Monday, March 15, 1995 – Morning
Hogwarts was starting to emerge from winter. The snow had finished turning into muddy slush. The hilltops surrounding the castle were still white. The snowdrops were flowering, and daffodils were pushing up through the mud.
Normally, Quidditch would be the topic of conversation in the Gryffindor common room. Much to the dismay of the loudest Gryffindors, Quidditch had been cancelled for the year due to the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Of all the indignities that had been inflicted on Gryffindor, this was the worst. They had been deprived of their opportunities to yell from the side lines as their team flattened all the opposition.
The loudest complainers seemed to miss a change in the atmosphere. The confused yelling about Potter being a traitor to Gryffindor had died out. It had been conveniently forgotten by some that it was a majority of Gryffindor house members who had expelled Potter from the house. It was never his choice to leave.
A few Gryffindors started carrying a shiny silver medallion. It was never clear where they had come from. Some Gryffindors had noticed Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws wearing them. Neville, Fred, and George were the most curious about them. Neville was given one by Professor Sprout during a conversation after a Greenhouse class. Professor Sprout had recommended wearing the charm at all times. She also assured Neville that he could make as many copies of it as he liked to give them to his house mates.
Professor McGonagall also gave out copies of the medallion as she interviewed each Gryffindor. These interviews were not normal practice. After she started wearing her Lord’s ring, Professor McGonagall realized that she was cut off from her house to an unhealthy degree. She had allowed herself to become involved in the daily administrative jobs which had been delegated to her by the headmaster. The senior prefects tried to give her the silent treatment. They gave one-word answers to as many questions as they could. It was only when the Professor mentioned that the year seven students would be getting their assessments and references from her that tongues were loosened.
One question which the professor wanted answered was where the expulsion notice for Harry Potter had come from. Finally, the answer came out. A year six prefect had been next in line to be the Gryffindor Seeker before Harry Potter got the job in his first year. This prefect had nurtured his grievance over the years and had gradually poisoned the attitudes of the senior years against Harry.
It was brutally disappointing that such a small, petty whispering campaign was behind this cruel act. It was even more disappointing that the Gryffindor Head of House had completely missed it and that she had such a poor relationship with her senior prefects that none of them said a word to her about it.
The first, second and third years looked to the senior students for leadership and followed them in voting for Harry’s removal from the house. Ronald Weasley and Seamus Finnegan tried to bluster their way out of answering any questions. It became sadly obvious that they both needed someone else to explain any issue to them in a clear, simple way. They didn’t need a Confundus charm to get them confused.
The Quidditch team members were loyal to Harry. ‘I wish I had been picked to go to Merlin House’ was heard many times during the team interviews.
Seamus walked into the common room after being interrogated for what seemed like an hour by his Head of House.
“Ron! Have you been to your interview yet?”
“Yeah, I don’t know what her problem is. I told her all about Potter, what a cheat and a sneak he is. She didn’t answer me, she just kept talking about all this other stuff. She wasn’t interested in why Potter left me out of everything. He did it deliberately so he could get all the glory.”
“Is that right Ron?”
“Course it’s right. What else could it be?”
“I think we missed something Ron. I know I missed it.”
Seamus waited for Ron to think.
Ron went back to his Quidditch magazine.
Seamus looked over Ron to where Fred and George were talking over a bunch of parchments.
He walked over to them. The twins covered their work and looked at Seamus.
“Uh, guys, ah, could you tell me about what really happened with Potter again? I wasn’t listening before.”
--ooOOoo—
Greengrass Manor was hosting another diplomatic meeting which was not noticed by the Ministry of Magic. Alain, Apolline, Fleur, and Gabrielle Delacour were greeted by Lord and Lady Greengrass.
“Thank you for inviting us here Lord Greengrass. I did not know what sort of response my letter would get from Harry. We are all interested in what you have to say to us, and we have many things to say to Harry.” Alain Delacour seemed to be relaxed and talkative. The other Delacours were obviously nervous.
“The party from Merlin House will be arriving soon. Our daughters are taking the opportunity to visit us today.” Olivia smiled. “Would you like some tea; we usually have morning tea at this time.”
