Chapter Forty Six - Apologies Abound

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!

Chapter Forty Six - Apologies Abound

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

When Harry walked out into the fifth floor public corridor, the auror gave him a peculiar look.

He just glanced at the man and said, "The ladies are talking things over. I decided to get out of the way and wait out here, after all."

The auror grinned back and muttered, "Probably wise."

About ten minutes later, when Neville turned up at the end of the corridor from down near the stairs escorting the two 'Puffs as he expected the other boy to do, Harry smiled in pleasure.

When they reached him, Neville and the girls each gave him a funny look that asked why he was out there. Answering the unasked question, he replied, "Daphne needed a few moments, so I decided to wait out here for you."

When it looked like they then understood he said, "Should be long enough by now." Then gestured to the door and asked, "Shall we?"

When they agreed, he strode across the corridor, opened the main door and let them in.

After Neville stepped in, the three waited for him to walk in and close the door.

Then he gestured onward while striding forward and muttered, "This way. We're in Apartment Nine."

Taking them to the door he opened it and looked inside. Daphne had calmed down again and was dabbing her face with a handkerchief. Her eyes were still red-rimmed and her cheeks a little swollen, though.

He stepped back out of the way and gestured the other three inside as he saw Hermione rise to greet them.

She said, "Welcome to the House of Potter apartment. Our place for the duration, I think."

Harry stepped in after Neville again and closed the door.

Concerned he gave a look to Hermione that asked, "Is everything alright?"

She clearly recognised it as genuine concern, gently smiled and nodded back.

Relieved he looked about and could see that there wouldn't be enough seating for the seven of them, so quietly summoned Dobby.

"Yes, Master Harry?" he asked.

"Is there something you can do about fitting in more couches or sofas in here so everyone can sit, little buddy?"

Dobby quickly looked about and said, "If Master Harry and his guests can be moving away a bit. Dobby can fix."

"Great," he smiled. Looking to the guests he said, "Hermione, would you mind giving our latest guests the two-penny tour while Dobby adds more seating in here?"

A quick glance around herself and she could see what Harry meant. "Of course," she agreed. "Neville? Susan? Hannah? Want the tour?"

"I'd love to," replied Susan as both the others nodded.

As Hermione led them off to the furthest room, his room, he asked Daphne and Tracey to join him a little apart from the sofas.

As soon as they did, Dobby rearranged things a bit, popped out with the two armchairs and popped back in with an extra long sofa that could sit three. With the twin two-seat sofas there was now enough seating for seven.

"Thank you, Dobs," he said.

Dobby gave him a pleased smile and popped away again, but not before also refreshing their tea setting and adding extra crockery and teaspoons on the coffee table.

"Please, sit," he told the two girls. Both returned to the same sofa.

When he sat opposite with a sigh, he looked to Daphne and quietly said, "I'm very, very sorry I upset you."

With an almost jump of a start of shock, she looked back at him, wide eyed. "Y-you didn't!" she exclaimed.

Tracey smiled back and decided to help her friend out. "Harry, what you said was above and beyond what Daphne, even me, expected. Daphne's happy and very relieved you're open to this."

Surprised, he gave a very relieved sigh. "Alright, then. I feared I had really upset you and we'd be wasting our time discussing this any further."

"No," she said. Then gave him a smile. It was a bit 'watery', but it was still a smile.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Once the other four returned from their tour, they sat as expected. Hermione sat with him while Neville sat between the two 'Puff girls on the triple that sat at right angles to and facing up between the two parallel and facing two-seaters.

Neville, looking at Daphne with concern, asked her, "Are you alright, Daphne? Do I need to take Harry out the back and beat some sense into him?"

Surprised by Neville's questions, Harry just grinned at him in amusement and chuckled a little.

Daphne even gave her own lady-like snort of sudden amusement and smiled back at the boy. "No, Neville; but, thank you for the offer. What Harry has done is just made me both very relieved and very happy."

Relieved, Neville said, "Well, thank Merlin for that. I think I might have been able to get one, maybe two, hits in before Harry pounded me flat!"

That had them all laugh. Since the return of his parents, the true nature of Neville was coming more and more to the fore. He was actually quite funny and usually had a somewhat dry humour about him, but the calmness and placidity remained without the shyness that also used to be there.

Once they'd settled again, Daphne looked to Harry and said, "Well, since everyone is here, Alliance Secret. I inform you all that Lord Potter's and my discussion proved most fruitful. I shall be informing my father that I wish for him to approach Lord Potter's representative with the hopes of negotiating a Concubine Bond Agreement between myself and Lord Potter.

"I believe we currently have an agreement-in-principle for me to become a Concubine Presumptive to Lord Potter."

As the girls, less Daphne and Hermione, practically clapped in approbation, Neville gave a relieved, "Yes."

Meanwhile, Harry and Daphne smiled at one another.

