Harry was admittedly sulking after reading the Daily Prophet. At first he'd been horrified about the cartoon being seen by, essentially, the whole world. He'd been nervous enough about having the shirt made when just ‘family' would be seeing it, although he'd been certain Severus would laugh and take it well. Harry was twice as glad, now, that he'd talked Dora out of putting bunny slippers on Severus in the cartoon - even if they had been rather cute.

Now that Tom had told him that Severus had laughed after seeing the paper, and had insisted he'd love the shirt, he could relax and pout about the surprise being ruined. Lucius had escorted Draco over for the usual classes and had sympathized a bit - ‘learning how to keep things out of the hands of the press takes time to learn, Harry' was his only advice, though.

Lucius had taken Petunia off to the Spinner's End site to see to a few things and to meet some accountants at a ‘working lunch'. Petunia was eager to start work. Her enforced inactivity after being shot had soon worn thin, and this venture sounded interesting.

Draco had cheered Harry - and Dudley a bit with the news they were going to a Quidditch match the next day. "The Kenmore Kestrels and the Holyhead Harpies are playing at Ilkley Moor. The Harpies are my favorite team - probably because they're dad's favorite. I heard Severus say that they've been dad's favorite since he was fourteen and ‘crushing' on one of their players - a rather curvy blond. They only have women on their team, so a lot of blokes like the Harpies best."

All three of the boys snickered over this a little, earning them a sharp look from Dora. She'd been nearly as put out about the cartoon's front page splash as Harry. She'd known Snape would recognize her artwork, but had been counting on the fact it would just be he and his circle of ‘family/ friends' and no harm done. Snape was well known to be a very private person, so the appearance of the coffee cartoon on the front page had made her briefly fear a thorough hexing.

Thank Merlin that Harry had talked her out of the bunny slippers she'd wanted to put on her cartoon Snape's feet. She'd felt bad about Harry's surprise, but, luckily he'd received the dragon shaped ingredients containers that morning. Dora had suggested that he have Tom do some preservation spellwork on them to make them extra special. That had had all of them scrambling to look up appropriate spells, and Draco had hauled out a runes book, saying that had given him an idea.

"I found a very old book on runes written by a very distant relative - a cousin of an ancestor, who knows how many times removed. None the less, he was a Malfoy. It was written in the 1300's, and it cost me a bagful of galleons. I got a very nice alabaster box for it to go in. I was going to have it spelled for preservation and anti-theft, etc. But it would be more impressive if I etched runes on it, myself." Draco was flushed with enthusiasm. He would have a spectacular gift that was also personal - and hopefully impress his father with his knowledge of runes.

"I could use runes on the containers, and do the work myself. Runes don't react with the ingredients the way spells sometimes can." Harry was awestruck at the idea. Mr. Malfoy had shown them how to draw and activate some very basic runes. This was something personal that he could do to make up for the shirt fiasco.

"I bought that jewelry box for mum to put her stuff in, once she gets it back out of Gringotts. I could do some runes on it - some of the runes are quite pretty and would decorate it nicely." Dudley was soon helping them drag Runes books and manuals up from the library.

Dora smiled. Many times the boys would come up with their own assignments in magic. When it seemed alright, she let them steer the direction of what they were studying. Runes were a part of the curriculum of Hogwarts, so learning how they worked was alright.

"You are looking to achieve three different things with the runes. Draco is shielding a book, which is different from protecting jewelry - although some of the anti-theft runes may be the same. Of course the preservation spells for the ingredients containers will be totally different yet again. So, each of you look for the relevant runes and research them thoroughly. Many runes don't work well together. One you are sure you've found the ones you want, we'll supervise your application of them to the objects." Dora smiled at their scramble to sort the books.

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Tom listened to the boy's plotting while pulling Runes books out of the library, and even pointed out a few books they missed. He was looking over the last curse on the Ring Horcrux. Lucius had finally come through, triumphant, just a day before Hugo Savage also identified which suffocation curse was on the ring, although Lucius bowed to Hugo's age and status and let him incant the cancellation.

The ‘withering death curse' still eluded them, and Hugo had said the only response he'd had from the Dept. of Mysteries on his description of the curse was that they were sure it was not European in origin and that they would have to look farther afield.

Tom mulled over the problem of Neville as well. He was having unexpected trouble figuring out how to explain the problem to Molly Weasley. He tried composing statements to her in his head for Yvane to listen to and comment on.

"Mrs. Weasley, the dragon in my head illegally entered a young child's mind and saw that his uncle seems to delight in tormenting him..."

"No, that would not impress her, at all - except to convince her you are quite mad, or dangerous." Yvane agreed, with a wince.

"Madame, I think your very good friend Augusta Longbottom is willfully ignoring the fact that her grandson is being terrorized by her own son - just don't ask how I could possibly know this..."