A house-elf opened the door from the Entrance Hall. Professor Dawes, Harry, Daphne, and Astoria came in. Daphne and Astoria went to their parents for their welcome hugs.
Alain Delacour stepped towards Harry. “May I introduce myself. I am Alain Delacour, father of Fleur and Gabrielle and this is my wife Apolline.” More introductions and cheek kisses were exchanged.
Tea was served. “If I may, Lord Greengrass, there is a matter which is concerning me and my wife. The events in the Black Lake during this Tournament have created a situation between my family and Harry which must be addressed. You, Harry, prevented a life-threatening situation from becoming much worse than it already was. You saved Fleur when she was being attacked by the Grindylows. She may have survived; or she may not have. Your intervention brought Fleur to the Merfolk village in time to save Gabrielle. Gabrielle’s life may have been in danger; or it may not have been so. Whatever the finer points of this matter may be, I and my wife and daughters feel indebted to you. We feel that we are obliged to you in a way which will not be easy to repay.”
The Delacours all murmured agreement.
“In France, we do not take or make such things as debts of honour as happens in this country, but I can offer you a token of our feelings towards you. I wish to make a family alliance between the House of Delacour and the House of Potter. This is rarely done on the Continent and need not be publicized if you do not wish it. I am aware that you dislike your public fame and I respect that. What it does mean is that if at any time in the future you need any sort of help and assistance then whatever is in our ability to provide, I and my family will help you.”
Gabrielle smiled and spoke up, “That means that you will always have a place to have a holiday. Our big house is near Paris, and we have a villa on the coast near Nice. You must come to stay with us.”
Harry looked at the Greengrass family and Professor Dawes. They all smiled and nodded to him.
“Thank you! I don’t know what to say. Ah! Yes, certainly, to the alliance and the holidays.”
--ooOOoo—
Susan Bones wandered into a reference section of the Hogwarts library. She drifted along until she found her book. It was an ancient tome filled with genealogical research notes about long lost magical families. In the back cover was a small new parchment. She casually took it and slipped into a roll of her own parchments.
In Merlin Tower the new note was stuck into a house members journal. Merlin House students and staff could read the journal. Any pages marked as confidential were blank when viewed by anyone not in Merlin House.
Draco and Pansy had kept up a steady flow of information. They were asked to record everything, no matter how trivial. This was not so trivial.
A conversation between Professor Snape and High-master Karkaroff had been overheard.
Snape: “What’s so urgent?”
Karkaroff: “This!”
Karkaroff pulled up the left-hand sleeve of his robe and showed Snape something on his inner forearm.
Karkaroff: “Well? Do you see? It’s never been this clear, never since – “
Snape: “Put it away!”
Karkaroff: “But you must have noticed – “
Snape: “We can talk later, Karkaroff!”
Hannah came into Susan’s room with her journal, “What is this about?”
“Karkaroff and Snape both have the mark. The Death Eaters mark is on their left forearms. It looks like they are changing. When Voldemort disappeared, the marks faded. Now it looks like they are coming back. We were right to obey The Gods of Olympus.”
--ooOOoo—
Professor McGonagall addressed the assembled Gryffindor students in the common room.
“It has come to my attention that students in this house have been acting like a pack of spoiled brats.
There are many ways in which this has come out in the open.
I will talk about one of them today.
Harry Potter was picked to play on the house Quidditch Team.
I picked Harry because his performance was obviously better than any other contenders.
Another student got offended because he thought that it was his turn to be Seeker.
Harry Potter was made Seeker because he is better at it than the rest of you.
The offended student has spent the years since then sneaking around and spreading lies about Harry. Many of you know who it is.
The result of this evil campaign was that Harry was expelled from Gryffindor at the first opportunity.
None of you are going to be expelled because of this but Gryffindor will be publicly shamed.
I will be doing the shaming. I will be ashamed as well. I was the one who sat back and let you persecute Harry.
Harry has done his best for Gryffindor, and you have kicked him out because of it.
You will have to live with the shame.
Some of you don’t deserve this. I’m sorry but you will have to suffer with the rest. The house system demands that you all rise and fall together. This is one of the occasions when I wish we did not have houses.”
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