"That does not mean, however," he firmly said, "That Daphne will become my concubine. It means Daphne will be under a Concubine Bond Agreement to me, only. This is House Potter aiding House Greengrass in protecting one of its daughters.

"What happens down the road is not set in stone. The agreement may eventually convert to a contract, or it may not. That is a matter for another time."

"Ah!" said Susan. "That's very clever. Daphne is taken 'off the market', so to speak, so her father can no longer be legally pressured. Yet is free to make her own choice later?"

Harry smiled at her and nodded. "Precisely."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As the dinner hour closed in, the seven walked as one down to the Great Hall, only separating once they walked in through the double doors. They took the 'main route' down and, as intended, were seen by quite a few other students.

The 'news' that they did that would be around the castle by late that evening. Which, of course, is why they did it. It was visual proof the Potter-Longbottom Alliance was once again active.

This time, finally, Harry's meal wasn't interrupted by people demanding his attention.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Down in the bowels of the Ministry, the Spectral Threat team had just received a report from the Knight's Shadow team.

Scimitar, accepting the note and reading it, said to the others, "As expected, the Knight and Bookworm returned to the castle, this morning."

That had a few breathe a sigh of relief.

Continuing, Scimitar added, an inside contact has informed us both moved into the rarely used Lords' Quarters. Apparently, Little Old Witch had no problem with it."

"She wouldn't," said one. "That's what they're there for."

"Hmm..." said Scimitar. "We can now confirm Monocle has organised a rotating force of eight aurors for the castle. We now have three in their ranks. Eight's an increase of two since the return of the White Knight and Bookworm."

"Any further news on White Beard?" asked one.

"It's finally confirmed he suffered a heart attack," replied Scimitar. "Monocle had managed to have the information of it tied up tighter than a merman's arsehole and it took us until late today to confirm.

"He's alive and currently a guest in the auror secure ward. Apparently, Monocle doesn't want anyone knowing he's there."

"Wise, I suppose," said another.

"Oh, this is interesting. Apparently, there were rumours she'd declared him a Dark Lord."

"Wow!" said the first. "How'd she do that without dragging him before the fuddy-duddies?"

Scimitar grinned and said, "She used a loophole in the law that Dumbledore used to abuse. By law, she's three distinct people; Acting Minister, Director of the DMLE and Regent of House Bones. She used those three distinct persons she is and, for each, declared him a Dark Lord.

"Our analysts have since checked the oath books and confirmed it. Ha! I bet that stung old White Beard. Hoist by his own petard!"

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Once dinner was over, Harry and Hermione returned to their apartment.

As soon as they walked in, Harry said, "I need to contact Sirius about how we got on for our first day and, while I'm on the mirror with him, ask to speak to Ted if he's there."

"You're warning him about the CBA with Daphne Greengrass and that Lord Greengrass is likely to approach him?"

"Yes," he replied. "Plus, I should write to Lord Greengrass, Samuel, and let him know Daphne has now talked to me about it and he should contact Ted to negotiate it."

Hermione said, "And I need to write to my parents to let them know how we got on."

"Save a bit of space at the bottom for me?" he asked. "I'll let them know, in my own words, you're safe and sound."

Hermione hesitated a bit and asked, "Do we let my parents know I'm in the Lords' Quarters with you?"

"That's up to you," he replied. "If you decide you want to let them know that, I'm happy with it. If you don't, I understand.

"You might want to wait for a little while until you're sure one way or the other, though. Once you've informed them you can't take it back."

When it looked like she was going to worry her bottom lip with her top teeth again, he walked over, took her in his arms and kissed her. "If you're this concerned about what to do, delay telling them."

After feeling all gooshy, yet again, because of the kiss, she sighed and nodded.

"Great!" he said, backing off. "Now I need you to tell me what you can of what was discussed between you three girls when I went outside to wait for the others."

Looking a touch suspiciously at him, she asked, "Why?"

"I don't need specifics," he said. "I just need to know whether or not this is something she truly wants. And I want to know if you know what her thoughts are on this.

"Daphne is a pureblood, raised to always obey her father and Lord of her House. When she replied and said to me this is something she wants, what she could actually have been saying is, 'This is something I want, because it's something my Lord wants.' Understand?

"While she'd not necessarily admit the truth directly to me, she more than likely will to her witch peers. And it's a method by which she can inform me of the truth of what she wants without coming straight out with it."

"Ah," she replied. She then seemed to think about it before she started to explain. "She's scared. She knows what is going to happen if you or Neville can't help her. She'd approach Neville next, if you turned her down, by the way.

"The one putting the most pressure on her father, at the moment, is Caracticus Nott for a Betrothal Agreement for his grandson, Theodore. But, he's not the only one. So is Lucius Malfoy, Corban Yaxley and others she doesn't even want to think about.

