HARRY POTTER :flash forward.

I hope you realise that, now that you're bonded to these two beautiful ladies, you'll need to back off on the number of risky activities you're often found involved in," she said.

"Yes, Ma'am," he grinned back.

While Madam Pomfrey and Harry had been talking, Hermione walked over and took Luna by the hand. "Are you free at the moment?" she quietly asked the younger Ravenclaw.

"Oh, yes," replied Luna. "Care to join us in our apartment for a little while?" asked Hermione.

"I'd love to!" Luna happily exclaimed.

The four bid Madam Pomfrey their good byes and left through the now unsealed doors.

While Hermione held Luna's hand, and Harry held Daphne's, the four headed back to their apartment.

As they walked along, Hermione quietly said to Luna. "We've had to change the password for Professor Whittaker."

"I know. Harry told me a few days ago," she replied.

"Good," replied Hermione. "I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you. I hope you don't think that meant we'd no longer welcome you to visit."

"No, I knew," replied the younger girl. "I've also been working on a way to stop listening charms from being able to work around places where passwords are spoken."

"Oh?" asked Hermione.

"It can be done with runes," answered Luna. "We create a permanent ward around and within listening distance to where you have to speak the password."

Hermione almost stumbled. "Of course!" she sighed. "Why didn't we think of that?"

"You've had more important matters on your mind," replied the girl, as if it was obvious. "You've been worried about whether or not you'd be successful in sealing the bond. And you were worried for Daphne."

With a short stop in the Ravenclaw common room while Luna collected her notes on creating an anti-spying ward for passwords, the four were soon enough back in the bondmates' living room.

Laying her notes on the coffee table, Luna explained her thinking about the ward she'd designed.

"That's... brilliant... and so simple," said Hermione with Daphne nodding in agreement.

"Here, Harry," she said, sliding the notes over opposite where Harry was sitting. "You'll see how Luna came to her thinking. And, how she selected what runes to use."

Harry quickly read through the notes and said, "Mmm," in agreement.

While the three girls discussed any changes they'd make, and how they'd apply the runes, Harry sat back and watched them.

It took them about an hour - during which he'd eventually pulled out his homework and worked through some of it while casting the odd glance their way - but they finally reached a conclusion.

"I think that's it," said Luna.

Both other girls nodded.

"Now we just need to work out where and how to set the runes," Luna continued.

"I think we should make it permanent," said Daphne. "That would mean engraving them into the stones of the castle, itself," worried Hermione.

"And why not?" asked Daphne. "It's not as if this wouldn't be beneficial to everyone who makes this apartment their home after we leave."

"I just don't like the idea of making permanent engravings into the stones of such an antique as this castle," replied Hermione. "It almost feels like graffiti. Like I'm... despoiling such a lovely old monument."

"Merely walking on the stone floors causes wear and tear," argued Daphne. "Besides, if necessary, we can use magic to 'repair' the stone if we want to remove them later."

With a sigh, Hermione said, "I forgot about that."

"So, we do this?" asked Luna.

"We do," replied Daphne.

"And what did you eventually come up with?" asked Harry, speaking for the first time in a while.

"A ward scheme," replied Hermione.

"One that will make it impossible to employ the use of a certain type of charm and curse within the affected field," replied Daphne. "Will it have a negative impact on, say, Professor Whittaker?" he asked.

"No, but we'll test it first, anyway," replied Hermione. "I'll get the engraving tools," said Daphne, rising.

Once they had their three sets of engraving tools, they waited for Luna to collect hers from her trunk.

In the meantime, they waited outside the alcove holding Professor Whittaker. Hermione and Daphne then detailed the area they wanted the ward to cover, and started to lay out where to put the runes.

Eight boundary runes were being drawn in the passageway to give the shape of a box. They would use four at each point, one high and one low opposite each other; at one way down the passage, and four the same going the other way down the passage.

Inside the alcove, where they'd be nominally out of sight - unless you specifically went looking for them - were the control runes.

Hermione, with Daphne coming behind and checking, first drew each boundary rune in chalk. Harry was surprised by just how tiny they were drawn. Each was no more than about an inch in height.

"They're awfully small, aren't they?" he asked.

"They don't need to be any bigger," replied Daphne. "For a start, they'll be engraved into the very stone of the castle. Second, the area of affect isn't that big. And, third, the very magic of the castle itself will power it in perpetuity making it stronger."

While Hermione and Luna ducked into the alcove and started drawing the rune array to control and power it all, Daphne explained more about what the ward would accomplish.

"It'll block the use of listening charms and any other charm based on similar magic," she explained. "It'll also render the voice of the person muffled outside of the field, but not within; similar to a temporary silencing ward. While we were planning it, because some Ravenclaws used the Confundus charm on the eagle to block Luna getting inside the Ravenclaw common room, we've also added a block for that and similar charms; even if they're rune-based. There's also one to counter the effects of the Imperius curse, if someone walks into the field under the control of such. And, finally, a defensive ward that'll block anyone standing outside from immediately attacking you with hexes and curses, if you're within the field.

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For some other reason this novel will only be published 3 times a week

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