Chapter Seventy Six - Fine Upstanding Citizens, Not

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Chapter Seventy Six - Fine Upstanding Citizens, Not

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―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

The next morning and at Hogwarts, Harry had just seen Fleur off to work by way of the new floo recently allowed in their living room and installed just for that purpose, when a note was delivered to him by a Hogwarts house elf.

After checking it, he opened it and read.

~ # ~

Lord Potter and ladies,

Late last night I was informed by his father via floo that Ronald Weasley's hand had dropped off that famous family clock of theirs earlier in the evening, after first passing through In Danger and resting on Mortal Peril for a short time.

Arthur tells me this could not happen unless Mister Weasley the younger had died.

I assured him you could not have had anything to do with this as you were, at the time, in your apartment with your ladies. My map of the school confirmed this for him.

Before the evening was over Professor Babbling went and collected the three Weasley children who remain attending Hogwarts from Gryffindor Tower, brought them to my office where they were met by their father, told what had happened regarding their family clock and were sent home in their grief. Their personal effects were sent home this morning a short time ago.

Do not fear any of them believe this had anything to do with you, as I proved when I showed them the master Map of the school.

Madam Weasley also tried to demand that you be allowed to join the 'rest of her children' in going to The Burrow to grieve, which I had to inform her would not be possible.

It is unknown, at this time, of the events which surround the death of young Mister Ronald Weasley; or even where his body may lie. That is still being investigated.

I just felt you should know both before you come rejoin the main part of the school. Due to your once-friendship with the boy, you and Miss Granger have my and the staff's sympathy.

I shall inform the Alliance, if Amelia has already not.

Griselda.

~ # ~

After he'd finished reading the note, Harry was in shock. However, he wasn't feeling grief.

He stood analysing his thoughts on the matter for long moment before he silently handed the note to Daphne. Without a word, he then walked to the window and stood with his hands clasped behind his upper bum, staring out into the distance.

It wasn't until he heard Hermione cry out, "Oh, my God!" that he realised Daphne had passed on the note to the other girl.

A moment later he felt one of them step up behind him, wrap their arms around him from behind and lean their head on his back between his shoulder blades. If not for their height he'd have still quickly determined it was Daphne, just from her light perfume. She'd not said a word.

With a sigh, he finally gently turned about and Daphne backed off to give him room as soon as she felt him begin to turn.

His movement had Hermione, who was sitting forward on one of the couches with the note held between her hands, turn to look at him with a great deal of sadness in her eyes.

"I know, Love," he said.

"Poor Ginny," she said. "And the others. They must be... heart-broken!"

"I know," he said.

Bracing himself up, he went to Hermione and, as she stood, he wrapped her in his arms as they stood in silence.

A few moments later he pulled back and said, "I have letters to write. Can someone go and inform the other Heirs?"

"I'll go," said Daphne.

Hermione said, "We should let... no; Fleur will know because she works with Bill. He'll have been informed, already."

"No, let her know," he said. "He'd have been informed last night. He wouldn't have gone to work this morning and, therefore, wouldn't have been there to inform his work colleagues."

As Daphne walked out the door to knock on the doors of the Longbottoms and Finch-Fletchleys Hermione made her way to the floo. They'd promised they'd not use the floo to go anywhere, but all four were sure the Headmistress would not have a problem with them fire-calling others through it; especially, not for something as important as this.

With the other two moving to their tasks, Harry returned to the couch and called on Dobby to bring him his school satchel.

A few seconds later he was in the middle of writing extended notes cum short letters. He had a few to write.

He'd just finished the first when Hermione returned from the floo. "Fleur now knows," she sighed. "They knew Bill would not be in at Gringotts today, but they had no idea why. She'll pass on the information to Bill's work colleagues.

"She also asked if she should return, depending on how you were feeling. I hope you don't mind, but I told her you were fine. She sends her love."

"No, that's fine," he said. "You were right. I'm actually feeling alright about it, truth be told. I've never truly seen Ron as a friend, seeing as I knew what he was up to almost from the first day in 1991.

"My worry is you. You didn't know what I knew and you actually thought he was a real friend. How're you holding up?"

She sighed and replied, "Ambivalent. Yes, on one hand until recently I thought he was a friend. However, on the other hand I only really put up with him because I thought he was your friend. I never truly liked him."

"That concerns you," he said. "Don't let it. You were right. He was quite... forgive me... a bastard to you. I haven't forgotten he was the primary reason you ended up in that bathroom in First Year."

She nodded back and nodded her chin to what he was working on. "Any letters I can help write?"

He thought for a moment before he said, "Yes, actually. Can you write a note to Ted to ask him to inform the mind-healer I contracted to help Ginny about what's happened? Hopefully..."

"Hopefully," she continued, "She might be able to help. That's a good idea."

