Revelations and Romance

Revelations and Romance chapter 14/25

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14: A Revelation of a Romance

February 17th

After Thursday's Quidditch practice and dinner, Harry wrote a letter to the Daily Prophet, with suggestions from Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

To the Editor,

I have read your largely fictitious article about me, in Wednesday's edition. I would like to make the following points:

1. Hermione Granger has never been my girlfriend.

2. Ron and Hermione are both still my friends, and I'm happy for them.

3. I don't have any suicidal feelings.

You refer to me as a 'beacon of hope'. Does this mean that you believe that Voldemort has returned?

Please print a retraction in the next edition of your paper.

Harry Potter

'That sounds OK,' said Hermione. 'I hope they do print a retraction; I don't want more hate mail.'

'You'd better take your dragon-hide gloves to breakfast, just in case,' suggested Ginny.

'I'll take this to the Owlery then, if it's finished,' said Harry. He left the common room, and walked up to the Owlery, where he fed Hedwig some bread he'd kept from dinner, and gave her the letter to deliver.

Harry went slowly down through the castle, and realised he was near the sixth-floor corridor where Professor Malfoy's portrait hung. He went round to see him.

'Ah,' said the Professor. 'It's nice to see you again. Where's your girlfriend?'

'Girlfriend?' asked Harry, startled. 'I can't have a girlfriend -- it's too dangerous. I'd be worried that Riddle would try to kill any girl he might think I loved.'

The figure in the painting sighed. 'I believe your concern is justified. But when you were here with Miss Weasley, you had your arm around her. I assumed she was your girlfriend.'

Harry didn't want to lie, even to a painting. 'She was upset, so I hugged her to make her feel better. She's my best friend's sister.'

'And, of course, you have also saved her life once before. You would hardly endanger her now.'

Harry smiled.

'Perhaps I should not have mentioned you to my grandson, then.'

'Did you tell him you thought she was my girlfriend?' Harry asked, alarmed.

'I am afraid that I did. I should have considered the risk to the poor girl, as I cannot be certain that my grandson might not pass the information to Lucius.'

'I'd better go and tell some people about this,' said Harry.

'I understand. Good-bye for now, Mr Potter.'

Harry was no longer enjoying his leisurely walk through the castle. He hurried back to the common room and sank into his chair. He told the other three about the conversation.

'Malfoy's not allowed to know!' exclaimed Ron. 'Even Mum and Dad don't know about you and Ginny!'

'He just got the wrong impression when I hugged Ginny,' said Harry dully. 'The worst is, it's the right impression really.'

'That's ... awful,' said Ginny.

'Should we stop pretending? I want to hug you again now.'

Hermione stood, went over to the younger girl, and hugged her. 'This isn't as good, but it's less suspicious,' she said. When she let go, Ron hugged his sister too.

Harry grinned. 'Well, as long as everyone else is doing it ...' He hugged her after Ron sat back down. Ginny grinned back at him.

'Let's just hope Malfoy doesn't believe his grandfather,' said Hermione.

'I hope not,' said Ron. 'We've only just convinced people that you're not Harry's girlfriend.'

'Just when I thought you were all safe, this happens,' said Harry. 'I suppose if we don't hear anything in the next few days, it'll mean that nobody believed Professor Malfoy.'

*

On Friday morning, Pig returned, with a letter for Ron. He opened it, and his permission slip fell out, with Mr Weasley's signature now on it. He smiled, and looked at Hermione, who smiled back. He put it and the letter into a pocket to read later, as there was a little more privacy in the common room. He and Hermione had three other letters between them, all containing abuse in response to the Daily Prophet article.

'At least they'll get your letter soon,' said Ron.

'Hurry up and finish eating,' said Harry. 'We said we'd go and talk to Dobby now.'

'More spew,' said Ron, but he ate faster.

'S.P.E.W.' said Hermione with exaggerated patience.

Harry, Ron and Hermione went down to the kitchen. Ginny wouldn't have minded seeing the kitchens, and meeting Dobby, but thought it better not to be seen with Harry too much at the moment.

Hermione tickled the painted pear, opening the door to the kitchen.

'Harry Potter, sir!' came an excited voice, and Dobby ran over to greet them.

'Where's Winky?' asked Hermione, looking around.

'Winky is not here any more,' said Dobby sadly.

'What happened to her?' asked Harry.

'Winky is wanting a family again, not a school, and she is leaving Hogwarts, and ...' Dobby looked distressed.

'What did she do?' asked Hermione gently.

'Winky is going to Dobby's old master and working for him,' Dobby said sadly. 'Winky is not paid, and is not having real clothes either. She is not free now.'

'She went to the Malfoys?' asked Ron in disbelief. 'Why would she do that?'

'Winky is knowing that they are needing a house-elf now Dobby is here and their new house-elf is gone, and she is needing a family to serve. Her old family are all dead or mindless.'

'But that's awful,' said Hermione. 'They'll mistreat her, just as they did you.'

Dobby nodded, looking sadder than Harry had seen him since he'd freed him from Lucius Malfoy. 'Bandy was their house-elf before Dobby, and the master killed her.'

Hermione checked her watch. 'I have to go to Ancient Runes; I'll see you later.' She hurried off to her class.

'I'm sorry, Dobby. I wish Winky could have been happy here,' said Harry. 'I had another question though, and it's not ... well, it's a bit rude to house-elves.'

Dobby said loudly, 'Yes, a Galleon a week -- every week! Dobby gets one day off every month, too!' The other house-elves that were near Dobby drew back, and returned to their tasks, bringing the used plates and uneaten food down from the Great Hall by magic.

Harry grinned. 'That's a good way to get privacy,' he said quietly. 'Dobby, I've been having problems resisting a curse in class. I used to be able to do it, but now I can't, so something's changed.' He hesitated, searching for the best way to put this. 'I wondered if maybe a house-elf here was loyal to a different master, who'd sent him here to spy on the school, and if something was being added to my food to cause that problem.' He didn't think even Dobby would appreciate the suggestion a house-elf might be disloyal, and the idea of conflicting loyalties seemed the best way to approach it.

Dobby shook his head. 'Dobby is sure all the house-elves are loyal to Professor Dumbledore. If anything was in the food, it would be in the serving plates, and others would eat it too.'

'That's out, then,' said Ron. 'We usually get our food from the same serving plates, and I can resist Imperius OK. So can Hermione.'

'Thank you, Dobby,' said Harry. 'I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't that. Are you happy here?'

'Oh, yes!' said Dobby enthusiastically. 'Dobby is free, and still has work!'

'Have any of the others wanted freedom?'

Dobby turned and pointed out a few of the other elves. Harry realised he hadn't really had to ask -- four other elves were wearing clothes rather than the usual Hogwarts tea-towel.

'That'll cheer Hermione up,' said Ron with a smile. 'That makes five. Shame about Winky, though.'

Dobby sighed, and looked down at the ground. Harry wondered how close Dobby and Winky had become. Everybody seemed to be part of a couple, except for Ginny and himself, who couldn't admit they were.

'Look, we've got to go too,' said Ron. Dobby nodded, and Harry and Ron left the kitchen and headed up to the common room.

'What about the idea that the portrait had cast a spell on you?' asked Ron.

'I didn't ask. I was too surprised when he asked about Ginny. I don't really want to go back and talk to him just yet, either.'

'So it still could be him.'

Back in the common room, Ron sat and read his letter. Harry was doing a Divination essay, and wishing he'd borrowed Ginny's Tarot deck again.

'They're hinting a lot,' said Ron, as he finished the letter. 'Want to see how bad at subtlety they are?'

'Isn't it personal?'

'It's not as personal as you knowing I've been sleeping with Hermione, so I don't mind if you want to look. I'll show Hermione, too. Not Ginny, though.'

Harry took the letter and read it.

Dear Ron,

You're a dark horse, aren't you? You didn't mention any girls when we came to visit, and suddenly it's Valentine's Day and you're asking for this to be signed. You must have got a pretty good Valentine's card!

Here's your permission slip, signed. I'm glad you asked me, instead of forging my signature on it. Not that I could blame you if you had, since that's what I did when I was your age. It would have been nice if you could have talked to me about it here, instead of via a letter, though.

Since I didn't have the opportunity to talk to you, I'll have to write what I would have said here. This will have to be general, since I don't know if you've got a particular girl in mind.

Don't forget to actually hand in the permission slip and get the potion! I know it may sound obvious, but there were two pupils a few years before us who didn't bother with that detail, and were very surprised when the girl became pregnant, even though they'd both got signatures.

I'm not really sure how to phrase this next bit. Basically, look before you leap. Any relationship needs a lot of commitment. Your mother says you probably know about our late-night 'strolls'. Obviously, we're still together, and our relationship started in our schooldays, so early love can last. The important thing is to take it slowly. Rome could have been built in a day with magical help, but relationships can't.