"Until you 'outed' him during the first task, Malfoy was the forerunner. Now, it's Nott. And Nott's contract has the stipulation that Daphne's son be handed the Lordship the moment he becomes eligible. It also states that Nott will become Regent, with full access to the Greengrass Estates, for said son if anything happens to Samuel. Daphne said, reading between the lines, it is obvious her father would be killed very soon after any child she births is born.

"Next, she never believed she would be anything but a concubine to another. That you are giving her the option to cancel it shocked her to her core. She realised, by the way, it's obviously for if she meets someone who can offer her a 'marriage'; or if she decides she can't be a concubine, after all.

"You didn't meet her expectations, Harry, you exceeded even her hopes and dreams. That's why she... burst into tears like she did. In her own words, she never even dared to dream such a thing would be available to her."

Looking off into the distance, Harry thought about what his betrothed had told him and then muttered, "Hunh!" Looking directly back to her he said, "So, I did good, then."

She smiled back with a twinkle in her eye and said, "Yes, Harry; you did good. That is, you're doing good."

He thought about it a bit more and, starting to climb back to his feet, said, "I need to go get my communications mirror." He hadn't even realised he'd sat down during Hermione's explanation.

He'd taken only a single step before Dobby popped in before him and offered it to him.

"Oh! Thank you, Dobby," he said, sitting back down.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Up in the Headmistress's office, the four Heads of House, the Deputy Headmaster, Madam Hooch and the Captains of the four House Quidditch teams met for the draw of the abbreviated inter-House Quidditch competition.

After explaining the design of the competition, Madam Hooch held up a small bag and asked each Captain to draw a stone from within. They were numbered.

The numbers drawn had 1, Ravenclaw; 2, Slytherin; 3, Hufflepuff; and, 4, Gryffindor.

Madam Marchbanks explained, "That means, Ravenclaw will draw the two teams they will play. If not chosen by Ravenclaw, Slytherin will not need to draw as they would be playing the other two. If chosen by Ravenclaw they will only draw one."

Though they looked confused, Hooch held the bag for Roger Davies, the Captain of Ravenclaw, to draw two.

They would be playing Hufflepuff and Slytherin.

"Chosen to play Ravenclaw in one of their matches, Slytherin will now draw one. "

The Slytherin captain drew Gryffindor.

"As Slytherin has drawn Gryffindor, that means Slytherin will be playing Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Which means Hufflepuff will be playing Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. And Gryffindor will be playing Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

"That's the four games of the shortened season. Are there any questions?"

Davies immediately piped up and asked, "When will the games be?"

"Madam Hooch will design a schedule and post it as soon as she can," replied Marchbanks while Hooch nodded.

Hooch added, "I'll draw up a fair schedule, but don't expect the first game for about a month. That should give you all time to rebuild your teams, if you need to."

"Thank you, Madam Hooch," he replied.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After describing their first day back in the castle to Sirius, he then had a 'godfather/godson' secret to tell him and told him of the approach by Daphne on behalf of her father.

Sirius was not surprised. "It makes sense," he said.

Then he asked if Ted was there and if he could have a word.

Ted was and he did.

Once Harry finished describing his thoughts on what a CBA between he and Daphne should be like, Ted said, "Alright, just to clarify: You want escape clauses for the both of you along similar lines as the Betrothal Agreement between you and Hermione, without penalty to either party; the same with those clauses becoming void if Daphne falls pregnant."

"Yes."

"You don't want there to be any business clauses that become active on signing of the agreement, in case it's voided, but you do not mind business clauses in the agreement that only become active if the agreement becomes the contract."

"Yes."

"You want the conditions that convert the agreement into the contract the same, or as close to the same, as the conditions in the agreement between you and Hermione."

"Yes."

"And, finally, while any child or children born of the agreement will carry the name 'Greengrass' and be of the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass, you want to maintain the right to both call and treat them as your son/sons and daughter/daughters."

"Right. I don't want to have anyone think of me as 'just providing stud services' or I was 'just the semen donor' or anything like that."

"I can work with that," said Ted.

"Thank you, Ted," he said. "Now, I need to write a letter to Lord Greengrass and inform him I would like him to sit down with my Law-wizard of Record to hammer out an agreement."

"I'll leave you to it," said Ted.

As Samuel Greengrass was of an allianced House, Harry wasn't too finicky with his prose. He kept his letter to the man simple and to the point.

After that, he finally managed to get back to the day's assignments.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After an interrupted night's sleep due to the late night Astronomy lesson on the Astronomy tower, both teens rose as normal to attend breakfast. They did not have classes until after morning tea, but both - individually - felt they had enough sleep.

Harry had risen in time for breakfast but was being quiet about it when Hermione walked out from her room into the living room, where he was. Again, she looked stunning. Betsy did really good work.

When he heard her and turned to her, he said, "Sorry. Did I wake you?"

"No," she replied. "I knew you'd be up early, so I set my alarm to be up early, too."

He smiled and said, "You didn't need to do that."

