HARRY POTTER :flash forward.

When the carriage dropped them off at the castle steps Harry ushered his ladies inside and they quickly made their way to the Ravenclaw table. They were soon joined by Luna, who had stayed at the castle over the break.

"How come you didn't go home for the break, Luna?" asked Hermione.

"Daddy was busy with the Quibbler and had to go to Europe to research some parts for stories he has for print. He wouldn't have been able to return to England in time to get me back for the return train. That meant I would have had to stay at home alone for the duration," she explained. "So, we thought it best I stay at the castle, instead."

All three felt sad for the girl. It was bad enough she used to get picked on and bullied at the school; but, to not even have any friends to spend the holidays with... that sucked.

"Next time something like that happens, Luna," said Hermione. "You let us know. We're your friends. If you have nowhere else to stay but on your own at home you can come and stay with us."

Harry and Daphne both nodded. While Daphne still did not know what to truly make of the girl she considered quite odd, she also knew she had an otherwise lovely personality and could be fun to be around. Besides, Hermione wanted the girl to be her bridesmaid in August. And Xenophilius, Luna's father, was planning their annual excursion in search of what some folks called mythical creatures, accordingly.

As soon as dinner was over the three immediately made their way to their apartment. And, as soon as they entered, Daphne crossed to her carrel desk and pulled out parchment, ink and a quill - taking them to the coffee table - as Harry and Hermione did the scan for tracking, listening and monitoring charms.

"Dobby!" she called.

"Yes, Mistress Daff?" asked the little elf after popping in.

"Can you get me a memory phial out of my supplies, please?" "Yes, Ma'am," he replied before popping away and back with one.

"Thank you, Dobby," she said, taking the phial. "Oh, and you can bring our trunks in now and unpack; thank you."

After what happened with their luggage being 'pawed' by the Headmaster on their return from Christmas, they now left their packed luggage at wherever they last stayed, and then had it brought by the elves when they arrived.

As her husband and sister-wife moved around the apartment checking for the Headmasters charms, Daphne pulled the memory of their meeting with Malfoy on the train from her mind, before dropping it in the phial. She wrote a quick note reminding Sirius of their discussion via mirror before using it to wrap the phial.

"You do realise, with Malfoy looking to distance himself from Riddle, we need to choose a new 'blood donor'?" asked Hermione, coming to sit opposite.

"I want it to be Nott," said Daphne. "However, it could also be Crabbe, Goyle, Selwyn, Avery, Flint, or a few others. But, I want it to be Nott."

"We'll take who ever feels brassy enough to walk down that corridor on their own with no other Slytherin in sight," said Harry. "However, if we can plan it that way, then yes it'll be Nott."

"Good," she firmly said.

Hedwig was already on her roost and watching as Daphne approached. "Hey girl," she said, as she moved to tie the bundle to Hedwig's ankle. "Take this to Sirius, please. Take your time. He won't be expecting it until morning."

With one last brush of Daphne's fingertips down her back, Hedwig took wing and shot out through the owl window, flying south to London."

Turning, she saw Harry and Hermione had completed their scan. "How many?" she asked.

"Believe it or not... none," replied Hermione. "It seems our ward kept the old man out."

"I'm surprised, actually," said Harry. "I thought he might've been tempted to use Fawkes to get in if he couldn't get in any other way." "I'd think Fawkes would not be agreeable to such an action," said Hermione. "They are, after all, a bird of the light. I think he'd find 'Breaking and Entering' not such a good thing."

Harry grinned back.

"He could have also finally woken to the fact that every single monitoring or listening charm he places on us is very quickly found and removed or tampered with," said Daphne.

"Or he's just lulling us into a false sense of security," suggested Harry.

"Whatever the reason for the lack of such," said Hermione. "We won't stop checking for them; or telling Dobby to stop checking for them, either. "Agreed," said her husband and sister -wife.

The morning after they arrived back in the castle, Hermione pulled out her recently purchased copy of Moste Potente Potions. Their plan to oust Barty Crouch Junior required the brewing of the potion. However, instead of using the 'bit' of the real Alastor Moody, the bondmates decided on not adding anyone. They hoped that, without the final ingredient, Crouch would revert back to his original form, as it would only be his own saliva, even if he was in the form of Moody at the time.

The book was not clear on what, exactly, would happen in such an instance. But, from similar potions, it would either be inert or Crouch would simply not revert to his true form. Unlike Amortentia, Polyjuice did not have a different smell or taste depending on the person to whom it was keyed. Its only difference was the colour. And, as Crouch drank the potion from a solid metal flask, unless he poured some into his hand before drinking from it, he'd never know he was not drinking 'his' Polyjuice Potion until it was far too late.

During one of their trips to Diagon Alley, the three individually purchased different ingredients from the required ingredients list.

Once in their apartment, Hermione set up one of their 'spare' cauldrons in Daphne's ensuite and began the process. The first step, as with second year, was to stew the lacewing flies for twenty-one days. The three were no sooner used to school activities again when, a couple of weeks later, Harry had to get ready to attend his first Wizengamot meeting. It was held on Monday, the 3rd of May, starting at 10:00am.

Immediately after breakfast he headed back to the apartment and donned his robes before heading down to the Entrance Hall. And, yet again, the Headmaster turned up.

"Now, Harry..." he began.

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