Chapter 22 - Tom's 'Outing'

# # #

The next morning saw four bleary-eyed owners enter the Great Hall together again. They were, again, wearing their silk robes indicating their authority. They had just come from visiting the infirmary where Hagrid and Madam Pomfrey had already been released, but Professor McGonagallwas in the middle of receiving a berating from Master Healer Jenkins.

When the doors opened and the four heirs entered, the Master Healer turned to Harry and said, "You need to tell your Acting Headmistress she needs to obey her Healer's orders, and remain in bed for at least another few hours!"

Harry sighed and said, "Master Healer Jenkins, she's an adult. I have no right to order her to stay in bed as I feel it falls outside of my authority to do so. If she wants out, then she can get out."

"Well, I don't bloody like it!" the Healer snapped. "I have no idea what she may be in for now her memories have been returned."

"But I do," replied Harry. He turned to his new Acting Headmistress and said, "Professor, if you want out no one is going to stop you. While we cannot order you to stay in bed if you are healthy, your health is also our responsibility. If you sense any lingering side effect of what we did last night, you are to inform Madam Pomfrey immediately. Are we agreed?"

McGonagall was sitting on the side of her bed. The Acting Headmistress saw who had entered and then cast her eyes downward. She replied with a sad voice, "Yes, Lord Slytherin. May I now return to my duties?"

"Almost," he replied. "I need you to try and accept that I... nor anyone else... holds you to blame for what happened to me these past ten years. Hear me well, Minerva McGonagall, I will not forgive you, because there is nothing to forgive you for."

McGonagall took a deep breath and held it. She firmed her face, looked Harry in the eyes, and said, "Thank you... Harry."

"For helping you see the truth?" he asked. "You're welcome."

"Now, we're starved!" said Neville. "I'm a growing boy and I need sustenance to help me grow big and strong!"

Susan snorted. "Or fat!" she said, as they all turned around and started to head out of the infirmary again.

Harry went to his table and sat on his chair at the head. He looked down the length of the table and saw the empty chair at the other end. 'Oh, yes,' he thought with a grin. 'Someone is soon to receive a mighty shock. The first prank of the year, if the Weasley twins don't beat me to it, will be at dinner tonight.'

He saw the first years, even Draco, were hesitant to talk to each other, fearing they'd be in trouble for doing so. So, Harry started it off by asking one of the new First Years how she found her first night sleeping in the castle.

Daphne Greengrass stammered to reply, "I... I... umm... it was... okay?"

"Last night was a bit of a shock, wasn't it?" he asked her.

She carefully replied, "It... was... not what I expected."

"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret," he said, all conspiratorially. "Neither did we! We hadn't planned on anyone knowing for at least a year yet. We wanted to enjoy our first year as students, just like you."

"Really... My Lord?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, really, Miss Greengrass," he replied with a smile. "But, Lady Hogwarts," he said with a gesture in the air, indicating the castle, "would have none of it. She decided we would take our positions straight away."

Harry reached for some toast and a tab of butter, and proceeded to butter his toast before spooning on some fresh marmalade.

"So..." one of the other Slytherin 'Firsties', Blaise Zabini, asked, "you really didn't know it was going to happen?"

"Nope!" replied Harry with a grin, before taking a bite out his toast.

"But, you seemed prepared for it," Blaise said.

"We were," replied Harry. "Prior preparation and planning prevents poor performance. That is, be prepared for whatever eventuality you may face. A noble Slytherin trait, don't you think?"

Blaise, and a few others nodded. Harry could see they understood the message.

One of others, Tracey Davis, then asked, "You said, 'Lady Hogwarts'. Is the castle alive?"

"In a sense," replied Harry. "She's sentient. That means she's capable of higher level thought and action. However, she doesn't have a beating heart, or blood flowing through veins, or a brain. And she is supposed to report to, and obey, us. Unlike last night."

Harry sat upright and seemed to peer off into the distance for a moment, before giving a small snort of amusement.

"Was that her?" asked one of the Second Years, Terrence Higgs, who had slid up the table to listen in.

"Yes, that was her," replied Harry with a chuckle. "She didn't actually speak to me, then. Though she is capable of it. It's like a whisper in the mind. But, what I got from her was an emotional sense of... smugness. She's actually quite pleased with herself for what she did."

"Well," cut in young Draco Malfoy, who had only recently arrived at table. "When I owl my father, about this, he'll soon put a stop to it. He's on the school board." And looked rather pleased with himself.

Harry let him prattle on until he'd finished, and then said, "I have no doubt your father will soon learn of this, Mister Malfoy. His termination papers, as well as those for everyone else on the School Board, should be winging their way to him, very soon; if they've not already been sent."

"Wh... what?" the young lad blurted.

"Really, Mister Malfoy," asked Harry, a touch condescendingly, "Did you not pay attention to what happened not twelve feet from you, last night?"

"I... I..." the lad stammered.

Harry tsk-tsked and said, "What about when the Hat sang, 'The heirs have come to Hogwarts, new, together side-by-side', and when I stood and gave my oath where I said, '...being the magical heir of founder Salazaar Slytherin...', and when the four of us recited, 'We four, the heirs united...'. Did none of that mean anything to you?"

"Oh, my..." said Daphne.

"I...," stammered Draco, before bracing himself up and haughtily stating, "I don't know what you mean."

"Clearly," said Harry. "However, it appears Miss Greengrass does." Harry then indicated Daphne and asked, "Miss Greengrass?"

More students had gathered to hear what Harry was saying.

Daphne replied, "It means... the four heirs..." she indicated Harry and the other three sitting at their own tables and talking to students, "... own Hogwarts."

Harry nodded and said, "Correct, Miss Greengrass. Turning to one of the other students, he asked, "And what does that mean regarding a School Board of Governors?"

"Ummm... I... don't know," the student said a bit confused.

"Anyone?" he asked, looking around. "No?"

Nothing but headshakes except Daphne.

"Miss Greengrass?" asked Harry, looking back at the lass.

"As you own Hogwarts, and have taken control," she replied, "the school no longer needs governors?"

"Very good, Miss Greengrass!" said Harry with a bright smile. "As of about ten minutes after the completion of the sorting, last night, the entire membership of the Board, including the remit of the Board itself, became superfluous. They're all out of the job."

Draco huffed and said, "My father will not stand for that! You'll see!"

"Mister Malfoy," said Harry, "are you sure you were sorted into the right House? Because, you're acting like a Gryffindor. Stop jumping in with both feet before you have all the information you can gather. Don't volunteer anything unless it gains you something in return."

Draco spluttered and looked ready to burst a vein. A couple of the other boys grinned while two of the younger girls tittered.

"Anyway, I don't like to talk around a mouthful of food; so, if you folks can excuse me for a bit, I want to see if I can get some breakfast into me before the first lesson in here at 9.00am."

The small crowd returned to their seats while Harry partook of breakfast. After he'd eaten his fill he called an elf and made sure they knew to rearrange the hall just before 9.00am into an effective lecture hall. Then he headed over to talk to the other heirs.

He laid out what prank he wanted to pull on his godfather, that night, at dinner. They thought it'd be hilarious; though Hermioine did scold him a little about it. And it would show the students the four heirs were up to having a bit of fun. Especially, given the lecture they were all about to receive.

Then he called for an elf and spoke to one of the ones responsible for castle maintenance. He told him what he wanted and the elf understood. He said he'd have it done in the hour and popped away.

The students were ordered from the Hall at 8.45am, and told to return at 9.00am sharp. The four heirs remained inside and supervised the setting up.

# # #

When the students and staff returned, all the tables had been removed. There was a long blackboard sitting on the stage where the staff table was normally found. Where the House tables would normally be angled down the length of the hall, there were now student lecture theatre style chairs. Each with its own little table at the right hand side. Left handed for the left handed students.

The four heirs were standing side-by-side on the dais in front on the blackboard. As the students and staff filed in, Susan said, "Take a seat, everyone. Houses don't matter. Those who sit at the back will, more than likely, be called upon to answer questions."

When everyone was seated, Harry summoned a house elf. "Are there any students or staff not present here in the Great Hall, right now?"

"Three is not here, Master Harry," the elf said.

"Who are they?" asked Hermione.

"They be Mister Filchy, Mister Hagrid an' a student from Gryff'dor," replied the elf.

"And where is the student?" and Neville.

"In the Gryff'dor big room."

"Well, then," said Neville. "We'll excuse the two staff members; but, go and get the student and bring them here, immediately."

The elf popped away. A moment later, Lee Jordan, the compatriot of the Weasley twins, suddenly appeared reposed on the dais in front of the four heirs. Though wearing his uniform and robes, he appeared to have been sleeping.

Some of the students in front of them sniggered. Others whispered among themselves.

Neville said, quite cheerily as the Third Year Gryffindor boy lay there bleary-eyed looking up at the four heirs in shock, "Well, good morning, Mister Jordan. I'm sorry to wake you, but the time is after 9.00am, and you had a mandatory lecture to attend."

Susan stared at him and said, "Go find a seat. One of the ones near the front row will be perfect for you."

The boy scrambled off the floor and scurried to a seat a couple of rows back, next to a couple of other Third Year Gryffindors. They gave him a little bit of curry, for his trouble.

After the boy had settled, Harry said, "The reason you have all been told to attend this morning is, in part, to properly introduce ourselves; to let you know what happened last night; and to inform you of some rule changes."

"First, though, is the rule changes, Here are your copies." Harry and the other three distributed copies of what Harry, with the help of the other three, had drafted just over a month ago. The ten most important rule changes for Hogwarts students and staff.