"She'll be looking into you, instead of Neville's situation." Yvane sighed.

"I'd owl Percy or even Charlie for advice, but Percy has already neglected his studies in favor of my projects a great deal and I simply don't know Charlie well enough." Tom hesitated. "That leaves Bill as someone to ask how to approach Mrs. Weasley. He did offer to buy me lunch, and as he is learning to be a cursebreaker I can ask him about this curse as a pretext to see him and work Neville into the conversation."

"Well reasoned Mr. Slytherin to the bone." Yvane chuckled, making Tom grin happily.

Tom felt that there was no time like the present, and after telling Dora that he was headed to Gringotts to see Bill Weasley, he took the floo to the goblin's bank.

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Lucius and Petunia poured over the maps and looked the land over, marking off where the lots would be as well as the common ground that would be mostly along the river, where they planned to have a stone path for the more aged and some walking trails for the younger.

Roger Eastlake was quite thrilled to be taking care of things on his own that day - Angus was entrusting more and more to him, and he was to introduce the new accountant from Norris Accounting to Lucius and Petunia.

When the Norris firm had interviewed the man they had been uncertain. There were aspects of wizarding accounting that required magic, but as they did have customers with ties and businesses in the muggle world they were not unfamiliar with how things were done there. A new and fresh view from the muggle world would be helpful, and they had plenty of accountants with magic to back up a squib.

As a squib, they were sure that Lawrence Prewett knew the wizarding world very well - and his family was considered quite honorable. Yes, they would hire Lawrence Prewett, they had decided - and didn't Lucius Malfoy have that new project going that was likely to be rubbing up against the muggle world a lot ... they may as well send Mr. Prewett.

So, Lawrence was introduced to one of the Norris Firm's biggest clients. The name Lucius Malfoy was not unfamiliar, though he'd been out of the wizarding world for almost fifteen years. He'd looked over the project and knew he could do it, but how would Malfoy Senior react to working with a squib?

Lucius looked at Lawrence quizzically. "I have met the Prewetts in the past..." Sometimes over drawn wands on the battlefield from behind a mask, Lucius mused, remembering the Aurors Gideon and Fabian. "I don't recall your name among those I have met...?"

"I left the wizarding world, as I was discovered to be a squib. And, well, I felt I would do better in the muggle world. I did quite well actually, but my children are magical and will be attending Hogwarts so I wished to re-enter the world they will likely be living in." Lawrence could feel sweat pouring down his back, but Lucius had merely lifted an eyebrow at the news of his being a squib.

His business partner was not so quiet about it. "You're a squib as well? I found out I was a squib after we had already entered the wizarding world. We thought my sister was muggleborn, and the only magical one, but I'm beginning to think there may have been more magical people in my family than I thought, since my son and nephew also have magic." Petunia was pleased to see another squib making their way in the wizarding world.

Lawrence almost collapsed in relief. Lucius could hardly object to him if his partner was a squib. He caught Lucius' eye briefly and saw a glint of amusement there. He realized Lucius had likely read his nervousness and later relief quite easily. He cleared his throat and started going over some paperwork.

The lunch went quickly and forms got signed without incident, and then Lawrence noticed Petunia's name ... Dursley. Lawrence paused, thinking. "Is your son named Dudley by chance?"

"Why, yes." Petunia answered in confusion.

Lawrence relaxed further, several pieces coming together. "My daughter, Mafalda, corresponds by owl with a lad she met in Diagon Alley - while picking out owls for her and her brother Martin. His name is Harry Potter. Harry mentioned a cousin Dudley Dursley and another boy named Draco that he takes lessons with."

"Of course...Mafalda, what a lovely name. Harry speaks of his letters to her." Petunia was pleased to be meeting the girl's father.

"Well, the wizarding world is a small place at times - Draco is my son." Lucius remarked. He didn't believe in coincidence, but he couldn't see how the squib could have engineered this. And even if he had - where the harm from this could be he couldn't imagine. He was willing to sit back and watch. The name Prewett was not one that was usually carried by a cohort of the Malfoys, but if it made the other Prewetts - and Weasley's go a bit spare it would be worth it.

The meeting wound to a close with Lucius wondering just how to rub this in Arthur Weasley's face without actually seeming to. They were supposed to be ‘working together' now, so the gloating would have to be minimal.

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Tom strode into Gringotts just at lunchtime and caught one of the higher up Goblin's eye. The Goblin quickly hurried to see what he wanted.

"You have a Bill Weasley working here. I need to consult with him for an hour or so. If you could spare him for a ‘working lunch' I'd be grateful." Tom asked politely.

"Of course, of course." The goblin seemed confused, but willing to go along with the wizard holding such a large vault there. He sent another goblin running to fetch Bill, who appeared very soon, looking just as confused at the sight of Tom waiting for him.

