"I hope I answered the questions to your satisfaction that we are past that?" Dumbledore asked but Mr. Delacour only kept an impassive face. The Headmaster turned back to Harry. "So for three months charging two weeks should be all we need."
'"I'll do it," Harry replied and he watched the Headmaster sigh in relief. "But with one condition."
"Which is?" Dumbledore asked with some trepidation.
"I want wards put around the Grangers' house," Harry started. "I also want them to have portkeys they can use to get to safety if they are attacked. That is my only condition, but it is non-negotiable."
"Harry?" Hermione said. "I...thank you."
"I will not let anything happen to your family Hermione, especially because of me."
"Putting wards up in a muggle neighborhood might be difficult Harry."
"You bloody well did it at Privet Drive, so you can do it at Hermione's house as well," Harry exclaimed as he glared at the Headmaster. "Who do you think means the most to me, Hermione and her family or the Dursleys? If you want the Dursleys protected, then you better plan on protecting Hermione's family as well."
Dumbledore nodded as he realized this was not an argument that he could or even should try to win. "I'll make sure it's done."
"Before I leave next week," Harry said.
"I'll need Hermione to contact her parents and let them know about it," The Headmaster said. "They are familiar with portkeys so that part shouldn't be difficult."
Hermione had been in thought ever since Harry had willingly given up himself to protect her parents and an idea came to mind. "Professor, the wards at the Dursleys, what do they cover?"
"They are established around the perimeter of the property, not perfectly of course but mostly."
"So the wards consider the whole property, house and gardens to be home?"
"Yes."
"If Harry were to live in the back garden instead of actually in the house, would that satisfy the wards?"
"It should but why are you asking? Are you suggesting Harry sleep outside every night?" Dumbledore asked.
"Actually yes," Hermione replied before she turned to Remus. "Could we borrow your tent? The one you have down in the Chamber?"
Remus grinned as he realized what she intended to do, but had to ask. "We?"
"We will not allow Harry to stay there alone," She looked at her bond sisters who were all nodding.
Remus looked at Alain, "And you'll let them?"
"Remus, I learned a long time ago not to disagree with a Veela when she is determined, even if zey are my daughters," He replied. Then Alain addressed Dumbledore. "It looks like ze youngsters 'ave a plan. If you don't mind, I would like to make some arrangements of my own for zis to 'appen."
Dumbledore could only nod.
"Zere is one more question about ze prophecy," Mr. Delacour said. "Arry's parents mentioned someone overheard some of it, 'ow did zat 'appen?"
"One of Voldemort's servants was listening outside the door that evening," Dumbledore explained. "He only heard the first part before he was thrown out."
"Do you know which Death Eater it was?" Alain asked. "It seems to me zat 'e is as responsible as Voldemort and Pettigrew for ze death of ze Potters."
Dumbledore stared at the French politician as he tried to find the best way to answer that question. Finally he responded. "I can assure you the man has suffered for many years because of what he did."
....
As Amelia closed her folder containing the notes she had collected over the previous day she let out a sigh. She was exhausted but knew there was still much to be done. Her fatigued thoughts turned to Lucius Malfoy as she wondered how he was doing. She hadn't told anyone what she had done with the man, though it had been perfectly legal. She had learned from Pettigrew's confession that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been able to break through Bertha Jorkins oblivation that Crouch had done. She had let Malfoy sit in a room for twenty minutes doing nothing, and then she had obliviated his memory of that time. She had the appropriate forms documenting the obliviation filled out and ready to be filed. But with all that had happened anyone would understand if they didn't get filed in a timely manner. As she walked out of the makeshift office she thought, "If Malfoy does return to He-Wh...oh come on I can at least think it, Voldemort side, then I am sure that V...Voldemort will insist on knowing what happened. He would definitely break through my obliviation but he would never believe Malfoy was sitting in a room doing nothing. If he believes that time is a planted memory...well then only Malfoy can be blamed for any excessive pains he might endure as Voldemort attempts to learn a truth that's not there."
....
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