"So," said Hermione, "let's go over them!" She held her wand out, flat, gripped in the middle between thumb and index finger. "This is a wand. With it, you are able to kill. And that makes it a deadly weapon."

Neville then said, "If you are found pointing it at someone, it could be considered a threat to their life. As such, you may find yourself treated accordingly. We do not care who you are. We do not care if your father is the Minister for Magic or your mother is a scullery maid in the mundane world. If we believe you are threatening the life of another student, we will immediately act. The staff also have these instructions."

Hermione said, "Second is the point system. Until now you were awarded points, and lost points, based only on the House. As of now, the point system applies to the individual student, and then to the House. The new point system starts right now."

That received a lot of murmurings and mutterings from the assembled students. Harry called, "Folks, please be silent until we get through these few items. Once we're done you'll be able to ask questions!"

Continuing, Hermione said, "Each student has one hundred points at the start of the school year. Those one hundred points also goes to the House. Each student can earn, and lose, points. If you drop below fifty points in a year, your parents and guardians will be notified. If you drop below ten points, your parents and guardians will again be notified. If you drop to zero points, you can find yourself, at the minimum, suspended and sent home!"

"Thirdly," said Susan, "there are five terms that we, and Her Majesty, consider highly offensive. I will only say them once, and they will only appear in writing once... on that sheet in front of you. Those terms are: 'squib', 'muggle', 'muggle-born', 'mudblood' and 'blood traitor'. In their places you may use the terms 'non-magical', 'mundane' and 'mundane-born'. From this moment forth, the use of any of those offensive terms will lose you points."

"Fourth," said Harry, "The Muggle Studies class is going to be replaced. It will be replaced with two classes run side-by-side. They will be Studies of the Mundane World, and Studies of the Magical World. Students raised in the magical world will attend Studies of the Mundane World, and vice versa. However, we need to track down a mundane-raised or mundane-born witch or wizard to run the mundane class. We don't have them yet."

Susan said, "Those are the four main points of those ten rules you have in front of you. If you don't understand any of them, or just seek clarification, ask. There are only two places where we will be unapproachable. They are in the toilet, and in the bathroom. Even when we are in our private suites, you may knock, seek entrance and talk to us. We do not bite."

Harry said, "The points tally for each student and each House is on the back wall of this Hall." He indicated the two sets of tally boards each side of the doors leading out of the Entry Hall. "They also appear for each House in their common rooms. So, you have no excuse for not knowing where you sit on the tally board and how many points you have."

"So," said Hermione, "those are the four main points. The floor is now open to questions."

There was general murmurings before a student halfway back raised her hand. "What about if a student gets hit for fifty points by... a Professor for only asking a question?"

The student was Gryffindor and Neville answered it. Even an idiot knew who he was talking about. "All awarding and deducting of points are reviewable by each House's Counsellor, and us four, together. We're aware of the difficulties relating to the point system in the past. This will fix it. If you believe you've been unfairly deducted points, you can have it reviewed. First by your House Counsellor, then by the four of us sitting in review."

Professor Snape did not appear to be happy hearing that.

Susan picked up the subject. "But, be aware, if the points deducted, when reviewed, seem to be insufficient, they may be increased. We will not have students coming to seek point reviews for every single time they're deducted points, or believe another student unfairly received points."

A First Year from Slytherin, Theodore Nott, said, "But everyone uses the term 'muggle'. Why can't we?"

"That's five points against you, Mister Nott, for using one of the banned terms" said Harry. "But, as your question is relevant, you get your five points back. Her Majesty, and we, all find the terms offensive. This is our home you're currently living within. You do so by our Grace. And we will not have those terms or language used within our home or on our grounds."

"Next question?" asked Hermione.

A Slytherin student asked, "What if a Gryffindor points a wand at me, and I need to defend myself?"

Hermione answered, "Then the castle, Lady Hogwarts - or the house elves or paintings if they see it - will inform us immediately. If you, also, draw your wand and point it at the original culprit, then you both will be in deep doo-doo."

Harry expanded on that by saying, "The castle, the paintings, the house elves... will report to us or a nearby staff member any and all times a student is in danger; no matter the reason. Your safety is our primary concern. It's also the reason the castle insisted, last night, we take control immediately."

Susan firmly stated, "Any student who deliberately harms another student, or member of staff, will face immediate suspension and or expulsion; and be handed over to the DMLE for assault. No exceptions! This is your first, last and only warning!"

Another student, "You said, Her Majesty finds... those words... offensive. Do you mean the mugg... errr... the mundane Queen of Britain?"

Harry answered, "No, I mean Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom... all of the United Kingdom, including magical Britain. And she is not a non-magical or mundane. Her Majesty has magical powers of her own. The knowledge, of which, is a secret of the realm and not for the public to know."

Neville continued with, "And, for those who don't know... or haven't bothered to find out... the Minister for Magic answers to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister answers to the Cabinet, the House of Lords and Her Majesty. That means, Her Majesty commands the Minister's boss; and, through him, the Minister."

Susan added, "You are all British citizens. That means, you are all Her Majesty's subjects. You must never forget that; even if the Wizengamot and the Ministry have... for the time being. If you want to know what that means, come and see us later, or one of the mundane raised. They all know what it means; and would be shocked to discover you didn't."

"No more questions?" asked Hermione.

No more hands were raised.

"Good," said Harry. "Don't forget, you can come and approach us at any time if you're unsure about anything."

Susan said, "Next, is who we are. For those who weren't paying attention last night, or were in too much shock to remember anything," she grinned, "I'm Susan Bones, the Countess Hufflepuff. That makes me Lady Hufflepuff as Head of House Hufflepuff, and Lady Bones as Head of House Bones. When dealing with matters pertaining to the owners of Hogwarts... such as this meeting here... I'm Lady Hufflepuff; when dealing with matters pertaining to my family, I'm Lady Bones; when I'm just being a fellow student, I'm Miss Bones, the same as you."

Hermione stepped forward, "I'm Hermione Granger, the Countess Ravenclaw. That makes me Lady Ravenclaw as Head of House Ravenclaw. The same applies for the rest of my names as with Lady Hufflepuff."

Neville stepped forward. "I'm Neville Longbottom, Earl Gryffindor. And my names follow the same style as Lady Hufflepuff."

Harry stepped forward and said, "And, I'm Harry Potter, Earl Slytherin. Again, the names follow the same style. However, I'm also the Heir to House Black.

"Lady Hufflepuff and Lord Gryffindor," Harry went on to say, "are both of Pureblood families and are both magically raised. Lady Ravenclaw is considered mundane born, though she comes from Pureblood roots, and is mundane raised. And I'm considered a half-blood of Pureblood stock, and am mundane raised."

"I know that may confuse people; so, any questions?" he asked.

A Hufflepuff, Paul McCutcheon, asked a question without raising their hand. "But, weren't you supposed to have been raised in a giant castle and fought trolls and stuff?"

Harry smiled and said, "That question would have earned you five points. But it also lost you five points for not raising your hand. Wait one moment, please."

Harry then called Pixie.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

Harry knelt and whispered quietly to the little elf, "I need you to go into my private suite to my trunk and get out a copy of the book I wrote for every student and staff member here. Then, I want you to distribute them to all staff and students. Okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!" *Pop*

A few seconds later, a copy of Harry's book appeared on each student and staff member's table.

Harry said, "The book before you is a pretty accurate telling of how my life has been lived until very recently. Everything else you've read about me, if it does not match what is in my book, is a lie. I consider such things slanderous and libellous. My legal representative, Mister Doge, is currently visiting the authors and publishers of each of those other works to... have words... with them; and you may wish to return whatever publication has spread such lies about me that you own back to where you bought it to gain a refund. Read your copy at your leisure; don't read them at your leisure; it's up to you. However, I hope you do, as it will shoot down a lot of misconceptions you have about me and my history."

Susan said, "Now, for what happened last night." She, with help from the other three, gave the same information about what happened as they did with the staff. And it took about the same time.

Neville asked, "Are there any questions on that?"

Marietta Edgecombe, a Ravenclaw student, asked, "So, last night wasn't planned? It wasn't supposed to happen?"

Harry answered, "Oh, it was supposed to happen, alright; just not until the end-of-term feast next June. That would then have meant the four of us would have been able to enjoy the whole of our first year as ordinary First Years. It would have also meant we'd have had an effective nine and a half months to review everything going on, and made plans for the new school year, beginning this time next year."

Hermione picked it up from there. "We wanted the year, without being announced, to be just ordinary students. We wanted to enjoy the year, just as you've been able to, and the First Years, this year, will be able to. We wanted you to get to know us as ordinary students before we dumped the whole Earldom thing on you."

A House scion Sixth Year from Slytherin raised his hand and asked, "But, surely, the magic of the rings would have immediately announced the ring had been donned?"

"There's the 'million dollar question'," said Harry, pleased it was one of his Slytherins who had come to that realisation. "Your name, Sir?"

"Warrington; Charlus Warrington," the boy replied.

"Well, Mister Warrington, the ring's magic was... is... suppressed. The goblins blocked it. And they did it by special request of Her Majesty. The four of us will have to go to Gringotts and get the magics unblocked," he said. "And that question just earned you ten points, Mister Warrington."

As soon as Harry said it, the tally board for Charlus jumped from one hundred to one hundred and ten points. And the total Slytherin points at the bottom also jumped up by ten points.

Mister Warrington also asked, "The Queen knows the goblins?"