"Ready for that lunch, Mr. Weasley?" Tom asked with a smirk. "Since I intend to pick your brain mercilessly, this one will be on me, though."

They strolled across the street to a restaurant and quickly got a booth. Bill had learned some patience while working for the Goblins. And while he quickly recognized Slytherin maneuvering, he wasn't willing to assume it was bad and end up writing more apologies.

They ordered quickly and then Tom put up a privacy charm. "I need your help with two things. We have an object with a curse on it that no one seems able to identify - It's stumped Lucius, Severus and even Hugo Savage and Albus Dumbledore. It apparently is foreign and we thought you might be able to get it identified." Tom asked.

"Well, I sure a Gringotts team could look the object over with no difficulty." Bill trailed off at Tom's emphatic head shaking.

"We can't have just anyone see the object. I have a description here of the curse itself." Tom handed the parchment over. "If you get it identified, owl me and we'll clear it for you to see the object and confirm the identity of the curse." Tom was quite proud of his on-the-spot planning. It sounded like that this was really what he was here for.

Bill looked the description over with a frown while he ate. The spell looked oddly familiar, but in a much different form from what he'd seen before.

Tom interrupted his musing. "I had another, small, concern." Bill looked over at him, sensing that the concern was likely not small, at all.

"I need your utmost discretion on this." Tom said slowly, and very carefully. "I came across some ... information and I can't tell you how. I need to get this information to your mother, as I believe she is the best one to ... deal with it." Tom nervously met Bill's intent stare. "Your mother seems the, well, motherly type, so I'm sure she would want to look into it..."

"Maybe you should just come out with it." Bill stated flatly. He might have been assured that Tom was not a bad person but this was Mum he was wanting to involve in whatever this was.

Tom winced at Bill's tone. Things had been going so well... "Your mum is acquainted with Augusta Longbottom, I believe. Madame Longbottom has a grandson, Neville. I have learned that the boy's uncle...Algie? ...has been systematically terrorizing him."

Bill almost dropped his glass of mead ... What!?

Tom gratefully noted Bill's attention and that he wasn't yelling words like impossible and snorting in derision. Tom had heard what happened to some children that had been stupid enough to complain about conditions at the orphanage or telling others about any abuses. They'd not been seen again ... and the word workhouse had been bandied about when others had asked where they had gone. He didn't want Neville's conditions to worsen, even if Tom thought he was a sniveling coward ... cursing someone with their back turned!

"Apparently they were afraid he was a squib and Algie went around doing things like dropping him off piers into deep water - hanging him out a fourth story window, and dropping him to 'scare his magic into the open'. However, now that his magic is 'out', he's still tormenting him." Tom ground to a halt. "I don't expect your mom to run in with Auror's and Veritaserum, but if she could look into it..."

Bill nodded slowly. "Actually mum would just run in with a rolling pin and her wand and sort them out and run home with Neville...willy-nilly." Bill ate the last of the meal slowly. "Are you wanting me to pass this on to Mum, myself?" He smiled a bit at Tom's eager and rather relieved nod. "I think I'll tell dad first, he'll be able to keep her from anything that'll land her in front of the Wizengamot."

Tom leaned back in relief, "Excellent, I owe you one." Tom immediately winced and could have bitten his tongue. A Slytherin never acknowledges a debt unless the other party mentions it. Bill almost snickered at his face, knowing that Tom had just made a slip - up.

"That's okay - I know you've been helping Percy and Charlie as well, with books and all. Percy has needed a real friend and even the twins liked you. If I can help with this curse and with Neville, I'll be glad to." Bill tried to ease Tom's tension and was rewarded with a rueful smile.

Tom quickly got the tab and walked with Bill back to Gringotts and told the Goblins that Bill had been a great help, earning Bill approving looks from the Goblins. Tom left for Dragonsrest, feeling hopeful that he could leave Neville in Molly's hands.

Bill watched Tom leave and looked down at the paper. He'd been introduced to a lot of different types of curses and shown how styles varied from region to region. He'd decided to specialize in Egyptology and was not getting his initial instruction done. There was talk of sending him to Egypt in a year or two. He was quite sure that this was Egyptian in origin. He would have to tread carefully in finding out what curse it was, without giving away anything.

Bill smiled; he hadn't gotten to do anything even remotely sneaky in ages. Helping out Tom would be fun in a way and ease the last of his conscience for having treated Tom badly in the past.

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Harry read Severus' letter just before bed, smiling at his dad's reassurances about the shirt. He said he'd enjoyed the cartoon ‘that it had been quite clever' and that he'd recognized Harry's humor in it even if Dora had been the artist. He even promised to wear it to at least one potions class and let Harry know how many students blew up cauldrons over it.

Harry laughed and snuggled down, feeling alright about the present once again. Maybe he could ask the twins to get pictures of the potions class when dad wore the shirt.

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