not hostile towards us, two Unspeakables would provide a great benefit to the Order." She looked excited at the prospect of new allies. "Should we approach the head of the Unspeakables about an alliance?"
Dumbledore gave her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, Minerva, but that's not possible. If Croaker has sent his agents to protect Arthur, then that is good enough to know that he is aware that our mission is important. Besides, unless you are in an extremely high position in the Ministry, which I no longer hold any sway in, there is no way of contacting the head of Unspeakables; he contacts you."
McGonagall looked disturbed with the answer, but nodded nonetheless.
He turned to Severus once again, "How about Voldemort's reaction, Severus? You said it was his pet, and I know you had been summoned at daybreak."
"He summoned us to celebrate but then realised that Nagini never returned from the mission. He looked panicked when he did not feel her existence anymore. After that, he immediately ordered some lower-ranked subordinates to retrieve Nagini, but they were not fast enough. The Unspeakables were already at the crime scene to clean the place, and they saw Nagini with them, no longer alive. When they returned and informed him that Nagini was dead, most of them became victims of his wrath. He looked uneasy and beyond livid. Very rarely have I seen him that mad. After that, he ordered other subordinates to speed up their preparations for breaking into Azkaban. He wanted to release his most faithful followers as soon as possible, deviating from the original plan."
McGonagall gasped, horrified by the revelation. "Albus! We should do something to prevent them from doing that!"
"Let it happen as they planned. Report whatever you find out when it happens," Dumbledore said, instructing Severus and ignoring McGonagall's outburst.
"Albus!" protested McGonagall in disbelief.
"Calm down, Minerva! It's necessary. We can't risk Severus' role as our spy being uncovered. It's better to let them reunite now and save our forces than to march into a death trap," he explained. "We should think about the safety of the Order's members, Minerva. Right now, we cannot strike against Voldemort, so we are forced to be reactive."
McGonagall expressed her displeasure at his decision, but she couldn't do anything. She didn't have any plans in mind to counter their already-prepared strategy. Dumbledore gave them a grandfatherly smile, regretting that the plan should unfold this way.
'For the greater good. He couldn't risk any Order members right now; the timing was not right to act.'
"Thank you, Minerva, Severus," he expressed gratitude for them filling him in about today's events. "Tonight's discussion was truly eventful. I hope to hear more information regarding it from you, Severus. You two can go back to your quarters to rest for the night. Good night!"
Minerva and Severus exchanged a brief nod before making their way out. After the door closed, leaving him alone in the large office, he sank down into his chair and let loose a sigh.
"That was indeed interesting information. How many have you made, Tom?" He mused, popping a lemon drop into his mouth before opening a drawer and taking out a piece of paper containing information about a certain ring he would pay a visit to soon.
"And is this one as well..." he wondered darkly.
.
.
"Harry… Harry… Harry!" Sirius chimed in a sing-song tone, a mischievous grin lighting up his handsome face. He wiggled his eyebrows when Harry turned towards him with an annoyed look. "I heard some interesting tidbits from a certain bushy-haired girl and a couple of twins that I apparently should have heard from you. Are you forgetting to tell me anything?" he winked at him a few times, attempting to convey a cryptic message.
Harry abandoned his breakfast to regard Sirius seriously, furrowing his brow as if in deep thought. He then nonchalantly returned to his meal. "No, I didn't forget anything."
"Harry… I'm serious!"
"Yeah, I know you are, Sirius. I'm Harry, by the way," he said before delving into a large piece of sunny-side-up egg, a hint of laughter in his eyes.
"Sirius-ly, how come you haven't sent me any letters?" Sirius crossed his arms in annoyance.
"Ah, that would be Umbridge. She is intercepting the post."
Sirius sighed in frustration, "You know, I was really looking forward to actually being able to send weekly letters, but not even a single one arrived! I even sent you a note and instructed you to wait for me for a Floo-call in the common room, but it was Hermione who answered! She said you were busy. Care to explain that?" He demanded an explanation, attempting to channel a nurturing and caring godfather.