Getting her own satchel she pulled out stationery and set to write her note for Ted.

As she set up, she asked, "May I know who you're writing to while I write this one?"

"Yes," he replied, "I'm writing a note for Angie Johnson. Her and Alicia were quite close with Fred and George. I think there might've also been something going on between them and the twins.

"Plus, I'm asking them to take copies of the assignments they'll be given over the next few days to forward them and whatever notes they take in class with the classes they share with the twins and forward them on.

"It's their NEWT year. Something like this shouldn't be allowed to hinder them in getting good marks on their NEWTs."

"Good idea," she muttered, already making a start on her letter.

When Daphne returned a couple minutes later, she was followed by the other heirs in the Quarters of the Grand Alliance.

"Harry," sighed Neville.

Harry looked up and said, "Yeah; I know, mate."

"What can we do to help?" asked Susan.

Harry thought for a moment before he said, "I'm writing a note to pass on to Angie Johnson and Alicia Spinnet at the start of breakfast. But I think one of us will need to take Dean and Seamus aside to tell them direct."

"I'll do that," Neville immediately said.

"Who else was Weasley close with?" asked Hannah.

"No one," replied Neville, before Harry could. "He wasn't exactly the most likeable sort of person."

Once finished with his note, he passed it off to Hermione, "Proof read that for me, will you, love? I'm not that much good with 'feelings', you know?"

She just smiled back knowingly and switched with him.

Harry gave what Hermione wrote a quick read through and said, "I like it."

Turning his head to the side a little he called, "Dobby."

When the elf popped in he asked, "Yes, Master Harry?"

Handing the note over he said, "To Ted Tonks, please, Dobby."

Dobby, accepting the note, gave a firm nod of his head back and popped away.

Hermione said, "It's fine, Harry. You're passing it off to them as we walk in?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Then, are we done?" she asked. "No more letters or notes?"

"Not urgently, no," he replied. "And we need to get a wriggle-on if we don't want to be too late."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As the group all walked into the Great Hall a few minutes later, Harry headed direct to the Gryffindor table, sought out the 'Flying Foxes of Gryffindor', spotted them and walked over.

Silently, he handed his note to Johnson.

With a slight frown of curiosity on her face, she looked up and asked, "Now?"

"If possible, yes," he replied. "There is some level of urgency in this."

She gave a nod and handed the note off to Katie Bell.

As the girl had agreed, he walked back out of the Hall, crossed the floor of the entrance hall and walked into the antechamber. He only had to wait about a minute and half before all three girls walked in.

As soon as they did, with all three looking curious, he immediately asked, "Are any of you three aware of why Fred and George aren't in the Great Hall, this morning?"

"Lee told us Professor Babbling came and got them last night, but not why," replied Johnson. "This morning he said they didn't return to the dorm, either."

He gave a nod and said, "Professor Babbling came and got them because the Headmistress needed to see them. She had just been informed by their father that their youngest brother, Ron, died last night."

That had all three look back, horrified.

"No!" Bell softly gasped.

He grimly nodded and said, "Ginny was also collected. I have no idea how long they're going to be gone, but I think it would be helpful to them if you could ask one of the girls in Gryffindor Fourth Year to collect notes and assignments for Ginny, while Angie and Alicia do the same for Fred and George. Then owl them to all three.

"They might not do them... or even be interested in doing them... but it would be the right thing to do."

As Spinnet nodded back, Johnson blurted, "But... we've got a game against Hufflepuff next week. What'll we do for beaters and a seeker?"

Harry's expression instantly went flat and cold. It took him a few moments to smash down on his anger before he said, "I'm going to forget you just said that heartless and cruel remark. How anyone could care more about― Don't ever ask something like that in my presence again. The consequences for you will be exceedingly painful. And, whether or not you'll have a Quidditch Team to play a stupid fucking game will be the least of your worries."

Without waiting another jot, he stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Almost immediately after he was gone, Spinnet whirled on Johnson and demanded, "Angie! How you could ask something like that!? He's right. Don't ever ask a question like that again... or, you'll also be looking for another chaser as well!"

"Two chasers," snapped Bell.

With an expression of pain on her face, Johnson had her eyes closed. "Sorry!" she blurted. Then sighed and opened her eyes. "Sorry, girls. That was... that was cold and, yes, cruel. I don't know why I asked that..." And sighed again, her eyes full of silent apology.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

When Harry walked back into the Great Hall, after taking a long moment in the entrance hall to get his anger back under control, he headed back to the Gryffindor table.

Spotting Lee, he sat down opposite.

Looking back, Lee saw his expression and asked, "Harry? What's up?"

"Fred and George were picked up by their father last night," he replied. "They're probably going to be gone for a while. Apparently, Ron died sometime yesterday evening."

Lee looked horrified. "Damn!" he softly exclaimed.