My next point is about anticipation. You may be disappointed the first time you make love to a girl, not because anything's wrong, but because you've been thinking about it for so long that the reality just doesn't live up to your imagination. If you're aware of that, it'll be easier to get over the disappointment.

It's probably too early to say this, but your mother and I would like to meet this girl, if the two of you are serious about each other. You don't have to tell her that to begin with, though.

Love,

Dad.

Dear Ron,

Oh, this is good! I really hope you and this girl are serious, and want to get married. None of your brothers except Percy seems to want to do that, and you know how his and Penny's 'relationship' is going.

I keep wondering who this girl might be. Is she in Gryffindor? In the same year as you? (If she's younger, don't rush into anything -- think how you'd feel if someone was pushing Ginny too fast.) I don't really know enough about the girls in your year to guess who she might be. Or maybe you're pinning your hopes on an anonymous Valentine. If so, I hope your expectations aren't too high -- you don't know who might have sent it. (I wouldn't put it past the twins, for instance.)

Don't worry too much about your father's advice. It's good, but let things go naturally, don't try to plan everything out to the last detail.

I know things have changed at Hogwarts since my day, but just in case this is the same: there was a very useful room four doors along from McGonagall's office -- start with it on your right. In our day, it was comfortably furnished, and someone had put special charms on the door so that it wouldn't open if somebody was already inside. I won't say what we used it for.

Love,

Mum.

Harry gave the letter back to Ron. 'Interesting advice. Is "wait until she's sixteen" the family motto, or something?'

'Don't be silly. Anyway, I'm not dumb enough to think I don't need the actual potion,' said Ron. 'I can't believe anybody else was, even back then. It's probably some story the teachers spread to make sure people were careful.'

'I wonder if you will be disappointed the first time you make love to this mystery girl, whoever she is,' Harry said with an impish grin.

Ron shook his head. 'Definitely not. That might be because I didn't get any time to think about it, Hermione just surprised me.'

'So you didn't have any anticipation at all?' Harry sighed. 'I shouldn't have read Hermione's book. I keep having dreams about it. By the time it's safe to do anything, I might have had years of anticipation.'

'You're not even allowed to dream about Ginny until she's sixteen!'

'Oh, shut up. Who else would you like me to dream about, Hermione?'

'How about Lavender? Or Parvati -- you went with her to the Yule Ball.'

'That's a hundred and thirty-one, isn't it?'

'Oh, not you as well!' groaned Ron. 'It's bad enough with the two girls doing it!'

'I'm just filling in while they're not here,' said Harry. 'I did once have a dream with Lavender and Parvati in, though.'

'Both of them?' Ron asked, grinning.

'Yes, both. I cast the Killing Curse on them in my dream.'

'Ah. Not quite the sort of dream I was imagining, then.'

'That was when they were still spreading gossip about Hermione and me.'

'Do you think they've really stopped?' asked Ron.

'Seamus said Lavender was terrified, and anyway, now that the Daily Prophet believes you two are a couple, maybe they'll finally believe it.' Harry looked at his watch. 'I'll have to leave for DADA soon.'

'Don't tell Hermione what's in the letter! I want her to read it herself.'

'OK. Then you probably want to find the room your mother mentioned, right? So that you don't have to always use that bathroom?'

'I'd like to see what it's like -- and if it's still there.'

'Well, I'd better go and murder some target dummies,' Harry said.

The DADA lesson followed the same pattern as before, with Harry and Hermione blocking each other's curses cast on the target dummies, and then blocking curses cast on themselves. At the end of the lesson, Dumbledore praised their skills, and gave them a further five points each.

'Now, Harry, there is the question of how well you can resist the Imperius Curse. Professor McCardle has told me that you can think of no reason why you can no longer resist it.'

Harry told him how he'd suspected the food, and how Dobby had reassured him.

'Ron and I usually take our food from the same plates that Harry does, and we can both resist it,' added Hermione.

'I think it very unlikely that any house-elf could be persuaded to do something against my wishes, as they consider me their master,' said Dumbledore.

'We found out that Winky left and is working for the Malfoys,' said Hermione. 'I suppose nothing can be done about that?'

'If you wish house-elves to have their freedom, you must accept that that includes the freedom to take actions you think unwise, including, apparently, the freedom to choose to give up their freedom. I do not think you need worry about Winky. She is happy doing what she is doing.'

On the way down to lunch, Hermione said, 'I suppose the first bit is true. I can't force her to come back if I believe in house-elf freedom. I can't believe she can be happy in Malfoy Manor, though.'

'Not after knowing what Dobby had to put up with,' agreed Harry. 'But I suppose Dumbledore's right.'

'At least you've stopped suspecting Dumbledore now.'

'I think I've got to the point where I'm suspecting my motives for thinking anything's suspicious,' he said glumly. 'I'm going mad. Ginny's right, that is Voldemort's plan.'

'I don't think so. Re-examining your suspicions is an improvement.'

'Yes. It'll stop me accusing you for no reason at all. I'm really sorry about that.'

'I know. I said that I forgave you.'

Harry nodded. 'I wonder if I am under the Imperius Curse, and just don't know it? McCardle said that might explain it.'

'I don't see how. If that's what's stopping you resisting it, the first Curse wouldn't have worked, because you could still have resisted it then.'

He laughed. 'That's true. So it can't be that. Oh well, I am just going mad then.'

Ron gave Hermione the letter at lunchtime, so she could read it while he was in his duelling class. He also told her about the other four house-elves who had accepted freedom, which cheered her up after the news about Winky. Following her last lesson of the day, Hermione sat in the common room, reading the letter. Harry watched her, guessing by her expressions which part she had just read. When she'd finished, she put it into her pocket and grinned.

'Can I read it?' asked Ginny.

Hermione shook her head. 'Ron asked me not to show it to you.'

'Huh, big brothers.'

'All your brothers are big brothers,' Harry reminded her, echoing her earlier comment. She giggled.

'I suppose your parents will tell you the same things next year, if you give them one of those permission slips to sign. They'd probably rather talk to you than write a letter, anyway. Ron didn't give them much choice,' said Hermione.

'I suppose that would mean I could ask them things I wasn't sure about,' Ginny said, blushing slightly.

'What sort of thing?' asked Harry.

'It doesn't matter! Anyway, it'll depend what they say to me, and whether I understand it all without having to ask anything.'

'Well, we ought to go and meet Ron for dinner,' said Hermione, standing up.

*

As expected, Saturday morning's owl post brought lots of letters for Ron and Hermione. They opened a few of them to check, but they were all accusatory. Two contained undiluted Bubotuber Pus, but they had taken Ginny's suggestion and worn dragon-hide gloves to open the letters.

'You're safe from You-Know-Who -- I hope -- but now everybody else hates you both,' said Harry sadly. 'I hope they do print that retraction.'

To cheer themselves up, Ron and Hermione went in search of the room mentioned in his mother's letter. When they returned to the common room, Harry noticed they both looked puzzled. Ginny was talking to the Emrys twins about some homework, so Harry asked what Ron and Hermione had found.

'Did you find the room? Has it changed since your parents were here?'

'It's changed a lot,' said Ron. 'We went to McGonagall's office, and walked along the corridor to find the fourth door along.'

'I guessed that much.'

'There's only two doors, and then there's the stairs down. We went two more doors past the stairs, and that's Binns' classroom, so that's not it.'

'Could she have got mixed up with left and right? That was years ago,' suggested Harry.

'We thought of that,' said Hermione. 'In the other direction, there's the DADA classroom. Things must have changed a lot since her day.'

'Oh, well. You still have the old reliable Prefects' bathroom.'

'Yes,' said Ron, grinning. 'We can tell Mum the room isn't there any more, and pretend we aren't doing anything.'

'Or you could tell them,' Hermione reminded him. 'Both of them told you enough in the letter that it's just as if they're asking you to tell them.'

'I can't do that! Just imagine their expressions!'

'If you write them another letter to tell them, you won't have to see their expressions until they've got used to the idea,' Harry told him.

'That's a good idea. After all, you did that with your permission slip,' said Hermione.

'Maybe,' said Ron reluctantly. 'I'll think about that.'

*

During Sunday's lunch, there was a commotion at the Slytherin table. Crabbe and Goyle were arguing with others, and Malfoy wasn't there. Nor was Raine, who entered the Great Hall after Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. She looked furious, and came over to Fen, who was sitting near Ginny and the others.

'What's the matter?' asked Fen.

'Malfoy,' replied Raine through gritted teeth. 'I caught him in my dorm after breakfast, going through all my stuff!'

'What?' asked Ginny.

'I Stunned him and dragged him back to the common room. He's in the hospital wing, after the way I dragged him. I don't think he had time to steal anything, though.'

'I knew he wasn't any good, but I didn't think he'd steal from people in his own house,' said Fen in amazement.

'But boys aren't allowed in girls' dorms! Not even Prefects,' said Ginny.

'Definitely not,' said Ron, looking at Hermione, who pretended to swat him.

'If he was just in there to see one of my dorm-mates, I wouldn't care. But he was trying to steal my stuff!' said Raine.

