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  This chapter was edited by Gdiusx.

  The silence in the room weighed heavily on Harry's shoulders as he sat across the rge mahogany desk where Apollo Greengrass's emerald gaze peered at him from underneath a puff of smoke wafting from his pipe. The smell of high-quality tobacco, combined with other herbs Harry did not recognise, was different from what one would expect compared to Muggle cigarettes or cigars—clearly some magical ingredient at hand that made the smoke smell soothing to those around the smoker, like incense.

  Harry was gd for it; his heightened senses seemed to benefit more from it than a normal wizard would. Despite bearing the inscrutable icy mask his family had been famous for in another world, Harry could not ignore the budding sense of foreboding that haunted him since sitting across from the man.

  He had just finished his interview with Era, the older woman excusing herself as she rushed back to work to get it quickly edited before putting it to print, when the master of the house called him to his office. Ten minutes had passed since then, yet Mr Greengrass had yet to say a word. Nevertheless, despite his respect for Apollo Greengrass, Harry would not, could not, show weakness even if he owed the man. He had an idea what this was about, but decided the silence had stretched long enough. Instead he opted to inspect the vishly decorated office—more like a trophy room than anything.

  And it truly was an impressive room; from the massive shaggy carpet of some unknown animal on the floor, hunting trophies on the wall of magical creatures he vaguely recognised, shelves holding books, scrolls, maps, and trinkets, to the massive floating globe of a pnet that at first gnce appeared to be Earth yet with strange geography (Why were there more ndmasses dotted around than normal?).

  "Thank you for all you have done for me, Mr Greengrass. I came to you unannounced and on such short notice, yet you have done right by me, and for that, I am in your debt."

  Apollo took a deep drag from his pipe before blowing the smoke, which curled to the ceiling and joined the growing cloud of fumes.

  "I will admit I was not amused to learn you dragged my daughter and sneaked out of Hogwarts, then raised such a sudden fuss during some of the most restless days we had. Nevertheless, despite all the setbacks and favours I called to bring Barnabas here, it all ended well…for you."

  He inclined his head in acknowledgement and continued, voice growing stern, "Neither my House nor I gained anything from this. In fact, I had to offer Cuffe a thousand galleons as he was leaving, a token of appreciation for his time and continued patronage. For all his talk about making headlines, he is, above all else, a greedy man who would sell his mother if it would profit him. He may cim that his press is a money sink but it's all codswallop—There are many ways to fix ledgers and pretend to be operating at a loss and avoid paying taxes, but Barnabas Cuffe would always make sure to profit."

  Harry grimaced inwardly; he had hoped the man would remind him to call him by his first name. Not doing so really struck home how annoyed Apollo Greengrass was at the moment. And to think Cuffe would be so slimy that he would not pay his taxes! The lordly teachings instilled in him since young made him feel disgust and outrage—he still didn't understand how the hell the man could cim the Daily Prophet didn't make a profit after all of that.

  "Naturally, I will pay you back as soon as I return home."

  Harry had expected Barnabas Cuffe would seek some form of recompense ter, whether in favours or aid. He did not expect Apollo to preempt that and make sure Cuffe wouldn't bother him. It was fortunate that he had kept most of his fortune secure in his manor; his Gringotts vault only held what his parents had left him.

  "No need. Such a sum is a pittance for me. I may not personally care for the Malfoy widow, but clearly you do, enough to pce yourself in my debt for her so easily."

  "I owe her." Harry shrugged. "Besides, shouldn't we, as noble wizards, help our peers when they suffer indignities and injustice? Particurly from a semi-hostile entity like the Ministry."

  "Not when the one you are trying to help caused such a severe uproar." Apollo pced his pipe to the side as he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Don't get me wrong, Harry. I am not upset or disappointed with you. On the contrary, you have shown daring and wit tempered by cunning and ambition to achieve your goals by leveraging our retionship and my family's fondness for you. I would have even said I'm proud of you, if I did not end up shouldering most of the costs."