"Yes," said Harry. "Magical Britain is not the only part of the United Kingdom that has a treaty with the goblins. So does Her Majesty on behalf of the entire realm."

One of the Gryffindors asked, "Does that mean you own Hogwarts?"

Susan replied, "Yes, it does. All of it. Each of us four own one quarter each of the castle, the school it houses, the grounds on which it sits for miles around, and even the land on which Hogsmeade sits - including the station. The net rent on the properties of Hogsmeade go directly into the accounts for each of the four Houses. Five points"

Another Gryffindor asked, "But, don't you have to attend classes, or your wands will be snapped and your magics bound?"

Neville replied, "Actually, no. The law requires us to attend school; not classes. We're doing that. It also doesn't say how many classes you have to attend to be considered 'attending school'. Five points."

Draco, without raising his hand, called out, "Well, that's not what the law is supposed to mean. When my father hears about this, he'll fix things back to the way they're supposed to be!"

Harry sighed and said, "Mister Malfoy, we've been over this. Raise your hand when you want to ask a question. And we've not asked you for overblown, ill-thought brash statements of fallacy! We've asked for questions! Five points from Mister Malfoy."

Susan said to the silly lad, "We own Hogwarts! Just as any other owner has the right to do with their property as they wish, we have the right to do with ours. It does not matter one whit what anyone else attempts to tell us to do."

Hermione spoke up and said, "It does not matter what anyone thinks the law was supposed to say, either. It only matters what it does say. If it was supposed to say something different than what it does, then it was ill-conceived."

Neville asked, "Are there any other questions?"

That was it, for the questions. Draco's poor declaration ended the discussion.

Susan said, "We also have four school notices. First, last night the aurors searched the castle top to bottom. They removed at least five dark artefacts. Two of them were in the possession, one each, of two students. Those two students were removed from the school last night and taken back to the DMLE for further enquiries. We expect them to return without those artefacts. Any student who knowingly brings such an artefact into the school will find the same treatment."

Hermione then said, "Second, the Forbidden Forrest is just that. Forbidden! The aurors will be returning to the grounds of Hogwarts shortly. They will be clearing a lot of dark creatures out of it. However, even after they do, students will still be forbidden from entering it."

"Third," said Harry, "As you're aware, Albus Dumbledore was removed from the school in the custody of the aurors, last night. Until... and if... he returns, the Acting Headmistress of the school will be Professor McGonagall; the Acting Deputy Headmaster will be Professor Flitwick."

"And, fourth," said Neville, "as Professor Quirrell is currently suffering from a possession, the position of Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts will be filled by a new Professor, Professor Sirius Black. And, as Professor McGonagallis currently filling the position as Headmistress, her slot as Professor of Transfigurations will be temporarily filled by Professor Remus Lupin. They're sitting in the audience with you."

The two new Professors waved their hands about.

Harry said to the others, loud enough to be heard by their audience, "I think that covers everything?"

They each nodded.

Susan said, "If there aren't any more questions...?"

No one responded.

Harry asked, "Acting Headmistress McGonagall, do you or your staff wish to address the student body, at this time?"

"Yes, please, Lord Slytherin," she replied.

She stood and walked up onto the dais. Then turned about to stare back over the audience.

She paused for a few moments before saying, "I know this comes as a shock to many of our students. However, we have no doubt the four heirs here," she gestured to the four of them, "are exactly who they say they are. The Hat would not have announced them, and the castle would not have given them the wards, if it were otherwise.

"Though I am no longer considered Head of House for Gryffindor, I remain the staff counsellor for the House; even though I am also Acting Headmistress. Professors Flitwick and Sprout also remain staff counsellors for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, respectively. Slytherin, Professor Snape has decided for this year not to be the staff counsellor for your House. However, I believe your replacement staff counsellor will be announced shortly," she said, looking at Harry; who nodded in return.

She finished by saying, "Classes will resume after morning tea."

"One, final, point," said Neville. "Tomorrow morning at 9.00am will be the same as today. Students will be required to attend that lecture, as well." Looking at Lee Jordan, he went on to say, "Only those who are in a bed in the infirmary, under Madam Pomfrey's ministrations, will be excused."

"Aaaaand, we're done," said Harry. "Please clear the hall so the normal arrangement can be set back up. Then it'll be morning tea. Oh, and we'll release the locks on the wards now. You can all send mail to your loved ones, if you wish."

Harry felt the wards go back to standard configuration, but left the apparation point in the Entry Hall. The aurors were going to need it when Amelia brought them back to clear out the forest.

"Professors Black and Lupin, Messers 'Red-HeadedDevil Twins Weasley' and Jordan," called Harry. "Please come see me before you leave."

Harry saw Professor McGonagall also hesitate. He looked across at her and said, "It's okay, Professor. It's a personal matter." The Acting Headmistress nodded once and left through the rear door while the other students and staff were filing out the other main doors.

When Sirius, Remus, the twins and Lee Jordan reached Harry, he smiled at them. Turning to Sirius and Remus he said, "Professor Black, Professor Lupin, welcome. And thank you for your prompt response and attendance." They nodded in return.

"You're welcome... Lord Slytherin," replied Sirius.

"I hope you'll be able to join us at your first opportunity in the owner's suites. However, I also understand you'll both be... scrambling... to acquaint yourselves on the lesson plans, if there are any, for your respective classes. I believe Acting Headmistress McGonagall will be able to assist you there."

"Thank you, Harry," they both said.

Turning to the Weasleys and Jordan, Harry said, "Now, you three..." reaching into his robes he drew out the Marauder's Map, "... I return the Marauder's Map..." he said, glancing to see the startled reactions on the faces of Sirius and Remus, "... to you. And thank you for the loan of it last night. However, I remind you it is not your property, per se, and may call upon you in future to hand it back. Are we clear?"

George, or was it Fred, accepted the Map back with reverence, and said, "Thank you... Lord Slytherin."

"We'll be happy to..."

"...hold onto it for you..."

"until you need it again."

Lee asked, "Can you tell us who the other three Marauders are?"

Harry snorted and said, "They know who you three are. If they want you to know, they'll approach you at some time and tell you. As the son of a Marauder I will not break their trust in this."

"Thank you..."

"...oh, great Son of Prongs."

"Gred, Forge and Eel are at your service," said Lee. And all three gave a deep courtly bow.

Harry grinned and said, "Begone, upstarts!"

The three wannabe Maraudersgrinned back and left, clearly discussing what they now knew. And remaining unknowing they were in the presence of two of their 'heroes'.

"After they'd left hearing range, Sirius turned to Harry and asked, "How'd they get the Map, Pup?"

Harry smiled and replied, "They stole it out of Argus Filch's office last year. I have no idea how Filch came into possession of it, though."

"It'll be Pettigrew's copy," mused Remus. "Filch caught him towards the end of our last year trying to sneak into the Kitchens for a late night snack. But, that still doesn't answer what happened to my own."

# # #

At morning tea, all four of the heirs answered questions while sitting at their tables. They were minor questions but merely rehashing of what they'd already covered. Harry had a couple of Slytherins attempt to find out what the subject matter of the next day was going to entail, but he told them they'd have to wait. It was too important a subject just to provide 'piecemeal'.He didn't want people thinking they had the crux of it when they'd only have a small part of the whole.

Amelia returned with her aurors while the students were sitting down for lunch. And they immediately headed out to the Forbidden Forest.

Harry and the four heirs joined with classes in the afternoon. For Harry and Hermione one of them was First Year Charms with Professor Flitwick. Though he had little doubt of the Professor's skill, Harry wanted to assess Flitwick's performance, as a long term teacher, against the level of standards of the other Professors. He felt Professor Flitwick would be the standard he'd be expecting all teaching staff to meet in coming months.

Harry sat with Hermione in the back of the classroom. He wanted to quietly chat with her about things they'd be looking for that demonstrated competence of the Professor's field of teaching.

Today, for the first class in Charms, they'd be learning the Lumos Charm, and its cancelling component, the Nox Charm. The wand gesture was a simple holding of the wand vertical, pump magic into it, and calling 'Lumos!' with confidence. The cancelling Charm was the same, except the wizard would call 'Nox!'.

Harry knew he'd be bored, so he went through the movements, keeping his magic only trickling into the wand. He didn't want to seem to be overpowering the other First Years in only their first class ever using their wand.

After the first forty-five minutes Harry and Hermione, both, were bored. They'd taken notes on the class, the lesson plan, Professor Flitwick's style, the student's responses and their developing relationship with him. Harry was making little singsong chants when going over his Lumos Charm. He already had his chin propped up by the cup of his off-hand with his elbow resting on the desk.

Hermione gave a big sigh. Then she sat up straighter, held her wand tighter, made the tip describe a flat circle and stuck the tip up through the middle of it a couple inches. As she did she called, "Photonus Excitum!"

A ball of brilliant white light, equal in luminosity to about a five hundred candlepower spotlight, appeared about two inches above the tip of Hermione's wand. Harry just about dived away from the girl covering his eyes with the inside of his bicep. "'Mione!" he cried. "Stop that!"

Hermione just held her wand tip higher. The entire classroom was bathed in bright light. So bright, the other students were having difficulty seeing if their own wand tips were glowing suitably enough. However, they weren't watching their own wand movements, anyway. Just about all students, and Professor Flitwick, were staring back in shock at Hermione.

Professor Flitwick hopped down off his stack of old textbooks and hurried to the back of the class towards Harry and Hermione. He had his off-hand up shielding his eyes as he came. "Ooh! Ooh!" he cried. "My, oh, my, oh, my! That's a strong Lumos Charm you've got there, Miss Granger!"