'Do you think it was general?' asked Fen. 'Or is there something you've got that he wanted?'

Raine shrugged. 'I don't know, but I've complained to Snape and I hope he loses his Prefect's badge. Snape's kept me busy all morning going over and over the details. I haven't got a single bit of homework done.'

'Yes!' crowed Ron. 'This'll do it.'

Despite her anger, Raine grinned at Ron's enthusiasm. 'You've been waiting for this, have you?'

'Malfoy not a Prefect? Yes!'

'But you say everything's still there?' asked Fen.

'I think so. He made a real mess of all my things though -- they were thrown all over the floor.'

'People do that when they're in the wrong dorm looking for something,' said Harry, looking at Ginny with a smile on his face. She pulled a face at him.

'What?' asked Raine.

'Never mind him,' said Ginny. 'So there's no real harm, it's just that there could have been?'

'Yes, that's right,' said Raine.

During the afternoon, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny decided they'd done enough homework for now and played wizard chess. Ginny looked up from her game against Harry when Fen entered the room and came over to her.

'Guess what Malfoy's excuse is,' she said, sitting in the empty chair beside Ginny.

'He probably said that Slytherin Prefects are allowed to steal,' Ginny replied.

'No, not quite. Apparently Snape went to see him in the hospital wing, and Malfoy claimed that Raine spends too much time talking to us, and is a "house traitor".'

'What is that meant to mean?' asked Ron, looking up from his game.

Fen shrugged. 'He claims that when he was "searching" Raine's stuff, he found a Gryffindor tie or something in our house colours -- but then Raine Stunned him before he could pull it out of her trunk to check what it was.'

'Why would Raine have one of our ties? He's just being silly,' said Ginny.

'He's making desperate excuses to keep his badge. Snape decided to believe him ...'

'What? That's ridiculous,' exclaimed Ginny.

'... and he told Pansy Parkinson to search her stuff again, and Raine had to leave their common room and dorms while Pansy was searching. She was in the Entrance Hall when I saw her. She was even more angry than at lunch.'

'I don't blame her,' said Harry. 'I wonder who the new Prefect will be.'

'You're really convinced he's innocent, aren't you?' asked Hermione, smiling.

'It couldn't happen to a nastier boy. I like Raine, and none of us has any reason to like Malfoy,' said Harry.

Fen smiled, and went to tell Shona about it.

The four of them continued their games, while also discussing what Malfoy had done in the past. Ginny mostly listened, as she'd had more problems with his father, and they all knew about those.

At dinner, Raine came over to see Fen again. This time, she looked much happier.

'Good news?' asked Fen.

Raine nodded. 'Pansy didn't find anything, of course. Now even Snape doesn't believe Malfoy; he's written to his dad, Malfoy's got detentions -- I don't know how many -- and he told Dumbledore that he's going to be putting someone else's name forward as Prefect, for Dumbledore to approve.'

'We need Butterbeer to celebrate,' said Ron happily.

'We'll have to wait until next Saturday though,' said Ginny. 'Never mind, by then we'll know for certain if he's lost his badge.'

'We can celebrate with pumpkin juice until Saturday, anyway,' said Ron.

'We've got a Prefects' meeting on Sunday, so it'll have to be announced by then, at least,' said Harry.

'If that does happen, I want to be the one who writes to Dad to tell him!' gloated Ron.

Ginny giggled. 'OK.'

'I asked Snape if Malfoy's dorm is going to be searched for other stolen property, too. He thought it was a good idea,' said Raine.

'Good-bye, Malfoy,' Ron said cheerfully.

*

Malfoy was back from the hospital wing, and sitting at the Slytherin table at breakfast on Monday. Ron was pleased to see how unhappy he looked.

'Don't you think that you're enjoying this a bit too much?' Harry asked him.

'No. It's his family that were behind Hermione getting Petrified and Ginny almost dying. This doesn't even go halfway to serving him right.'

Ginny frowned.

'It's their fault,' insisted Ron. 'Nobody else's, whether you believe that or not.'

'It was You-Know-Who's fault too,' said Harry. 'But Ron's got a point. I won't mind not having to see Malfoy at Prefects' meetings, either.'

At this point, the owls arrived in the Hall. Ginny got an answer to her last letter home, and Shona got her usual copy of the Daily Prophet. Ron and Hermione looked at their post, still wearing their dragon-hide gloves for protection. At least there wasn't as much of it now.

'I wonder if they did print a retraction,' said Harry, looking at Shona reading her paper.

'I'll tell you if I find one,' she said. 'It's probably hidden in about half an inch on an inside page.'

The Gryffindors got on with eating their breakfasts, until Shona suddenly gasped and asked, 'Ginny, is this true?'

'What?' asked Ginny. Shona passed her the paper, open again at the gossip section.

Good news for the Boy who Lived

Fifteen-year-old Harry Potter has recovered from the shock of being jilted by his girlfriend, Hermione Granger, in favour of his former best friend, Ronald Weasley.

The youngest member of the Weasley family, fifteen-year-old Virginia Weasley, is now reported to be Harry's new girlfriend. This has caused a split in the Weasley family, with some members siding with Ronald and others agreeing with Virginia's actions.

The Daily Prophet applauds Harry Potter's recovery from his earlier suicidal mood, and wishes him and his new love every happiness.

'"Every happiness"?' echoed Ginny. 'They're trying to kill me!'

'This is terrible,' said Harry. 'That stupid Professor Malfoy. Draco Malfoy's behaving just like last year and telling their reporters.'

'What am I going to do?'

'I don't know. I'm sorry, Ginny, this should never have happened.'

'I know it wasn't your idea. I shouldn't have gone to see that stupid painting.'

Ron and Hermione had been reading the item while the other two were talking.

'What's this about a split? We're all still talking!' said Ron angrily.

'It's bound to be Malfoy making trouble again,' said Hermione.

Harry gave the paper back to Shona. 'Thanks for showing us.' He put his arm around Ginny and hugged her. 'I don't think there's much point in denying you're my girlfriend any more.'

'No. At least that's a consolation,' she said, smiling at him.

He smiled back. 'I think we should go and see Dumbledore and ask him about this. How about at morning break?'

'OK.'

Harry went over to the teachers' table. Dumbledore wasn't there, but McGonagall was, and he asked her if she thought it would be OK. He returned to the others. 'She says it's OK, and she even told me the new password to his office.'

'I'm glad you know where it is, because I don't,' said Ginny.

'The entrance is on the first floor. Let's meet at the top of the stairs from the Entrance Hall.'

Ginny nodded.

Following Charms, Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried down to the agreed place.

'We won't come with you,' said Ron. He and Hermione continued down the stairs to wait outside before the Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Ginny passed them on the way up, and smiled at them.

'Dumbledore will think of something,' she said confidently. Harry wasn't quite as confident, but nodded and led her to the gargoyle that hid the entrance.

'Fudge Flies!' he told the gargoyle, which moved aside to reveal the staircase. They went up it and Harry knocked on the door.

'Enter,' came Dumbledore's voice. When they entered, he indicated two chairs in front of his desk, and they sat. There was a copy of the Daily Prophet on his desk.

'This is indeed unfortunate,' he told them. 'I assume, Harry, that you had just been rejoicing in the announcement that Miss Granger is not your girlfriend, and that she is therefore safe.'

'Yes, Professor. And then almost immediately, I made the mistake of hugging Ginny in front of Professor Malfoy's portrait, and he told his grandson.'

'Yes, Mondis has told me of this. He very much regrets it, but it is far too late for him to prevent the consequences. He mentioned that you had been to see him, with your girlfriend, unaware that his grandson knew nothing about your relationship.'

Harry nodded.

'Am I correct in thinking that it is true, and you therefore feel unable to simply deny the story?'

'Yes, it is true. We just tried not to let anyone except Ron and Hermione know. That meant we couldn't do anything except spend time together and hope everyone thought Ginny was just hanging around Ron a lot.'

'I haven't even told the twins, or my parents,' said Ginny. 'And now everyone who reads the paper knows, even You-Know-Who, probably.'

'I think that, in the interests of Miss Weasley's safety, a small lie would be excusable in this situation,' said Dumbledore. 'I approve of your unwillingness to lie, of course.'

'I'd better write another letter to them. Maybe if I write enough, they'll retract this. Do you know anything about what You-Know-Who might be planning?'

'Several people have been investigating that very question. As yet, they have not found the answer, but have, I believe, helped restrict his ability to recruit allies.'

'The Prophet's first article about me this month called me a "beacon of hope". Do you think that means that they believe he's back, even if the Minister doesn't?' asked Harry.

'It may well do. I have no source inside the paper.'

'Is there anything you can do?' asked Ginny.

'I would like to be able to say that you, and everyone else, can feel safe here. After my failure to realise that Barty Crouch was impersonating Alastor Moody last year, however, I am no longer as certain of that.'

'I understand,' said Ginny, unable to hide her disappointment. Harry took her hand and squeezed it gently.

