HPWW191-200
Chapter 191
A plate of quarter-cut sandwiches appeared next to
his left hand. And a second appeared next to her right.
"Looks like you're munching while reading, too," he
smirked.
She just moved her plate closer to be between them
and said, "Maybe."
As she expected, Harry wolfed his own down and
eyed hers, which weren't touched yet.
Smirking to herself, she said, "Go ahead, Harry. I
didn't want them in the first place, remember?"
That plate emptied quick-smart, too.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
It was while he and Hermione were again taking a walk
around the back yard when Harry had his epiphany, as
he later called it.
"Oh, for the love of Merlin!" he suddenly exclaimed,
startling Hermione. "I am such a twit!"
"Harry!" she suddenly exclaimed in shock at his own
sudden exclamation.
When Harry spun to look at her, wondering what was
wrong, she had a hand lightly to her chest between
her breasts.
"What?" he asked
"What do you mean, what?" she shot back. "You
scared the life out me!"
"Oh!" he sheepishly replied. "Sorry."
"What was all that about?" she asked.
"Oh, yeah," he replied. "I've just realised I've been
'infected by the wizarding daft moron virus'."
"P-Pardon?"
"The daft moron virus!" he repeated. "I've turned into
a daft moron!"
With a snort leading the way, she asked, "Ohh-kay.
What's led you to believe that?"
He replied, "I've been thinking we need to ask the
aurors to allow us to go to Diagon Alley to buy some
more stationery supplies."
"Yes?" she asked. "And?"
"We don't need to go, if that's all we're going for!" he
explained, throwing his hands up. "House elves can
be sent to buy that sort of thing for you!"
"Oh," she said, understanding. Then she grinned.
Then she began to laugh.
"It's not funny!" he declared. "I'm infected!"
That just made her laugh even harder. And made him
sulk a bit.
"Harry," she patiently said. "I didn't think of that,
either."
That made him feel better but not happier. "I just didn't
see it," he grumbled.
"When we get back inside you can send Dobby to
Diagon Alley as soon as you want. However..."
"However?" he asked, starting to lead the two of them
back to the back of the house.
"How about we make a list of things for Dobby to buy
us before you send him," she explained. "I'm sure
there's more than just 'stationery' for him to buy."
"Yeah, and that's the other problem," he grumbled as
they reached the back door.
As he held it open for her, she asked, "What's that?"
Stepping in after her and closing the door, he replied,
"Think of how those in the wizarding world buy their
groceries. Do you remember seeing a grocery store in
the Alley?"
"Errr... no," she replied, stopping to turn to him with a
confused expression.
"Exactly!" he exclaimed. "There isn't one there!"
Going back upstairs to the main floor and into the
kitchen, he called, "Dobby."
The little elf popped in and asked, "Yes, Master
Harry?"
"Dobby, when you were with the Malfoy's, did you do
the food shopping?"
"Yes, Master Harry," he replied. "That was beings one
of Dobby's works he shared with Peggy."
"How do you do it?" he asked. "I mean, where do you
go to buy food?"
"There beings a muggle shop being run by
squibbies," replied Dobby. "All elveses go there."
"So, if I was to give you a shopping list," he asked.
"You'd be able to fill it by buying what I've listed?"
"Yes, Master Harry," replied the elf. "Does this mean
Master Harry is going to be lettings Dobby doing
shopping work now?"
"Most of it, yeah," he sighed.
Dobby grinned excitedly back.
"I'll have a list for you within the next few days," he
almost morosely sighed.
"Yes, Master Harry!" exclaimed Dobby, before he
popped away again.
Hermione was now sitting back at the dinette, turned
away from him. But, she wasn't fooling him for one
moment. The shaking of her shoulders meant only
one thing. She was laughing at him and trying not to
show it.
"I am a daft moron!" he firmly declared to the world -
well, at least the kitchen. "However, I shall not
embrace it! I shall overcome it, by doing better. I shall
strive to rid myself of this infection with all my heart
and mental... acuity. And I shall succeed!"
Her tinkling gay laughter did nothing to make him feel
any better.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
During an afternoon tea break, Sirius called Harry.
Because Harry was stuffing his face yet again,
Hermione had to answer the call.
Sirius took one look at his godson, hurrying to clear
his mouth of food, and laughed.
As he swallowed, Harry scowled. "Stop it. You know I
can't help it."
"I know, Pup," replied Sirius. "But, that doesn't mean I
can't laugh about it, does it."
Hermione leaned in and said, "Harry's grown about
three to four inches taller in the past few days!"
Unsurprised, Sirius gave a nod and said, "By my
estimation he's got some more growing to do yet,
kiddo."
Hermione grinned and nodded. "Any reason you
decided to mirror call us?" she asked.
"Yeah," he returned. "Harry?"
As Hermione angled the mirror better for him, Harry
was quickly trying to swallow another mouthful.
"Don't swallow on my account!" declared his
godfather, before laughing a little again.
Harry scowled back.
