The first few days of Harry's stay with Professor Snape went rather smoothly.

When the Professor had to leave for his first class shortly after he and Harry had discussed Professor Quirrell, he flooed Madame Pomfrey, who stayed with Harry until lunch. At first, the boy had been wary about this, but when the medi-witch had suggested that Ophi could take her wand and only give it to her if she or Harry were in danger, he (reluctantly) agreed.

When Professor Snape had left, Madame Pomfrey, too, apologized to Harry for not giving him his real medicine and lying to him. It was only when the witch suggested to get rid of the bed in Harry's room (Harry had tried to correct her, telling her that it was the Professor's guest-room, but the medi-witch insisted that it was his room now) though, that he started to feel a little bit more comfortable in her presence.

Ophi helped the two human to dismantle the bed and once he had disposed of the (rather impressive) number of pieces that had made up the four-poster bed, he provided them with a large, thick carpet and enough pillows, blankets, quilts and even a few cuddly toys to fill out a whole corner of the room. Then the three of them attached a hook to the ceiling in order to hang up several lengths of material. In the end, Harry had something akin to a tent in his room, only larger and much more comfortable.

When Severus returned for lunch, he didn't know whether to laugh or to be annoyed at the havoc three people (well, two people and an elf) had wrecked in his quarters during only one morning. When he saw the grin on Harry's face, though, he decided to be pleased about the new turn of events. In addition to having a place to sleep he was obviously much more comfortable with than a bed, Harry was much more at ease with Poppy than he had been in the morning. Perhaps in a few days time, the medi-witch would be able to keep her wand when supervising Harry.

Originally, Severus had planned to speak to Harry some more this evening. However, when he returned from his afternoon classes (again, Poppy had stayed with the boy) he found Harry half-asleep over his potion textbook he had obviously tried to read to keep himself occupied. While the Potion Master was slightly affronted that someone could fall asleep while reading a potion book, he reminded himself that Harry had just started to take his medicine again and that it was quite common for people to be very tired in the first few weeks (or at least Dr Green had told him so).

Therefore, he only woke him up to make him eat supper before tucking him in for the night.

Before he left the room, he made sure that the wards that would alert him if Harry was in distress or pain or in any way uncomfortable were still in place. Additionally, he cast a spell on the walls so that they would feel like rubber when being forcefully hit. He knew that there were plenty of other items the Horcrux could use to hurt Harry, but since smashing the boy's head against walls seemed to be its favourite type of torture, it was better than nothing, and it would hopefully give Severus enough time to reach the boy before the creature could resort to other means.

Harry's remark about Quirrell's presence causing the Horcrux to be more powerful had shaken him. Sure, after what Ronald Weasley had told him about the DADA-Professor, Severus had suspected something like this, but if the boy had actually felt how the Horcrux had been roused by Quirrell... if he had learnt one thing from the extensive reading about Horcruxes and mind magic in general he had done over the last few days than it was that something like this could only happen under very special circumstances. The only way to wake a Horcrux without sucking the life out of another human being or resorting to either dark rituals or complicated spells that no one, not even Albus, would manage to cast in front of a whole class of noisy first-years undetected, was the nearby presence of the very soul the Horcrux had once belonged to, or at least another piece of it.

But this would mean... Severus sighed. He could feel a headache coming.

###

To the Potion Master's great relief, though, the Horcrux stayed quiet during the night and he ended up having to wake the boy for breakfast. Since Albus assumed that Severus would be away for the entire weekend (it certainly had its advantages to have to maintain an appearance as a spy and therefore associate with some of the other allies of the Dark Lord from time to time) he was free to spend the whole day with Harry.

He had planned to tell him a few more details about why he had to stay in his quarters and the headmaster's plans for him. Oh, he wouldn't tell the boy that Dumbledore actually wanted to kill him, no, but Severus didn't think it would be wise to keep the boy completely in the dark. Of course, he didn't know exactly how Harry was feeling, but after everything he had learnt so far about the boy, he thought it best to be as open and sincere as possible.

And then... well, he knew he needed to talk to Harry about the actual nature of the 'demon', too, though he didn't really know how to approach the subject. Harry had almost no knowledge about the Dark Lord or magic in general and he certainly knew nothing about mind magic. Well, somehow, he'd find a way.

"So, Harry, did you sleep well?" the Potion Master addressed the boy once Ophi had provided him with his usual coffee.