  "I am willing to pay back—"

  "It's not a matter of coin, young man! You cannot fathom how much chaos the Ministry is in at the moment. If you had come to me with just the full information on the attack on the Express, it would have been child's py to convince several department heads to form a coalition and push a vote of no confidence against Fudge. The Minister had made a rare mistake when he panicked and tried to hide what could not be hidden. Every politician worth his salt would have ripped him to shreds for daring to endanger our children and causing the death of a student, a pureblood heir to an ancient house at that, even! However, with Narcissa Bck bringing so much spotlight on herself, Fudge suddenly has a lot more room to breathe and may very well manage to cling to power."

  "Yet it was Narcissa's actions that drove Fudge to panic in the first pce," Harry pointed out coolly. "Even then, how long would that have taken? Can you tell me without a shadow of a doubt that the Ministry would cim full responsibility for Malfoy's death?"

  "Most likely not, but would Narcissa Bck eventually get justice? Probably not one she would accept, as the most Fudge and Umbridge would get would be losing their jobs—Parliamentary Immunity would allow them to cim they were simply doing their jobs, albeit terribly, and avoid any time in Azkaban. They could even drag the Wizengamot down with them since they did approve several of their decisions."

  Once more, Harry felt exhausted just thinking about the overly complicated system of rules in his home. It was almost as if everything was designed so that no one could ever be fully bmed for being lousy at their jobs. "This is even more of a reason why we should not let the Ministry have so much control over our lives!"

  "And let anarchy and rule of the strongest thrive instead? In this society, where everyone has a tool that can shake the earth and rain brimstone on their enemies?" Apollo chuckled. "I may not be a fan of the Ministry either, but I understand their usefulness."

  "I am not saying they are a complete liability, but…what would you have done in Narcissa's pce?"

  "I beg your pardon?"

  "Draco Malfoy was simply in the wrong pce at the wrong time." Harry leaned forward as he gazed seriously at Tracey's father. "What if it were one of your daughters who was killed? Would you py by the rules of the Ministry and seek justice through the legal system that you know is fwed?"

  "…That is a surprisingly difficult question to answer." Apollo furrowed his brows as he tapped the desk thoughtfully. "I am not a magical powerhouse, nor do I have a secret stash of weapons and talismans left behind by an unscrupulous ancestor that could offer me an edge in combat. Nevertheless, I would have done my absolute damndest to make life hell for those who would harm any of my daughters."

  "And I would have helped you. I am sure many others would have as well, for you have many friends and family. Narcissa has none but me, it seems."

  The Greengrass lord inclined his head.

  "Touché. Regardless, it doesn't matter debating what was the best way for the young dy Bck to seek justice; she has already done so. The chaos from the attack on the Express was but a minor inconvenience compared to the attack on the Ministry. Yet I have lived through simir turmoil before and learned to seize any opportunity swiftly. With Fudge panicking, it allowed me and many others a lot of leeway in the Ministry; this was our chance to expand our influence and see if we could secure alliances or favourable assignments for our people."

  "But then I called."

  "But then you called." Apollo smiled wryly. "Crucial appointments and meetings with other notables to pn for a new Minister and cabinet; gone, just like that. Even dinner with Rufus Scrimgeour and his wife had to be cancelled; something the ornery man would not forget. My absence will have been noticed, and tomorrow's article will send shockwaves in the political ndscape—your name shall now be associated with a mass murderer, even if indirectly and not immediately."

  "It already is with Sirius Bck, for he is my godfather, after all. Even then, it is a risk I am willing to take for Narcissa."

  Apollo stared at him strangely, as if seeing him for the first time. "You really do care for Narcissa Bck, don't you?"

  Harry awkwardly flexed his fist. "She has done right by me. I'm just returning the favour. Besides, I'm not as alone in supporting her as you might suspect. Do you think a student like me can btantly leave Hogwarts in broad daylight without the knowledge of the headmaster?"

  The older man blinked, opening his mouth to say something, before thinking otherwise and chuckling instead. Harry sensed both mirth and worry, which only confused him more. What was so strange about helping a fair maiden, especially when he owed her? Or was he perhaps wary of Dumbledore's looming shadow?