"Hermione!" cried Harry. "Turn it off!"

Ignoring Harry, Hermione replied, "It's not a Lumos Charm, Professor. It's a charm of my own design." She cancelled the Charm by saying, "Photonus Peace!"

"Thank you!" sighed Harry in relief and straightening up.

Dropping his hand, the Professor asked, "A Charm of your own design? And a very strong one at that. How on earth did you manage it?"

"Basically," she replied. "I looked at what the Lumos Charm was supposed to accomplish. What it does is cause the molecules at the tip of the wand to... fluoresce. That uses a great deal of magical energy to occur. It's effective, but energy inefficient.

"What I've done is just cause the photons in the ambient air to vibrate, and nothing more. Photons are the particles of matter that cause light, or reflect light. By only targeting those particles to vibrate and not the rest of matter, such as the dense matter in the tip of the wand, I'm able to conserve a great deal of magical energy, while also causing more photons to incandesce."

The professor was trying to understand what Hermione was talking about and was nodding his head appearing to understand. Harry doubted he actually did.

The Professor asked, "You don't happen to have the arithmancy for the Charm, do you?"

"Of course, Professor", she replied. And drew a great sheaf of parchment out of her book satchel, handing the lot to the Professor.

The Professor eagerly reached out and took the parchment and started to rifle through it. "Oh... umm... good... good," he said. "Thank you, Miss Granger. I'll be sure to get these back to you," he said holding up the parchment.

"No need, Professor," she replied. "I've got it memorised. You can have those if you want."

"Thank you, Miss Granger!" said the old Professor, heading back to his book stack. Looking around, remembering where he was, he called, "How is everyone doing? Are we getting some good light happening?"

The Professor left the stack of parchment on his lectern and moved about the rest of the class providing one-on-one instruction where needed.

"Bloody, Hell, 'Mione!" whispered Harry to the girl. "Is that what you've been doing?"

She frowned and replied in her own whisper, "Remember when you said I could practice any spell I wanted to, as long as I had the magical energy to do it, and didn't overexert my magical core?"

Harry sighed and nodded, "So you figured out ways to cast spells by coming up with methods that conserve magical energy."

"Yep!" she said with a grin.

"How many more spells have you figured out such ways?" he asked.

"Not many," she replied. "But, for some of those spells I wanted to try and couldn't solve the magical energy quotient problem, I figured out whole new spells to replace them. And those spells solve the energy problem."

"Good, God!" he groaned. "Tell me you haven't been fiddling with the blasting curses and the like?"

"Okay," she replied. "I haven't been fiddling with the blasting curses and the like."

"Thank you!" he said, with feeling.

"I designed my own," she said.

Harry dropped his head to his desk and groaned.

# # #

The rest of the school day went, thankfully, without any further incidences. Amelia arrived, as promised, with a team of aurors and they headed out into the Forbidden Forest. Some students had climbed into the upper reaches of the castle and were watching from the battlements over the forest for signs of the aurors in battle with the denizens therein.

Harry and Neville had thought about joining them, but decided to just wait for any report back in the Entry Hall. Some of those students came down for lunch and reported seeing a great deal of smoke rising from the centre of the forest, and some flashing spell light through the reaches of the trees. They couldn't see much else, though.

While the students were at lunch a couple of aurors brought a comrade back to the castle and straight to the infirmary for treatment to a wounded leg. He was sent back to the DMLE a few hours later. And two more aurors had arrived in the meantime. They, too, headed for the forest.

# # #

As dusk approached, Amelia and her team of weary aurors returned to the castle. Without Amelia, the aurors apparated back to the DMLE. Amelia hung back to report to the heirs that her aurors had eradicated the giant acromantulan nest and had cleared out a great many denizens that were a risk to the students. She said her aurors would return in a few days to go back into the forest to see if anything else had come out of hiding.

She also said, the herd of centaurs were not happy with her and her aurors for 'violating their territory' and heated words were exchanged. One of her aurors was injured by a centaur that tried to trample him. Harry said he'd wait a few days and go into the forest to talk to the centaurs. They needed to be aware the four heirs had taken back control of the lands of Hogwarts and, any treaty the centaurs believe they had to live in the forest, were moot.

He said that the centaurs would be told they could remain and live in peace in the forest. But, that was conditional on them keeping the forest clear of dark creatures. Any they couldn't handle were to be reported back to the four heirs, immediately. If they failed to do either of those two, then they'd no longer be welcome on Hogwarts' grounds, including within the forest.

Amelia nodded and said it was good idea. And that's when the castle alerted the four of the arrival of... guests... walking up from the gate to Hogsmeade.

Harry, already in the Entrance Hall looked out and back up the path. He could see two figures walking between two, what looked to be, dementors. Both walking were somewhat short and squat.

Susan, Neville and Hermione joined Harry after a couple of minutes. Neville said, "Well, it seems someone told the Minister."

Susan looked at her aunt and said, "Perhaps you should stay inside for this, Auntie 'Melia. There's no need for you to risk your career."

Amelia looked back at her young niece; pride filled her chest at the strong and determined young woman before her, "Alright, Lady Hufflepuff; if you wish," she replied. "But I'm going to be just behind the door and out of sight listening if Fudge or Umbridge try anything."

Harry and the other three walked outside to stand on the front steps awaiting their unexpected, and unwanted, guests.

Standing to Harry's right was Neville. And the young boy was getting more and more visibly upset. Harry didn't know if it was the sense of outrage coming from the castle over the presence of the dementors or not. But, Neville was still not happy.

When the party of four was no more than a hundred feet from them, Neville suddenly snarled, "I will not allow this!" And he leapt forward, assuming his form as Grumpy as he did. He raced forward.

"No!" exclaimed Susan, reaching forward as if to pull Neville back. But the boy... the wolverine... was already racing away.

Harry and Hermione were in somewhat shock as Grumpy charged towards Fudge and his party. Neither of them had even had a chance to move before Umbridge suddenly squealed and tried to dive behind Fudge. Fudge already had his wand out and was pointing it at Grumpy. He fired a spell. "Repulso!" he bellowed. The two dementors surged forward.

Harry, though he felt he had quick reflexes, wasn't fast enough with hitting Neville with a summoning charm before the brown light of the banishing charm hit Grumpy. However, it had no effect. The light of the spell hit Grumpy but just... rippled... through the wolverine's body before flashing into the ground through the animagus's feet.

Before the shocked Minister could fire off a second spell Grumpy launched himself at the first of the two dementors. He hit it full-on in its chest and rode it to the ground. The Minister couldn't get off a second shot as Umbridge suddenly had hold of his arm while trying to hide behind him.

Hermione suddenly called out, "Expecto Patronum!" And a near-solid silvery owl shot forward and charged towards the first dementor before suddenly veering towards the second as Grumpy hit the first.

Harry, again, tried a summoning charm on Grumpy. Again, it failed.

A second later Grumpy reverted to Neville standing on the demon's chest. With his right hand held aloft and a cry of "Gryffindor!" the golden sword suddenly appeared in Neville's hand. He reversed the blade and drove it straight through the demon's head. It... squealed, but Neville was already moving again.

He dived forward towards the second dementor, which had halted its advance as Grumpy hit its... partner... and the patronus owl hit it, and was trying to reel back. Having resumed his form as Grumpy, the wolverine dived past Fudge and Umbridge and, hitting the second dementor, bore it to the ground. Again, reverting to human form and calling the sword, this time from out of where it was sticking through the head of the first dementor, Neville drove it's tip through the head of the second dementor.

Turning, the still angry boy glared at the Minister and Umbridge before jogging back to the stairs and joining the other three heirs side-by-side. A few moments later the sword faded out of existence from where it was still sticking through the, now dead, second dementor.

Harry knew he wasn't the only one of the other three who were gaping at Neville in shock. The boy just stood there glaring back at Fudge and Umbridge, with anger radiating from his very being.

By this time, Fudge had managed to extract himself from Umbridge's grip and was storming forward towards the four heirs.

Fudge roared at Neville, "What do you think you are doing?" Umbridge just hurried along behind him, still trying to clutch at the Minister. Fudge just outpaced her.

Neville only responded with his glare.

When the Minister was about ten feet short of the four, Neville simply raised his hand in the 'stop' gesture. Fudge stumbled to a halt with Umbridge colliding with his back. Fudge didn't seem to notice.

"Cornelius Fudge," snarled Neville, "what do you think you're doing, bringing dementors onto school grounds; and within easy access of a school full of children unable to protect themselves?"

Neville's response, increasing in vituperation and volume as he gave it, made Fudge rock back on his heels in shock.

"How dare you..." shrilled Umbridge as she came out from behind Fudge. The woman had apparently found her backbone.

"Shut up, lackey!" bellowed Neville right back in a snarl, cutting the woman off. She visibly cringed back from the ferocity of Neville's response.

"I am the Earl of Gryffindor, Lord Gryffindor of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor!" Neville continued to bellow. "And I dare because this is my home and you two fools are unwelcome here!"

Though he was in some shock himself, Harry had the presence of mind to think to himself, 'Go, Nev!'

Though also in shock, Fudge gathered himself and responded with a snarl of his own, "I am the Minister of Magic. And I've come..."

"No, you bloody-well are not!" snarled back Neville, cutting the man off. "You are the current Minister for Magic... not of Magic. You serve Her Majesty, the Queen!"

Fudge just stared back, gobsmacked. "I do not serve that muggle bitch!"