"Yes, Sir, it's real-really great, my ca-ave!"

"I'm glad to hear this. Now, we haven't exactly spoken much about the matter but if you have any questions about why you have to stay in my quarters you are free to ask." Damn, this wasn't easy! But how did you tell a child that the headmaster of his school was a risk to his health and even life?

"Uhm, I do-on't really have any ques-questions, Sir. I mean, I know I'm dangero-ous and it's really kind of yo-ou that you have taken me away from that hos-hospital. It's much ni-icer to be locked up here than in hospital..." Harry trailed of. He didn't really know what the Professor meant. Sure, he didn't like being locked up - ok, he hated it - but it wasn't the Professor's fault that Harry was mad and dangerous. And even so the knowledge that he was unable to leave this place (not that he really wanted to leave, but the fact that even if he did want to leave he wouldn't be able to do so) was somehow terrifying, as long as he kept his mind off the matter it wasn't this bad. After all, if it hadn't been for Professor Snape he would still be in that awful hospital or even in prison!

"Harry," Severus sighed, "it's not about you being dangerous! And I certainly don't plan to keep you here indefinitely. If you feel uncomfortable, we can always move to my childhood home or even the manor of my family. It's only... you can't venture into the school. Technically, we are at Hogwarts, but since these are my quarters - our quarters now - the headmaster has no say about whom I invite to stay. But after the demon hurt you and Ronald Weasley - well, the headmaster said something that suggests that he wouldn't tolerate your presence in the school for now. Don't worry," he hurried to explained when he saw the expression of dread on Harry's face, "this won't be forever, once you are healthy again you are free to resume your education. But I fear that Dumbledore might decide to remove you forcefully from Hogwarts if he caught you wandering down the corridors. He might - he might try to hurt you."

"He'd send me back to that hospital," Harry said bleakly.

"Perhaps, yes. But I don't know for sure, he might even decide to send you somewhere I can't find you and can't take you from."

"So either he locks me up or you locks me up or the doctors lock me up! I hate it, I hate you all!" Harry yelled, tears streaming down his face.

"Harry, please-"

"No! I hate it! Everyone always locks me up, even you! I HATE ALL OF YOU!

"I'm sorry, Harry, I'm so sorry... I only want to help you-"

"Everyone only want to help me but I don't want your help if it means being locked up forever! Why don't you just kill me if I'm too dangerous to be allowed to be free like anyone else!?"

"Oh Harry..." Severus whispered, close to tears himself. At some point, he had abandoned his coffee and sat down next to Harry, holding the boy closely. But even during his yelling, Harry hadn't tried to pull free. Quite the opposite, actually, he seemed to enjoy the close contact and even now he was snuggling closer to Severus' chest.

When both men had calmed down again, Severus spoke again. "If there is no way to get rid of the demon..." he trailed off. He couldn't do this, he couldn't say this. But he knew that he needed to focus on what was the best for Harry, no matter how he himself felt about it. "If it becomes clear that no treatment works and the demon won't leave you alone, you can decide how to continue. I will always be there fore you, Harry, but if you think that you can't go on the way it is... it's your decision, Harry, but please, just let me try to help you first."

"I have been in hos-spital for practical-lly my whole life the demon won-n't get 'way." Harry answered, sounding tired and defeated.

"I know, Harry, I know, but, you see, I think that it might be due to the fact that you are a wizard that Dr Green and the others were unable to help you. I think that you might suffer from something that can only affect witches and wizards. It's very rare, too, so even the healers at St Mungo's know nothing about it. I have a friend, though, who knows quite a lot about certain branches of magic, and while you were away, I spoke to her about you. I hope I'll find a way to get the - the demon out of your mind." Severus trailed off. He could feel that his words hat caught Harry's interest.

"I'm mad becaus-se of my magic?" Harry asked, completely stunned. "But I don't ha-ave any magic, I can't do spel-lls and such things!"

"You certainly have magic, Harry. However, the medicine Dr Green prescribed you seems to have suppressed it. I didn't know this was even possible and neither did Poppy - Madame Pomfrey. You remember me entering your mind, do you?"

"Yes..."

"Well, when I was in your mind, I have discovered what causes your magic to be stunted. It doesn't seem to be permanent, though, and once we have gotten rid of the demon, you'll be able to learn magic, I'm quite sure of this."

"But there is no way-y to get rid of the demon, not even the medic-iccine can make it go away."