  Apollo coughed. "I will admit that Fudge was close to having the Malfoy widow executed, if not thrown in Azkaban without a trial; she has no one to vouch for or fight for her, after all. And if the one witch who held the most grievance against him was out of the picture, he could fully commit his all to cling to his position as Minister at least until the following elections in four years."

  "But with tomorrow's article, he will be forced to give Narcissa a trial."

  "Hopefully so, yes. It will naturally drag the attack on the Express into the picture, further muddying his name." Apollo nodded. "You will have got what you desired, Harry. A chance for Narcissa Bck to fight for her freedom, however unlikely that is. Now, it is time to pay the price."

  Harry straightened in his seat. "Let's hear it."

  "As I said, House Greengrass did not profit from this venture. I am still highly impressed with the loyalty you showed to the young dy Bck, and wish to be sure that such loyalty shall always be given to House Greengrass as well."

  "You imply that I would not help my friends simirly?"

  "Judging from your character, you certainly would go far for your friends, but that's not enough. Friends can be fickle, but bonds of kinship are stronger."

  Harry sighed inwardly—he expected it, and it made a lot of sense considering Jon's upbringing. Nevertheless, he could not help but py dumb a little. "I'm not sure what you mean, Mr Greengrass."

  "Come now, Harry. You are an intelligent young man. It is already quite te, so let us not beat around the bush." Apollo smiled warmly and grabbed his pipe again, relighting it with a snap of his fingers. "First, let us get something clear between us: You will owe me nothing for today, not after all you have done for my dear Astoria. Not to mention, Estelle would have my hide if I made too much trouble for you after allowing her to research the Sword of Godric Gryffindor."

  Harry waited silently as the man puffed on his pipe and blew a smoke trail shaped like a sword to the side.

  "However, if you want House Greengrass' full commitment in any future endeavour, though I would greatly appreciate a heads-up next time before we do something like plotting the downfall of the Minister for Magic, then marriage is the only way." Apollo took another puff of his pipe and sighed, the smoke coming out in a scattered mist. "You are not surprised."

  "I expected it. After all, you and Mrs Davis have done your best to hook Tracey and me up—Estelle too, for that matter, though she was more subtle. Tracey was quite forward about it as well, even ciming she did not mind sharing me with Susan."

  "Heh, takes after her mother, that one." Apollo shook his head. "Ideally, I would have you marry Daphne and take the Greengrass name, but you have your own House, nds, and titles to see to. As my heir, I would rather keep Daphne's marriage prospects open for now, despite how well you two get along, from what I hear."

  "Aye, let her enjoy her hedonistic life, though I pity the poor chap who will eventually catch her eye." Harry chortled; he and Daphne as newlyweds? Either she would drag him into all sorts of mischief, causing him to lose his hair from stress before their honeymoon ends, or he would enjoy her so much he falls to her level and, together, bring chaos to the world. At Apollo's raised eyebrow, Harry hurried to add, "Not that she is not a catch herself."

  "Of course, she is. Astoria would also be an excellent choice, considering her reliance on your blood. If blood transfusions already did so much to improve her health, what would years of loving matrimony do, I wonder?" Apollo gazed wistfully at a picture on the desk, one of several of his family, where Astoria waved at him happily from her seat on a flying carpet—it must have been taken recently, for she looked quite healthy in it. "And stly, Tracey…I don't need to say much, do I? She is the one who first came to me with permission to date you."

  "Did she now?"

  "Oh yes, she was quite insistent on it as well, even after learning about your girlfriend. Incidentally, how is your retionship with young Miss Bones?"

  "Quite well, though I do not believe she is the sharing type."

  "Understandable, yet we have all indulged in school dalliances. Whether they evolve to something after graduation remains to be seen, but let us not get ahead of ourselves." Apollo leaned forward. "What say you, Harry Potter? Would you consider a betrothal with one of my daughters? I am giving you the option to choose between Tracey and Astoria. Or, if you prefer an older and more mature woman, I can speak to Era and her—"

  "N-No need, I barely know the woman!" Harry coughed. If he were to marry a woman over twice his age, then he might as well pine after Tonks or even Narcissa. "I need some time to think."

  "Take your time and think about it while I go check on Tracey, then. You still have school in the morning."