Susan then spoke up and said, "That, Cornelius Fudge, is sedition against the crown!"

"Madam Bones!" called Hermione over her shoulder.

Amelia then stepped around the door with wand drawn, followed by a couple of aurors, "Cornelius Fudge," she stated, "you are hereby under arrest for the crime of sedition. Surrender your wand and ready yourself for being placed into custody by the DMLE."

Fudge blustered, "I am the Minister. I order you to stand down, Amelia!"

"Cornelius Fudge, you are currently under investigation for crimes, not the least of which is sedition against the crown, you have no authority to order anyone," stated Amelia. "Now, for the last time, ready yourself for being placed into custody by the DMLE!"

"I will not!" the old fool blustered yet again.

"Stupefy!" cast Amelia.

The spell hit the shocked man right in the middle of the chest. He crumpled on the spot.

"Bitch!" screeched Umbridge, drawing her wand from her off-sleeve. "I'll kill you!"

"Stupefy!" cast Amelia and both her aurors, who were walking forward from the bottom of the steps at the time.

Umbridge managed to bat the first spell aside. But, the next two hit her in the middle of the chest. She crumpled to the ground managing to fall partly across Fudge's legs.

"What do you want to do with, soon-to-be-ex-Minister Fudge and his... lackey?" asked one of the aurors turning to look at Amelia with a smirk on her face.

Amelia sighed and said, "Take both of them and dump their butts in holding cells in the Ministry. You are to tell no one they are there outside of us three. No names, either. Just... call them by their docket numbers."

Both were mobilicorpused into the Entrance Hall and apparated away. While they were being taken, Amelia turned to the four and said, "And, I guess I'd better go and make sure neither attempts to bribe their way out." She gave Susan a kiss to her forehead and apparated away, herself.

After she'd left, Harry turned to Neville and said, "I guess we've also just discovered you actually do have a magical power in your animagus form, Nev. It looks like you're either resistant, or immune, from spells being cast at you. We'll have to experiment on that later."

Neville grinned and said, "I also didn't feel the effects of the dementors as Grumpy, either."

About ten minutes later, two more aurors arrived as the standing auror contingent for Hogwarts. Harry ensured the house elves prepared a suite for each of them not far from the hall.

The heirs returned to their owner's suites to await the evening meal.

# # #

That evening, just under twenty four, long, hours since the heirs had arrived at Hogwarts, the four heirs would sit down with the students for the evening meal. Harry had them all keyed in on the plan to prank Sirius. They entered, together.

As they all approached their seats at the heads of the table, they each stood by them. Hermione was the first to summon a house elf. In a clear voice, she asked, "Are all Ravenclaw students and staff present?" Professor Flitwick was seated at the foot of the table already.

"Yes, Missy Claw!" the elf replied.

"Thank you," she told the little elf, dismissing it.

Neville then called a house elf. He asked it, "Are all Gryffindor students and staff present?"

"No, Master Gryff'dor!" the elf replied.

"Really?" asked Neville. "And who is missing?"

"Professor Mac-lady, Master Gryff'dor" the elf replied. Professor McGonagall, as Acting Headmistress, was sitting at the head table, as befitted her acting position.

"Ah!" said Neville. "Well, I think we can excuse the Acting Headmistress. Anyone else?"

"No, Master Gryff'dor!" the elf replied.

"Thank you."

Susan call for and asked a house elf, "Are all Hufflepuff students and staff present?"

"Yes, Missy Huff'puff!" the elf replied.

"Thank you."

That left Harry last. He called a house elf and asked, "Are all Slytherin students and staff present?"

"No, Master Slth'rin!" the elf replied.

"And who is missing?" asked Harry, already knowing the answer.

"Professor Black, Master Slyth'rin!" replied the house elf.

Harry turned to the head table, where Sirius was staring back in shock. He frowned at the man.

Sirius, already figuring out what was going on, pleaded, "Harry. Pup! You can't do this to me! I'm your godfather!"

"Sorry, Professor," replied Harry with a grin. He gestured to the foot of the table and said, "Your seat awaits!"

Remus was grinning like a loon and was trying to push Sirius out of his chair at the head table. "It looks like you're the new House Counsellor of Slytherin, Professor Black!"

"Pup!" cried Sirius. "C'mon, I'm a Gryffindor, through and through!"

Harry already had a counter argument for that one. "You're also a Black. And Blacks are famous for being Slytherins," he replied. "You even have a great-grandfather who was both a Slytherin and Headmaster of Hogwarts! You're in fine company."

"Pup! Please, no!" Sirius exclaimed.

Harry, knowing his godfather was going to put up a bit of struggle turned to his First Years and said loud enough for the whole Hall to hear, "Well, it appears Professor Black wants to start a new tradition at Hogwarts. He wants to be dragged to his seat at the foot of the table for his first time. Please, do the man the honour; go and get him, and drag him to his seat."

A couple of the grinning First Years dashed up onto the dais and around the staff table. They each grabbed one of Sirius's elbows and dragged him around the front of the staff table, and down between the Houses to his seat at the foot of Slytherin table. Sirius was begging Harry to reconsider the whole way. Harry just grinned back and didn't say a word.

When the two First Years scurried back to their seats, Harry said, "Slytherin is now all present."

The other heirs, now all grinning, placed a palm each on the table and ordered the meal be served, as did Harry.

Professor McGonagalldid the same for the head table, now depleted by one staff member.

Sirius may have been reticent to be the House Counsellor for Slytherin, but that didn't stop him from engaging in conversation with the Seventh Years down at his end. By part way through the meal he was deep in conversation with a whole bunch of them. He had them enthralled with some business or other. Harry guessed, looking at some of the looks aimed his way, that Sirius was already planning his revenge. And, he was going to do it using the Seventh Years of his own house. That would be rather unfair of the man.

Harry answered more questions from First Years, and a couple of the Second Years, who asked down the length of the table. He still had in the back of his mind both the subject of the next morning's talk, and having to deal with the giant basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.

# # #

The next morning, after breakfast, the Great Hall was, again, configured into a lecture theatre. The surprise was the return of Albus Dumbledore at breakfast. Harry could see the man was annoyed over two new staff members in the Great Hall, and that four staff members were now sitting at the foot of the four House tables. Professor McGonagallwas now sitting at the foot of the Gryffindor table.

Harry also received a summons by owl from the Wizengamot to attend a special meeting called for that evening. He noticed Sirius, down the other end, also received one. Sirius frowned back at him. It was clear the Wizengamot now had wind of what had happened at Hogwarts two nights earlier. And they wanted to know what was going on.

As breakfast finished, the Headmaster called Harry to join him. Harry walked up to face the Headmaster across the staff table.

"Harry, my boy," greeted the old man. "I'm sorry we didn't get an opportunity, the night before last, to chat. Would you mind joining me in my office in about half an hour?"

"Certainly, Headmaster," replied Harry. "Is this a student matter, a family matter or a Hogwarts business matter?"

The Headmaster frowned and said, "I... would just like to chat, if you don't mind."

"Then, I'll treat it as a student matter," said Harry. "In that case, it's 'Mister Potter', not 'Harry, my boy', and I'll see you then."

Harry returned to his table and the Headmaster quickly left the Hall. Professor Snape left through the same door only a minute later.

After he left, Harry walked down to the other end of the table to join his godfather. Asking one of the Seventh Years at the end of the row to slide across a bit, Harry said to Sirius, "The Headmaster just asked me to join him in his office immediately after breakfast. Do you feel like coming along?"

"Do you think he's going to try something?" asked Sirius.

"I'm almost sure of it," replied Harry.

Sirius nodded and said, "Then I'm happy to. What do you think he's going to try?"

"Oh, he's definitely going to try to get things back under his own control," replied Harry. "I think he's going to start with requesting I 'give up this Lord Slytherin nonsense' and, at least, hand him the wards back. He may even be stupid enough to attempt a Legilimens attack upon me."

Sirius cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Really? You think he'll try?"

"Oh, yeah!" replied Harry with a grin.

"But," spluttered Adrian Pucey, one of the Seventh Years, "that's illegal!"

"Come now, Mister Pucey," remonstrated Harry. "What does its legality have to do with it? Did you honestly believe the so-called Leader of the Light would not stoop to such a level?"

"Well... yes, actually," said Pucey.

Harry just snorted. Turning to his godfather, he said, "Educate them on the difference between light and dark, and good and evil, Professor. It sounds like an excellent lesson for DADA, too." He winked at his godfather before he then returned to his own end of the table, leaving behind a chuckling DADA Professor.

As breakfast was winding to a close the mail was delivered. This was the first incoming mail after the four heirs taking their rightful places became public. Harry knew any mail addressed to him, specifically, would be intercepted by the DMLE and then Dobby, taken first to the DMLE before going on to Potter Manor. Dobby had all of Harry's mail sorted and laid out in his private study in his suite. Only the latest Daily Prophet and The Quibbler were allow directly through.

As the mail was delivered a little owl flying somewhat... wonkily... flew a bit of a zigzag pattern before heading for Hermione. It dropped a red envelope that appeared to be smoking slightly. The envelope fell until it was hovering about three feet in front of Hermione's face, still smoking away.

Harry knew what it was and was out of his chair as it was still falling. He walked towards Hermione tapping Susan on the shoulder on the way past. Neville also recognised it for what it was and rose to join the other two as they headed for Hermione.

Hermione, not knowing what it was, was slowing reaching out to touch it when it suddenly flared open into a mouth and began screaming at her. Harry and the other two were behind Hermione in an instant. Harry laid a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder from one side while Neville was on the other doing the same thing.