"And this is because it isn't an ordinary demon but something magical. You know about your parents death, do you?"

"Yeah..." Harry didn't know what the Professor meant. People - first Hagrid, then Ron and even Hermione Granger - had told him about his parents and the evil wizard, yes, but this had nothing to do with the demon! Or did it?

"Well, when the evil wizard tried and failed to kill you, his spell was thrown back at him. But somehow, it didn't kill him but just broke his soul into pieces. The largest part of his soul fled from your and your parent's house and has been in hiding ever since. A tiny part of his soul, though, stayed, and since you were the only living being in the entire house, it attached itself to your own soul."

"There is a part of the evil wizard's soul in me?" Harry asked horrified.

"It seems so, yes. Your scar - you know that it is quite famous amongst the wizarding world as it isn't an ordinary scar. But in contrast to popular belief, it isn't the result of an injury caused by the killing-curse but the remnants from a piece of the Dark Lord's soul entering you."

"But - I want it gone!" Harry demanded, "I don't want it in my head, it's stinky! And the demon, it's even worse than having a demon inside one's head!"

"Harry, the piece of the soul of the dark wizard and the creature you have referred to as a 'demon' are the same thing. It's the foreign piece of soul that has always hurt you."

"I WANT IT OUT I WANT IT OUT I WANT IT OUT!" Harry was in hysterics. He was grabbing his forehead with both hands as if he wanted to tear out the scar. Severus was rather certain that this wasn't the Horcrux' acting.

"HARRY, NO! I have told you no violence! We WILL get rid of it but you have to listen to me!"

"I DON'T WANT IT IN MY HEAD!"

"Harry calm down!" The Potion Master ordered and to emphasize his point, he pulled the boy back against his chest. Hopefully, this would calm him down, and if not, it would at least prevent him from starting to throw the dishes through the kitchen.

Harry continued to scream for a little while longer, but soon his yells gave way to sobs and once again Severus had to comfort an extremely distraught Potter.

Harry cried and cried, and the Potion Master couldn't begrudge him his tears. The boy had had two horrible weeks, not to mention that he had been told his whole life that he was mad. Finding out that everything he had had to go through was practically the fault of the same wizard that had murdered his parents was probably worse than simply being told once again that he had an incurable mental illness.

When Harry had cried himself to sleep in the Potion Master's arms, the man carefully carried the boy to his room and placed him into his 'tent'. Casting additional wards that would alert him if Harry had a nightmare, Severus went into his own bedroom and skimmed through his books once again, searching for a particular paragraph he needed to re-read to be completely sure that his next move wouldn't complicate matters.

After about two hours or so, he had found all the information he needed and penned a quick letter to one of the few ministry employees that he knew had neither been a follower of the Dark Lord nor was devoted to Dumbledore, demanding a meeting. Then he scribbled another note to Dr Green and asked Ophi to fetch Hedwig who would hopefully be in the owlery (he couldn't very well fetch her himself, supposedly being on some sort of death eater (currently inactive) congress).

As expected, the owl was overjoyed when she discovered that her master was back at Hogwarts and it took some convincing to get her out of the sleeping boy's tent. In the end, though, she deigned to allow Severus to tie the letters to her claws and after careful instructions, Ophi delivered her to the entrance doors of the castle.

The rest of the weekend passed in a much quieter fashion. Severus answered more questions once Harry had woken up (being considerably calmer than when he had fallen asleep) but most of the time, the two of them just sat in the living room and relaxed.
Once the Potion Master had noticed that Harry had nothing to read except for his textbooks, he sent Ophi to the Slytherin common-room to collect a few novels suitable to first- and second-years. However, the boy seemed to have difficulties reading them - whether it was because of his long periods of absence from school or the negative effect the drugs had on his concentration Severus couldn't tell - and when he fell asleep for the third time, the Potion Master submitted to the inevitable: He grabbed the book and read to the boy who was comfortably lying on one of the sofas, eagerly listening.

Late on Sunday afternoon, Minerva visited the two men and demanded that Severus opened his floo at least for her and the medi-witch, as she refused to wander down to the dungeons each time she wanted to see Harry. Of course, Severus refused, claiming that it would be all too easy for Albus to use her floo once he had found out what was going on.