  Harry stared at Apollo Greengrass as he left the room, then stood and idly inspected one of the trophies hung on the wall—a massive elk head with horns of steel. The cunning lord did not give him a chance to expin he meant a few days, or maybe even weeks.

  Marriage…Harry never thought he would seriously entertain something like that so soon. Jon had sworn off wives and children when he joined the Watch, but that did not apply to him. Even then, it would usually be his father who would negotiate a marriage for him. In the past, Jon would have naively believed that no sane lord would want a bastard husband for his daughter, but he ter discovered that a son of Eddard Stark would thrive anywhere in the North.

  But what about Harry Potter? Would his father, James, have allowed him to enjoy school life and chase after his love interest, as he had heard so many people talk about him? Or would he grow into the responsibility of a respectable member of high society and seek to influence his marriage prospects? Would Lily Evans approve of giving his hand away at such a young age? Granted, any wedding would have to wait until they were of age, but the point remained: His hand in marriage was a precious commodity, and House Potter was on the verge of extinction.

  He wondered if that was what Eddard Stark felt after the rebellion.

  From a political perspective, he could hardly do any better than House Greengrass. They were a wealthy and ancient family with a long history that stretched back before the Four Founders. Well-connected and with numerous retives and friends, House Greengrass was firmly established in Magical Britain's society and known as both a political and financial powerhouse. While they did not produce any magical powerhouse or even a Minister for Magic, they were never known for shining in the spotlight. Soft power was their strength, and their influence certainly travelled far; after all, Apollo had managed to secure him a meeting with the editor-in-chief of the most popur newspaper in the country at the drop of a hat. And that was done while pulling the rug underneath the Minister for Magic.

  If Harry had access to simir benefits at any time, then it would surely be worth binding himself with their House in holy matrimony—despite his fame and budding business with Reginald, House Potter was weak, far weaker than Greengrass. Even in their heyday, they never had a magical powerhouse like Dumbledore, nor were they particurly active in the political scene since his great-grandfather's time. In fact, if not for him, he doubted anyone would consider House Potter as nobility these days, even if the line between a simple pure-blood family and a noble one was blurry.

  If any pure-blood family were considered nobility, then all magicals would be such. From his understanding, noble wizarding families needed fame, power, wealth, and nd…not too different from a noble family in Westeros. House Greengrass had all that and more; their numbers were bountiful, with fingers in every pie. Yes, Harry could see many advantages to permanently aligning himself with them.

  The thought of staying neutral or keeping their retionship strictly business never crossed his mind. Such a craven attitude would see him lose friends and make enemies where he had allies. He needed to commit, and House Potter could thrive alongside House Greengrass.

  Harry, however, was not blind about their less-than-stelr reputation back in the seventies, what with Apollo's own brother nguishing in Azkaban for crimes against humanity (some of the things that Ajax Greengrass did would make even the most deviant lecher puke). Even the former Greengrass scion, Damien, Apollo's firstborn son, was killed in a Death Eater raid, with the Dark Mark branded on his arm.

  Suffice it to say, Harry had done his research when he began associating with Apollo and his family. Having a friend in the Office of Records provided him with a lot of information that he was certain Apollo Greengrass had done his best to hide from the public eye. Nevertheless, Harry would not judge a man who repented, as evidenced by the disowning of his brother for leading his son astray and condemning the Death Eaters for sowing chaos in Britain—and unlike many other pureblood families, he had done so at the height of Voldemort's power and suffered for it.

  House Greengrass may not have a pristine past, but who did? Even the Starks had their dark moments in history, though none of it brought them dishonour or shame. What mattered was the present and the future, and from what he had seen, Apollo Greengrass was a decent bloke, and he trusted Daphne would eventually grow out of her childish tendencies to be a good leader he could work with.

  Thinking about the girls themselves, Astoria was a fun little gremlin, but he couldn't see her as anything but a hyperactive younger sister, like Arya on steroids. She was already showing a lot of progress with the transfusions, and he was not certain about the idea of their closeness somehow curing her affliction. Besides, if Harry had to choose, it would have to be Tracey.