'I am sorry,' Dumbledore said to her. 'I believe you do now have lessons to go to, though.'

The two pupils left the office and went back out to the corridor.

'I'll see you later,' said Harry. 'At least you know now where his office is, if you need to see him for anything.'

'I even know the password,' she said, smiling slightly. 'See you at lunch.'

*

Following lunch, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny went outside and sat on a bench, looking out over the lake and Forbidden Forest. Raine came hurrying out of the castle, saw them sitting there and came over, no longer in a hurry. She sat on the next bench.

'Is it true, Ginny? If so, congratulations to you and to Harry.'

'It's true,' Ginny replied, 'but I'm not that happy.'

'Oh good, she's being rude to Harry, instead of me,' teased Ron.

'I'm not!' protested Ginny. She explained to Raine why Harry was worried about her safety.

'Oh,' said Raine frowning. 'I didn't realise -- I suppose it's obvious, now I think about it. I wish I could say something to make you feel better, but I really can't.'

'Even Dumbledore couldn't,' Ginny told her. 'It's not your fault.'

'But you're my friend. There must be something I can do.'

'They haven't bothered to print a retraction of the first story, although I sent them a letter telling them the truth,' said Harry. 'I wonder if it's worth writing a second one?'

Raine stood up and adopted a dramatic pose. 'I will not let the Dark Lord hurt my friend!' Ginny giggled, and Raine sat down again, smiling at her. 'Well, at least I got you to laugh.'

'Yes. Thanks. I wish it was as easy as that, though,' Ginny said. 'Harry is sure that You-Know-Who is plotting against him.'

'I'm sure he is,' said Raine. 'I don't mean that I hear anything about that in the common room, but my dad is sure something's being planned. I really wish he was wrong.' She looked more upset than Ginny had after reading the item. Ginny hugged her, making Raine smile slightly.

'Did your dad hear any details?' asked Harry.

'He's not told me any that he's heard.' She sighed. 'On a brighter note, Snape searched Malfoy's dorm, and found several things that girls had "lost" since Christmas. They were just hidden in his bed or trunk, as though he didn't expect anyone to suspect him.'

'Any idea who the new Prefect is going to be?' asked Ron happily.

'No, Snape's picked someone, but he hasn't even told him yet. I'd better go back in. Sorry, Ginny. I hope everything turns out all right. Are you going to invite me to your wedding?' she added, with an impish grin.

'Not until ...' Ron started.

'... long after I'm sixteen,' Ginny finished for him. 'It's this weird obsession my brother has.'

Raine grinned at them, and went back inside the castle.

'It is not weird! I'm just being protective of my little sister!' Ron protested.

*

The rest of the week seemed to Harry to be a mosaic of little incidents.

Following lunch on Wednesday, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny left the Great Hall to return to the common room, and saw Blaise Zabini sitting on the stairs.

'I was waiting for you,' said Blaise. 'Look, can we talk outside? It's a bit public around here.'

Harry was suspicious, but the others agreed and the five of them went outside. It was a cool day, and not many other pupils were around.

'Good, nobody can hear what I'm saying. Harry, you and Dumbledore are the only non-Death Eaters I know of who have ever survived meeting the Dark Lord. Some Slytherins, like Malfoy, seem to think that serving him is a good idea, but we don't all think that. I wondered -- if we hear anything about what the Dark Lord might be doing, we'd like to tell you and Dumbledore about it.'

'Thanks,' said Hermione. 'Harry?'

'Yes, thanks Blaise.'

'Harry's in a bit of an odd mood at the moment,' she explained. 'But we would like to hear about anything like that.'

'OK,' said Blaise. 'Queenie was the other one I talked to about this, so she might tell you things too.'

'Right, thanks,' said Harry.

Blaise looked at Ginny. 'And I think Raine tells you things too? So every little bit should help, I hope. I'd really like to see him gone again, or in Azkaban, or finally dead.'

Following this exchange, Blaise returned to the dungeons, while the four Gryffindors went back to their common room for the rest of the lunch hour and their free period.

'Do you trust Blaise yet?' Hermione asked Harry.

'I don't know. Maybe we'll only be told lies to put us off the real trail.'

Hermione sighed. 'Then you'll never accept any help.'

'Maybe it would be sensible to listen to Blaise then. Oh, I don't know!'

They sat quietly and got out their homework. Ron noticed that Ginny didn't seem to be any happier.

'Ginny, are you still worrying?'

'Of course I am,' she said. 'This is worse than my first year, in some ways, except I haven't done anything wrong and everyone knows about this.'

Ron took a piece of parchment from his bag and folded it. 'This won't help you, but it might cheer you up. It's what Mum wrote in my letter. Don't read Dad's, though.'

'OK.' She took the letter and read it. 'Have you looked at that room?'

Ron explained how he and Hermione had looked for it, and not found it. 'They must have changed it into a classroom at some point.'

'Oh well,' she said, handing him back the letter. 'After seeing the room that Fred and George take turns using, it would have been interesting to see the room Mum and Dad used.'

'She doesn't actually say what they did there, and I like it better that way,' said Ron.

Ginny giggled at him. 'Maybe they practised a lot, so that when they got married they could have all seven of us.'

'Oh, you're as bad as Hermione! I don't want to think about this.'

'Oh, Mum and Dad's letter asked if the story was true about you and Hermione being together. I don't think they ever expected her to like you that much. They didn't believe the bits about suicide and not talking, though.'

'Oh, good, that's that out of the way,' said Ron.

Harry, Ron and Hermione went to their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, where McCardle made an announcement.

'By now, all of you except Miss Brown, Mr Longbottom and Mr Potter can resist the Imperius Curse. Mr Thomas is still unable to completely resist it. I do not intend to continue further with this, now that over half of the class is merely watching. Mr Thomas, I would like you to try once more.'

Harry watched glumly as Dean managed to resist the Curse completely this time.

'Excellent. Now, we will be continuing with a look at the mindset of evil wizards, on the grounds that only by understanding your enemies can you anticipate their actions. Miss Brown and Mr Longbottom, I would like you to attend extra practice sessions after classes on Mondays, until you too can resist the Imperius Curse.'

'What about Harry?' asked Lavender. 'He can't resist it either.'

'No. However, he knows how to resist it, and Professor Dumbledore and I are still trying to determine why he is no longer able to do so. There is no point in him practising until we have an answer.'

*

The owl post on Thursday morning still brought a few letters of abuse for Ron and Hermione, but not as many as there had been. There was other post too: Shona got her usual copy of the Daily Prophet, and six owls carried in a long, thin parcel between them, and delivered it to Hermione.

'That has to be your broom,' said Harry, looking at the package. 'Are you going to open it?'

'I'll wait until lunch, I think,' she said. 'It's good timing -- I can use it in today's training session.'

Shona looked over at them. 'Do you want to hear something completely unbelievable?'

'Malfoy's going to Azkaban?' suggested Ron cheerfully.

'Much more unlikely,' she said, reaching over to give Harry the paper, and pointing at a small item.

Harry Potter

The Daily Prophet accepts that factual errors were made in the two recent news items about Mr Potter.

1) Hermione Granger has never been Mr Potter's girlfriend.

2) Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger are still friends with Mr Potter, and he is happy for them to be together.

3) The nature of Mr Potter's friendship with Virginia Weasley seems to have been misunderstood. They are not, in fact, romantically linked.

4) There is no split in the Weasley family, as there is no possible cause for it.

5) At no time has Mr Potter felt suicidal.

The Daily Prophet unhesitatingly apologises to Mr Potter and all involved in the inaccurate stories.

'Wow,' said Harry. 'They've retracted things they hadn't even printed when I sent my letter.'

'I'm not your girlfriend any more,' said Ginny softly.

'No, so you should be safe again, I hope. Especially now that it's actually been denied officially.'

Harry started to hand the paper back to Shona, but Hermione put her hand on it. 'What's that other item? Wasn't it Theodora Benson who wrote those other two stories?'

'I think so,' said Harry.

'She wrote most of the gossip,' said Shona. 'It probably was her.'

'Why?' asked Ron. 'Has she written something else, that's even worse?'

'No,' said Hermione, pointing to the headline 'Theodora Benson killed in broomstick accident'.

'Do you think that's got something to do with the retraction?' asked Ginny.

'How can it?' said Ron. 'If she's dead, she can't write a retraction.'

'It's an odd coincidence,' said Ginny.

'You've been spending too much time with Mr Suspicious here,' said Ron.

Harry gave Shona back her paper, and thanked her.

*

After a quick lunch, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny returned to their common room. Hermione went up to her room and brought down the parcel, which she unwrapped.

'That's a really good-looking broom,' said Ron admiringly. 'How could you afford a Firebolt, though?'

'It probably wasn't new,' said Ginny.

'Well, you know when people die and their family sell the things they don't need?' asked Hermione.

'Who'd sell a Firebolt, though? They'd keep it and sell their own broom,' objected Ron.