"You talked with… Hermione?" Harry said slowly, shooting a sharp glance at Ginny, who huffed in annoyance at him and hastened her eating while avoiding eye contact - apparently she was still upset about how he was ignoring Hermione. Harry's cheerful mood soured in an instant.
Sirius, oblivious to Harry's reaction, continued his rant. "Yes! And since you apparently don't have anything to tell me, I'll let you know she said you were too busy snogging a girl somewhere in the castle!" he said in disbelief. "Shouldn't you have told me? As your godfather, I feel left out, so saddened that you didn't bother to consult or share your crushes with me!" he protested dramatically. "You know you can rely on me, right, Harry! I can be a good wingman!"
"Well, it happened pretty fast, and around the time we started dating, we figured out what Umbridge was doing to the post." Harry said casually, attempting to steer the conversation away and took a deep breath after sipping his water.
"Well it's good to know you haven't been forgetting me after all… Just hiding an embarrassing crush."
Harry chuckled at how relieved Sirius was. "Oh very funny. Actually, I'm going to see if Professor Lupin can take me to Diagon to meet up with her sometime over break, so you can have an excuse to bug him about it!" he said with a grin.
"Ooh? Is she cute? Is she smart? Is she a redhead? Do I know her?" Sirius bombarded him with enthusiastic questions.
"Oh yeah, and how many of my female classmates do you know?" he inquired, a chuckle accompanying the final bite of his meal. "Yeah there's this amazing girl—no, not a redhead. Incredibly intelligent and funny. Her best friend, a half-blood, introduced her to movies, and now she's obsessed with them. You might not know her, but her family might ring a bell."
"I thought you might have a thing for redheads, like your dad," Sirius pouted, casting a curious glance over towards Ginny, who was doing her best to avoid conversation.
Observing his godfather's reactions, Harry simply rolled his eyes. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm into blondes!"
'And I'm definitely not my father,' he added in his mind. 'I tried dating Ginny once… never again…"
Sirius turned his head towards Harry in disbelief, "Blondes?"
"Yeah, is that so surprising? She's got this beautiful wavy vanilla blonde hair that she wears in a messy ponytail when she is studying, and lets fall down just past her shoulders when she is relaxing. Bright blue eyes, and the most beautiful laugh," he said, a dreamy smile crossing his face.
"She's really captured your heart, huh?" Sirius teased.
"Well, she definitely has it," he replied in a sing-song tone, smirking in agreement.
Sirius laughed, "Just like James, he got the same dopey look on his face when he thought about your mother!" He patted Harry's shoulder a bit too hard but then stopped, looking at him seriously. "And there were also a few times he was off bothering her when I was trying to talk to him as well." The annoying smirk was back on his godfather's face was back and elicited a groan from Harry
Frowning, he retorted, "For the record, I didn't get any letter from you, and Hermione never told me anything, either."
Ginny, feeling the need to assert herself, rose with a huff. "In all fairness, Hermione had no chance to fill you in on Sirius' note about the meeting. You weren't exactly a regular at Gryffindor Tower for casual hangouts. We were swamped with classes, homework, and our study group," she accentuated the words 'study group' and casually shrugged. A few moments later, departing from the kitchen, she quipped, "And by the way, Potter, she's not your babysitter!" before darting up the stairs.
Harry clenched his teeth in frustration. It was evident that Ginny was taking Hermione's side. A grin adorned Sirius's face once more, this time accompanied by a proud expression.
"Why are you grinning like that?"
"Oh, just the memories. That was eerily similar to Lily ripping into James back in 6th year." He paused for a second, noticing the look of anger simmering on his godson, and raised his hand in surrender. "Just kidding... Kidding!" Sirius grinned apologetically, realising Harry's genuine annoyance.
Sirius sighed, "So, you seem bothered every time Hermione is mentioned, and Ginny seems quite miffed as well. Are you two having a disagreement?"
Harry leaned back, arms crossed. "Sort of! My disagreement is with Hermione alone, but Ginny is clearly taking her side,"
"So spill it, maybe I can help?"
Harry considered for a moment, then sighed. "Did you ever have a falling out with my dad?"