In the end, they agreed on setting a password in addition to the Potion Master having to answer each and every floo-call personally and expressly allowing the person to come through. That settled, the Transfiguration-Professor was just about to leave for her own quarters (using the newly established floo-connection, of course) when there was a knock on the door that led out of Severus' quarters.

Minerva, slightly alarmed, drew her wand but Severus only huffed at her and opened the door.

To Minerva's great surprise, a white owl - wasn't this Harry's? - fluttered into the living-room and landed on his outstretched arm. She was just about to ask how it came that an owl travelled all the way down into the dungeons when she saw the two letters the bird had just brought.

Severus unfold the letters, read them and smirked. "Minerva, do you care taking part in a little meeting tomorrow evening?"

"About Harry?" McGonagall inquired, her eyebrows raised.

"Partially... you will be able to meet the muggle that has taken care of Harry while he stayed with his relatives - his doctor, Dr Green, it's the same as a healer. And then I have invited your old friend Madame Bones..."

"Amelia? I didn't know you had anything to do with her! Do you think it's safe to let her know about Harry? And why did you invite her anyway?" Minerva was rather confused. She and Amelia had been at Hogwarts together and they still met regularly, but at no time the other witch had told her something about being in contact with Severus Snape!

"Let's say I think she'll be able to help us with something that Dumbledore has either overlooked or decided to ignore. I'll tell you more once the other two are here, too. But let me assure you that it will help Harry's recovery."

The next evening, Severus left for Surrey in order to fetch Dr Green directly after dinner, which he had taken in the Great Hall while Poppy had stayed with Harry in his quarters. Albus didn't seem to be suspicious yet and he planned to keep it that way as long as possible.

As he had proposed in his letter, Dr Green had agreed to come early in order to meet Harry before the actual meeting. Severus had told Harry that Dr Green would visit him in the evening and the boy seemed to be ecstatic.

Just as expected, Harry bounced through the living room once the Potion Master had come back and countered the disillusion-charm he had placed on the doctor.

"Harry, it's good to see you again!"

"Dr Green! You're here! Professor Snape says that I'm not mad but that something from the bad guy that killed my parents is in my head! We might be able to get rid of it and then I won't be crazy any longer! Professor Snape can see the demon- no, wait, Hocus... Hocux... well, anyway, he can see it!" Harry chattered on and on, clearly pleased. He might have hated the Doctor at times, like when the man had ordered to tie him up or to force-feed him, but generally speaking, Dr Green was all right. And in comparison with those healers at the wizarding hospital... Harry involuntarily shuddered. Better not thinking about it!

Soon, he pulled Dr Green into his new bedroom (Professor Snape had assured him that it would be Harry's as long as he wanted to stay) and showed him his tent and the books the Professor had got him and demonstrated how soft and bouncy the walls became if you hit them (which caused an alarm to go off, which startled Harry but reassured Dr Green who had been worried about the walls made of stone).

Too soon for Harry's liking, Professor Snape told him that it was time for him to go to bed (though he had to admit he was rather tired) and Dr Green took his leave, assuring him that they would meet again soon. Unbeknownst to Harry, Professor McGonagall and Amelia Bones had arrived at their quarters and when Severus had tucked him in (he did this every night once he had found out how much Harry enjoyed this simple gesture) he left with the instructions to call for Ophi if he needed anything, except if it was an emergency, of course.

###

"Snape, what is the meaning of this?" Madame Bones demanded as soon as the Potion Master had entered the living room where Minerva, Dr Green and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement already sat.

"As I said in my letter, there is something I need the assistance of the ministry with. You are, I think, aware that Professor Quirrell has returned to Hogwarts after a year of absence and now teaches DADA?"

"Yes..." the witch answered, frowning.

"Well, it seems as if he had some rather unfortunate encounters while travelling who know where. He is a threat to the students, and since some of his... activities seems to be questionable, if not illegal, I want you and your Aurors to remove him from this castle."

Both witches looked at Severus wide-eyed. Clearly, Minerva hadn't had any clue about Quirrell.

"You said this would be about Harry! I can't see what Quirinius has to do with Harry's difficulties!" The Transfiguration-Professor was slightly annoyed. Sure, she didn't particularly like Quirrell, even less so than she had before the man had left, and she had to admit that there was something... creepy about him, but surely Albus could deal with such a thing?

"I can hardly launch an investigation only because of your accusations, Snape! There is no proof whatsoever that the man has been involved in anything illegal! And what does this mean, this meeting being about Harry?" Amelia turned around to her friend and gave her a questioning glance.

