What remained to be discovered was the motive. The Weasleys were already in power: Ron’s best friend was Lord Potter, heir to the Sorting Hat. Moreover, he was likely to select Lady Ginevra as his bride at the end of the Yule Ball, giving the family even more influence. Why were they amassing men? And perhaps more importantly, did King Albus know about it? Hermione shuddered at the thought of the uproar the Dukes of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff would raise if they knew that Gryffindor was giving itself more men and that the king himself had sanctioned it. The entire balance of power in Hogwarts – an uneven balance, since Slytherin was defenceless in comparison, but a balance nonetheless – was in danger of being destroyed.