"How dare you people usurp the Headmaster in his own school! Albus Dumbledore is a great man who deserves everyone's respect.

"How dare you have him arrested! If I had my way you'd be thrown out on your butts, have your wands snapped and sent out into the muggle world. You're a disgrace!

"You will hand back control of the school to the Headmaster immediately! My husband works for the Ministry and I will have him push through for your immediate arrest! The wizarding world will not stand for this outrage!

"Now give us back our school, you thieves!"

The envelope then shredded itself before disappearing in a small flash of flame. Everyone in the Great Hall was looking back in shock.

Neville looked up, gave Hermione's shoulder a quick squeeze before calling across from the head of the Ravenclaw table, "Whose parent was that?"

No one responded for a moment before Neville looked towards his own table and called, "Messers Weasley! Was that your mother?"

Ron tried to climb under the table from his seat on the benches, while the twins just looked at each other before looking back. It was Percy Weasley, the oldest of the Weasley's still at the school, who stood and, with his chin firmly raised and lips compressed into a grim line replied, "Yes, My Lord, that was our mother."

Harry looked at the older boy and demanded, "Right, who is your Head of House?"

Percy visibly flinched before regathering himself and replying, "My father, Arthur Weasley." Knowing what the next question would be he said, "He works at the Ministry. He is Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office within the DMLE."

Harry nodded and quietly called, "Dobby!"

*Pop* The little elf stood alongside him looking up adoringly with a printer's cap on his head and a quill seeming stuck behind his ear with a sticking charm. He looked like a caricature of an editor. "Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir?"

After getting over the 'look' of his crazy little house elf, Harry leaned down and quietly said, "Get me a couple of sheets of howler parchment and a self-inking quill."

"Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir!" replied Dobby, before disappearing with another pop. He was back seconds later with the required items having them placed on the table next to Hermione's right hand.

Harry leaned over the end of the table and began to write.

After he had finished writing, Harry asked the other three, "Are we agreed?"

"Yes, Lord Slytherin," the other three all said in near unison.

Harry then leaned forward again and signed his name, followed by each of the other three.

Looking up out over the four House tables while the others were signing, everyone had stopped what they were doing and were staring back in not a little fear. Once the document was signed Harry picked up the slip of ensorcelled parchment and began to read:

"Arthur Septimus Weasley, Head of the Elder House of Weasley; your wife, Molly Weasley, had the gall... the sheer effrontery... to send a howler to us, the four Heads, Lords and Ladies all, of the four Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

"She had the impudence to make demands of us well outside any bounds of civility or even basic common sense!

"This breach of etiquette must not go unpunished!

"You, Sir, will get your House in order or you will feel our wrath upon you, personally, and your House!

"Our tolerance is limited. It has now expired!

"Signed,

"Lord Neville Francis Longbottom, Earl Gryffindor

"Lord Harry James Potter, Earl Slytherin

"Lady Hermione Jean Granger, Countess Ravenclaw

"Lady Susan Charity Bones, Countess Hufflepuff

While he was reading, Harry heard not a few gasps of shock from people who knew exactly what he meant with his choice of words. The four Weasleys at the Gryffindor table had turned white. Percy and Ron had both gone beyond that and turned a little green.

When he was done Harry placed the parchment back upon the table and folded it. Then, drawing his wand, he placed the tip of it in the middle of the created envelope. The other three's wands joined his.

"I want his office door blown open from the sound," said Harry. "Ready?... Pump it!"

When they were done the envelope wasn't smoking; it was burning with black flames. It rose to hover about a foot off the table. The closest Ravenclaws were quickly moving away from it down the benches.

"Dobby!" called Harry softly.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir?"

"Take this," he said, indicating the now well over-charged howler, "and let go of it in the air about two feet forward and five feet above the desk of Arthur Weasley in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office in the Ministry. You'll find it on the second floor, near the Aurors' offices. Do not, under any circumstances, wait around. The noise will be quite loud.

"Yes Sir, Master Harry Potter, Sir!"

And both elf and howler disappeared with a pop.

Harry then took the other three heirs aside to let them know he'd been 'summoned' to the Headmasters office after breakfast. And, that he and Sirius had also received summonses to a special meeting of the Wizengamot for that evening. He told them that though it was not time for them to take their places on that supposedly august board, they should attend, anyway. They'd head for Gringotts as late into the afternoon, as possible. And they'd have the magics of all the rings unblocked.

Harry suggested Susan and Neville advise their Aunt and Grandmother, accordingly.

The rest of the students and staff in the Great Hall returned to their breakfasts as they'd moved away a bit to talk quietly.

# # #

A few moments later, upon the second floor of the Ministry, Amelia could hear the four bellowing voices of the four founders ring out from the direction of Arthur Weasley's little office he shared with Cliff Perkins. Amelia strode to her office door, opened it and... just listened.

After the clearly overcharged howler ended, and she'd have to ask Susan and the others how they managed to get a howler into the DMLE through the mail owl redirection wards, she looked out across the desks of her Aurors currently within the building. "Well?" she told them. "You've got work to do, haven't you?"

A small sea of stunned faces looked away and returned to their duties. She just gave a low, throaty chuckle and, returning to her office, closed the door behind herself.

A few minutes later, she received a knock on her door.

"Enter!" she called.

Arthur Weasley stepped into the room and, in a loud voice, said, "Excuse me, Ma'am! I wonder if I may take a few minutes to duck home for a few minutes! I have House business to attend to!"

Trying not to smile back, Amelia replied, "Arthur, don't yell at me. I can hear you quite clearly."

"Pardon?" said Arthur clearly confused in his loud voice. He appeared a little deaf.

Openly smiling, Amelia took out a piece of parchment and wrote upon it:

You may go. But take yourself off to the infirmary first. Your hearing is clearly causing you problems.

And handed it to Arthur.

Arthur took the parchment slip, read it, nodded and said, still loudly, "Thank you, Ma'am!" Before walking back out the door.

# # #

As soon as Sirius had finished his breakfast... he was not a morning person... he and Harry headed for the Headmaster's office. This year it was up on the sixth floor in its own tower. But, was accessible through a moving staircase on the third.

As an owner, Harry didn't need the password to have the gargoyle step aside and activate the stairs. It practically leapt aside as he and Sirius approached. They were quickly whisked upwards to the landing outside the door of the Headmaster's offices and private apartments.

On knocking, Harry heard the Headmaster call, "Come in, Harry!"

Followed by his godfather and Counsellor of his House, Harry walked in. He wasn't surprised to find the Headmaster sitting behind his desk, or Professor Snape standing off to one side. He also left the part of his Occlumency shields that gave entry to his mind trap open.

"You wanted to chat with me, Headmaster?" asked Harry.

"Yes, yes," replied the old man. He looked over at Sirius and said, "Thank you... Professor Black. I've got it from here. You may leave."

Sirius smirked and said, "Well, thank you, Headmaster. But, I'll be staying."

The Headmaster frowned and said, "Come now, Sirius. Harry is in Slytherin and his Head of House, Professor Snape, here, is with him. You can go."

Harry raised his hand in a 'stop' gesture and said to the Headmaster, "You have been... absent... for a day and half, Headmaster. Clearly, you have not had time to avail yourself of the knowledge of which the rest of the staff, and the student body, are now aware.

"As Lord Slytherin, I am automatically Head of House Slytherin. The role of House Counsellor, so the students will have an adult in which to confide, was offered to Professor Snape. He declined it! The position is now held by Professor Black.

"So, as Professor Snape is no longer affiliated with House Slytherin, just what is he doing here?"

From over where he was standing Professor Snape grumbled and glared back. Harry heard him mutter, "Arrogant git!"

The Headmaster huffed and replied, "Professor Snape has my full confidence and faith. I trust him, completely."

"Well, I'm happy for you, Headmaster," said Harry almost snidely. "But it still doesn't answer my question. Just what is Professor Snape doing here?"

Professor Snape interrupted and snarled, "Arrrgh... Potter! You're an arrogant git, just like your father!"

As the man was snarking, Harry drew his wand. On the Professor's last word he raised his wand at the man and called, "Stupefy!"

The professor, a skilled duellist, was able to draw his wand and bat the Hex aside at the last moment. "Potter!" he exclaimed.

"Harry!" cried the Headmaster. "What are you doing?!"

Ignoring the Headmaster, Harry held his wand pointed at the Professor and snapped ,"Severus Snape, I have warned you! If you insult my family again, even if they are deceased, expect to be suitably dealt with! And I won't be holding back."

The Headmaster, rising to his feet, spluttered, "Harry.. Severus... please! There is no need for this!"

Professor Snape half-snarled, "The boy needs to be put into his place, Headmaster."

"Severus, please!" begged the Headmaster. "You really shouldn't have attacked young Harry's father."

The professor grumbled a bit but settled back down.

"It's time for him to leave, Headmaster," said Harry.

The Headmaster, again, said, "As I said, Professor Snape has my full confidence and faith. I trust him, completely."

Harry replied, "And, again, Headmaster, I'm happy for you. But, it's time for him to leave."

Undeterred, the Headmaster soldiered on, "Harry, please. I just wanted to have a friendly chat. Now, how was your first full day at Hogwarts?"

Harry, however, was not to be denied. He snapped, "You'll have your answers once Professor Snape leaves, Headmaster."

"I'm just asking some friendly questions, Harry," soldiered on the Headmaster. "Surely, you see no harm in that?"

Harry, again, snapped, "I said, you'll have your answers once Professor Snape leaves, Headmaster. This is your last chance."