"Yeah," nodded Harry. "I've asked the chasers to collect homework and notes for them for the classes they're going to miss. But, if you could do the same, I think it would be helpful."

"Yeah," sighed the other boy. "I can see that." He then gave a firm nod and said, "I'll start on that today."

"Thank you," said Harry. "I'm sure they'll appreciate it." He rose and went to the Hufflepuff table, where the other heirs were now sitting at the end next to the Seventh Years.

"The chasers and Lee?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah," he sighed, sitting down. "They, at least, were close to the twins. "I have no idea who Ginny's friends are, though."

"I do," replied Hermione, giving a firm nod. As she rose from the bench she said, "I'll go and talk to them now."

"Good idea, love," said Harry, as Hermione left.

Once she was gone, CeeCee quietly said, "Ginny Weasley. She's the red headed one in Gryffindor Fourth Year, right?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"I don't think I like her," she said, almost depressed. "She's sometimes a little cold towards me. I think it's because she thinks I'm a Malfoy like Draco was."

Harry sadly looked back, thought about what to say to her and said, "Here's the only piece of advice I think I can give you on that: About one in ten people will think you're wonderful, no matter what you do; about one in ten people will not like you, again no matter what you do; and the other eight will always fit somewhere in between. Focus on those eight out of ten, appreciate the one in ten who will always like you and forget about the one in ten who won't like you. Alright?"

CeeCee seemed to think on that for a while and said, "You mean; because I'd be wasting my time trying to get them to like me?"

"Yes," he nodded. "And it would be a waste of time. Put your efforts towards those you have a chance of being friends with and forget about the rest. And accept it's alright for people not to like you. They're allowed. Just as you're allowed to not like others."

CeeCee nodded and said, "I can do that. Thank you."

He just smiled back.

Susan smirked at him and said, "Profound, Potter; profound."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Because the Gryffindors in their year did not have a class on for first period, Harry hung back. Once the Hall was nearly empty, he called Dobby to bring him his communication mirror. It was now left on the coffee table in their living room when not in use.

Handing it over, Dobby silently popped away again.

Calling his godfather it was a few minutes before he answered. When he did he was wiping sleep out of his eyes.

"Pup?" asked a groggy Sirius.

"Sorry to wake you, Padfoot," said Harry. "But, first period is the only period I have free all day and I have important news for you."

After a yawn, Sirius blinked a couple times and said, "Alright; I'm listening..."

"Though I don't think anyone knows how yet, that clock of the Weasleys showed that Ron died sometime yesterday evening," he replied. "His hand on the clock went to In Danger, then a few minutes later went to Mortal Peril, then a few minutes after that fell off the face of the clock. Apparently, that means the one who's clock hand it is has died."

Sirius closed his eyes in mental pain for a long moment before he quietly said, "Thank you for telling me. Arthur was a member of the Order, back during the war."

"I thought you should know," said Harry.

"You were right," sighed Sirius. "What do they know about how he died?"

"Nothing, apparently," he replied. "I guess until they find his body they're not going to know the answer to that."

"And they may never find it," said Sirius. "If he's under a Fidelius..."

Harry gave just a verbal nod back. "Uh-hmm."

Sirius nodded in return and said, "Right. I guess I'll be speaking to Bonesy, sometime today, and seeing what else I can find out."

"Bon chance," said Harry. It was one of the short French terms he'd already picked up from Fleur.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After his mirror-call to Sirius, Harry's day was devoted to his classes. A single in Ancient Runes was first up. It was such an interesting class it very quickly had his mind off Ron Weasley and his fate.

After morning tea was Transfiguration, then another free period until lunch.

He used that second free period to return to the Potter apartment and lay down on parchment his thoughts and plans about what to do concerning this latest 'happening'.

BY the end of it and before his two ladies not otherwise working outside of Hogwarts turned up before lunch to switch out the contents of their satchels, he thought he had some idea.

When Hermione walked in she said, "You look in better spirits."

He nodded and replied, "I am. I've decided I'm not going to let what happened to Ron bother me. I had already decided, in the past, that if he had come after you three or me I would not hesitate to take him out. I'd also most recently decided that if I ever spotted him again I'd kill him, just for what he did to me and us when he attacked us on Hallowe'en. Therefore, all I can be upset about is that he managed to get himself dead before I had the chance to off him myself."

Daphne cocked an eyebrow back and said, "That's one way of looking at it, I suppose."

Hermione sighed and said, "And I have to admit I had already thought him dead. His body just did not know that yet."

"Good," he firmly stated. "That's why I'm not going to let it bother me any more than it already has. It's a done issue. Time to move on."

"Very well," said Hermione. "I agree. So, may we ask what else you've been up to this past hour?"

