Chapter 178

Hermione took over. "So, Harry wrote Professor Dumbledore a reply. In it he used Dumbledore's same tricks; and even some of the same language, including the condescension. But, Harry took it right over the top, just to demonstrate back he knew what Dumbledore was doing and was trying.

"When Sirius came over a little while later to make sure Harry was okay after the kidnapping attempt, Harry'd only just finished the final draft. Sirius read it and, by the time he'd finished reading it, he was laughing so hard he couldn't stand up. Harry had to get Dobby to get him a Calming draught."

Harry grinned and said, "Sirius declared it perfect, not to change a thing and said he'd send it using his new owl, Sable, to deliver it; so Dumbledore wouldn't recognise Hedwig."

"That letter would have arrived yesterday morning."

"Keep a copy of it?" asked a grinning Wendell.

"No, but if I know Sirius," replied Harry. "He's definitely kept a copy of it. Ask him for a copy of it when next you see him."

"Oh, I'll definitely be doing that," chuckled Wendell.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As he expected, Harry received correspondence from Ted, alright. However, it was a great deal more than just a simple letter.

It was a letter that arrived as a covering letter for a shrunken package. The aurors had unshrunk the package in their work of ensuring there were no harmful hexes, charms, potion-lacing or anything like that going on. And brought him the whole lot.

The auror carrying it placed the stack on the end of the table away from where they were sitting and quietly said, "A package arrived from you, Lord Potter. It is believed to be from Law-wizard Tonks." Then quietly left again.

Wendell gave a low whistle at the size of the stack, turned to look at Harry and said, "I don't envy you."

Harry shrugged and said, "Almost the entirety of that, I suspect, is going to be just archived House business material I need to be aware of. It's when all the financial portfolio stuff arrives that I know I'm going to quickly develop quill cramp and a headache.

"The accounts have been in stasis for far too long. So there's going to be a lot of work to bring the financials back up to something I'd be comfortable with. However, the goblins are taking care of most of that and I'll just need to sign off on it for it to be done."

Aren't you going to look at it?" asked Hermione.

"It can stay there until after breakfast," he replied with a shrug.

Another letter, handed up by one of the aurors who'd first checked it out, was from one of the Gryffindor students who'd remained at the castle. It was from young Colin Creevey.

In it, Creevey confirmed Fawkes had severed the bond with Dumbledore and that Dumbledore was laid up in the Infirmary.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Dumbledore was finally released by Robinson just before the start of breakfast.

"I'm giving you an 'early mark' because you've behaved yourself," the man had said. "You should have enough time to go and bathe and change first. You still smell of burnt hair and scorched clothes."

Dumbledore gave a grunt and muttered, "Thank you." Before quickly rising and hurrying out.

The reason for the early mark was because Robinson wanted to join his fellow staff members for breakfast, instead of watching the old man continually glaring at him. And the house elves could strip the bed and clear the air while the wing was empty.

The enforced 'convalescence' had given Dumbledore time to mentally go over plans of what to do next, though. And he'd made good use of the time.

Straight after breakfast he'd be contacting that pompous twit, Barnabus Cuffe. He was sure the man would want to know that Harry Potter had refused to attend the traditional Tri-Wizard Tournament Yule Ball at Hogwarts.

Young Harry's assassination of his character was almost complete - but, not quite. And Harry was not the only one who could use the media and its power to his advantage.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After Wendell and Monica left for the day, the two teens returned to the dinette. However, before Harry could sit down, Hermione grabbed him, spun him to face her and landed a powerful kiss on his lips while she quickly relocated her hands. One, she wrapped around his lower back; the other, she used to hold his head in place by the back of his skull.

As sheer pleasure flowed through Harry, following on the heels of the shock he experienced when she first suddenly grabbed him, he found himself holding her in a similar fashion and kissing just as hard back.

When she opened her mouth a little and licked his lips it shocked him enough he almost broke the kiss. But, upon opening his own mouth, he understood what she was trying to do. And the pair stood like that for what felt both like a bare fraction of time and an eternity.

When they finally separated, he whispered, "Wow."

"Yeah," she whispered back.

"What brought that on?" he asked.

"Well, seeing as you're now my betrothed... or, I'm yours... I wanted to properly kiss you to see if it was something I could come to like doing."

"And, was it?" he asked.

She grinned and replied, "Definitely."

He grinned back.

They needed to get to work, so he leaned in and gave her another quick kiss before he pulled back and said, "I think parchmentwork awaits. Shall we get to it?"

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