  She was fun and witty and would grow to be a beautiful woman, judging by her mother's looks. Speaking of, Mary Davis would surely teach her daughter all kinds of household spells and techniques, and Harry could see Tracey flourishing in managing the household—maybe even giving Dobby a run for his money when it came to cooking.

  Harry only knew Tracey for a few months, but that was far more than the average noble couple did in Westeros. Could he envision a life with her by his side? A vision came to his mind: Harry at his full height with a blonde woman to rival Cersei Lannister in beauty, holding his arm lovingly, and he grinned inwardly—it wouldn't be a bad life.

  But what about Susan? A voice called in protest, and instantly, Harry's illusions were shattered.

  He did not know much about House Bones, but they were not a particurly influential family. Old and honourable to be certain, but aside from Amelia Bones' position as director of the DMLE, the family offered little in the way of connections—even Susan's brothers worked in the DMLE. Elmer Bones was a tired old man, even if he had begun to attend Wizengamot meetings once more, according to Tariq Shafiq, but would House Bones compare in influence with House Greengrass? Most likely not, but that was still minor compared to the girl herself.

  The beautiful redhead held a close pce in his heart—she was loyal, intelligent, strong in magic and character (if slightly biased), and her powers greatly intrigued him. Not to mention the simple fact that she was inhumanly beautiful with a body that would send men into frenzies, but despite appreciating such beauty, Harry cared more about her character. She was not without her fws, but Harry liked Susan. He would not call it love, for he knew true love was something that took years to nurture and had to be tried and tested by the passage of time–something Jon learned from watching Eddard Stark's retionship with his wife. Harry could definitely imagine Susan standing by his side for the rest of his life.

  But would she or her family be amenable to a betrothal? He did not know, and even when he met them, they only saw him and Susan as children fooling around, a youthful fancy that was not to be taken seriously. Besides, it was far too early for him to discuss such things with Susan or her family—they did not share the hardships and rapport he had built with the Greengrasses.

  So what should he do? He was already dating Susan, but as Apollo said, it was a childish dalliance that could eventually lead to nothing. Tracey was more than willing to date him, even wed him, and the girl had hinted heavily that she would be open to sharing him, but Harry did not see Susan agreeing to that. He sighed tiredly. He did not expect to be spoiled for choice when it came to marriage.

  The gods had to be ughing at him, considering his marriage prospects back in Westeros.

  The door opened, and Apollo returned, "Tracey is freshening up and will wait by the firepce in a few minutes. Now, what will it be, Harry?"

  Love is the death of duty. Kill the boy, Jon Snow. Winter is almost upon us. Kill the boy and let the man be born.

  "I am…amenable to a betrothal with Tracey, but I would like to keep it secret for now." Harry finally decided. This was not the time to hesitate. He would need all the help he could get if he wanted to help Narcissa. "Of course, give me some time to clear up matters with Susan Bones, for I would rather not be a man known for my underhanded dealings."

  "Excellent!" Apollo grinned warmly and grabbed him into a tight embrace. "Once again, you show the quality of your character. Don't worry about any contracts or such nonsense—they would not be valid unless you're of age or your guardian signs it for you anyway, even with that partial emancipation you managed to get. I trust your word, and I would rather let you and Tracey enjoy school than rush anything. Who knows what the future may hold? My Tracey may decide you are not for her after all!"

  Harry chuckled along as they separated, "Thanks, Mr Green–"

  "Ah, ah! What did I say about calling me that?"

  "Not to, Apollo."

  "Brilliant. Now, we have time to discuss a few matters before you leave. Have you decided on a solicitor for young Lady Bck's trial?"

  "Dumbledore recommended Elphias Doge. Told me he agreed to come out of retirement to take the case but…"

  "Mr Doge is very knowledgeable in matters of w. He did write several of them when he was Director of the DMLE back in the forties and fifties, and had served as Special Advisor to the Wizengamot after the war. You say Dumbledore recommended him? Personally?"

  "Yes, he was the one who provided me with the evidence I showed Cuffe. He wanted to help more, but his hands were tied due to his position as Chief Warlock."