"And let you go down to the Great Hall for breakfast without me or Neville as backup?" she put. "Not going to happen."

"Actually," he said, "Now that you mention that, I just realised we have a kitchen and pantry in here. And we both saw Dobby and Betsy have fully stocked it."

She smiled at him and said, "Good point. However, 'Lord Potter' needs to put in an appearance at all meal times, at least for the next few days, so that people don't start whining about how you're getting even more privileges."

"Rights," he muttered.

"Not to them," she disagreed.

Nodding in agreement, he said, "You're right. They would think that."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

The two of them walked into the Great Hall about fifteen minutes later. They were neither early, nor late. The Hall was about half full and it was about half an hour before the owls turned up.

That gave them plenty of time to sit and eat before the 'mail bomb' and time to be done eating to allow others to approach.

However, both were surprised when Neville walked in about five minutes after they did. And he seemed to be at least as surprised to see them as they were he.

Joining them, they gave the somewhat obligatory greetings before he said, "I did not expect to see either of you down here for breakfast."

Hermione replied, "And we didn't expect to see you; though, we should have, I guess. You were always an early riser."

"And I thought, irrespective of when you rose, you'd make use of that kitchen in your apartment," he explained.

"We will," she said. "Just... Harry needs to put in an appearance at all meal times for at least the first few days."

Surprised, Neville said, "Yeah, I can see that. Clever."

As the three ate their breakfasts in peace, all three were just as aware of all the looks from the hundreds of students directed their way, as they'd been directed their way since well before what went down, went down.

This time, no one interrupted them.

When the Daily Prophet was delivered by Hedwig, Harry was quick with the bacon. Now that his Lordship was public, it would not look good for him to be publicly berated by his mail owl in front of the school.

Opening it up, the front page was pretty much as he expected.

~ # ~

LORD POTTER NOT AT HOGWARTS?

Expected to return to Hogwarts with the rest of the school on Sunday evening, Lord Harry Potter (14) did not put in an appearance, writes investigative journalist, Kate Erister.

Questioning some of the students who did turn up as they should, it's been learned Lord Potter needed to attend to some 'family business' and would arrive 'soon'. It was only expected to be a day or two.

When asked if Lord Potter, an under-aged wizard who has yet to sit his OWLs, would be arrested or fined for his non-attendance, Madam Amelia Bones, Director of the DMLE said, "Of course not. Lord Potter has been declared of-age. As such and irrespective of whether or not he's earned his OWLs, he's a fully qualified wizard."

And what of his betrothed, the muggleborn Hermoine Grainger? She replied, "Her magical guardian, Lord Sirius Black, notified Headmistress Lady Griselda Marchbanks she would be delayed by a couple days. Headmistress Lady Marchbanks has approved the delay."

Why have they been given this privilege? Is Lord Potter simply flaunting and or abusing his new authority? Is it out of simple arrogance?

~ # ~

Reading through to the end of the article, Harry chuckled in amusement before handing it to his lady.

Once Hermione read it, she asked, "Are you sending Ted after her, this time?"

"Nope!" he replied. "To use a fishing analogy, I'm letting her have her head by letting the line out. That way, when I hook her, I'll have hooked her good and proper."

"You're baiting her to get more and more outlandish," she accused, though smiled when she said it.

He just grinned at her.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After breakfast, the two took Neville back up to their apartment. Harry really wanted to talk to his mate about his own views on his pending betrothal and Susan's concubinage to him.

Once inside, they sat and relaxed for a while before Neville finally said, "Well. I know you want to ask, so ask."

Hermione looked surprised, but Harry just grinned back. "You're getting better, Nev."

The other boy barely blushed this time and only smiled back.

"Very well," said Harry. "How do you feel about your pending Betrothal Agreement and Concubine Bond Agreement?"

With a sigh, Neville replied, "You know what? Happy and... relieved."

"Relieved?" asked Hermione.

"Yep," he replied. "It means I don't have to ask a girl to marry me." And grinned.

Harry laughed while Hermione appeared a little miffed. "Betrothal Agreement or not, Neville; when the time comes to switching the Betrothal Agreement to a contract, you should still do the right by Hannah and propose."

He shook his head, "Hannah doesn't want that. Besides, that's a muggle thing, anyway. Hannah wants the traditional wizarding ceremonies."

Confused, Hermione said, "I didn't know―"

"Wizards don't do weddings, Hermione," he explained. "We do 'handfastings' before a druid in a Druidic ceremony.

"For engagements, House Longbottom hold a convocation where the prospective new member is introduced to the family at-large. It's also when the agreement is agreed to become the contract."

Harry explained, "That's something like an engagement party, Hermione; but, family only."

Concentrating to understand it, she said, "I need to read up on this. I just assumed―"

Harry nodded and called, "Dobby!"

"Yes, master Harry?" said the little elf immediately after it popped in.

Looking to it, Harry asked, "Can you get Hermione a couple of books on wizarding traditions associated with hand-fastings and concubinage? She has a new study project."