'Not if they couldn't use it, or didn't know what it was,' Harry pointed out. 'It's just a funny-shaped sweeping thing to Muggles, for instance.'

'You could get a really good deal that way,' said Ginny, trying not to laugh at Ron's expression, as he reacted to the idea of a Firebolt being used for sweeping the floor.

Hermione giggled at Ron, and said, 'I do feel a bit guilty about the price I got it for.'

'Even so, I bet it cost more than my Comet,' said Ron. 'Yours looks hardly used.' The previous summer, Fred and George had persuaded Ron and Ginny that if they were going to stand any chance of being on the house team, they'd have to borrow some of the twins' savings, sell their old brooms and buy something better. Ron's Comet was a much-used broom, but it was still miles better than his old Shooting Star.

'Thank you,' said Hermione.

'Are you going to take it outside to try it now?' asked Ginny.

Hermione looked at her watch. 'No, I've got to get to Ancient Runes in a few minutes. I'll have to fly it for the first time in this afternoon's training session.'

Hermione put the broom back in her dormitory, then she and Ginny left for their classes. Harry waited a moment, said, 'I just thought of something,' and followed them. 'Hermione!' he called, and she stopped. Ginny looked round, shrugged, and continued to her Transfiguration lesson.

'Very nice,' he told Hermione.

'You could have said that in there.'

'You didn't get than broom second-hand at all, did you? No wonder you were surprised when you got the letter telling you about the money your parents gave you for the broom.'

'I thought they'd have chosen a cheaper one,' she admitted. 'I didn't really expect them to spend that much.'

'So you're trying not to let Ron know how expensive the broom was?'

Hermione nodded. 'Please don't tell him it was new.'

'I won't. I still remember that leprechaun gold. It was a good idea. I'd better let you get to your class.'

*

At that afternoon's Quidditch training session, the team commented on Hermione's new broom. Ron told them how she'd got a bargain.

Fred said, 'This one should certainly cope with you spinning on it. Now we've got two Firebolts on the team -- well, one on the main team and one on the reserves.'

The training session went well. Hermione didn't try to fly at top speed this time, but she did fly while spinning, and she managed a very steep soar to grab the Quaffle away from Alicia, followed by looping over and putting the ball past Dean. Dennis even succeeded in getting the Snitch first, as Harry was distracted watching Hermione fly her new broom.

'You should give him your headband,' said Ginny with a grin, as the players headed for the changing rooms.

'Ooh, could I borrow it? Just until next week's session?' asked Dennis eagerly.

Harry smiled, and took the headband off. 'OK, just for a week.'

'Wow!' said Dennis. 'I'm going to show Colin this!' He put it reverentially into a pocket.

Ron said, as they walked back to the castle after changing out of their Quidditch robes, 'Just as well I'm going to be a Beater, and you're a Chaser. That broom is really going to win games, the way you fly.'

After dinner, they returned to the common room. Ginny said, 'Does anyone want to try finding the room Mum wrote about?'

'We already looked for it -- it isn't there,' Ron reminded her.

'I wondered if you looked in the wrong place,' she said.

'We know where McGonagall's office is!' he said.

'Are you sure? I didn't -- so I asked her after today's class.'

'You must know,' said Harry. 'That's where your parents were when they thought you'd died.'

Ginny grinned. 'No, that was the Deputy Head's office.'

'McGonagall is the Deputy Head,' said Ron with exaggerated patience.

'"Is", not "was",' said Ginny, still grinning. 'How long is it since Mum and Dad were pupils here?'

'So she meant the Transfiguration teacher's office?' asked Harry.

'Yes. Hey, have you read the letter?'

'Well, yes, Ron showed me it.'

Ginny frowned at Ron. 'Now I'm not going to tell you where the office is.'

'Please?' asked Hermione.

'Oh, all right. Anyone want to look now?'

'I wouldn't mind this time,' said Harry.

'Let's go and see it,' said Ron, standing up.

Ginny led them down to the third floor, past the Transfiguration classroom, and two doors along. 'This is her old office. So, it was the fourth door in this direction, wasn't it?'

'Yes,' said Ron, walking along counting the doors. 'This is the fourth one.'

'No sign on the door of this one,' said Harry. 'I suppose it's not used for anything.'

Ron tried the door. 'It's locked. Or maybe someone's in there.'

Hermione cast an Analysis Charm on the door. 'It doesn't have a normal locking charm, it's a conditional one. I can't tell what the condition is, but it's probably "not if there's someone inside", because that's what your mum's letter said.'

'We could wait,' said Ron, with a mischievous grin.

'You wouldn't like it if you were in there and someone else was waiting,' Hermione pointed out.

'No. All right, let's look again later,' he said, walking back towards the Transfiguration classroom and the staircase beyond it.

Before they reached the stairs, though, they heard the door opening, and looked back to see Seamus and Lavender emerging from it. The couple froze in place.

'Hello, Lavender,' said Hermione with a big grin.

'We were ...' said Seamus, faltering as he tried to think of something believable.

'It was an extra duelling lesson,' said Lavender quickly.

'Oh, good,' said Harry, keeping the straightest face he could manage. 'That's something you do need.'

'Isn't it romantic, a couple duelling together?' said Ginny.

'Why should it be romantic?' demanded Lavender.

'You don't really think we believe you, do you?' asked Ginny.

Hermione laughed at Lavender's expression, and Harry and Ron joined in. Seamus and Lavender both went very red.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny returned to the common room. Seamus and Lavender didn't follow them immediately, so got there later. They looked nervously at the four when they entered, and hurried off to sit in their usual seats.

'They're bound to think we've told everybody,' said Harry. 'Lavender would have done, if it was the other way round.'

'Let them worry,' said Ron. 'Seamus can't even accuse you of being cruel, we saw them by accident.'

'Well, we didn't see the room, but I think we can guess that it's still in use,' said Ginny. 'Of course, I'm just jumping to conclusions here.'

*

When Harry and Hermione entered their DADA classroom on Friday, Professor Dumbledore said, 'Good morning to you both. Harry, I am still concerned about your inability to resist the Imperius Curse.'

Harry nodded. 'I am too.'

'Quite. You appear to be certain that you are not under any spells, or other influence, but it is possible you simply do not know of any. If you do not object, I would like to try an Analysis Charm to see if I can detect any such spells.'

'All right,' said Harry. 'I'd really like an answer.'

Dumbledore cast what seemed to be a more advanced version of the charm that they'd learnt in Charms, and pondered the results. 'The strongest trace is of the Imperius Curse Professor McCardle cast. There are many other traces of Voldemort's spells, which include the remnants of the Killing Curse you survived as a baby. Among them is presumably the gift of Parseltongue, but it isn't easy to separate out the traces. Other spells have been cast on you by students, probably in Charms class, and by Madam Pomfrey, though none recently, I am pleased to see. I fear I have learnt nothing new.'

The lesson continued with the usual casting and blocking of curses. After it, Harry walked unhappily down to the Great Hall.

'I'm sure he'll find the answer soon,' said Hermione.

'How? Neither he nor McCardle have come up with anything yet. You don't even believe it, you're just trying to cheer me up.'

'Yes, I am. Is that such a bad idea?'

'No. Thanks. But I wish someone could find out what the problem is.'

They told Ron and Ginny what Dumbledore had tried.

'You've got to have hope, though,' said Ginny. 'You're the beacon of light, remember?'

Harry smiled, and went back to eating his lunch.

That afternoon's Potions class started badly, with Malfoy taunting Neville about his melting cauldrons. Neville had bought yet another cauldron -- Harry wondered how much money Neville had spent on them over the years. Despite Blaise's attempts to stop Malfoy, he continued making inane remarks about melted cauldron not being an ingredient in many potions. Snape did nothing to prevent this, he merely prowled around the classroom, smiling at Malfoy's jibes. Harry hoped that Neville wouldn't lose his temper and melt this cauldron with his accidental magic.

'Last, and least, is Longbottom's attempt,' said Snape, pausing at Neville's cauldron. He'd been commenting on everyone else's potion, and had deliberately left Neville, who was working alone, until last. 'Now, you had all the ingredients, you had a cauldron, you merely had to put the ingredients into the cauldron in the right order,' he said in a cold, calm voice. Then he snapped, 'Why, boy, do you find this so impossible?'

'Because you're a useless teacher!' Neville yelled at him, finally cracking under the constant strain of Malfoy's jibes and Snape's sarcasm. Snape glared, and opened his mouth to say something. Neville glared back, and suddenly, Snape was flying backwards through the air, to smash hard against the heavy wooden dungeon door. Neville sank onto his seat in shock. For a moment, the rest of the class stood frozen, then Hermione darted over to Snape to check his pulse.

'He's still alive, Neville. I think someone should get Madam Pomfrey, though.'

Crabbe and Goyle came over and started to lift Snape.

'No! You might make his injuries worse,' warned Hermione.