Severus huffed. He didn't trust the witch enough to let her in on Harry's secret. Fortunately, though, there was something else that might persuade her to do as he had asked. "Quirrell's interaction with Harry Potter have provided evidence that he must have encountered the Dark Lord - or what is left of him - during his extensive travelling. Not only this but the man has some sort of connection to you-know-who that goes beyond anything I have seen in my time with - with Him and his followers. It might be some sort of possession, I don't know, it'll be your business to determine what exactly Quirrell has been up to. Anyway-" but he was interrupted by Madame Bone's cold reply.

"Evidence, Snape, evidence! Claiming that Quirrell behaved unusually in the presence of Mr Potter can hardly be considered evidence! If my niece's letters is anything to go by it would have been far more alarming if the man behaved completely normal when being confronted with the Boy Who Lived!"

Severus let out a long exasperated sigh. "I cannot tell you what exactly happened between Quirrell and Mr Potter, but let me assure you that I would not have contacted the ministry if I wasn't one hundred percent certain that Quirrell and the Dark Lord are up to something. However," he raised his voice when it appeared as if the annoying witch would interrupt him once again, "there are other... arguments that surely will convince you to start an investigation and remove the man from this school!"

"And this would be?" Amelia asked mockingly.

Severus inwardly smirked. This was going exactly as he had hoped for. "As the Head of Magical Law Enforcement you are responsible for the persecution of those wizards who have harmed muggles, even if it happened in the line of duty and even if said wizard is a ministry-employee himself, I suppose?"

"Yes, of course!" Madame Bones answered rather impatiently.

"Well, then you might be interested in certain discoveries Dr Green and I have made during the last two weeks," Severus replied, slightly nodding to the Doctor who had a look of dawning comprehension on his face.

"What do you mean, Snape? I don't have all day, you know!"

"Several Obliviators have failed to do their job properly which has lead to muggles being able to remember encounters with wizards and magical creatures. Some of them seemed to have been hit by botched memory-spells with even more disastrous results. There have been several cases where those muggles thought to be insane and were drugged with rather toxic substances in order to keep them quiet. Some of them were locked up, too, sometimes for years. And of course, there are some cases in which the damage the muggles sustained when being obliviated by some incompetent ministry-employee has led to them committing suicide or sustaining permanent physical impairment by trying to cope with the effects of the spells cast on them."

Madame Bones seemed to be too taken aback to reply, so Severus decided he might as well go on.

"Of course, most of these cases don't pertain to your department directly but to the offices that deal with muggle-wizarding relations, but you might want to start an investigation on those, too. It would be a sign of goodwill towards the muggle-government, as certainly you understand that we have to inform them about their people being harmed by a branch of our ministry. As far as I know, the muggles even spend millions of pounds each year for the treatment and care for those affected by messed up spells. I don't think they will react very favourably to this discovery, they might even decide to reconsider the treaty of Hogsmeade..."

The Potion Master knew that this was his trump card. Madame Bones was by no means corrupt, quite extraordinary if you considered other high-up members of their government actually, but she wouldn't allow anything that put the agreement the wizarding community of Britain and the British muggle-government had reached in 1688 at risk. It was only due to the treaty of Hogsmeade (that guaranteed the wizarding world the right of self-government) that the ministry of magic had as much power as it had.

And if the muggles found out about the the harm done to many of their citizens by this very ministry they might very well decide that it was too dangerous and put it back under the control of the Prime Minister and the Queen. After all, the UK was one of the few countries that had granted the wizards such an amount of freedom. Most countries insisted that their respective heads of state had the final say in any matter that concerned the wizarding population and only allowed a small secret department within their own government to deal with wizarding affairs.

And then there was the fact that Amelia Bones, while being a pure-blood herself, didn't consider wizards superior to muggles. Severus was quite sure that she wouldn't allow incompetent Obliviators continuing to hurt muggles. No, she would launch an investigation and it was quite possible that some heads would roll. And since it had been the Potion Master who had brought this to her attention, she would feel obliged to do him a favour or two in return.