  "Intriguing. I did not expect that. So the old dragon has indeed finally awoken from his slumber." Apollo rubbed his chin before cpping his shoulder. "Something for us to look into ter. We will have plenty of time to work out the kinks around the legalese. Let's get you back to school now. Speaking of, how are your manor and nds? Any developments with the Wildnd?"

  Harry smiled as he and Apollo chatted. The man trusted him enough to admit he desired to venture into the Wildnd and see if he could start that guild they discussed during his party. It was nothing new, but Harry got the impression that the older man saw him as a son; it was both endearing yet jarring, for Eddard Stark firmly held the position of father in his heart.

  Yet, having Apollo Greengrass as a goodfather was hardly a bad thing.

  "So, does Tracey know?" Harry suddenly asked.

  "Not yet. I have yet to even tell Estelle or Mary." Apollo allowed a sly grin to appear on his face. "You know, I don't think I will tell Tracey either. She's been chasing you relentlessly, hasn't she?"

  "Yeah, it was…fun, though now with the betrothal and my retionship with Susan…"

  "Let's keep it that way, then. I would not want to ruin the fun of the chase for my daughter. As for Miss Bones… I do not envy your position, Harry. Whether you gently let her know or even seduce her to your side, it is up to you. Having the Bones family as friends would definitely be useful in the future."

  Harry gawked at how flippantly the man suggested he seduce another girl, just as they agreed on a betrothal with his daughter. "You're not worried Susan may somehow convince me to marry her and align with House Bones instead?"

  Apollo ughed.

  "No, it is not Susan Bones I am worried about. Never mind," he expined, seeing Harry's confusion. "I will admit the ss is quite the catch. Don't be so surprised, son. I've seen her and can tell there is something exceptional about her. If you can secure her loyalty somehow, she will be a force to be reckoned with in the future."

  For a moment, Harry wondered if Apollo knew more about Susan's condition than he was letting on—it almost sounded like he was confident she would become a magical powerhouse. Such people were rare, those who were loved by magic so much that they ended up being a pilr in their community, like Dumbledore…or the worst of Dark Lords.

  Still, if it weren't Susan who Apollo feared would steal him away from Tracey, then who?

  "Regardless, I have full faith you will treat my daughter right," Apollo continued, though his grip on his shoulders tightened. "Otherwise, we will have serious problems."

  "Don't worry, I have already given my word. I already like Tracey and would never do anything to upset her purposely, betrothal or not."

  "Good man. Ah, here we are."

  They arrived in the foyer to find a drowsy Tracey being fussed over by her mother while Estelle watched from the side. They turned to them as they arrived, Tracey smiling tiredly at him for a moment before looking questioningly at her father.

  "Oh, there you are," Mary greeted. "What took you so long? Showing young Harry your trophy room?"

  "Something like that, dear. Now, you two better be off. I don't know how you sneaked away from school, but I'm sure it will not be easy sneaking back in at nearly midnight."

  "We should be fine." Tracey shrugged and grinned at him. "Time is not really a problem for us."

  Apollo looked confused, but Mary tittered. Tracey's father raised an eyebrow at his blonde wife, yet Mary giggled harder. Shrugging, he stood between his two wives and raised his arms expectantly to Tracey. His friend smiled warmly as she skipped into her father's arms, then hugged Estelle and her mother. The sight caused Harry's heart to clench a little, but he felt butterflies in his stomach when Estelle beckoned him over and hugged him as well.

  "You be safe now, Harry. Know that you are always welcome in our home." The silver-haired witch patted his cheek before releasing him.

  Harry stood beside Tracey, turned to her parents and bowed his head. "Thank you for all you have done for me. I will take good care of Tracey and make sure she is safe in bed and ready for school in the morning."

  Just as he noticed Estelle's eyebrow raising, he grabbed a fistful of floo and threw it in the fire. "Potter Manor."

  Harry motioned for Tracey to go through the green fire first, the blonde girl stifling a yawn as she entered. He turned one st time at the man and his two wives; for a moment, he imagined himself in his pce with a loving wife in each arm before shaking his head. He envied Daphne and her sisters for having such loving parents more than anything.

  The trip through the floo was rougher than usual, but he chalked it up to his exhaustion.