'How do you expect us to go and get Pomfrey, then?' Malfoy asked her sarcastically. 'Walk through the wall?' He told Crabbe and Goyle, 'Don't move him further than we need to, to get the door open.'

Hermione went over to where the other Gryffindors were crowding around Neville. 'Are you all right, Neville?' Seamus was asking. Neville nodded, but he looked very pale.

'He probably ought to get some treatment too, but I don't think we should take him to the hospital wing,' said Harry.

'No! Nowhere Snape is going!' exclaimed Neville. 'I might do it again!'

'You could go to McGonagall's office and have her call Madam Pomfrey to look at you. She's done that before,' suggested Hermione. 'But she's probably got a class, and Madam Pomfrey will be busy for a while anyway.'

'What about Professor Sprout?' asked Ron. 'We've got Herbology next anyway.'

Neville agreed to this, and the Gryffindors went to the greenhouses early -- the incident had happened only a few moments into the second period of the double-period class. Professor Sprout was teaching a group of second years, but came out to find out why they were so early. She was Neville's favourite teacher, but he still needed help from the others to explain to her what had happened.

'Oh, dear. Well, you certainly can't go to the hospital wing just now, but you don't look well enough for this lesson. Wait in Greenhouse One, you'll be warmer in there.'

Madam Pomfrey came out to meet them a while later. She fussed over Neville, checking him with her wand. 'It's not the first time, and it won't be the last, that he's pushed a pupil this far, but it's the first time the pupil's managed such strong accidental magic.'

'Is he ... is he all right?' asked Neville hesitantly.

'Oh, he will be. Not today, certainly. Don't worry about it,' she reassured him. 'You worry about yourself. You're in mild shock, but this Pepperup Potion should help you with that. You should be able to finish today's classes now.'

Neville drank down the potion, and gave her back the bottle. Steam was coming out of his ears, as was usual with that potion, and Lavender giggled at him. Neville managed to smile back at her, now that he had been reassured.

The Herbology lesson went well for Neville, and he was looking a lot happier by the end of it, when he went up to the DADA duelling class.

Harry and Hermione sat in the common room with Ginny, and told her what had happened. 'That was about the worst thing that could have happened to Neville,' said Harry.

'I'm not so sure,' said Hermione. 'He's released his anger at last, instead of just melting cauldrons. Snape might respect him more now.'

'At least, he ought to be more nervous around Neville. He's been making Neville nervous all this time, it's Neville's turn now.'

When they went down to the Great Hall to join the others, Neville wasn't there. Ron told them that Madam Pomfrey had been waiting outside the classroom when they finished, and taken him away somewhere.

Professor Dumbledore was at the teachers' table, rather than eating alone. He stood to make an announcement. 'As you may well by now be aware, Professor Snape has been injured in an accident. This injury is more serious than it first appeared, and he has been transferred to St Mungo's Hospital for expert treatment. For the moment, Professor McCardle will be the acting Head of Slytherin house. Arrangements will be made over the weekend to cover Professor Snape's classes. Now enjoy your dinner.'

'Just as well Neville wasn't here to hear that,' said Ginny quietly. 'I suppose he's been taken to the hospital wing so that Madam Pomfrey can keep an eye on him, now that Snape's not there.'

*

Saturday was a Hogsmeade day. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny went to breakfast first. Malfoy got a letter, which made him go paler than he usually looked.

'I wonder what's in that letter,' said Ron. 'But anything that upsets Malfoy has to be good news.'

'Neville's not back from the hospital wing,' said Harry. 'Want to visit him before we go to Hogsmeade? If he's not able to go, we could get him what he wants.' The others agreed.

'Oh,' said Madam Pomfrey when they explained they'd come to see Neville. 'He isn't here, he's been transferred to St Mungo's too.'

'He wasn't that ill!' said Hermione.

'No, he wasn't. He's gone there for some psychiatric treatment.'

'Psychiatric? He isn't mad!' said Ginny.

'It was not my decision,' said Madam Pomfrey. 'Don't you want to go into Hogsmeade now?'

They took the hint and left, discussing Neville and wondering what was happening to him now. When they reached Hogsmeade, they saw Fen and Raine. The two of them joined them to wander around the village's shops.

'Malfoy's been banned from coming here today,' said Raine. 'After all his stealing and so on, Snape wouldn't trust him, and McCardle agrees.' She added, 'It's odd having a change of Head of house.'

'Snape's only about the same age as Sirius,' mused Harry. 'He can't have been Head of Slytherin for all that long.'

'Well, it's still odd,' said Raine.

Ginny reminded Ron that he wanted to get Butterbeer to celebrate Malfoy losing his Prefect's badge.

'We still don't know who's replacing him,' said Raine. 'I asked McCardle, but she won't say until it's announced. Dumbledore's probably going to announce it at the next Prefects' meeting,' said Raine.

'That's tomorrow,' said Harry. 'Let's get lots of Butterbeer, ready for then.'

'I've only got enough for three bottles,' said Ron, counting his money.

'Never mind, after all the trouble he's caused me over the years, I'll buy it,' said Harry. Ron frowned. Harry added, 'Look, I'm going to be even happier about this than you, since now I won't have to see him at our meetings.'

'Well, if you insist,' said Ron.

'I go to those meetings too,' said Hermione. 'I'll buy some Butterbeer as well.'

'I don't,' said Ginny, grinning. 'I'll buy some more sweets in Honeydukes instead.'

Ron joined Ginny and her friends to go shopping in Honeydukes, while Harry and Hermione bought several sixpacks of Butterbeers. As they each carried two large shopping bags out into the street and headed for Honeydukes to join the others, Harry said, 'I hope people do believe the story about you and Ron. We look very suspicious together.'

'I think even Lavender believes us now,' she replied. 'If she doesn't, we could talk about her.'

They reached Honeydukes and joined the others. Fen stared at the four large bags. 'How can you carry those?'

'It's easy,' said Hermione, letting go of the bags to get some more Stringmints. The bags hovered where she'd left them.

Ginny laughed. 'Oh, of course. Leviosa.'

The six of them looked at some of the other shops, returned to the Three Broomsticks to drink Butterbeers, then wandered slowly back to Hogwarts, talking about Neville and Snape. Raine said good-bye to them and went back to the dungeons, while the others returned to the common room. Delamare came over to them. 'Ginny, Colin just got back from the village, and found that Dennis has been cursed!'

'Cursed?' echoed Harry. 'Who by?'

'We don't know. He was just talking to Lucian, and collapsed with a groan. Lucian and Orlando got him to the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey told them it was definitely a curse. He's going to be kept in overnight, at least.'

'Let's go and see him,' said Ginny. 'After all, he's on the reserve team, like us.'

'I'm going to put all these away first,' said Harry. They took their shopping up to their dorms, and met again in the common room to go together to see Dennis.

Colin was sitting beside Dennis, who was sitting up but looked weak. He smiled as he saw the others arrive.

Harry asked Madam Pomfrey, 'Can you tell who cursed him?'

'No. Why do you want to know?'

'I think, as a Prefect, I ought to try to find out so that I can report this.'

Madam Pomfrey nodded. 'Of course you should. Professor Dumbledore already knows that he has been cursed, though.'

All that Dennis could tell them was that he hadn't seen anyone acting suspiciously, and nor had the others in the common room. They talked to him about his performance in the training session instead, to cheer him up.

Angelina arrived after a while, with Professor Dumbledore. Madam Pomfrey told him what she did and didn't know about the curse.

'Well, Mr Creevey,' said Dumbledore. 'Do you have any idea who might wish to curse you?'

Dennis shook his head. 'I didn't see anyone, and I don't know anyone who would do that.'

'Professor,' asked Ginny, 'is it possible to curse someone from a distance, without being able to see them?'

'It is possible. Anyone who wished to do that, however, would have to be able to identify some unique feature about Mr Creevey in order that the curse would hit its intended target.'

Ginny pointed to the Quidditch headband that Dennis was wearing. 'Like that?'

'That would be suitable, were it not for the fact that I know that Mr Potter has an identical headband.'

'That's mine,' said Harry. 'I lent it to Dennis when he beat me in our last practice. Maybe nobody wanted to curse Dennis at all.'

'Everyone in our year knows you wear that headband,' said Hermione. 'You might be right.'

'Malfoy knows it,' said Ron.

'It is certainly possible that the curse was intended for you, and that Mr Creevey was the unlucky victim of chance,' said Dumbledore. 'As for Mr Malfoy, much has been laid at his door recently, and I doubt that he would want to make it worse.'

'Could it be Voldemort?' asked Harry.

'I sincerely hope not. If he is capable of casting a curse through the spells protecting this castle, we all have much to fear. I believe that the curse must have originated within the castle. But I have a meeting to attend now, so I will have to consider this later.'

Dumbledore left. Harry pulled Ron aside, and whispered, 'Do you still have my Cloak with you?'

