Harry Potter's revenge.

Lisa laid a protective hand on Sophie's shoulder. "Even more reason then, and shouldn't Heiress Greengrass also be here for this?"

Hermione looked between the two hostile witches, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What reason would Daphne have to be here? This has nothing to do with her."

Behind the four Ravenclaw witches, Terry urgently mouthed something to her, although she couldn't quite make out what.

"Wait," Padma tilted her head. "This isn't about the troll?"

Hermione stood in front of them, nonplussed, feeling like they were all reading from completely different scripts. Then the lightbulb switched on. Her eyes widened. "You thought I was going to call in a life debt!"

Padma and Lisa's face went completely blank, instantly confirming her realisation.

"What's a life debt?" asked Justin and Sophie in unison.

Hermione threw up her hands in exasperation. "This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about."

Padma and Lisa took a tiny step back.

Hermione turned to Justin. "A life debt is a magical debt created between two people when one of them puts their own life at risk to save the life of the other with no expectation of future benefit." She turned back to the Ravenclaws. "I just caught Malfoy trying to goad Justin into attacking him so he could make things difficult for him and his family, but I stopped him. I want to get all the muggleborns together for wizarding culture classes to put a stop to that kind of exploitation going on."

Padma's eyes widened. "That's what you wanted to ask? Why the secrecy then?"

Hermione lowered her eyes for a moment. "Well, you've always said you didn't trust me. I figured you'd think I was trying to pull something."

Padma had the grace to look ashamed.

Lisa tapped a finger on a thoughtful chin. "Culture lessons aren't actually a bad idea. I wonder why no one's done it before."

Padma muttered. "Maybe because certain families would kick up a stink?"

Lisa pouted.

Sophie edged around her Hermione?"

friends.

"Ah, "Yes?"

"Can they really hurt my Mum and Dad?"

"If you did something sufficiently extreme, yes."

Sophie looked towards Padma and Lisa, the question obvious in her eyes.

They both nodded, awkwardly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Sophie's voice sounded somewhat hurt.

Padma rubbed her arm. "It's not the kind of thing that's pleasant to talk about so no one really does, and your situation isn't nearly as bad as some of ours." Her voice lowered so only the girls could hear. "At least you don't have to worry about being married off to someone." Sophie put a horrified hand over her mouth. Justin stepped into the circle. "So, are you in?" The girls all looked at him for a few awkward moments.

Then Sophie nodded. "Yes. I suppose I'd better do it."

"And I'd like to sit in on the first lesson, at least," added Padma.

Hermione nodded, slowly.

Lisa shifted uncomfortably. "I'd like to join too, but it's probably not a good idea… all things considered."

Hermione nodded again. The Turpin's attempts to court the Dark were well known.

Terry waved to them from the doorway to the Ravenclaw common room, a large grin firmly attached to his face. "Well, I'm getting back to our potions essay. Take care of Sophie, you two!"

Sophie's cheeks reddened.

Daphne climbed the grand staircase looking for what would hopefully be the next puzzle piece in Harry's plans. She'd found and checked out a book from the library on the castle's paintings and quickly identified what she was looking for. Now she just had to find it.

She arrived at the fifth floor corridor, turned down a side passageway, ducked under a tapestry, walked up another corridor, stopped at a particularly large suit of armour, turned around in a circle three times while humming, then walked back the way she came to find a completely different tapestry and a completely different corridor.

Now, if she was right, it should be right around here. She stopped and let out a satisfied breath.

"Good day there, Young Miss." The portrait of an older man sat at a small round table, cluttered with crystal balls, rods, and other divination paraphernalia. "And how might this old wizard help such a pretty young thing as yourself?"

Daphne controlled her combined flush of embarrassment and annoyance. She opened her mouth, but the self proclaimed old wizard beat her to it.

"—I hope you haven't tracked me down just to try to wheedle divination from me."

the lost secrets of

Daphne shut her mouth.

"You wouldn't be the first, you know. Every decade or so, someone new tries." The portrait eyed the book she carried. "But you're a bit young for that, so maybe you're just an appreciator of fine art, eh?"

Daphne opened her mouth again. "You say they try? Why doesn't it work?"

The portrait sighed. "Because I can't. Yes, I have the knowledge, but I was bound never to speak them — just like every other portrait you'll find. All portraits are connected a little bit, you know — least the ones in Britain are. It's part of the Albion Family Magics." Daphne's eyes widened. "Someone cast a spell that affected all the portraits in Britain? Who could possibly do something like that?"

The portrait looked back at her. "Why, the Wizengamot, of course."

Daphne groaned. Of course. The Wizengamot did have a small amount of control over the Albion magics.

"Now, was that all you visited me for?" the portrait asked, waggling its eyebrows. "Or did such a pretty witch have something else in mind?"

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