"Yes, Master Harry," he replied, popping away again.

Moments later, two books from Pottermore, they had the book-plates that showed them as such, appeared on the coffee table before her. She was quick to pick them up and look at them.

Turning back to Neville, he said, "You know you're effectively going to have two wives, don't you? And those two have been together since they were toddlers. You're going to be out-manned"

Neville chuckled and replied, "I know."

"Any idea on when the negotiations are going to be finalised?"

"Dad told me he hopes to have both done by Friday; before the weekend," he replied.

"When will you know?" asked Hermione.

Neville grinned and replied, "He will send me a note to that effect by Harry's house elf express."

"After the girls, I expect to be the first to be informed," Harry mock-scowled at his mate.

Neville laughed and said, "That's what I planned, yes."

Harry sat forward and said, "Good. Because there's something I want you to consider, when it's finalised."

"Oh?" Neville carefully asked.

Harry firmly replied, "I want you to consider asking Headmistress Lady Marchbanks if you and your two can have your own Lord's Quarters up here with us."

Neville seemed to slump in disappointment before he said, "Though I'll be betrothed and have a presumptive concubine, I still won't be a Lord. These are 'Lords' Quarters', remember?"

Harry shook his head and replied, "That's just the name for them, Neville. Just... promise me you'll ask. Even if she says, 'No,' that's all that will happen. You won't get in trouble for it.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure she'll say, 'Yes.' Don't forget, she's also Lady Marchbanks of the House of Marchbanks; a member House of the Alliance. I also think your father may hint at it to her, too."

Neville thought about it for a long few moments before he said, "Alright, Harry. I'll do it because I owe ya. But, I'll run it past the girls, first."

"I've told you before, you don't owe me; and I'd be cross with you if you didn't ask the girls, first, anyway. But, I really don't think they'll say, 'No'."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After morning tea, which they had in the apartment just to keep Dobby and Betsy happy, they headed down to Care of Magical Creatures and yet another of the new Professors. This time it was with Professor Oliver Senkinhall; the professor who was charged with caring for Errol after he was stunned by the new Defence Professor while carrying a Howler towards Ron.

Professor Senkinhall was a 'retired' exotic magical creature reserve worker; born and raised in wizarding Britain, but worked on the reserve in Africa. Thankfully, he retained his British accent but, at odd moments, used a distinctly different idiom. At least, after seeing the looks of confusion on the faces of his students, he'd apologise and correct himself.

When Hermione asked about what had happened to the Blast-Ended Skrewts, the Professor calmly replied, "Euthanised. They were illegally bred, so had to be put down."

Harry was surprised Hermione wasn't upset about that.

After class and as they walked back up the castle he asked her, "Why weren't you upset to learn the Skrewts had been euthanised?"

"They were dangerous, Harry," she replied. "Because they were... effectively... a new species, no one had any idea what they would eventually grow into. Not even Hagrid, who bred them.

"They could have proven to be even more dangerous than, say... a one thousand year old basilisk. That sort of thing should never be anywhere near a school. And he had about two dozen of the things."

Pleased, he gave her a nod and smile back. "My thoughts, exactly. I'm pleased you realised that. Especially after what you said to Malfoy about them."

She smiled back and said, "You know I just said that to annoy... the little ferret, don't you?"

He laughed.

As they continued to trek back up the grassy slope to the school, Ron came trotting up.

"Errr.. Ha- Lord Potter, may I have a quick word?"

Surprised the boy was being polite, he replied, "Walk with us."

When Ron appeared relieved he quickly stepped up next to Harry and said, "I was... hoping we could have our talk before this afternoon."

"Oh?" he asked. "Why the rush?"

Again, the hesitation. "I need to let Aunt Muriel know I've... talked to you; and you've heard me out. I don't think Pig will be able to fly back later this afternoon and make it before dark."

Surprised at the boy's candidness, he thought for a moment before he replied, "Very well. We shall head for the antechamber where we all gathered prior to our Sortings and speak there.

"You don't have a problem with Hermione and Neville joining us, do you?"

Though it appeared he might well have been uncomfortable with that, Ron replied, "No."

"Then I shall speak with you then, Mister Weasley," he firmly stated.

Knowing he'd just been dismissed, Ron quietly backed away again, by slowing down.

When he was clear, Neville moved back up.

"I'll be having the meeting with Ron as soon as we get back to the castle," explained Harry, before he could be asked. "I'd like it if you two would join me."

"We can do that," said Neville.

Hermione asked, "I take it you don't want to be alone with him in case he tries something?"

"Yes," he replied. "I don't think he intends to try something, but two witnesses would save possible problems later."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Once they entered the entrance hall of the castle, the trio went directly to the antechamber. Ron was less than a minute behind them.

