Harry nodded and replied, "If it could be done, the castle could easily have a 'welcoming room' like the atrium at the Ministry of Magic. If it can't, then each student with access to a floo point floos directly to their Head of House's floo point in the castle. As it's a mid-year break there won't be any unsorted first years to worry about, so everyone already has an assigned House."
Nodding, he continued, "That would work, but there's still the issue of the Ministerial Decree I brought to light in Sirius's trial. That is, the Decree orders anyone attending the school must travel there via the Hogwarts Express. I'll have to see Acting Minister Bones about removing that Decree; which I'd planned to do, anyway."
Hermione added, "Even if Headmistress Lady Marchbanks doesn't want all students to arrive that way, due to your... unusual situation... she might be willing to allow us to arrive that way."
"Yes," he muttered. "Besides, it would work better for us if... as I believe we should do... we arrive a couple of days after the Sunday."
"Why?" she asked.
"Multiple reasons," he replied. "First; arriving a couple of days later will throw Dumbledore off if he's got anything planned. Second; I want to discover how the population of magical Britain reacts if I don't show up, as expected. Third; I want to see what happens when the remaining organisers of the Tri-Wizard Tournament react when I don't show up. I'm actually hoping the Ministries of Bulgaria and France force the termination of the remaining events and kill the damned thing off."
Hermione was frowning and, when Harry finished, she said, "The problem with that is, when it's published in the Daily Prophet the next day, Dumbledore will immediately turn up here."
Harry gave his own frown, a slightly irritated one, right back and said, "I had thought of that, you know. While I'm here, the aurors are here. If I leave, they'll leave with me. And just because I turn up at the school does not mean Dumbledore won't turn up here, anyway. You do realise, don't you, that your Mum and Dad represent a weakness through which Dumbledore can exploit trying to get back control of me?"
Hermione blushed and replied, "Sorry. Oops?"
He immediately grinned and said, "No fair using my own version of mea culpa against me."
That, at least, had her smiling back.
To interrupt and get things back on point, Monica asked, "Any other reasons for the two or three day delay?"
"Not really," he replied, turning to her. "Except, that is, how long it's going to take for the wound on my forehead from the surgery to properly heal, even with magical means. I had thought we might also use those days, though, to determine if we actually want the two of us returning to the school.
"My thoughts are: If the media lambaste me about it, I write them the written form of flipping them the fingers and tell them they'd just made my decision for me; and it would be that I wouldn't be returning. If, however, they don't; then I think it's safe to say that I'm alright with returning, after all."
Wendell said, "I can't say I'm happy about the idea of either of you returning to that nuthouse... but, if it's what you want to do, I won't stop you."
With a pleading look from Hermione, Harry sighed and said, "Then I shall send another letter to Lady Marchbanks informing her we'll be two days late. So long as the Prophet et al don't defame me, we'll turn up on the Tuesday morning via floo."
With a pinched look, Hermione asked, "And if the Prophet does?"
He smirked and shrugged. "Well, after sending Ted to go and remonstrate with them, I'll likely laugh at them and tell them that, if they continue to defame me, I'll likely never return. And, when people write me and ask me why I wouldn't... didn't... I'll tell them honestly and bluntly I'll not return until the Prophet prints a full retraction and apology on their front page."
Wendell gave a snort of amusement and said, "If they don't do it when Ted goes in there and yells at them, the resultant backlash from the public will ensure it happens."
"Yes," nodded Harry. "However, I really don't think the Prophet are going to be stupid about this, anyway.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Just before they were about to sit for dinner, they were alerted to the floo being used. Harry had just made it to the window when he saw one of the aurors duck inside the ex-shed with his wand drawn.
A few moments later, as Hermione walked up behind him to look for herself, Harry saw Sirius step out followed by Remus Lupin. Peripherally, he heard Hermione give a gasp of surprise and mutter, "Professor Lupin!"
The calm expression on his godfather's face, together with the look of both confusion and worry on Moony's face, told Harry that the flushing potion Andi had been developing had obviously worked.
Sticking his head in from the hallway, Wendell asked, "Guests?"
"Yes," replied Hermione. "It's Sirius and Professor Lupin. Sirius wouldn't have brought him if the flushing potion hadn't worked. That must mean he's now clear of the potion."
Calling out, Harry said, "Two more for dinner, Dobby!"
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