"After coming to that conclusion, I've been browsing through other Potter House business parchmentwork," he replied. "The only interruption was when Benny, Ted's house elf, popped in with a note from Ted letting me know he'd now been in contact with that mind-healer and let them know about Ginny losing her youngest brother. I didn't ask for any more information than that and he didn't provide it, either."

"So, lunch?" asked Daphne.

He nodded and said, "Once you ladies have replaced the contents of your satchels we can go."

They were done in only a few moments, care of Betsy.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After their afternoon classes of Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, the Heirs returned to their apartments to wash, change and ready for dinner.

They were about fifteen minutes away from dropping downstairs to the great Hall when Sirius mirror called them.

Harry, first to get to the mirror and activate it, looked to the image of his godfather and drawled, "Wussssuuuppp!"

Sirius just smirked and cocked an eyebrow back. "Trying to sound cool?"

Harry just grinned as Daphne, who'd heard, snarked, "Sounding like an uncultured ape, you mean."

That had Sirius's smirk turn into a full-blown grin. Clearly, he'd heard.

A few moments later he dropped the smirk and said, "I tried talking to Bonesy today, but couldn't until about half an hour ago. Apparently, there's all sorts of crap going on."

"Oh?" asked Harry.

Again starting to smirk, his godfather replied, "Apparently, there's a whole bunch of purebloods from dark families that have gone missing. Plus... this afternoon quite a few of them have been confirmed as being dead."

That had the Potters sit up and take notice. Within moments Harry had Daphne and Hermione jumping onto the couch on either side, shoving him over a little into the middle in the process, before leaning on each of his shoulders.

Once Sirius realised Daphne and Hermione were also now there and had finished getting comfortable, he went on. "Some spouses of those who are being reported missing have rushed into Gringotts and have found their husband's lifestones have gone dark."

That had even Daphne give a little gasp of surprise. Harry had never seen a lifestone, but knew of what they were from finding out about CeeCee.

"Have any names?" he asked.

"Not yet," replied Sirius. "Bonesy's being very reluctant to release any information yet. However, she's already received enough similar news she's caused to have sent a warning to the WWN for them to air.

"She's asking for people to report in immediately if 'loved ones' have not turned up when and where they expected them to be. From that, she's already received a few more calls from people complained one of theirs, usually a husband or father, hasn't returned from somewhere they said they'd be going."

Hermione asked, "Do you think it might be related to Ron's death?"

Sirius looked surprised before he said, "I don't think that's occurred to us. I'll send Bonesy a note via HEED suggesting there might be a correlation between the two. She already thinks all these missing people and darkened life stones are related to a single event that she doesn't know about yet."

Suddenly, Sirius turned even more... well... serious. "And Harry? Two that have contacted Bonesy to let them know their husbands didn't come home last night, as they expected, were Eliza Dallyhatch and Dorothy Bancroft."

"Shhhyte!" Harry softly exclaimed as both his ladies gave small gasps. Philip Bancroft was the Heir Apparent of Newton Bancroft, Head of the Elder House of Bancroft. And Eliza Dallyhatch was the wife of Eugene Dallyhatch, Head of the Elder House of Dallyhatch. Both Houses were member Houses of the Grand Alliance.

"Both said that their husbands said yesterday afternoon, soon after lunch, they had to attend an urgent meeting with a 'close friend' that... last... night; but not who that friend was. Both left via floo just before 7.00pm. And neither came home."

"Alright," sighed Harry. "This has now more closely impacted the Alliance. Keep on it, if you can; and let me know what you know when you know. In the meantime, make sure the Noble Houses of the Alliance are made aware of this. Make Frank your first call."

"Already planned to, Pup," said Sirius. "I'm flooing to Longbottom Hall as soon as I get off the mirror with you."

Harry immediately asked, "Take the mirror with you, please."

"Again; I already planned to, Pup."

"Thanks, Sirius."

"Mirror off!"

When the mirror returned to being a normal mirror, Daphne asked, "Gather the heirs?"

It only took a moment for Harry to nod and say, "Yeah... I think it would be for the best."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Neville asked, "So, Eugene Dallyhatch and Philip Bancroft are also missing?"

Daphne was quick to round up the heirs from the Quarters and they all, once again, congregated in the Potter apartment.

"Apparently," shrugged Harry. "I never liked Philip, though. He was the one who sneered at Hermione back at the first meeting of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance held at your place, Nev."

"He did?" asked Hermione. "I... didn't notice."

"I didn't either," said Neville. "However, his mother certainly did. After I dropped them off in the dining room I could hear her giving him a serve about it. I never mentioned it because I shouldn't have heard it. And I thought it wasn't my place to say."

Hermione frowned and said, "I thought you escorted the wives through to the breakfast room."