The Headmaster sighed, "Surely, some polite questions..."

Harry interrupted. "Professor Black!" he called. He spun around and said to his godfather, "We're out of here!"

"Wait!" cried Dumbledore.

When Harry turned to look at him, he said, "Alright, Harry." He turned to Professor Snape and said, "Severus; perhaps you and Professor Black would care to leave us alone for a bit?"

Professor Snape stormed off back out of the office saying to Sirius as he went, "Come on, Black!"

Before leaving, Sirius asked Harry, "Are you sure, Pup?"

"I'll be fine, Sirius," replied Harry.

Harry watched as they both left the office. Once the two men had gone he turned back towards the Headmaster. "Now, what..."

Harry felt the immediate attack on his mental shields. Dumbledore had hit him, hard.

Harry raised his wand and hit the Headmaster with a Banishing Charm. At the close range they were apart, the Charm blasted the Headmaster backwards out of his chair and into the wall.

Before the Headmaster even fully felt the effects of the Curse, Harry summoned the Headmaster's wand to him; but, immediately dropped it onto the man's desk, before the old man had even realised what had happened and noticed.

Dumbledore scampered to his feet while Harry just stood there. He looked around for his wand and saw it on the desk. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he'd only dropped it.

He bent down and righted his chair.

Harry said, "Try that again, Albus, and you're through as Headmaster of Hogwarts. There will be no second warning. You'll just be thrown off the grounds."

The Headmaster seemed to have ignored what Harry said. However, as soon as he reached for his wand, Harry raised the tip of his own and said, "Don't even think about it!" And the Headmaster's hand froze in place. "And you will immediately stop calling me Harry!"

Taking his hand away from reaching, the Headmaster placed both hands on the arms of his chair and adjusted it so he was, again, sitting properly at his desk.

He said, "I don't know why you felt the need to do that, Harry..."

"That's it!" interrupted Harry. "Shut the hell up, old man. We're done! You have a lecture to attend at 9.00am, sharp, in the Great Hall. If you are not there on time you will be brought... against your will, if need be... and put in the Hall in clear view of everyone." He spun on his foot and stalked out of the office.

The Headmaster tried to call him back, but Harry didn't even care to listen.

After he was gone, Dumbledore reached out and grabbed his wand off the desk. With it back in his hand he noticed something... off. The wand seemed to no longer accept him.

# # #

At The Burrow, there was a flash of floo flame in the fireplace and Arthur stepped out.

"Molly!" he bellowed.

Coming in to the parlour, Molly Weasley asked, "Arthur? What are you doing home..."

Whirling about and clearly quite livid, Arthur turned to where his wife walked in. "Shut it, woman!" he bellowed.

"Arthur!" his wife gasped, reeling back in shock.

"Get your arse back in the kitchen! Right now!" he bellowed, stalking towards her.

Molly scampered back in through the way she'd come with Arthur stalking towards her. She rounded the kitchen table as he entered, almost terrified of the man before her.

"Arthur, what is..." she tried again.

Cutting her off, Arthur bellowed back, "I said shut it, woman!"

Again, Molly reeled back; this time, remaining silent with her fingers held towards her mouth. She seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"You will go and get me all the howler parchment you have. And you will do it now!" bellowed Arthur, no less upset.

Without a word, Molly raced across the kitchen and removed several sheets of parchment from a drawer in a china cabinet. She turned towards Arthur with them in her hand and carefully walked over to him barely close enough to hand them to him.

Snatching them from her hand, Arthur strode over to the oven and opened the doors to the banked fire within. Without a moment's thought he tossed the sheaf inside and slammed the doors closed.

Spinning back around to face his wife, Arthur commanded in an ominous voice, "Molly Weasley, you will never again ever send a howler, or even a curt letter, to anyone! Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"But, Arthur..." she tried.

"Don't 'but' me, woman!" he snapped. "You will obey my command!"

Shrinking back a little, Molly replied, "Y-yes, Arthur." She had never seen her normally placid husband this... riled... before. Not as he truly was, the Head of two Elder Houses, Weasley and, through her, Prewett.

"You," roared Arthur pointing his finger, "through your unconscionable actions, have brought this House into direct confrontation with four," he held forth four fingers on his left hand, "Noble and Most Ancient Houses!"

"I have no choice left to me! I have to go to the four of them and beg them for leniency for, not just my House, but for you!" he continued to roar. "They have the right to demand of me justice!"

Molly collapsed to the floor, sobbing. It had finally begun to seep into her awareness just what she'd done.

# # #

At 9.00am, Harry and the four heirs were already standing on the dais with the same configuration of chairs and blackboards as the previous day. The Headmaster had tried to approach Harry to talk to him before the hour, but Harry ignore the man only gruffly directing him to take seat. The last few student stragglers entered the Hall and quickly found seats.

Hermione called a house elf and asked, "Are all students and staff present in the Great Hall?"

"Yes, Missy Claw!" the elf replied.

"Thank you," she replied.

Harry then spoke out over the assembled students and staff. "The reason for this entire school lesson is we're here to talk about one of the most ruthless Dark Wizards of the century, and the vast majority of you do not even know his name," he said.

That had a number of students muttering amongst themselves. They had no idea of whom Harry could possibly be referring. He looked down at Dumbledore and noticed the man appeared quite worried. He had good reason to be.

"The name of this dark wizard, was Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Dumbledore jumped to his feet and spluttered, "No! You must not talk of this! I forbid it!"

Susan said in a firm voice, "Sit down, Headmaster; or you will be restrained. You're in no position to forbid anything."

Dumbledore continued to splutter, "You will cease this immediately! It's not for the chiiii..."

Ropes had sprung from the tip of Neville's wand straight at the old man. Dumbledore tried to avoid it by stepping back but it caused him to tumble backwards back into his chair. Neville's ropes then bound him to it. Hermione then hit him with the Silencing Charm. Dumbledore could be seen continuing to rant. Some of the students watched, dumbfounded, by what had happened to their Headmaster.

"Now," said Harry. "As I was saying, Tom Marvolo Riddle; so-called dark wizard. For those who don't recognise the name... And I'm pretty sure that's all of you, except the headmaster... you'll find reference to it and him up in Hogwarts's trophy room. He won an award for services to the school in 1943. And he was also Head Boy back in 1945. When you get an opportunity, go and take a look for yourselves."

Harry then wrote, in big letters and with wide spacing, the name TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE across the top of the centre black board. About two feet below it he drew a series of dashes. They were spaced; one, two, four and nine, with a gap between each grouping. _.

In turns, each of the heirs covered Riddle's conception, emphasising he was born both a bastard and a half blood, that his mother died shortly after childbirth, and that his uncle sent him to grow up in an inner London orphanage for non-magical children. That he later returned to the place of his birth and slew his entire remaining family, including his birth father, who had refused to acknowledge him.

They covered his time in Hogwarts, including how it was he, and not Hagrid, who had opened the Chamber of Secrets. And then they went into his early adult life, covering his time as a sales clerk at Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley, before he fled to Albania.

"So, now that this dark wizard has been described for you in detail, to this point, who can tell me why you don't know his name?"

Dumbledore was actually bouncing in his chair. His face was turning an interesting shade of puceas he tried to yell his way past the Silencing Charm. No one was any longer paying him the least attention.

Hermione asked the crowd, "Again, how is it that none of you, except for the Headmaster... who was the Transfigurations Professor here at Hogwarts when young Tom was a student... know of him?"

Still no raised hands with answers.

Harry said, "Well, the answer is pretty simple. He changed his name. And, he needed people to believe he was a pureblood of noble birth. He took his name, as it appears on the top of the blackboard here... Tom Marvolo Riddle... and played a simple non-magical child's game with it, called an anagram. It was his own little private joke on purebloods. What he did was rearrange the letters like so..."

Harry then started crossing letters off, left to right, and moving them to the lines of dashes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - T

- - - - O - - - - - - - - - - T

- - M - O - - - - - - - - - - T

- - M - O - - - - - - - M - - T

- AM - O - - - - - - - M - - T

Five letters in and Harry could hear students whispering among themselves. Many of the mundane raised, of course, knew what an anagram was. And they were trying to beat Harry to the answer. Harry just worked methodically through the letters, without pausing.

- AM - OR - - - - - - M - - T

- AM - OR - V - - - - M - - T

Some of the others were starting to talk louder. The first letter of the name was the big giveaway for many of them.

- AM - OR - V - - - - MO - T

- AM LOR - V - - - - MO - T

- AM LOR - VO - - - MO - T

More students were starting to catch on to what Harry was doing. As each letter was scratched off the name they could see the new name developing. The brighter ones, especially from Ravenclaw, had already figured it out.

_ AM LOR _ VO _ _ _MORT

I AM LOR _ VO _ _ _MORT

And a few more... Harry heard a mutter of, "Oh, my God!" and "That's incredible!"

I AM LORD VO _ _ _MORT

I AM LORD VO _D _MORT

Two to go and it was starting to get quite loud behind Harry. Neville, Susan and Hermione were glaring at staff and students, alike. Susan called, "Be quiet!"

"You lie!" screeched young Draco Malfoy. "It's not true! It can't be true!"

Susan replied, "I assure you, Mister Malfoy. It most definitely is true. And that's a further a five points against you!"

I AM LORD VOLD _MORT

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

With the last letter scratched off and the anagram filled, Harry placed the piece of chalk on the bottom edge of the blackboard and turned around. Susan, Hermione and Neville were issuing five point deductions left, right and centre. It did not matter whose House the student was in, if they were making a fuss, and one of the heirs saw it, they were deducted five points. Some students were deducted multiple times because they wouldn't be quiet.