"I know that the tales of the Marauders are always associated with mischief, chaos, and whatnot. It's a clandestine story known only to members. We didn't broadcast our issues to the world; we resolved them among ourselves. We maintained our carefree appearances even during arguments. So yes, we did! It's normal in friendships with differing opinions. There are many things we argued over, and some aren't easy to resolve," Sirius shrugged, his mind drifting to the old days with a sombre expression before refocusing on Harry. "So, what's the issue with Hermione? Maybe I can assist or at least provide some insight…"
"It all started a few days after we returned to Hogwarts. I had detention with Umbridge, and I had to write lines with a blood quill. Before you interrupt, McGonagall knows about it; she just doesn't know the extent of how bad it was. I don't even like revisiting how awful it was. The crucial thing is that I never told Hermione about it, so I don't think she realises just how dangerous Umbridge is. She acts like we should still be respecting her as an authority figure. Anyway, Hermione approached me and asked if I would teach a Defence Against the Dark Arts class, and I agreed. I made it clear that we would do it my way, and I had the final say, so I drew up a contract for it. Well, she went behind my back, spread the word about the secret, invited nearly twice as many people as we agreed upon, none of whom had signed the contract, and then got mad about how strict the contract was."
Sirius pondered for a moment before responding, "What kind of contract did you implement?"
Harry glanced at him, "It's a simple contract, really. They can't disclose information about the study group to non-participating students, and if they breach it… there's a consequence waiting for them. Nothing severe, just embarrassment for the traitor. Hermione suggested it, by the way." Harry sighed, "Initially, Hermione didn't want to reveal if someone broke the contract, but I insisted they should know because it was a highly confidential study group. You know about Umbridge; you know just how dangerous she could be. I wouldn't put it past her to expel everyone involved in a study group that undermines her authority. If they knew there were consequences to snitching, it would make them think twice, ensuring the safety of the group more than just waiting for something bad to happen. I wasn't too upset about that, but then Hermione managed to bring in so many extra people that hadn't been vetted…. I'm guessing she told them before signing the contract because the repercussions didn't affect her. So she gets mad I didn't use her version of the contract. So I walked out. They were the ones in need of better grades, not me, anyway!" He ranted, panting at the end.
Sirius winced at the explanation; he understood Harry's frustration. "Harry… I can see why you're mad at Hermione, and I'm not excusing her for it, but can you try to mend things? She's been your best friend since the first year, remember? You two, along with Ron, have been through a lot together. It's disheartening to see a friendship end like this."
"Sirius… I genuinely don't want to end our friendship! And that's not even the worst part. I'm not even mad about the study group anymore, and if she had just left it at that, I'd have forgiven her by now!"
"So what else happened?"
"Three days ago, we talked, and she accused me of lying about my detention with Umbridge and then started shit talking about my girlfriend! I told her she didn't need to be friends with her first to just act civil! But she didn't want to listen!" Harry huffed.
"Can you recount again what she said about your girlfriend?" Harry frowned in confusion at his request, so Sirius further explained, "Just tell me, Harry! I think I know why she is acting like that. But I wanted to make sure," he encouraged him.
"She said that Daphne was brainwashing me into hating her, and was causing me to avoid her. She's upset that I'm scoring better than her, and am acting more mature. She accused Daphne of being one of Malfoy's cronies, just trying to hurt me." Harry said the words while mimicking how Hermione said those sentences.
"Merlin!" Sirius rubbed his face after hearing that while slightly laughing. His guess was correct. "Harry, she's an extremely intelligent girl, does not have many friends, and is probably used to pretty mean girls trying to bully the few friends she had in the muggle world away. She's a teenage girl that is feeling insecure, and is scared about being left behind. You spend a lot of time with your girlfriend rather than her. Usually you are dependent on her and now you aren't because you have this Daphne to… well replace her. She's scared you don't need her anymore,"
Harry found himself at a loss for words. "I don't know what to say; let me think about this. That seems like a rather obvious conclusion hearing it from the outside, like that."
Sirius patted his shoulder again, "Yeah, think it through. You need to talk with your girlfriend also. You still have a few weeks, so take your time to think about it!"
Harry just nodded.