"I did," said Neville. "However, she begged off me doing that because she said she needed a quick word with her husband. So, I left her in the formal dining room and knew she'd easily find the informal dining room, or I could escort her there when I brought the next House in, which is what I did."

"Don't worry about it," said Harry. "Other than that one-off sneer, he never did anything like that again. So, I thought the matter dealt with."

"Any idea on the numbers missing, presumed dead?" asked Susan.

"Nope," replied Harry. "However, it sounds like a lot."

He thought for a moment and said, "However, if any of you want to contact your loved ones via floo to assure yourselves they're not counted in the 'missing', you're welcome to use our floo." And gestured towards it.

Hannah said, "Thank you." And immediately headed to it.

Hermione called to her, "Floo powder's in the pot on the mantelpiece."

A few seconds later, Hannah had the kneeling mat on the floor before the fireplace and her head in the green flames.

CeeCee went next. She didn't know, or hadn't thought about, how Sirius was very likely to know if something had happened to 'Mum Narcissa' and would have said so.

Tracey went after her, then Daphne.

None of them reported a missing person among their own loved ones.

Meanwhile, the others were discussing what might have happened, just 'round tabling' it.

Fleur returned via the floo between calls by Tracey and Daphne. She was a little miffed she couldn't connect to jump through for a little while until she learned why.

After she was quickly brought up to speed on what was happening, she had her own information to add.

"There were only a couple of minor eencidences this morning," she reported. "Then, after lunch, there were quite a few witches come into the bank, all demanding to be allowed to see their 'usband's life stones. Quite a few of them left afterwards, in tears; or trying not to show they were upset.

"It was clear to see that something bad 'ad 'appened; and it 'ad to do with a lot of families known for being dark. But no one who might know anything is speaking about it, yet.

"Even the Account Managers are not speaking. When I left, the bank management were all in a big 'ush-'ush meeting. The Account Managers were all in on that."

"Then something big has definitely happened," said Susan. "The goblins are well known for being stoic... unflappable... even in the face of full-on war."

After Daphne had finished her floo-call, Neville put in one to his father. When he came out of that, he said, "Dad's confirmed for me that Eugene Dallyhatch and Philip Bancroft are dead. But he's also added that Cyril MacMillan is too. At least, old Augustus has told Dad that his son's life stone has gone dark."

"Oh, poor Ernie," said Hannah.

"That's a point," said Harry.

"Dad says not to worry about finding some way to let Ernie know," said Neville, already figuring out what Harry was going to point out. "Apparently, old Augusta's already come to the school to pick him up."

"Two Heads of House and an Heir Apparent," sighed Harry. "It seems, even our Alliance has not escaped whatever it is that's happened."

"I need to drop down to the Badgers' Cete," said Justin. "I need to find out what they do and don't know about Ernie."

"We'll come with," said Susan. Apparently she and Hannah had one of those little female eye-to-eye conversations and decided they'd be going, as well.

All three left less than a minute later.

After they left, Daphne quietly said, "I don't think we're going to get much sleep tonight."

On the contrary, they did. However, Harry's, Hermione's and Neville's sleep were disturbed for the hour on the Astronomy Tower, as was CeeCee's.

They heard no further news that night.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

The next morning, though it was another late start for those who spent time in the Astronomy Tower, the entire Quarters' residents yet again went down to the Great Hall together.

When Fleur left to go to Gringotts she promised that, if she heard anything of significant import, she'd send a note by HEED to let them know.

Walking in, the Heirs were early enough to find a spot up near the head end of the Hufflepuff table to sit together. They even interacted a bit with that year's crop of 'Puff Firsties.

However, the atmosphere of the Hall felt a bit... odd; certainly much quieter than normal.

Daphne was the first to spot what was wrong.

She leaned in to get the attention of the others and said, "Two things. First, we're missing quite a few students, especially from Slytherin. And, second, look at the expressions on the faces of the staff."

Looking for themselves, the others could see what Daphne was getting at. The Slytherin table, compared to the other three, was reduced in number. Though it was not anywhere even approaching something like a third of their number, it was still not normal. Plus, the teaching staff were all sporting long faces. None of them were so much as even gently smiling, let alone laughing at something another said in jest as they would be usually.

"Not good," said Justin.

When the mail-bomb came the delivery of the Daily Prophet caused a bit of a ruckus. The lead and main story was on the news that many 'fine and upstanding citizens' had disappeared, with many already being reported to be dead. That was based on their extinguished life stones.

Of course that had many students, who were children or grandchildren of those 'fine and upstanding citizens', all a-flustered. Quite a few immediately hurried to their Heads of Houses with demands to be allowed to contact their loved ones to ensure for themselves they were alright.

That had Marchbanks rise and call for silence.

"Students," she firmly called. "You will notice that quite a few of your dorm mates and others have not joined us for breakfast, this morning.