  Harry carefully sneaked to his bed in Gryffindor Tower. His dorm mates were snoring away without a worry in the world as he nearly tripped over Seamus's shoes and had to hold on to the furnace's pipe in the middle of the room or else risk falling on Dean's bed. The hot metal barely registered as he cursed his dorm mate's untidiness; he was exhausted.

  Once he and Tracey returned to his home, he left a note for the sleeping Chiara and collected a simirly tired Hermione from his library before taking the Floo to the Hogshead. It was a miracle Aberforth left the firepce open for them since they forgot to tell him they would return the same way, but Ariana was happy to guide them back to the castle. It had taken them an hour in total to sneak back into Hogwarts, drop Tracey near her common room, and then sneak back to Gryffindor Tower under the invisibility cloak.

  Dodging prefects, ghosts, portraits, and teachers was an adventure on its own. Thankfully, his senses did not fail him as he even managed to smell Mrs Norris from two corridors away.

  He let out a massive yawn as he finally found his bed and promptly colpsed on it, kicking his boots off and tucking in with his socks and clothes on. Instantly, he found himself in the Godswood of his mind, Ghost waiting for him.

  "Hello, boy." Even in his mind, he felt lethargic, but Harry needed to review what had happened today, both during csses and in the meetings. This had been the longest day in both of his lives so far, but perhaps it would not hurt to unwind with his direwolf a bit. "How is it going with you?"

  Ghost huffed as he rubbed his chin and scratched the top of his head, right behind the ears. Yes, he could py with Ghost a bit more. Tomorrow was going to be just as hectic.

  No rest for the wicked and all that.

  A*L*S*M

  Friday, 3rd of September

  The Great Hall

  "Where were you all yesterday, Harry? You practically disappeared after Dumbledore's speech."

  Harry had barely sat at the table, grumbling about oversleeping and missing his training, when Neville greeted him.

  "Exploring the castle." He mumbled as he grabbed some buttered toast and spread cheese and ham on it before biting half of it in one go.

  "Oh, okay. It's just you were gone until after curfew." Neville whispered, "Is everything alright?"

  Harry paused for a moment before chewing thoughtfully, "I'm fine. Just tired. Oh, there's Hermione." His bushy-haired friend joined their table, looking much better than he did. "Well, you look chipper."

  "Why wouldn't I?" Hermione beamed as she grabbed a bowl of porridge. "I've been eagerly awaiting Ancient Runes csses. Such a fascinating subject and highly misunderstood." She leaned closer and whispered, "Did you know some people think it's just learning dead nguages?"

  Harry grimaced inwardly at her giggle. "No way," he deadpanned. "What about you, Neville?"

  "I also have Ancient Runes, but don't you have Muggle Studies, Hermione? You would have to be in two pces at once."

  "Don't be silly, Neville. No one can be in two pces at once. Now, let's finish breakfast, or we'll risk being te."

  Harry had to stifle a snort at Hermione's bald-faced lie. Neville looked confused but was quickly distracted by Seamus. Harry inspected the rest of the Gryffindor table; the Weasley twins were speaking in hushed voices with the Carrow twins of all people, but that was natural since they were cousins. Oh, Maddie just barged in and joined them as well, giving him and Hermione a smile when she caught him staring.

  Over at the Slytherin table, Tracey and Daphne were whispering urgently. Judging by Daphne's frown and Tracey's smirk, he wagered she was teasing her sister about her whereabouts st night.

  Daphne would not need to wait long for the truth, however, as the mail arrived. There were far more owls than normal, many of them subscription owls for the Daily Prophet. Hedwig dropped his copy before flying off after receiving a treat. Harry needed only to gnce at the front page to know that all the drama of st night was worth it.

  The entire Great Hall seemed to come alive as all signs of drowsiness evaporated. Urgent whispers and worried calls filled the air; even the teachers looked stricken at the staff table.

  "Harry?" He gnced at Hermione as she set down the paper and pointedly stared at him. "Aren't you interested?"

  He swallowed the st of his breakfast, washed it down with a cup of tea, and spread out the paper. "Might as well."

  DEMENTORS MURDER STUDENT ON THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS! TRESPASSERS IN THE MINISTRY! DOLORES UMBRIDGE MISSING!