"This..." Amelia had finally found her voice back "these are severe accusations, Snape! If what you claim is true... well, I'm sure you know exactly what consequences this might have if it became public. But how can I tell that this isn't something you have made up in order for me to do you a favour and investigating Quirrell?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Actually," Dr Green spoke up and the two witches, who had momentarily forgotten the man's presence, started, "as a psychiatrist, I'm responsible for the treatment of people who have been exposed to your world as Professor Snape has explained. There are several cases I know of that proves that what the Professor has told you is true. Of course, these are only the patients my colleagues at the hospital in Surrey have treated, there are probably thousands of patients throughout the UK, not to mention the world, that have been negatively affected by your society as well. It won't be a problem to find as much evidence as you need.

"But let me assure you that I won't stay silent about this, something has to be done about your lot harming innocent people! There are patients who have to be constantly drugged and supervised 24 hours, 7 days a week in order to keep them reasonably calm and prevent them from hurting or killing themselves, only because you have meddled with their brain! But even the less severe cases, have you any idea how harmful some of the medications that people who claim to have seen a dragon or people waving sticks and do things that defy everything the average human being has ever learnt being possible can be? People become obese because of these drugs and have a high risk for severe cardiovascular diseases, the brain shrinks and their life expectancy is reduced up to 10 or 20 years!"

When he had finished, the whole room was silent for several minutes. Even Severus hadn't known exactly how bad it was. He resolved once more to find a way to dispel the Horcrux from Harry's mind as soon as possible, he wouldn't risk Harry getting ill because of the medicine!

Suddenly, Dr Green spoke up once again, apparently having thought of something else. "I don't know what you plan to do, but if you decide to wipe my memory, I have written down everything I have learnt so far. Copies of my notes have been stored at places that will assure that the authorities will learn about this even if I don't make a complaint myself. You won't be able to cover this up any more, not this time." Every occupant of the room could tell that he was deadly serious.

"All right," Amelia Bones finally said in an oddly calm voice, "would it be all right for you to provide me with a written overview about at least a few cases you know of? I need something to start the investigation with, after all, and since the matter seems to be rather delicate it would be better to have it in writing."

"Of course. You'll have it in two days time. That is, if I can borrow Harry's owl once more."

"I'll ask Harry - and Hedwig - but I don't think either of them will mind," Severus assured him while both Minerva and Amelia stared at the Doctor in shock. Apparently, they had never met a muggle who had accepted owl-post so readily.

"Right, then," Madame Bones pulled herself together once more, "I suppose you plan to inform the muggle-government of this if I don't launch an investigation on Quirrell?" She asked drily.

"Well, we can't allow someone that is clearly dangerous staying at a school full of children. And if the only thing convincing you of the urgency of the matter would be discussing the way the ministry of magic deals with muggles with their government, we are prepared to do so." Severus answered and Dr Green nodded in affirmation.

Amelia scowled at the two men, but Severus could tell that it was more for show than anything else. "I will start the investigation first thing in the morning, I suppose. I don't think it will be necessary to remove Quirrell from the school-grounds right away," having received an affirmative nod from the Potion Master, she continued, "and the other matter - well, I don't think I need to explain to you that utmost discretion is imperative, at least until I have found out how far-reaching this is."

"Of course," Minerva joined in the discussion, "and this is particularly true for Albus," seeing Amelia's raised eyebrows, she explained in more depth. "I don't know what he plans, but I have told him repeatedly that something is wrong with Quirinius, but he insisted on let him teach once again. I don't pretend to understand how this is related to Harry, though I trust that you know what you're doing, Severus."

The man didn't miss the warning in her last statement. "I'm quite certain that once the man and his possessions have been examined by someone who his experienced with dark arts it will become obvious why I consider the man a threat for Harry."

"All right, all right, I don't know whether I want to know what all this is about, but if Dumbledore isn't supposed to learn more about the matter than the Prophet undoubtedly will write I don't think it would be wise to ask Mad-Eye to do the job. Well, I'm sure I'll find someone else, or perhaps I should just lead the investigation myself..." Amelia trailed off, thinking, and it was only after a few seconds that she continued, choosing her words carefully.

"I don't know whether this has anything to do with your concerns about Quirrell or Dumbledore, but when I talked to my precursor a few weeks ago he mentioned something about a deal between Dumbledore and some wizard in France his department had to sanction. He made it clear that it was something rather sensitive and that the attempted robbery of Gringotts might have something do with it, though he didn't seem to be sure. We haven't made any progress in that case yet, though this might very well be due to the goblins refusal to cooperate. Anyway, if you know anything about this you should think about whether your information could be of value for my department. I might even forget about the bribery then..." Madame Bones said with a wink.