"That is because I was contacted two nights ago, right through to late last night, with news loved ones of some of our students have been reported as being recently deceased. This is based on whatever magics each family has employed to monitor the health of the loved ones in their families. In every case I have asked that students Head of House to collect them and bring them to my office, where the news was passed onto them. Again in every case that student was allowed to immediately go home via the floo in my office. House elves collected their personal effects and they were immediately sent along.

"I assure you all, as soon as we became aware there was an issue for one or more of our students, the student or students concerned were immediately informed.

"If you have not been asked to report to my office then, as far as we and the DMLE are concerned, there is no information something untoward has occurred to any of your family members."

That had quite a few students immediately relieved.

What Harry recognised straight away, though, was that there might not have been a family member left of that family who could have discovered something had happened to another family member, or that there might not have been a life stone or similar monitoring device related to that missing person. However, he also realised pointing that out would cause undue worry and or panic, so withheld.

She continued, "We assure you that the DMLE is fully aware something has occurred that has impacted, as the Daily Prophet puts it, many 'fine and upstanding citizens'. We do not yet know what that something is. We also hope and believe that the DMLE will discover just what has happened some time today. And, when they do, will also have answers for us as to just who has been impacted by this."

She gave that a moment before she said, "I remind you all that mail is only delivered to our students in the mornings at the conclusion of breakfast. Therefore, if someone tells you they have further information, or that they know someone who has further information, I ask you to remind them that mail is only delivered once per day and at breakfast."

Harry had to mentally congratulate her for her words, then. Marchbanks had not lied. However, he knew very well she knew house elves could deliver mail at any time; that there were magical devices, such as the mirrors of which Harry had one and Sirius had the other, that were communication devices; each member of staff had access to a floo, which could be used to receive or make floo-calls; and some students had portable wizarding wirelesses, which were perfect for receiving up-to-date news. And that was only what he immediately remembered off the top of his head. Later, he also remembered messenger Patronuses.

However, while it might do a lot to reduce the fodder for the gossips, these kids were going to be harassing the staff for the chance to floo-call their loved ones, just to check for themselves they were alright. And, of course, it wasn't going to take long for at least one of them to remember the wizarding wireless carried 'news bulletins'; not just played the 'latest' hit by Celestina Warbeck or The Weird Sisters.

He was surprised, though, that the news of it had been kept, for the most part, unknown to the rest of the students until then.

'An embargo, perhaps?' he thought.

What no one knew, though, was the answer was going to be discovered very soon.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After a very long night and after only a few hours of sleep on a conjured cot in her office, Bones was again sitting at her desk. She was currently nursing a very strong cup of coffee, trying to wake herself up without resorting to Pepper-Up potions or the like.

She was about to demand another update when Scrimgeour gave a quick knock on her office door and walked in leading one of the junior aurors who manned the floo-call room.

"Ma'am," he said, looking grave. "Young auror Wilks, here, just received a call that I think you should hear about."

When both turned to look at him, the auror gave a quick swallow of nervousness and said, "Ma'am, as the Seniors have demanded when one of these calls has come in, I tried to get the person on the other end of the call to give me more information about where they thought their missing loved one might have gone last... sorry... two nights ago.

"I... umm... the witch who flooed me was quite reticent to tell me, but she eventually told me that her father... that's Hugh Huntingdon, Ma'am... told her he was going to an important meeting at Nott Manor; and that he was not to be disturbed unless... as he apparently told her... 'somebody important had died'."

When the young auror didn't say anything further, she demanded, "Anything else? Anything... that she may have told you that has you think she might not have been honest with you?"

"No, Ma'am," the auror immediately returned. "I think... actually, I'm pretty sure... she was telling me the truth."

Bones gave a firm nod and said, "Thank you, Auror. You may return to your duties."

"Thank you, Ma'am," nodded the auror before he braced up for a moment, turned tail and quickly hurried from the office.

As he did, she turned her eyes to Scrimgeour and said, "Rufus..."

Before she said anything further he said, "I'll form a team and go there right now."

She nodded and said, "Good. Make sure you take at least half a dozen with you and you let me know as soon as you can what you find. I suggest calling one of our house elves to carry the message for you, Patronus me or send back an auror."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, before also walking out.

As he closed the door behind himself, she slumped back into her chair, closed her eyes and massaged the bridge of her nose.

'Please, let us know what happened from what Rufus discovers,' she thought.

She didn't even know who she was asking, but it didn't matter anyway.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

At Hogwarts the day, of course, started out being one where the staff were doing their damnedest to distract their students with school work and where the students kept suffering from point deductions for 'not paying attention in class' due to being distracted by matters not relating to the distractions the staff were trying to employ.

