The Anger.

A couple of days later, Cygnus received a floo call from Dumbledore.

"Ah, Cygnus!" said Dumbledore. "I wonder if I may step through concerning a matter of utmost importance."

"And what matter would be the utmost of importance on New Years Eve, Albus?" asked Cygnus.

"Something best not discussed via floo, I'm afraid," replied Dumbledore. "I shall only be a few moments."

"I'm afraid I'm going to need more than just that, Albus," replied Cygnus.

Cygnus watched as the expression on Dumbledore's face turned hard for a moment before the old man seemed to gather himself. He said, "It is a most delicate matter concerning your family business. I'm sure you won't want it spoken of via this medium."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll weather it just fine, Albus," replied Cygnus in a magnanimous voice. "Please say what you need to. My family is looking forward to a festive evening and preparations must be made."

Dumbledore's expression turned hard again before he said, "I wish to speak with you about young Harry; and wish not to speak of such matters via the floo."

"If you don't trust the floo, send me an owl, Albus," said Cygnus.

"This is a matter I wish to speak with you in person, Cygnus," the old man sighed. "Can you not spare me a few moments, old friend?" "Of course, Albus," said Cygnus. "But, in order not to disturb my family's preparations for this evening, it'd be best if I come through to you."

Harry and Daphne, who were out of sight of the fireplace but in sight of Cygnus, were trying their best not to laugh out loud at the attempts of Dumbledore to get inside the Greengrass wards.

With another big over-done sigh, Dumbledore said, "Alas, that would not be possible. I shall try at a time when you are not so busy."

Before Cygnus could respond, Dumbledore pulled his face out of the fire and the green of an active floo call disappeared.

"Persistent, isn't he?" he smirked at the two. "I believe he's finally realised I've not spent Christmas with my biological aunt," said Harry. "I was wondering when he'd figure it out."

"And why would he think you would?" asked Cygnus.

Harry grinned and said, "Pensieve time!"

Cygnus chuckled and said, "I take it I'm going to find this entertaining?"

"Oh, yes," said Daphne.

"Well, come on, then," he said, heading for his office.

After viewing the memory, Cygnus came out and said, "He assumed."

"Exactly," said Harry. "We've decided to use his own trickery of words back at him. We've noticed he often says something that is inherently true; however, is easily perceived as meaning something else entirely. He did that a lot during his trial. He deliberately uses words and a sentence structure that leads you to a false conclusion."

"So, when you said you'd be spending Christmas with your family, you knew he would assume you meant your aunt," said Cygnus. "But what about when he specifically said he was surprised you had forgiven your aunt enough to spend time over Christmas with her?"

"He made a statement. He didn't ask a question. You'll notice he rarely actually asks a question, just makes a statement and waits for you to respond," said Harry. "I knew it was a falsehood, of course, but it's not necessarily my place to correct him when he makes such. It's the same thing he does.

"Now, if he had asked if I had meant my biological aunt's place when I said 'my family', then I would have been obliged to tell him so. Alas, he didn't."

Cygnus chuckled and said, "It must really get under his skin."

"I hope it does," said Harry. "That's why we've been practicing his mannerisms, as well as his manner of speech. And he can't tell us off, or otherwise punish us for it, because then he'd have to admit that what he was doing was inherently wrong. I cannot see him doing that."

Thinking a bit he continued, "You're probably going to have to let him through at some time. However, make him make an appointment. Then, Daphne and I will make plans to be somewhere else, at the time of the appointment."

"You've not been to Tracey's place yet, have you?" asked Daphne of Harry. Shaking his head with a grin, he replied, "No. I've been to Neville's and Susan's; but not Tracey's, Hannah's or Hermione's."

"Well," she said. "We'll have to visit her soon, won't we?"

Harry laughed and said, "Of course, dear, it would be quite rude not to!"

While they had a great night staying up until after midnight to welcome the new year, Harry was roused from bed at the godforsaken time of 9.00am the next morning by Cygnus.

Worriedly, Harry asked, "What's going on?"

"I've just had a chat with Dumbledore via floo again," he said. "He's coming over in an hour. Apparently, his 'delicate matter of utmost importance' cannot wait until a more respectable time." Grumbling about meddling old fools, Harry quickly rose, showered, toileted and dressed in about twenty minutes. He felt he'd managed to time it perfectly when he was joined by Daphne coming out of her own room, also not happy about the time.

"I doubt very much Tracey will be up at this time," she said, by way of Good Morning.

"Then we shall have to do something else," said Harry.

When they made their way downstairs Cygnus was waiting for them. "Sorry, kids," he said. "I couldn't get hold of the Davises either."

Harry turned to Daphne and asked, "How do you feel about a second visit to Lily's Pad? We can watch what's going on in the Alley." With a frown of annoyance, she replied, "I hope Ninny's up to preparing a breakfast for us."

"I'm sure she'll manage," soothed Harry.

"Alright," she sighed. "But, I'm still getting you over to Tracey's place before we have to return to Hogwarts on the fifth."

"And I look forward to it," he said.

Harry and Daphne approached the fireplace and said to Cygnus, "We'll be at Lily's Pad above Scribbulus's. Then again, we might not." And smirked.

Cygnus nodded and said, "This should take no more than an hour, so I'll see you in about two, alright?"

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