After throwing a Colloportus at the door and throwing up a privacy charm, Harry turned to Ron and said, "Alright, Mister Weasley; you wanted this meeting and I've been accommodating. Now, what is it you wanted of me?"

Ron, though he seemed a little irritated, seemed to give himself a bit of a nod, closed his eyes for a moment and muttered something to himself, before he then looked at Harry with a firm expression.

"Har- Lord Potter," he began. "I should offer my apologies for my behaviour over the past three and a half years, without expectation of your acknowledgement either way. It was wrong of me to accept payment from the... from Dumbledore to be friends with you. I accepted it because I intended to be your friend, in the first place.

"Once I worked it out I said to the... to Dumbledore I didn't need his galleons; but, he said I had earned them, so―" He shrugged.

"It has been made clear to me that... it is now obvious to even me that doing that was so wrong it wasn't even funny. I am now no longer surprised you want nothing to do with me. If it was done to me I would see it as a major act of betrayal, too.

"However, I was told that offering you my apology was the right thing to do so―"

When it looked like he'd wound down and turned a hopeful look on Harry, Harry said, "Well, you've said you want to offer your apology, Ron. However, I've not yet heard you actually apologise. Don't you think you should get to that, then?"

Ron looked back in a shock and confusion before he demanded, "What do you mean?"

Harry sighed and said, "I'll step you through it. First, you said, 'I should offer my apologies'. That does not mean you apologise, that just means you should offer such an apology.

"You then said how you were wrong to accept Dumbledore's blood money. You're right, you were. But, that is still not an apology.

"And then added how it was wrong to betray me like you did. Still no apology yet.

"And, finally, you said, 'I was told that offering you my apology was the right thing to do so...' That's only a recognition someone told you you should apologise. But you still haven't done it!

"Stop explaining your actions, stop explaining how you were wrong, stop explaining what someone else told you to do... and actually do it!"

"I..." he started, his anger morphing to confusion. "I thought I had."

Harry threw up his arms in frustration, turned his back on the boy and walked over to the other side of the room.

Neville said to the confused boy. "No, Ron. Harry's right. You haven't apologised. You said you were offering it, then didn't. And finished with how someone told you you should, and still didn't. In all that you didn't once start a sentence with 'I apologise for...' or 'I'm sorry I...' or anything like that.

"As Harry said; if you're going to apologise, apologise."

It appeared Ron had finally understood when he slumped in on himself. "Merlin, I―" Finally, he braced himself up and again stared directly at Harry. "I apologise for pretending to be your friend. I apologise for taking the Head- for taking Dumbledore's money to spy on you. I apologise for being a prat. I apologise for not being there for you, when I should have been there for you if I was a real friend."

"Bravo!" said Harry, turning back. "That's how you apologise."

Walking back over he said, "I accept your apology, Mister Weasley. However, understand you'll never have my forgiveness. Your actions have told me I cannot trust you.

"One day... maybe... decades from now... I might be able to at least trust you enough not to be wary of you; after you first prove, on multiple occasions, you can be trusted. However, we will never be friends.

"You had that opportunity that very first day. You had to have known, even back then, it was wrong for Dumbledore to pay you to spy on me. All you had to do was tell the old man, in your own way, to 'Piss off!' If you had told me you'd done that, you and me would have been very firm friends. You would have shown, right from that first day, my friendship meant more to you than a measly few galleons. And, as a result, I would have happily shared with you all I had.

"Even if you had, at any time over the past few years, approached me and said, 'Harry, mate, I need to come clean with you about something,' and honestly explained what was going on? You had a chance to redeem yourself with me. But, you didn't! It wasn't until I 'outed' you and Dumbledore during the first task that you realised you'd been well and truly caught.

"You allowed your rampant greed and jealousy to corrupt you, Mister Weasley. You went for the quick gold. A pitiful amount of it at that. And now it's cost you dearly.

"Do you understand and accept that?"

The boy had turned his eyes down in shame before Harry finished the first few sentences. Finally, he sadly replied, "Yeah. Sorry, Harry."

"And that, I believe, is the first, real, freely offered, apology you've ever given me, Ron. Again, apology accepted."

He let that sink in for a moment before he, in a much lighter voice, said, "Now, I know what a trial it is for you to even think of skipping a meal. So, I think it behooves the four of us to go to lunch, yeah?"

Ron gave a wan smile back, blushed a little and softly said, "Yeah."

With a firm expressionless nod back, Harry removed the privacy charm and the Colloportus on the door before he said to Ron, "Go join your friends for lunch, Mister Weasley. I'll be joining mine."

The very obvious inference he wasn't to join them was clear.

As he held the door open for the other three, Harry waited until they were all out before pulling the door shut behind him.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After quickly eating and finishing his lunch, during which Harry thought about what to do next, he gave a mental sigh and pulled his satchel around onto his lap and pulled out an off-cut of parchment, quill and ink. Then began to write.

Hermione, though curious, did not try to read over his shoulder. And Neville never would.