'Yes, do you want it?' Ron whispered back. Harry nodded, and took the Cloak. 'I want to ask the Headmaster something,' he told the others as he left. The corridor was deserted, and he put the Cloak over himself, and hurried, now invisible, in the direction that he thought Dumbledore had taken. He soon saw Dumbledore ahead of him, walking slowly, and slowed his pace to match. Dumbledore entered a room, but left the door open. Harry hurried after him, and found himself in a meeting room with Sirius, Lupin, McCardle, Madame Maxime and two other people he didn't recognise. He moved carefully to a corner where he would be out of the way of anyone else entering or leaving. Dumbledore looked at the door, then at the corner where Harry was standing, then back at the door. Harry thought he was smiling slightly. Mr Weasley arrived, and closed the door behind him.

Dumbledore asked each in turn for their reports. Mr Weasley confirmed that Cornelius Fudge was more opposed than ever to the idea that You-Know-Who had returned.

Mundungus Fletcher, one of the two Harry didn't know, reported that he thought it was a waste of time posing as a potential recruit, and asked for some other task to do. Dumbledore told him he would consider it.

Arabella Figg, the other stranger, reported that the Dursleys were still safe, surprising Harry, who hadn't known they were being watched. He supposed she must be related to Mrs Figg. She gave Dumbledore several strange-looking objects for safe-keeping, describing them as Dark items.

Lupin said he'd found two more werewolves who were interested in the Wolfsbane potion, and asked what would happen now that Snape was unable to make more. Dumbledore reassured him that Snape had made a large reserve of the potion. Harry thought back to the potion he'd smelt brewing before a lesson, and realised why Snape had been making it.

McCardle reported on the progress of the duelling classes, and the unsettling news that Harry Potter could no longer resist the Imperius curse. This clearly alarmed Sirius. Dumbledore added his information about Harry and Hermione's progress.

As Snape wasn't present, Dumbledore informed the group that a spy had reported that Lucius Malfoy was frequently Disapparating and returning an hour or more later, dressed in the usual Death Eater hood and mask. The obvious conclusion was that he was having regular meetings with Voldemort. On Wednesday, he had appeared to be suffering from the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse.

Madame Maxime reported that Hagrid was recovering well, but still didn't want any visitors to see his injuries. She added that Snape was proving to be more of a problem, as he had several internal injuries.

Finally, Dumbledore asked Sirius to report. Sirius told how he'd drawn a map of his village, and had managed to enchant it to show a dot for each of the village's inhabitants, but that identifying any of them had proven to be beyond him. He asked Dumbledore if he could talk to Harry and borrow his copy of the map to examine it.

Dumbledore glanced at the corner of the room where Harry was standing, and said, 'I believe that can be arranged. The next meeting is to take place on the twenty-sixth of March. Sirius, please wait behind -- the rest of you may go now.'

Once the others had all left, Dumbledore closed the door with a wave of his hand and said, 'You may as well remove that Cloak now.'

Sirius looked puzzled, but Harry took off his Cloak and said, 'Hello, Sirius.'

'Have you been here all along? You shouldn't be here!'

'I think it may be as well that he takes an interest and knows what progress has been made,' said Dumbledore. 'Although I had not intended him to be here.'

'Sorry, Professor,' said Harry. 'I just wondered if the meeting might have anything to do with the curse on Dennis. Then I wasn't sure if you could see me -- I suppose you could.'

'Indeed,' said Dumbledore. 'Do you have the Marauder's Map with you?'

'No. Is it OK to Summon it from here?'

Dumbledore nodded. Harry visualised where the map was in his trunk, and said, 'Accio Marauder's Map!'

A few moments later, the map came flying through the air into Harry's hand. 'Not bad!' said Sirius approvingly. Harry put the map on the desk, and Sirius cast some Analysis Charms to try to discover the spells that James had used in the map.

'That's some help, thanks,' he said at last. 'I think I can at least label the dots on my map now. I still don't know how James made it work on invisible and Polyjuiced people, though.'

'Can I see your map?' asked Harry.

'I left it at home. It won't work here, anyway. It only works within the map, and for a short distance around it.'

'You didn't tell me that when I asked you how many maps there were!' Harry exclaimed. 'So Voldemort can't use it to spy on us, even if he's got one?'

'We don't know where Voldemort is,' Sirius reminded him. 'He might be hiding in the Forbidden Forest, for instance. Or even inside the castle.'

'There is nowhere inside the castle that he could hide, nor any way he can enter,' said Dumbledore.

'What about the Chamber of Secrets? Harry told me about it, and how Voldemort opened it when he was a pupil here. He can still open it, can't he? Does it have any entrances apart from the one Harry used?'

'If he is down there, could he have cursed Dennis?' asked Harry.

Dumbledore looked alarmed. 'Indeed he could. That is a question I had not considered, and should have done. Thank you, Sirius. Harry, I will not ask you to go down there again, but I will ask you to open the entrance once I have decided who should investigate it.'

Harry nodded.

'Nice seeing you again, Harry,' said Sirius. 'I'd better be getting back home now, though.'

'OK. Yeah, it was nice seeing you again.'

'One other point I did not mention,' said Dumbledore. 'It appears from my researches that the ancient magic that protects Harry at the Dursleys will also protect him if he stays with you, providing that he is there on his birthday.'

Harry smiled and looked at Sirius, who was also smiling. 'It looks like Godric's Hollow this summer, then,' said Sirius.

'Now, Harry, I believe you have a cursed teammate to visit?'

Harry said good-bye to Sirius, and promised to write, and then returned to the hospital wing, visible this time. Ginny, Colin and Dennis were still there, but the others had left.

'I got a lot of answers from Dumbledore,' he said in answer to Ginny's questioning look, 'but none of them were about this curse. Sorry.' He hadn't decided yet whether to tell Ron, Hermione and Ginny any of what he'd learnt, but he didn't want to involve the Creevey brothers.

*

During Sunday's breakfast, Dumbledore asked Harry to accompany him to the room behind the teachers' table after he'd finished eating.

'Harry, it appears that Mr Ronald Weasley's suspicions, however ill-founded, were correct. Mr Malfoy has been boasting to other Slytherins that he cursed you, thanks to "the stupid headband he wears". I truly would not have expected him to be so foolish.'

'How did you find out?' asked Harry.

'Not all those in Slytherin house are as hostile towards you. One of them told Professor McCardle, and asked her to tell me.'

'Who told her?'

'She did not tell me the name, to protect the person concerned from any revenge by Mr Malfoy. I think this is wise, and you should not pursue the matter further.'

'All right. I wouldn't want anything to happen to someone who disagrees with Malfoy, anyway. What happens to him now?'

'I am rapidly running out of options. You will find out during this afternoon's meeting that he is no longer a Prefect.'

'Am I allowed to tell people that it was Malfoy who cursed Dennis?'

'I see no reason why not.'

Harry told Ron, Hermione and Ginny, and they went up to the hospital wing to see if Dennis knew. He didn't.

'I'm sorry, Dennis. I didn't expect anything like this when I lent you the headband.'

'I know,' said Dennis.

'You'd never do anything like that,' said Colin.

'No, you'd just take the headband off if you were expecting anything this -- you'd never endanger anyone,' said Hermione.

'I'm glad you all have this faith in me. Especially after Seamus' comment.'

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny left Dennis and Colin and went back to the common room. Harry noticed that Lavender and Parvati weren't sitting together -- Lavender was sitting with Seamus and Dean, and Parvati was talking to Fen and Shona. Hermione noticed where he was looking.

'They've been avoiding each other for the past few days,' she said. 'They don't even talk to each other in our dorm any more.'

'I wonder why. I thought they were good friends.'

'Lavender told me she heard Parvati telling someone about her and Seamus. But when she got round the corner to where she'd heard them, they'd gone.'

'So she thinks we told Parvati about the two of them?'

'No, apparently Parvati found out a while ago. She's not blaming us. She even told me that Parvati and Wayne Hopkins in Hufflepuff have been making love, too.'

'Now you're getting all the gossip,' commented Harry.

Hermione smiled. 'And Parvati said she heard Lavender telling someone about her and Wayne, but they'd gone by the time she got there.'

'Really? This is getting very interesting. Do they each think the other's invisible, or something?'

'That'd be silly,' said Ginny. 'Invisibility Cloaks are rare, and very expensive. How could either of them afford one?'

'There are spells for invisibility too,' said Ron quickly. 'But I don't know if those two could manage them.'

'I don't think they're invisible at all,' said Harry, looking at Hermione, who looked back innocently.

'Do you think they just ran away fast?' asked Ginny.

'I'm just remembering a little mouse that couldn't be found,' said Harry, still looking at Hermione, who grinned.

Ginny looked puzzled. 'What mouse? I don't remember that.'

'You were busy with two birthdays,' Hermione told her. 'What is it that you think I'm doing, Harry?'

'I'm sure it's something to do with your idea for Ron's birthday, but I can't see how. Are you going to make them have a blazing argument? That doesn't sound very entertaining.'

'Wait and see,' she said again.