  By: Era Evergreen

  This is an update on yesterday's article by Rita Skeeter, "Murder on the Hogwarts Express", with more information and devastating consequences.

  It has come to the knowledge of this reporter that a group of dementors that should have been stationed in Hogsmeade have attacked the Hogwarts Express and murdered third-year student Draco Malfoy. Professor Severus Snape was also injured in the scuffle and has yet to awaken in St Mungo's. Witnesses cim a student had used an enchanted sword to sy the monsters but was unable to save young Mr Malfoy as he fell from the train to his death in an attempt to escape the dementors' clutches.

  (For more information on House Malfoy and its history, turn to page three.)

  There is hope that Potions Master Severus Snape, who had suffered the dementor's kiss, could eventually recover. An anonymous source cims that following the destruction of the dementors, the souls trapped inside the abominations escaped, with Professor Snape's soul returning to his body. We wish him a swift recovery, yet for now, Hogwarts has found a repcement for the position of Potions Master with the return of the reputable Master Potioneer Horace Slughorn.

  (For more information on Horace Slughorn and Severus Snape, turn to page five and the Potions segment.)

  A reminder, dear readers, that the dementors were stationed in Hogsmeade by order of none other than Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic, Dolores Jane Umbridge. That's right, readers; we all remember our Minister's very own second-in-command boasting of her ability to control the dementors in Diagon Alley st month (check page two for a summary of that previous article), but the rot does not merely stop there. Evidence has surfaced showing Dolores Umbridge bragging about ordering the dementors to attack the Express in search of criminal activity, in a train full of our children!

  Mere hours after the attack on the Hogwarts Express, a grieving mother arrived at the Ministry demanding justice for her murdered son. Narcissa Bck, dressed in mourning bck, was forced to defend herself after trespassers in the Ministry suddenly attacked her. Those trespassers were ter identified as unscrupulous wands for hire illegally employed by Dolores Umbridge as her personal thugs. Witnesses reported that the Senior Undersecretary had coerced them to remain in the Ministry after hours and tried to draft them into an unsanctioned and openly unwful combat mission.

  "She wanted us as her meat shields!" Sobbed Mrs Edgecombe of the Floo Network Office. "We were lied to about the attack on the Express, and that vile woman threatened us with treason if we did not protect her."

  Upon Narcissa Bck's arrival, many witnesses used that chance to hide in the Minister for Magic's office.

  All but one brave witness who managed to use an Omniocurs to record a magnificent and awe-inspiring duel where the grieving mother, filled with righteous fury, took on and defeated her twelve foes before demanding justice for her murdered son.

  It was then that Dolores Umbridge callously brushed away the murder of Draco Malfoy.

  "Even if the dementors decided to have a snack, you fallen nobles are no better than mudbloods and blood traitors anyway!"

  I would like to remind dear readers that Omniocurs record both sight and sound, and a copy of the recording has already been submitted to the DMLE and has been authenticated to be used as evidence.

  For more information on Dolores Umbridge, see page—

  Harry pced down the newspaper, frowning outwardly but grinning inwardly; Era had done better than he expected. She even managed to omit his name, though he had no doubt the rest of the school would write to their parents and share their own tales. He gnced around the Hall; everyone was shocked. Many of them were awed as they watched a picture of a bloodied Narcissa duelling Umbridge, a few of them were horrified at another picture showing the trapped thugs about to be consumed by the fming dragon, only to loop back just before it would strike.

  Yet judging by the whispers, nearly everyone supported Narcissa's actions, or at least saw her as he envisioned: a grieving mother fighting against the corrupt Ministry.

  "Attention, students!" McGonagall suddenly stood, her lips pursed and her face stony. "Breakfast is nearly over. Do not forget you have csses."

  "Come on, Hermione," Harry said as he quickly stood, noticing several students eyeing him curiously. "Wouldn't want to miss our first lesson."

  Hermione joined him along with Susan and Hannah as he exited the Great Hall. He had done what he could for Narcissa Bck; all that remained was to wait.

  Harry officially has a fiancée. A major blow to the Susan shippers. Can she recover from such a powerful blow?