Once it was written, he showed it to Hermione. And, once she'd read it, she understood what he was about to do. Meanwhile, he'd been putting his writing paraphernalia back in his satchel.

"Want me and Neville to come with?" she quietly asked.

"If you'd like," he replied. "However, I do not distrust Angie, like I do Ron. She won't try anything."

She gave a nod and said, "If you're not back in time, I'll ask Neville to escort me when he escorts Susan and Hannah to Transfiguration."

"Good idea," he said. Just before he rose he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

With his satchel firmly on his hip, he made his way down the table.

He paused opposite where the three Lions' chasers were sitting and quietly handed Johnson the note, which she silently accepted.

Not even waiting for her to say anything he continued to walk out the door.

Puzzled, Johnson opened the note and read:

~ # ~

Miss Johnson,

If your need to talk to me is as urgent as your rude behaviour indicated by interrupting on multiple occasions an important conversation I was having, without so much as a by-your-leave, I will be in the antechamber in which the Firsties gather before their Sorting for the next ten minutes. I will speak with you then.

Otherwise, send a damned note if you need my attention and I'm already otherwise engaged, in future!

Lord Harrison Potter

~ # ~

Johnson didn't even need to hand it to her friends to read as they'd crowed in to read it over her shoulder.

"The nerve of that boy!" said Bell.

"No, he's right," sighed Johnson. "That's exactly what I should have done. It's exactly what you're supposed to do, when dealing with the nobles or someone who's otherwise a Head of House. I'd forgotten that."

Spinnet pulled away and groaned, before she bounced her forehead off the table before her three times in slow beat.

Watching her, Bell asked, "That's what his problem is?"

"Yyeeesss," moaned Spinnet.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Harry had been waiting in the antechamber for only two minutes when the door opened and Johnson tentatively walked in. Spinnet and Bell where at her shoulders.

They left the door open.

Harry stood, not quite full-on to them, with his hands clasped behind his back, and asked, "Now, Miss Johnson; what is the urgent matter you risked my physical and or magical retaliation to communicate with me about?"

Looking uncomfortable, she remained silent for a few moment before it looked like Spinnet jabbed her in the back a little.

With a start at the probable jab she said, "We want you to rejoin the team."

"I already knew that," he snapped. "And I've already told you I won't. Next?"

"But, why not?" she begged.

"Do I really need to explain it to you?" he demanded. "Are you that bereft of logic you cannot figure it out for yourselves?"

Looking frustrated, with the other two glaring back at him, she eventually sighed and said, "Yes, alright? I don't know why."

Giving a grunt of annoyance he said, "Fine. I'll explain it to you. I hope you'll be able to learn from it.

"First, back in 1991 McGonagall saw me catching in the air on a broom Neville Longbottom's Remembrall, which had been thrown at the wall of the castle by Malfoy. I managed to catch it one handed only a few feet off the wall.

"McGonagall comes storming outside, snaps at me, 'With me, Potter!' Turns about and storms off again. She never said a word about where we were going. I actually feared I was about to be expelled.

"She leads me up to the DADA classroom, knocks on the door, sticks her head in and asks Quirrell if she could talk to Wood for a moment. Wood comes out. She says to him, 'Wood; I've found you a new seeker,' and indicates me. Then she turns about and storms off again.

"I was never asked if I wanted to be on the team. I just got it dumped on me. What about what Harry Potter wanted, hmm? Nah, fuck him!

"Our first game and Wood says to me, 'Potter! Catch the snitch or die trying!' Besides Wood, there are five older students in the room with me. I think, 'Is this bloke serious?' and then wait for one of the other five to say something along the lines of, 'Wood! You can't go saying something like that to a little firstie! What the hell is wrong with you?!'

"Is that what happens? Did any of you three, who were three of that five, say something like that to the fucking moron? Nope! In other words, by your inaction, you were saying, 'Fuck, the little firstie! Why should we care? If he does die, there's plenty of others who can step up'.

"Ten minutes later the first game happens, Quirrell hexes my broom making it try to buck me off. The twins see it and fly up to try and catch me if I do fall. You three do fuck all! And then, even the twins leave me when that prick Wood orders them to, even when he saw what was happening!

"So, again, you prove to me you don't give a fuck about little firstie me.

"That was just my First Year and very first game. Want me to continue? Or, have you finally figured out why?"

Johnson and the other two heard him out. At first, they frowned. But, as he went through it for them, they started to stare back in horrified comprehension.

"Yeeeeaaaah," he sneered. "I see you three are starting to 'get it'. You three bitches, through your inaction, tried to kill me. If I had died, you would have ended the line of a Noble and Most Ancient House!

"So. Do you have any chance of convincing Lord Harrison Potter to rejoin the Lions Quidditch Team? Absolutely... positively... fuck no!

"Now, will there be anything else?"

When all three dropped their eyes and shook their heads in shame, he sneered and said, "Thought not."