After a while, Parvati went up to her dorm, and Lavender followed her. The distant sound of raised voices could be heard, but then the two girls came back down together, looking grim, and left the common room.

'They look ... well, not friendly, exactly, but beginning to talk again,' said Ron.

'So they do,' said Hermione.

'I don't get it,' said Harry. 'All right, I will wait, and I will see when you explain it.'

'It's nearly time for lunch, anyway,' said Ginny.

Neither Lavender nor Parvati were at lunch. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny returned to the common room after lunch, and carried on with their homework. Almost an hour later, Professor McGonagall entered the common room, and came over to see them. She looked annoyed.

'Professor?' asked Hermione. 'What's wrong?'

'Professor Dumbledore told you that you could not curse gossipers. Have you done so anyway?'

'We've only threatened to -- we haven't even done that, since he told us not to,' said Harry.

'Then you will not object to telling me where you have been for two hours.'

'We had lunch, and came back here to do this homework,' said Harry.

'That's right,' said Ron.

'We've both been with them,' said Ginny. 'What's happened?'

'Do you have any less-biased witnesses?' McGonagall asked.

'I don't know,' said Hermione. 'I suppose some of the others saw us.'

'Fen was sitting next to me at lunch,' said Ginny. 'Shona was sitting opposite.'

McGonagall looked across the room and went to speak with Fen and Shona. Harry saw Seamus, followed by Dean, go over and speak to her. McGonagall returned soon after.

'Both Miss Maris and Miss Reith confirm that they saw you at lunch, and Mr Finnigan and Mr Thomas say that they were behind you on the way back from lunch, and you came straight back here and haven't left. I apologise for my suspicions.'

'What's this about?' asked Ron.

McGonagall frowned. 'Miss Brown and Miss Patil were found unconscious in the Dark Arts classroom. They show the effects of having been cursed. They did not, of course, have permission to be in that classroom, but Professor McCardle saw no reason to lock it.'

'Did they blame us?' demanded Hermione.

'They are unconscious. It seemed plausible that you had cursed them, after our earlier conversations.'

'Well, we didn't,' said Harry. 'Professor Dumbledore told us we'd have to deal with them by giving detentions.'

'We haven't done that yet,' said Hermione.

'Do you think it might have been Malfoy again?' asked Ron eagerly.

'The most obvious conclusion is that they tried to resolve their recent argument by means of a duel. Foolish girls -- neither of them have the skills for a duel.'

'I thought duels were supposed to include seconds,' Harry said, remembering Ron's explanation from their first year.

'Nobody else was present when Professor McCardle found them, so they may have decided not to tell anyone else. Any seconds they may have had would appear to have left to avoid blame.'

'We saw them leave the common room together,' said Ron. 'There wasn't anyone else with them.'

'Then I will assume there were no seconds, for now.'

'Do you think we should visit them, Harry?' asked Hermione. 'We are their Prefects -- or I am.'

'OK, but it doesn't sound as if they'll even know we visited them.'

'If they have awoken, you may tell them they have three detentions a piece -- from me, not from you.' McGonagall left the common room.

'If you're going, I'll come with you. Snape's not going to be checking this Potions essay anyway,' said Ron. Ginny agreed.

Once in the hospital wing, they saw Colin, Dennis and Padma looking at Lavender and Parvati. Colin glanced around at them. 'They really look bad, don't they?'

'They look rather familiar,' said Harry. 'That's how Malfoy and his two thugs looked ... er, when we found them in the corridor on the train last year.'

'Oh, yes, when we found them,' said Ron, grinning. 'They do look the same -- it must be the same group of curses.'

'Is that likely?' asked Ginny.

'Well, we've visited them, and they're still out cold, so I don't think there's much point in staying,' said Hermione. 'How are you feeling now, Dennis?'

'Oh, I'm much better now. Madam Pomfrey says I can go back to classes tomorrow, and I won't miss any.'

'That's a strange thing to be happy about,' said Ron.

'Colin missed months of classes in his first year,' said Dennis earnestly. Ginny winced.

'So he did,' said Harry. 'Anyway, if you're OK, and they can't even hear us, we might as well get back to the common room.'

'How long do you think they're going to be like this?' Hermione asked Madam Pomfrey.

'The only other case like this I've heard of, lasted for thirty-six hours. I shall want to keep them under observation for at least a day after that.'

'Oh, I see. Well, we'd better go to our Prefects' meeting.'

As usual, the meeting was led by the Head Boy, Ravenclaw's Jon Kelly, and Head Girl Angelina. Professor Dumbledore was present also. He started, 'As you doubtless know, Mr Draco Malfoy has disgraced himself, and is no longer a Prefect. In his place, Professor Snape has proposed Mr Terence Nott. As you see, I have approved this proposal, and Mr Nott is here at this meeting.' Having made his announcement, Dumbledore left and the meeting continued with a welcome to Nott, followed by routine matters.

Once back in the common room, Harry asked Hermione, 'What exactly was on that list of notes that you made two copies of?'

'It was just a few curses,' she said innocently.

'Like Furnunculus, and Jelly-Legs, and the others that those two girls just happened to use?'

'I think it just might have been those,' she said, grinning back at him. 'But I can't find those lists -- someone must have taken them.'

'I wonder who might have done that. How did they cast all those spells at once, though?'

'What do you two know about this?' asked Ginny.

'I told you what happened on the train,' said Ron.

'There's a spell which lets you delay spells cast after it, and then they all get cast at once. I just happened to put that one on my notes, too,' said Hermione.

'You arranged it all!' accused Ginny.

'Only if she knew they'd take her notes, and if they were stupid enough to duel each other after that,' Harry pointed out. 'Though I suppose that ventriloquism spell did help get them annoyed with each other.'

'Remind me that I don't ever want to upset Hermione!' said Ginny.

*

When they arrived at Hagrid's hut for Monday's Care of Magical Creatures lesson, they found an unfamiliar teacher there. He was missing his left arm, and his right hand had lost the two smallest fingers.

'Now, you'd be the fifth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins? Good, good. My name is Professor Kettleburn, and I'll be taking these classes again until Professor Snape is better.'

'He didn't teach this class,' said Millicent.

'No, but Professor Grubbly-Plank is going to be teaching Potions, and has no time now to teach this class. Now, to today's subject.'

The subject was the Augurey, or Irish Phoenix. Harry couldn't help thinking it didn't look as if there was much to learn about it. He'd rather be learning about Fawkes -- the Augurey, with its greenish-black colouring, reminded him of Slytherin, just as Fawkes' scarlet and gold reminded him of the Gryffindor colours. Professor Kettleburn did prove to be a good teacher, though.

*

Following their last lesson of the day, the trio met Ginny again in the common room.

'You had Potions today, didn't you?' asked Harry.

'Yes. Professor Grubbly-Plank's good at teaching them. She might not know as much as Snape, but she doesn't keep insulting pupils,' Ginny replied.

'Good, that's something to look forward to,' said Ron.

'What was it like, being all alone in your dorm last night?' Ginny asked Hermione.

'Well, I didn't miss those two, if that's what you mean.'

'No, but weren't you lonely?'

'A bit. Crookshanks was there, of course.'

Ginny nodded, and got out her homework. The four of them mostly worked in silence until shortly before dinner, when Hermione said she was going to check the hospital wing. The others went with her. The two girls were still unconscious.

'So much for the extra Imperius curse lesson for Lavender and Neville. I wonder if they've got the same problem I have,' Harry commented. He noticed Ron having a brief conversation with Madam Pomfrey, after which she gave him a vial which he drank down.

Ron and Hermione lagged behind on the way down to the Great Hall. Harry was sure they were talking about their plans for the evening. They were quiet during dinner, and once they'd returned to the common room they just got on with their homework. Ron had a big grin on his face.

'You must be up to something,' said Ginny suspiciously. 'What are you so happy about?'

'Er, I've realised we've got Potions tomorrow -- and for the first time ever, no Snape!'

'Oh, is that all? I suppose it is a good reason to smile, though.'

Harry wasn't surprised when Hermione said she was going to have an early night, and went up to her dorm. Nor was he surprised by Ron's decision a few minutes later to go to bed as well. He watched to see if there were any telltale signs of Ron walking invisibly from the boys' stairs to the girls' stairs, but noticed nothing.

*

Hermione sat on her bed, wearing her dressing gown, stroking Crookshanks as she waited for Ron. The door opened, and she saw nobody enter, and close the door behind him. She smiled at where she guessed Ron was, and was proved right when he pushed back the hood of the cloak, and smiled back at her. Before they could say anything, they both heard footsteps outside. Ron froze -- Hermione's dorm, like his own, was on the top floor of the dormitory tower, and nobody except Lavender and Parvati were likely to come this far up. They should still be unconscious, and shouldn't be back yet -- this was messing up the plan completely. Ron quickly pulled the hood back over his head, and moved away from the door so that whoever it was wouldn't walk into him if they came in. He and Hermione both stared as the door opened.