TSS: Chapter 22: Bad Faith

> *Snape looked pensive. "You speak of the magic as if it was alive."*
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> *"Alive is a rather abstract term that we humans have personalized a great deal over the millennia. It was certainly sentient. Some say that magic is a living, breathing force. While that is debatable, its sentience is not. I am unsure of what the magic would have coalesced into had I not intervened, but I am sure that in part, it would have sought to force the Potter twins to continue their confrontation."*
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— Albus Dumbledore towards Severus Snape, on the nature of magic.

## Summary:

The Hogwart's students arrive to their homes for the winter break. Charlus and his friends plan Harry's downfall for his alleged crimes. Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape talk about the Dueling Club incident, and Snape agrees to watch Harry closely. At Weitts Manor, the Weitts and the Greengrasses dine together. Harry is summoned for another talk with Dumbledore. Later in the day he goes to his solicitor, Veronica Tate, and even later, he meets with Lucius Malfoy. Peter Pettigrew examines Vernon Dursley's corpse and decides to tie up some lose ends.

## Plot:

**December 21st, 1992:** Daphne Greengrass arrives home for the winter break. There she is greeted by her younger sister Astoria. They touch upon Astoria's illness and the possible solution to it that shall be facilitated by Lord Weitts during the next summer. Astoria also informs her older sibling that they will visit Weitts Manor later in the day.

At Hogwarts, Charlus revels to his friends what he perceives to be the truth, that is, that his brother tricked him into learning the Dark Arts. As a result, his friends are outraged and even more resolute to succeed in their Polyjuice plan so that they might trick Harry in turn into revealing that he is in fact the Heir of Slytherin and thus get him expelled.

In his office, Albus Dumbledore is pondering on the events of the last couple of days, and on the whole Chamber of Secrets debacle. He is quite convinced that the perpetrator is the same one as some fifty years in the past, but he is uncertain how they are acting. Eventually his mussings come to a halt with the arrival of Severus Snape with whom he ends up discussing the happenings surrounding the Dueling Club incident. They meeting concludes with Dumbledore revealing that he does not think that Harry is the Heir of Slytherin, but that does not mean that he could not in fact be doing their bidding. He asks Snape to watch Harry closely which the professor agrees to do.

At Weitts Manor, Lord Giaus Weitts is greeted by his granddaughters, Grace and Charlotte. The girls regal their grandfather with stories from their semester before the arrival of the Greengrasses and the dinner that ensues. They talk among other things about Harry Potter and if he happens to have any insights into the Heir of Slytherin situation. At the end of dinner, Charlotte relates Gilderoy Lockhart's greeting to his grandfather and learns that his grandfather doubts him to be a Legilimens.

**December 22nd, 1992:** Harry is summoned to the Headmaster's Office for the second time during the same week. He is greeted by Dumbledore and the two admit their distrust in one another. Their conversation concludes with Dumbledore warning Harry to stop the attacks in the eventuallity that he is in fact the Heir of Slytherin and Harry informing him that he is going to exercise his right as an Heir and leave the castle for the afternoon.

Later that day, Harry leaves in secret the castle, as he does not trust Dumbledore not to have him followed. He arrives in Diagon Alley at the law firm of his solicitor, Veronica Tate, with whom he has scheduled an appointment. The two discuss with Harry asking about the legality of getting the cursed dagger from Mulciber during their scuffle. He finds out that he is in the clear and then asks for it to be evaluated so that he might have an idea of what it's worth, thus allowing him to sell it. Following that their discussion turns to the main reason for which Harry made the appointment.

After his meeting, Harry travels via Portkey to Malfoy Manor for his scheduled meeting with Lucius Malfoy. Upon arrival, he is greeted by their house-elf, Dobby, thus figuring out his family, and led into the Lord's study. There his conversation with Lucius begins with the lord expressing his interest in mending the relationship between their two houses. The two of them talk.

At night, Peter Pettigrew infiltrates the hospital were Vernon Dursley's body was stored. After examining it he comes to the conclusion that his death was due to foul play and that he has no idee who is responsible. Thus, he feels required to tie some lose ends so that nobody could determine in the future that he placed Vernon and Petunia Dursley many years back under a series of compulsions that would lead to them being cruel to their then one-year-old nephew.