"So, Daphne, eh? Tell me more about her; I'm really curious now!"
"Alright, alright!" he chuckled, "So, her name is Daphne Greengrass, from Slytherin house," he said casually.
There was a few seconds of silence between them.
"Are you still there, Sirius?"
He shook his head to sober himself, "Daphne Greengrass," he said without thinking twice. He looked thoughtful for a few seconds before saying, "Cyrus' daughter?"
Harry raised his eyebrow, "Yeah, you know him?"
He winced, "Yeah, sort of…" ruffled his hair, bashfully. "We were both, let's call them Wizengamot kids." chuckled at the memory, "As an heir, after we passed our first year at Hogwarts, our fathers would take us to socialise at Wizengamot functions, studying them and whatnot. While the adults were meeting, we were also gathering together. If your parents are still alive, your dad would take you, I'm sure." His voice carried a bitter tone when he mentioned the 'what if,' even though he said it with a wide smile. "But among all the kids there, Cyrus always chose to stick with us - James and I. At least until I got blasted from the family tree and ran away to your dad's house. After that, my little brother started replacing me. So, since I couldn't go anymore… Cyrus and James stick together at the events."
The story intrigued Harry; it wasn't entirely new, but he wanted to know more from another perspective. He had heard about the Wizengamot kid gatherings from Cyrus when he taught him about it, given his lack of knowledge at that time, passing on interesting stories about his father that Sirius hadn't been there for. Unfortunately, since the first war ended, those kinds of get-togethers had fallen out of favour, and parents started teaching their children about the Wizengamot on their own, just as Cyrus had taught Daphne and then Harry.
"They seem to be a decent family, very good at economics, and content to stay on the sidelines while covertly supporting the light when they can. A few years before I went to Hogwarts, I attended a ball accompanying my grandfather, Arcturus Black. I met Cyrus for the first time with his father; if I'm not mistaken, his father's name is Bernard Greengrass. They were discussing business with my grandfather about potions imports, when an obnoxious peacock named Abraxas Malfoy approached us — Lucius Malfoy's father, by the way—and suddenly joined their conversation. They weren't showing displeasure, but you could tell they didn't appreciate the disturbance. Abraxas was steering the conversation away, and started sprouting about how there's someone who can make the Wizarding World better, bla bla bla, all that Voldemort nonsense. Then Bernard stepped in and countered all his points with some quips, elegantly humiliating him. I didn't realise it was a smack-down until my grandfather mentioned it after we went home; It was quite a bit of impressive wit, actually!"
"So…," Sirius cleared his throat. "If she's anything like her dad or even her grandfather, she's probably alright, I guess," he grinned sheepishly. "The Greengrasses are still wealthy, aren't they?"
Harry chuckled, "In a way."
Sirius nodded, "So no concerns about being a gold digger, huh!" His godfather burst into laughter. Harry just shook his head with amusement."I can't wait to meet her then!"
"Well, I hope you approve! She really makes me happy," he said.
Sirius nodded, and then a thought crossed his mind.
"Do you have something for Christmas bought for her?"
"Yeah, I got her something special. Why?"
He scoffed, "Come to my room tonight after dinner. I got something extra for you to give her."
Harry raised an eyebrow in intrigue, giving him a smile. "Well, sure thing!"
.
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A maelstrom of thoughts and mixed feelings swirled in Amelia's mind. While she yearned to pick up her niece, the looming presence of Umbridge and the associated risks made her hesitate. Technically, the woman did have the authority to hand out such a punishment, but it was not very often used - the last recorded case was in 1801. The idea of Susan being held hostage by that woman was unbearable, and the fear of something untoward happening to her niece weighed heavily on Amelia.
Contemplating ways to communicate with Susan, Amelia dismissed the option of sending a direct letter while Umbridge was still at the castle during the holiday. The risk of interception by someone working for Umbridge loomed large. In moments of frustration, she wished she had a house elf – their assistance would have been invaluable, particularly in this predicament.
Sinking into her comfy chair with a heavy sigh, she allowed her mind to wander in daydreams. Suddenly, an unfamiliar owl fluttered into her peripheral vision, emitting cheerful chirps as it perched on her window sill, presenting its legs. Perplexed, she couldn't recall ever seeing this owl before – whose could it be?