Even in double Charms with the students of his Fifth Year Gryffindor/Ravenclaws, Flitwick was being firm. His usually pleasant and affable demeanour was quite suppressed.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Scrimgeour appeared outside the gates of Nott Manor leading a team of six aurors, two ward breakers and two curse breakers, just in case.

Immediately, the four 'breakers' turned to the gates of the manor and began casting. The first thing they did was cause the wards to 'ping', alerting whoever was inside that there was someone at the gate seeking entrance. It was the polite way to magically 'knock'.

When there was no response from either a wizard, witch or house elf within thirty seconds, Scrimgeour firmly said, "Right. Get us in."

The breakers set to work.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

With a few more reports of missing witches or wizards coming in - mainly wizards - during the morning, no one had any clue as yet as to what had happened. However, with the exception of a few cases, almost all of those reported missing or dead where 'once-Imperiused' supposedly ex-Death Eaters.

'Did they all participate in another failed resurrection ritual?' she thought. However, that was something for her, only. That possibility would not be discussed.

She'd only ten minutes earlier received a report from Scrimgeour that they were finishing the last few minutes of bringing down the wards on the Nott manor before they'd be going in. Now she had to yet again experience that bane of all combat troops; 'Hurry up and wait.'

She'd only just had that thought when Scrimgeour's messenger Patronus bound into the room. 'We've found 'em, Ma'am. About fifty of 'em. All dead. We need forensics.'

Bones didn't know whether to be relieved or alarmed.

A moment later, after accepting the message in her own mind and going over what she needed to do, she rose from her desk and strode from the office.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Standing in the middle of the Nott manor reception hall, Bones was looking down at a line of forty six magical body bags. All the 'occupants' of those bags had been identified. Slightly less than a handful of them, all witches, had been found upstairs in the ladies' parlour. They'd been bagged and brought down here to add to the line.

Over two dozen of her aurors were either standing around and awaiting orders, or were combing through the manor, looking for more bodies or evidence. They'd also already found three house elves; one in the kitchen, one in the parlour and one in here, the reception hall.

Then a messenger Patronus entered and spoke to Scrimgeour. 'Found another body. In the basement. Young wizard. Looks like the missing Ronald Weasley. There's another elf body down here, too.'

Just as that one completed its message, another from the same auror entered. 'And I think I've found what's caused this. Failed potions. Same location.'

Scrimgeour immediately spun to one of the Seniors and ordered, "Send one of our Potion Masters and a Healer to the basement."

The Senior nodded and hurried off to send the two down.

When he turned back, Bones said, "Let's go join them. I need to know for myself and with my own eyes what happened here."

Scrimgeour nodded and turned to one of the Masters, "Proudfoot. You're in charge up here. Ready the bodies for portkey to Saint Mungo's, but don't send them yet. I don't think even they'll have room for this many bodies to turn up in their Mortuary all at once."

As the two headed for the door leading down to the basement, Bones mentally kicked herself for not thinking of that, too.

'Lack of sleep,' she thought. 'It'll get you killed.'

It was one of the golden rules they were taught in the Auror Academy.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

An hour and a half later, after first reporting what she knew to both the Minister and the Chief Warlock, Bones stepped in front of the lectern outside the DMLE she used to give 'doorstop' interviews to the press. The press area was packed.

Quickly getting silence, with those barking questions at her quickly force to shut up, she said, "Good afternoon. At approximately 8.30am this morning, a young auror tasked with monitoring the emergency floo-call room in the department, was given what he thought was a lead on what had happened to one of the witches and wizards who had gone missing two nights ago..."

After covering the background that led to her sending her Head Auror and a large team of aurors to Nott Manor, she then went over what their forensics had quickly determined once they'd entered the basement of the manor.

Once done, she firmly said, "Now, if you don't try and bark your questions at me, I'll now try to answer them."

One, clearly the fastest and who didn't seem to need to take a breath first, snapped, "Who died?"

"That information, as always and as per the law, will be withheld until the families of all the deceased are notified," she replied. "I hope that will be accomplished by late this evening."

"Can you at least give us some of the names?" another demanded, loudest of those asking.

"No," she replied.

"Who murdered them?" another asked.

Glaring at the one who asked, she snapped, "No one! As I've already said, our forensicists have already determined it was a potions accident. As I said, it was brought about by the failure of a potions stasis charm covering three volatile and illegal potions. Next?"

"How will the loss of these fine and upstanding citizens impact the Wizengamot?"

"Yet to be seen," she said. "Plus, it has nothing to do with the investigation of an accident that led to multiple deaths and is, therefore, not relevant to our investigation."

"Surely someone was responsible," pressed one. "Who was that?"

"Unknown at this time," she replied.

She, however, already knew it was Weasley who mainly caused it, but the internal central heating system made it that much worse. However, she would not have the House of Weasley pilloried for this if she could at all help it.

