Fate's Gambit (Completed)

Chapter 9

Breakfast at the Grangers was an unusually happy affair, for normal Hermione had to be practically dragged out of bed and Dan didn't speak a word until well into his second cup of coffee. Today the kids were looking forward to their lesson on magic, followed by an afternoon of learning to ride so were understandably happy and excited.

Dan was actually trying to whistle what sounded like 'you were always on my mind' but it was hard to tell, the expansive grin that appeared permanently plastered on his face didn't particularly lend itself to tuneful whistling.

Emma was almost blushing every time Dan caught her eye so it was with some relief that they said cheerio to the kids as Hedwig flamed them over to the manor. Dan's arms immediately snaked around his wife as he started to kiss her neck, "You keep that up and we might not see work today," she moaned.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" he asked between kisses. "What's the point of being the boss if we can't bunk off for a day."

The idea was starting to sound more attractive to Emma the more Dan kissed her, she had to be strong. "You've never bunked off a day in your life!"

"True," he answered, "But I think the kids must be starting to affect us because I just don't want to let you out of my sight."

Emma giggled like a giddy schoolgirl, "Dan, we work in the same practice, I won't be out of your sight all day."

"Well we're giving our staff an extended lunch break and locking the doors. Tonight I plan on taking my beautiful wife out to dinner, followed by dancing and then to bed where you can make as much noise as you like since the house will be empty."

This declaration was followed by a lung-searing kiss that left both of them breathless as they reluctantly made their way out to the car, Emma wasn't sure if Dan was joking about lunchtime but suspected not, she would send the two girls off to lunch herself if it came to that.

-oOoOo-

Dumbledore's mood couldn't have provided a sharper contrast to that of the Granger household, he couldn't risk Harry having competent people around him and becoming Lord Potter at eleven. He needed to get control of the boy but, before he could even attempt that, he needed to find him first.

His plans for Harry to meet his tragic end in first year were all in place, he needed to be the boy's guardian by then or he wouldn't inherit the Potter fortune. All he needed to do was circumvent Black, his cousin Andromeda, Minerva and Amelia Bones in the next two years, shouldn't be too hard for a wizard of his potential.

The goblin's not speaking to him closed that avenue of approach, leaving the old wizard with only one road left to take. Xeno Lovegood was an experienced reporter though and to approach him directly might set of his alarm bells before Albus could get any information. If Xeno had acquired a scoop of that magnitude Albus reckoned his wife would have heard all about it, remembering that she worked from home, Dumbledore thought it was perhaps time to pay Maia Lovegood a little visit at that abomination they called a house.

-oOoOo-

Lucius felt unsettled, that was a very close call he'd had with Barty Crouch Jr. yesterday, and he was certain Longbottom and Bones would be trying to engineer any opportunity to question him under truth serum. As he well knew, Fudge could easily be manipulated and those two witches could have Cornelius signing his arrest warrant without the fool even realising it.