Approaching the bird cautiously, she noticed a vest on the owl indicating it belonged to the Hogsmeade Postal Service. Waving her wand, she detected no traps or magic and leaned in to retrieve the letter attached to its leg. The owl promptly took flight, seemingly instructed not to await a response. Her eyes widened in recognition as she saw the familiar handwriting – it was her niece's!
Eagerly, she tore open the envelope and immersed herself in the contents of the letter.
'Dear Auntie.
Each letter I get from you makes me Smile. All the time I am thinking About what I should get you for your birthday. Do you want To go back to Brazil during vacation? DUmbledore said there was a good coffee shop he knew of. Regardless, it would be nice to do something inteResting. owls aren't coming up anD I'm stressed about it. PerhAps things will get easier soon.
At least I have plentY to keep me busy. There arE a few worries about the difficulty of defence this year, and I will say the class is worrying me.
Should I worry more about it or diVination?
SometimEs I have problems getting off the FENCE with my decisions, as you know. Hope you're doiNg well, and I look forward to seeing you this summer. Also, if It is possible, can you send the book I left on my dresser? Cindy was wantiNg to borrow it. Kind of forGot she lent me Some last year.
I miss you,
Susan'
Amelia thought for a moment after reading the letter from her niece. The letter appeared normal, but she recognized oddities in some of the words. "Well, that's odd. Back to Brazil? We've never been to Brazil… And what is this about Divination? She isn't even in that class… And who is Cindy? There has to be something else here..." The letters were in her normal cursive script, with capitalization errors spread in, as if it was written in a rush. But if she was in a rush, why—and how—did she manage to sneak out to Hogsmeade to send a letter from the post office? She swished her wand, and a piece of parchment and a quill came floating over as she got to work.
"Well, 'fence' is completely capitalised; it must be important. And 'owls aren't coming up'—well, it's not capitalised at all, and it's also a lie… unless she means the post. That would confirm Cyrus' suspicions. How about these capitalization errors? Smile, About, To, B for Braz… No, that's properly capitalised, so that won't be part of it… The U in Dumbledore… Ok, that ends up spelling Saturday… Are, Divination, Sometimes have E, V, and E… Let's see the rest just to be sure. Yes, that's right… Saturday Evening... Fence…" she murmured in confusion. "What Fence? A fence near Hogsmeade or Hogwarts? There are hundreds of those… I'm missing something here… How about…" She trailed off while scratching something new on the parchment, and she found something she missed the first time. "Dear, Each, All, Do, Dumbledore, Regardless, Owls, Perhaps... Ahhh, I see. Damn! I hope Mad-Eye never learns I missed a basic acrostic code," She scoffed at herself.
"DEAD DROP AT S SHACK," She read with understanding seeping into her voice. "So if I mix it with the words I already found, it would be… 'Owls aren't coming, dead drop at Shrieking Shack fence, Saturday evening.'" She smiled widely after finally decoding it.
"Holy Merlin! Susan, I'm genuinely proud of you!" She beamed, but her mood soured seconds later.
"Damn! I can't retrieve it on my own, I'm too noticeable for that!" she cursed, frustrated by the unfortunate situation. 'One step forward, two steps backward.' She sighed in frustration once again. Settling into her chair, she sighed in irritation while she let herself fall into thought.
The following day, impatience consumed her as she sat in her office. After a night of contemplation and careful consideration of potential candidates, she had already contacted someone she believed could be trusted and was suitable for the job of the middleman
A knock on the door preceded the entrance of the object of her thoughts, one Nymphodora Tonks.
"You called, boss?" she said with a businesslike tone, offering a salute.
Amelia smirked upon seeing her enter the office; she was the perfect fit. "What's your take on the civil war?" she asked suddenly.
Tonks looked surprised; the question caught her off guard. "Well, this isn't what I was expecting to hear."