"But, we're talking forty seven deaths, here!" said another. "Surely a potions accident couldn't cause that many deaths."

"Hard to believe, I know," she sighed. "However, that is what our forensics have discovered."

It was fifty one deaths if you included the four house elves.

"Why were they all there in that one place?" another asked.

"From the set up of the room, they were in the middle of a meeting," she replied. "The purpose of which, we currently have no idea."

The doorstop ended a minute later with frustrated journalists not getting the 'juicy' information they wanted. They would, later that night.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

About half an hour after classes wound up for the day, the four Heads of Houses all walked out of Marchbanks's office and headed for those they needed to see. As she didn't have any, Professor Babbling 'helped' Professor Vector with whom she needed to see. Only one of hers had already been sent home; Cormac McLaggen, whose mother told Marchbanks his father, Olaf McLaggen's, life stone had been discovered to have gone out the previous day.

Quite a few more students were sent home over the next hour, well before dinner.

Each had been escorted to Marchbanks's office and escorted home. Her office was simply not large enough to allow all their close family members to come to the school to collect them. So, the Heads of Houses took them home.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Of course, the remaining students now already knew a great deal more than some of what had happened. Someone in Ravenclaw had remembered they had a wizarding wireless and had taken it to their common room for all those who weren't otherwise in class to listen to it. The wireless reported Bones's doorstop 'live' on air.

It was clear that, whatever truly befell those who had died, the aurors had found them all in the one place.

At dinner, Marchbanks again stood and gave pretty much the same information as Bones had covered in her doorstop. However, some of that information many students thought they already knew from the doorstop had been 'corrupted' during the many retellings of it by those who had heard from someone who had heard from someone who had listened to the wireless at that time. Chinese Whispers at its finest. She set them straight on all that.

"What it means is that, from this incident, all those students who had lost a direct family member have now already been all informed," she explained. "So, you can settle down worrying that one of your family members was among those who died."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Back in her office and now co-ordinating the informing of the deceased's immediate family what had befallen their loved ones, Bones sat at her desk going over the list of forty seven names:

Finn Aldermaston, Dylan Ancrum, Cecile Ancrum (wife, found upstairs in the ladies' sitting room), Philip Bancroft, Jasper Belby, Conrad Bexley, Emmett Bletchley, Byron Carmichael, Saxon Cowley, Alecto Carrow, Amycus Carrow, Vindicus Crabbe, Elizabeth Crabbe (wife, found upstairs in the ladies' sitting room), Eugene Dallyhatch, Stewart Evercreech, Francis Gibbon, Gregory Goyle Sr., Felix Harper, Marjhorie Harper (wife), Miles Haworth, Hugh Huntingdon, Belvedere Jugson, Grant Ledbury, Violette Lebury (wife), Reuben Lofthouse, Timothy McGruder, Thomas McGruder (son), Olaf McLaggen, Cyril MacMillan, George Montague, Warren Morcott, Tobias Mulciber, Cecily Mulciber (wife, found upstairs in the ladies' sitting room), Caracticus Nott, Clarissa Nott (wife, found upstairs in the ladies' sitting room), Cassius Parkinson, Jonas Queensbury, Evan Rosier Jr, Thorfinn Rowle, Jasper Selwyn, Tobin Travers, Isaac Urquhart, Belladonna Urquhart (wife), Gabriel Vaisey, Bennett Warrington, Ronald Weasley (found in the basement) and Spencer Wilkes.

Looking through it she was unsurprised to see just how many of them were known to have been 'Imperiused' Death Eaters. With the exception of those either dead before this or in Azkaban, these included the last of what she knew or seriously suspected to be the Inner Circle. Another dozen were Ministry employees. Two were her two, until then, recently missing aurors.

On top of all that, almost twenty of them were either sitting Members of the Wizengamot or their Heirs Apparent. That was going to cause a major shift of the paradigm in those seats. It was also why she immediately informed the Chief Warlock after informing the Minister.

The only clue she had as to why they were all meeting on that Tuesday evening came from the parchment sheets of a document that were found to have been scattered about the body of Caracticus Nott, apart from the rest and placed as if he was standing and giving a speech. It was a copy of Sirius's Bill that had been tabled for the first reading in the Wizengamot that very day.

The Chief Warlock, with the full backing of the Minister, had already called an emergency sitting of the Wizengamot for the next Tuesday morning.

But worse, she believed, for her House was that three of them were members of the Grand Alliance; one as Head and two as Heirs Apparent. She'd already sent notes off to Sirius and Frank with that news.

She knew Sirius would inform Harry via that communications mirror of his, so did not bother to send him one. Besides, she was still a little miffed with the young man with how much work he'd recently caused her.

Sitting back up straight from where she hadn't even realised she'd sat back, she gave herself a scolding and thought, 'Time to get back into it if I want to get home before midnight.'

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