Then he strode past them and out the still open door. He didn't even verbally wish them well; because, he actually didn't. He also needed to get to Transfiguration.

Harry manage to make it in time to walk in with the stragglers and found Hermione kept his seat for him. Neville was with the two 'Puff's, again sitting directly behind.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After Transfiguration came DADA and another new Professor. This time it was Professor Ian Murdstock. The one who didn't hesitate to stun Errol out of the air, though Harry and Hermione did not know that.

As they settled he waited until he knew, obviously by counting heads as they came in, they were all in the classroom before he simply banished the door shut. He then spun about and caused his name to appear on the blackboard with his 'academic achievements' directly under it and spun back.

"That's up there for those who care," he said. "I promised the Headmistress I'd give you the information, so there it is.

"Personally, I have greater respect for those who do great achievements."

He gave that moment before he said, "I've learned that your previous so-called teacher in this subject was an escaped marked Death Eater. I've also learned he taught you the Unforgivables. If I ever see any of you casting one, let alone on another person, I will personally put you down. The Imperious curse is the only one I will not immediately start with lethal curses.

"For the first couple of weeks we're going to revise what you should have been taught in this subject by this stage in your education. If you are as poorly instructed as your fellow students in the other classes I have already begun this upon, I will not be surprised. But, I warn you, it means you're going to be pushed hard just to get your skills up to average."

The class then went straight into revision. And both Harry and Hermione were relieved they'd spent the day at Pottermore a couple days earlier doing precisely this.

At the end of the class, though, it was clear just how behind they were compared to schools overseas. The Professor was right. They were lagging well behind.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Because the meeting with Ron occurred immediately before lunch, they didn't have the meeting for immediately after class. So, the two decided to return to their apartment.

On the walk back, Harry remembered he still hadn't spoken with Professor Babbling about changing electives from Divination to Ancient Runes, so reminded Hermione of it.

She gave a small start of shock, stopped, turned to him and said, "Come on. Let's go see her now." And started to head back the other way.

Harry would have preferred to go back to the apartment first, just to drop off their satchels if nothing else, but knew when his betrothed was in this determined mood it was often just easier to go along. So, he did.

He had no idea where the classroom was and had to rely on Hermione to lead him there.

She turned into a corridor he couldn't remember walking along before and, partway along, stopped before a classroom door.

She gave a quick rap of her knuckles on it and immediately opened it.

Following her in, he was pleased to see the Professor was inside and at her desk.

She looked up from whatever she was working on and saw them. "Miss Granger... and Mis- Lord Potter. What can I do for the two of you?"

Hermione wheeled about and said, "Harry?"

Giving her a nod back he stepped up alongside her and said to the Professor, "I ask for and would like the opportunity to test for entrance into the Fourth Year Ancient Runes class in place of Divination.

Surprised at the request, she put her quill down and sat back.

"Hmm..." she said. "If I remember correctly, you were considered an average student. However, we're all now fully aware that was nought but a smokescreen you erected to hide your true self. Plus, I believe you informed the Headmistress you would be wanting to sit the Third Year end-of-year examination for the subject, once you returned.

"Have you been studying the subject in your own time, Lord Potter?"

With a nod, he replied, "I have."

She pulled out a schedule and ran her finger down it. Looking up she said, "I have a free period immediately following the single Fourth Year class tomorrow for Fourth Period. That's the one immediately before lunch.

"How about you attend that class, then hold back to sit the exam?"

He smiled and replied, "That would be wonderful, Professor. Thank you."

"Then, I shall see you both then," she declared.

As the 'interview' was clearly over, Hermione wheeled about and led them both back out of the classroom.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Finally back in their apartment, Hermione dropped her satchel on the coffee table and headed direct for the office. Harry dropped his own satchel on the coffee table right next to hers and sat on the sofa with a relieved sigh. His talks with both Ron and the Lions' chasers, on top of the classes, had been mentally exhausting.

When Hermione returned, she was carrying a small stack of books. Harry was only surprised with how short the stack actually was.

She handed him the Third Year Ancient Runes text and said, "We need to cram as much of that into your head as we can between now and tomorrow after morning tea."

"Hermione," he sighed. "I told you, I've been studying the subject for quite a while."

"Yes, but you haven't experienced the subject from the point-of-view of the classroom environment. On top of that, you didn't have access to any of the notes taken during the class. And, further, you didn't have access to the notes and such of the short period of first term this year.

"I want to revise with you and make sure you study the right subject areas for the exam tomorrow."

"Fiiiiine!" he sighed, sitting back up and accepting the book off her.

With the intensity Hermione was displaying, they had a late night ahead of them.

An hour and half later, Harry wrote a note to Neville informing him he and Hermione would be having a 'Dobby' dinner in their apartment while they reviewed for Harry's exam the next day. And then asked Dobby to deliver it.

It was a long night, too. They didn't get to bed until after eleven.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