Ignoring the comment, Amelia continued, "Tonks, we're under attack from within. Our Minister is making power grabs every week, attempting to weaponize his new Inquisitorial office as if it's his personal Gestapo. Now, I have reason to suspect he is intercepting mail at Hogwarts to conceal something."
Tonks' eyes widened at the revelation. "So, you think Umbridge is up to something nasty on Fudge's orders, and they're trying to keep us in the dark?"
"Exactly. I'm not sure what it is, but I sense it involves Potter, and Dumbledore's secret group. It's no secret; Umbridge's reputation, and despite her insidious nature, I doubt she would go as far as harming children. More likely, she aims to pressure Potter into retracting his statements about Voldemort and disavowing Dumbledore by making his school life a living hell.
"Officer Tonks, I need you to pick up a dead drop this Saturday. The fence at the Shrieking Shack. Look for a giveaway of its location, likely a paint mark on its structure. Since you're involved with Dumbledore's vigilante group, pass on my greetings to him during their next meeting. Let him know there's an ongoing investigation into Fudge and Umbridge, and any information they provide will be greatly appreciated, and the goodwill will be returned if legally possible."
Tonks was startled at the revelation, but managed to hide it well. Awkwardly, she agreed with her requests, "Alright.. I suppose it won't hurt to say he hasn't been showing at any meetings, Snape says there is a ward keyed to Dumbledore's magic that was recently put around the castle. Dunno what it does, but Dumbledore's afraid it will try to lock him out of the grounds. I can ask McGonagall what she knows about Umbridge."
Amelia acknowledged Tonks' compliance with a nod. "That will do. This assignment remains in effect until Umbridge resigns from her position at Hogwarts. Until then, I'm relying on you... Detective Tonks."
Her eyes widened in shock at the sudden promotion, and in a panic she had to quickly shift her features back to normal as her hair and skin flashed a bright red. "Yes ma'am!" she saluted, then hesitated before asking, "Uhm, boss… if you don't mind me asking, what kind of things am I retrieving?"
Amelia regarded her Auror with a serious, contemplative gaze. Deciding to share the details, she leaned back in her chair. "It's a letter from my niece, Susan. I'm sure you've met her once or twice; she's a Hufflepuff."
Tonks furrowed her brow, trying to recall her boss's niece. After a moment, a memory surfaced of a redhead with plaited hair who had once asked her to show the kitchen one night in her seventh year.
"If you're not already aware, Umbridge isn't just holding Dumbledore hostage in his own castle this year. She's also manipulating information in and out of the castle, controlling details that only students should know about the outside world. They're ensnared in her bubble, and I'm eager to burst it open. However, the timing isn't right, as my niece has apparently become one of the hostages as well."
"But… McGonagall managed to get a letter from Arthur without any problem," Tonks stammered, still absorbing the new information.
Amelia nodded. "As I mentioned earlier, her primary target is the children, the students. They're an easy target. Messing with teachers' letters is a tricky job, and she will probably only do so I'm certain cases, and come the summer break most parents won't think twice about a few bland letters that their student sent months ago. Teenagers get moody, after all."
"I'll inform McGonagall, ma'am!"
"Good! Keep this duty confidential from the other Aurors, and ensure you remain undercover during the retrieval. The next day, drop it off at my office, as if it is a regular piece of paperwork. Off you go!"
"Yes, ma'am!" She saluted, but before leaving the office, Amelia halted her.
"Oh, Auror Tonks, one more thing. Please ask McGonagall to keep an eye on my niece on my behalf."
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...
We opened our own Discord server!
It's practically new, so... let's have fun! XD
You can join by type this link and then delete the space before you enter it!:
'Avo & Cal's Pages' ➡ discord .gg/Y34hGyFZWg
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By the way, for whoever wants to read ahead for chapter 20 and 21, it's already on my Pat-site. Besides that, there's also exclusive oneshots in the same universe as 'The Time Bomb'. Starting with 'Quidditch Tryouts' and then 'The Ring', are already out! And another one will be released soon! ;D
www. pa-t-re-on .c-o-m/Avoranger88
(type the link without the space and - before you enter it. You know what to do! lol)
More info about it you can PM me or join the Discord server!
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Let's join in and enjoy the stay!
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