Harry Potter : Flash Forward

Once breakfast was finished the owls started flying in. As expected, the owls heaped with their abusive letters also came.

"It's started," muttered Harry. A little louder, he said, "Everyone, you might want to back away. I expect trouble."

As the mail from the owls was released, Harry made sure the only ones opened were those from family and friends, and that morning's Daily Prophet. Those owls bearing howlers were released of their loads, and their 'screaming' envelopes were immediately incinerated before they could reconfigure themselves to howl.

Once everything else was sorted, the whole lot was levitated into the air and vanished.

"Potter!" screamed Professor Snape. "How dare you use such spells in the Great Hall! Fifty points from Gryffindor for your careless disregard of safety. And a week's worth of detention with me starting tonight!"

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you take care of hate mail," said Harry, to the wider tables, ignoring the ranting Potions Master.

He then rose and went to the head table before Professor McGonagall. "Professor McGonagall," he loudly said.

"Mister Potter?" she asked right back with what seemed to be a sense of anticipation just behind her eyes.

"Professor McGonagall," he loudly replied, "as you are Deputy Headmistress, I come before you with complaint of unfair treatment and bias against me by Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master. He has unfairly awarded me punishment of which you, as witness, are aware."

As he spoke, Harry watched the look of glee in the eyes of the Professor.

"As you witnessed I placed no one in danger and only dealt with what we already knew to be hate mail from small minded idiots who cannot accept the simple fact we three are soul-bonded," Harry continued. "Alas, I would not have put it past any of the miscreants to have sent mail containing most foul enchantments and poisons. Immediately destroying the mail was, in fact, beneficial to the safety of the student body."

When he was done, she just as loudly replied, "As Deputy Headmistress and in charge of all student punishment, I recognise your complaint against unfair punishment meted against you by Professor Snape. Through my own witness of the events, I hereby overturn the punishment against you, returning the fifty points and cancelling the detention."

Harry gave her a short nod and said, "Thank you, Professor," before he returned to the Slytherin table. He didn't even bother looking at the fuming Potions .

With the school week finally over, the three made a quick trip to the library to exchange books before they returned to their private living room to make a start on homework. They wanted to get it out of the way so they'd be free that evening for Daphne's friends and little sister to visit.

Plus, her parents were visiting the next afternoon immediately after lunch; and wanted to allow as much time as they could to spend time with them.

Daphne had warned them her father was quite stern but fair. Matthias and Candice, her parents, were typical purebloods in that they didn't show a lot of love to their children in public after they turned about eight and began their home-schooling. However, she assured them both parents were more forthcoming in showing affection when they were alone as a family.

When Harry expressed his worry about how they'd treat Hermione, she assured them they weren't 'blood snobs'; as she put it. But they still worried about the impact muggleborns had on wizarding culture; and the risk they represented to the Statute of Secrecy. That set Harry to thinking.

After a quick dinner, where they again sat at the Slytherin table - and were not bothered - the three escorted Tracey, Blaise and Horace, to whom Harry and Hermione had been introduced on the carriage between the station and the castle, up to their private apartment.

Harry had surged ahead, a little, and muttered the password to Prusilla, before holding the portrait open to allow the others inside.

Daphne showed them through the room, bedrooms and private bathrooms, before leading them back into the living room and encouraging them to sit. Crookshanks wasn't happy to get evicted from his armchair.

"So, what do you think?" she asked, a little worriedly.

"It's wonderful, Daph!" said Tracey, clearly happy for her friend.

"And how are you getting on with Bulstrode and Parkinson without me down there?" asked Daphne.

"Its fine," replied Tracey, waving off the question. "They understand you're up here because of the bond. And, they've not hassled me about it."

Leaning forward a little, she said, "Actually, I think they're happy we've gone from four to three. It means more room and time in the showers for the three of us."

Daphne was clearly relieved. "I was just worried about you, you know?"

"I know," shrugged Tracey.

"May I ask why you chose to be up here and not near the dungeons?" asked Horace. "After all, if Mister Potter was supposed to have been a Slytherin, as he said this morning, I thought it would have been easier to be down there."

"We asked for an apartment that was more central to the two Houses... such as something on the third floor," Harry replied. "However, Professor McGonagall told us that wasn't possible. And we decided that, if we had to be nearer one or the other, it would be Gryffindor.

"Now that I've thought more about it," he continued. "I think the risk was too high for Hermione... due to her muggleborn status... to be anywhere near the Slytherin common room."

"That was why I was happy to go along with having our apartment up here," said Daphne. "Safety for Hermione."

Hermione looked at Daphne in surprise and gratitude. "Thank you," she softly muttered.

Daphne just gave her a little shrug and a soft smile back.

"Anyway," said Tracey. "Tell us about the bond! You haven't been very forthcoming, you know."

Tracey had managed to change the mood and Daphne chuckled. "There's not much to tell, Trace," Daphne replied. "It was amazing to watch, though."

"Is it true there's a golden aura?" asked Tracey, almost bouncing in her seat.

"Nope," Daphne smugly replied. "It was silver. I didn't see when it happened between me and Harry; but I sure saw it when it happened to Harry and Hermione. It was amazing!"

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