The worst offenders were, of course, the Slytherins. First Years Malfoy, Nott and Parkinson; Second Years Urquhart and Mulciber; Sixth Year Bole; and Seventh Years Montague and Pucey. All were deducted five points twice. Harry was beginning to wonder if he'd have any students left in Slytherin before much longer, if this kept up. And he wondered if young Draco was going to make it to the end of the month.

Using a Sonorous Charm Harry yelled, "Be silent!"

Eventually, calm was restored to the Hall. A student from Ravenclaw, who had their hand raised since before the last letter was transcribed was called upon by Hermione.

"Yes, Mister Chambers?" she asked.

Warren Chambers, a Second Year, asked, "He's not real? Not a real Lord, I mean?"

"No.. and Yes," Hermione replied. "In the mundane world, for Riddle... and that's his real name, by the way; not the nonsense one he made up while a student here at Hogwarts... for Riddle to have been a Lord he would have had to have been accepted as the non-magical Lord Tom Riddle's true heir. He never was. And Riddle killed him for it."

Susan continued, "Riddle wanted to rule the world. He knew to accomplish that feat he needed people who believed him capable of it. He needed money and support. The place to get that in magical Britain was from the purebloods. He needed their financial support and political power.

"So, he purported to be a pureblood Lord and then told them what they wanted to hear. He gave them an enemy, the non-magicals and the mundane-born, and told them it was the non-magicals who were the cause of their problems. Adolph Hitler did exactly the same thing when he told the German peoples it was the Jews who were the cause of their problems. In other words, he lied."

Neville said, "What Riddle didn't know... but would have if he'd ever bothered to go into Gringotts and have the heirs test... was that, after he killed his maternal uncle, he became the last of the line of Salazaar Slytherin. That would have made him Lord Slytherin by right of magical inheritance if he'd ever bothered to find out.

"When Riddle attacked the Potters he was, at the time, the Heir Apparent of Slytherin. Lily Potter had cast truly old magics about the crib of the infant Harry. She had discovered how to stop the killing curse. But, it required her sacrificing her own life, and using her life energy, to power the wards. She knew Riddle's main target was her son, Harry Potter. But, she wasn't going to let him get past her to Harry without him having to kill her first."

Hermione continued, "So, Riddle attacked the Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow. And he was able to do that, even with the Fidelius Charm in place, because Peter Pettigrew, his spy in the Order of the Phoenix, was also the Secret Keeper. And Pettigrew, of course, told Riddle the secret. Riddle attacked and killed James Potter in the downstairs living area. Then went upstairs to the nursery. Lily Potter stood in front of the crib and refused Riddle a clean shot at Harry. He killed her. And, in the process, Lily's life energy flowed into the wards around Harry.

"When Riddle then cast his killing curse at Harry, the killing curse bounced off the wards. But it did leave Harry with a scar where part of Riddle's shattered soul hit him, forming a soul leech in his head behind the scar."

That bit of news caused a bit of a ruckus. Harry called, "Be silent... if you want to hear the entire story, or you will be tossed out!"

Hermione went on. "So, Riddle was killed by Lily Potter's magics. And, due to the 'End of Line' clause on the line of Salazaar Slytherin, the title should have flowed to Lily. However, as she was already dead, it passed directly to her heir, Harry Potter. That's why, when Lord Slytherin here..." She indicated Harry, "... took his oath before the Slytherin table a couple nights ago, he gave it by claiming the title through magical inheritance and right of conquest."

Harry said, "For those worried I still have a soul leech behind the scar on my forehead, fear not. It has been removed and no longer poses a threat."

He went on to say, "Now you know the truth. Voldemort... Yes, I have no problem calling him by his silly little made-up name... was a liar who found a weak spot in the minds of his followers, and exploited it. All those who called themselves Death Eaters bowed before the feet of a half blood bastard, and called him Lord."

Neville said, "The information we've given you today is all easily verifiable. Go up to the trophy room and look in the cases. There's a picture of Tom Riddle there from when he earned his award for services to the school in 1943. His name also appears as Head Boy for 1945. Then compare that picture to the early pictures of Voldemort. You'll easily see they're the same person for yourselves."

Hermione said, "Now stop referring to him as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' or 'You-Know-Who'. You sound ridiculous to those who know better. Better yet, call him by his real name, Tom Riddle, if the name Voldemort scares you so much."

Even after the demonstration they were just provided, some of the magically raised children still gasped in shock each time Voldemort's name was spoken aloud. Hermione just frowned deeper back.

A mundane-born Second Year Gryffindor, Alicia Spinnet, asked, "But why doesn't everybody know this? I mean, if it's supposed to be so easy to find out?"

Harry replied, "That's a very good question, and one everyone should be asking. Five points, Miss Spinnet, isn't it?"

Alicia Spinnet nodded.

Harry continued, "The reason why people don't find out for themselves is because they make wild leaps of assumption. They assume something as fact. Then, when pretty much everyone else makes the same assumption, they believe they must be right. When, in fact, they're not. Or, somebody tells them something is fact when they don't actually know for themselves.

"Here's a question I don't expect you to answer. However, it's a question I expect you to keep in mind as often as possible. If everyone believes a lie to be true, does it make it true? The answer, of course, is of course not. But, it happens with astonishing regularity in the magical world. As students, it's your mandate to question what people believe to be true. Don't just accept things at face value all the time."

Neville said, "Here's a good example of that. Question: Does electricity work around magic users?"

A couple of people raised their hands. Neville called on a Ravenclaw student who was the quickest. "Miss?"

"Chang; Cho Chang," the Eurasian girl replied. "No, it doesn't. Everyone knows that. But you're about to say everyone's wrong, right?"

Neville chuckled and replied, "Correct, Miss Chang; on the second part, that is. Five points. The reason magical Britain believe electricity... and, by extension, electrical items... don't work around magic is because of Hogwarts. Back almost a century ago, when electricity started to enter the mainstream of life for British citizens, a Hogwarts Headmaster thought electricity was dangerous. And he didn't want witches and wizards 'playing' with it.

"So, he added to the Hogwarts wards a spell that would cause any electrical item brought into Hogwarts to fail. The more sensitive to electrical fluctuations to the item; the faster it would fail. So, things like battery powered fans would work for a while, but modern electronics would fail within hours of being brought in. And, since almost every witch or wizard in magical Britain learned to control their magic through attending Hogwarts, he was able to make people believe at a young age that electricity and magic can't co-exist."

Susan said, "And now we're going to stop that from happening." She glanced toward the ceiling and said, "Lady Hogwarts; please drop the ward that causes electricity to fail."

The four heirs felt the spell fade away. "It's done," said Susan. "From now on, electricity and magic does mix in harmony; here, in Hogwarts."

Neville mused, "I had been wondering for quite some time why, if magic and electricity didn't mix, why Diagon Alley didn't cause the very close-by mundane buildings to have electricity problems. Think about it for a moment; if there was supposed to be a problem, then mundane electricians... that is, people trained to fix problems with electrical items... would have been swarming about the place trying to find the source of it. It would have meant Diagon Alley, for starters, would have been found by the mundane world long ago. The same applies to the Ministry for Magic and Saint Mungo's Hospital. And yet, they never have. That should be proof enough. Yet no one has ever questioned it."

Harry said, "The problem is one to do with logic. By all logic, to the normal person, magic should not be able to work. It defies logic. You have to accept magic works on face value. Accept it, don't question it and believe it. Now, we all know it does work, and the reason it works has to do with what's known by non-magicals as high energy physics. But that sort of knowledge is debated, even today, by non-magicals who have gone on to study doctorates... that's the level above Mastery and can take about an extra four years of study to reach... and they've still not found the empirical proof.

"If a magical is told something is fact, they've been conditioned to believe it to be true. They won't, and probably don't know how to, question that so-called fact and discover the answer for themselves. So, that's why a good, logical question will see you earn five points from one of us. You can call it, positive conditioning."

Anthony Goldstein, a Ravenclaw mundane-raised First Year, asked, "So, if we asked a logical question that progresses from what's being taught, we get points?"

"Yes, Mister Goldstein," replied Hermione with a grin. "And, to self-reference demonstrate, that question just earned you five points."

"Sweet!" said the pleased boy.

Finally raising his hand and waiting to be called upon, Draco asked in a surly manner, "And what if I prove you wrong?"

"Then you receive double the points," replied Neville, matter-of-factly. "You will never receive points against you for asking an honest, logical question. And, if a staff member does deduct points from you for it, come and see us. We'll rectify it. But, it has to be an honest question, rather than one asked to be surly or insulting. I'll over look the tone in which you asked your question... this time. And award you five points for it."

Hermione said, "Folks, by all means, set out to prove us wrong. We invite you to do so! But, even if you can't, we expect you to be honest with us and everyone else about the research you undertook to prove it. Even though you don't prove us wrong, the effort you put into it can earn you points."

Susan asked, "Are there any further questions?... No?... Then we break for morning tea. Please, quietly exit the Hall so it can be reconfigured for normal use."

Harry said, "And there will be another school-wide class, like today and yesterday, same time tomorrow morning. You are welcome to discuss amongst yourselves, outside of normal classes, the material given to you today. And, as always, we're available for you to talk to; except for a time, this evening, when the four of us have another appointment."

Harry finally released Dumbledore from his binding and Silencing Charm. The old man just sat there with his head bowed. Harry had no idea when the man finally left the Hall.