"Listen," said Sirius. "The goblins have agreed to the
use of their time dilation chamber. However, they need
to go no later than the early hours of tomorrow
morning for it to have a reasonable chance of being
done on time for Tuesday morning. Recovery time is
needed."
"Shhhhhyte!" he muttered. He thought for a few
moments, reached a decision and said, "Alright. Do
it."
Sirius then went on to define what terms the Goblins
wanted for use of the chamber, plus the secrecy oaths
they insisted be a part of that. The price was a 'biggy',
but not financial. It related to a boon Gringotts owed
the House of Potter.
"Understood," said Harry. "And, I agree to the terms."
When Sirius nodded back, he continued, "I need to get
one letter off to Neville and want the goblins to take a
letter into the chamber with them for me.
"So, I've now got some writing to do. I'll send both
letters via Hedwig, as soon as I can today. I'll have her
go to you first, before flying on to Longbottom Hall."
"Sounds like a plan," agreed Sirius. "I think this is
actually going to work."
"Once you found that curse and counter-curse I'd
figured, right then, this was going work. It was just
how we were going to go about accomplishing it that
was the major variable.
"All that's mainly left to do for the rest of us is watch it
happen."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Straight after the mirror call and finishing his 'snack',
Harry pushed all the Potter documents to the other
end of the table and out of the way. Then brought
across his draft of text for the letter to Neville. That
had to be completed, as did the second one.
The two of them added what they could to 'help'
Neville through what was about to happen. But,
couldn't flat out tell him because they all knew his
grandmother would immediately step in and block it.
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---------------
Chapter 192
He was about to ask Hermione to rewrite it so all the
crossed out and moved sections were rectified when
he realised he had to write it because it had to be in
his hand.
He had her make a start on writing up paragraphs for
the second letter on one sheet, while he wrote
paragraphs of another section on another sheet.
Having a bit of a brainwave, he called, "Dobby."
"Yes, Master Harry?"
"Do I own, or do you know where I can buy, a Dictaquill?" he asked.
"Dobby be goings to check Potter vaults," declared
the elf before it popped away.
Even though both teens were 'antsy' about the
success of Harry's plan that began its practical
component that night. Once it was decided to go
ahead, Harry began to calm down while Hermione's
worry ratcheted up.
"Hermione," he tried, when he saw her worrying at her
bottom lip with her teeth.
"Hunh?" she asked.
"The decision is made," he said. "I know you're
worried, but the time for worry is now past. I'm as
confident as I can be that this will succeed."
With a pop, Dobby returned. "There be no Dicta-quills
in Potter vaults, Master Harry," replied the elf. "But
Dobby be knowings where he can borrow one."
His expression turning into a smirk, Harry asked,
"And do the current owners know you'll be borrowing
one?"
"Theys will not be knowings Dobby be borrowings
one if Dobby can gets it back to thems today," replied
the elf, confidently.
Giving a snort of amusement, Harry said, "Fair
enough. However, I don't want to borrow it, just yet...
Actually, yes; go get it."
"Harry?" asked Hermione.
"I'll dictate the main body of the letter, the history, as a
statement, Hermione," he replied. "That way I can get
it done in time. Otherwise, I don't think I can tell them
everything they need to know before the time chamber
activates."
"What do you consider everything they need to
know?" she asked.
"Everything I know about what's going on," he firmly
replied. "I will not keep anything from them."
When Dobby popped back a short while later, because
of recent experience in watching one set up and used,
Harry quickly had it set up and working.
With a nod of satisfaction, he erected a muffling
charm about himself and the quill, closed his eyes to
get his thoughts in order and began to firmly speak. It
took almost two hours and he ended up with over
sixteen feet of Dicta-quill filled parchment.
Somewhere along the line, Dobby had kept him
supplied with tea. But his throat was still a little
hoarse by the end of it.
Stopping the quill he turned to Hermione and asked,
"How'd your part go?"
Sliding over what she'd done, Harry realised she'd
decided to write the letter as a separate document to
the statement Harry made. The statement would then
be an 'attachment' to the letter.
With a nod and a smile back he said, "Good idea."
Folding both into envelopes and writing just the
addressee's name on both, Hermione called, "Dobby."
"Yes, Miss-tress Herm'nee?"
Holding both letters out to him, she asked, "Can you
please deliver both these to Lord Black at the Tonkses
Home?"
"Yes, Mistress Herm'nee," he replied with a short bob,
taking the letter and popping away.
Turning to Harry she said, "As you said, faster than an
owl. And there's a certain level of urgency for this."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Because he was busy dictating his message, Harry
didn't have time to cook dinner that night as 'cheffy'
as he wanted. So, in the end, he just went for fast and
tasty - Fish 'n' Chips - always a good British staple
because it was quick and easy to prepare.
However, he did dress it up quite a bit with Dobby's
help. This 'Fish 'n' Chips' for chips included normal
potato, sweet potato and carrot sticks. And the fish
included sole, squid rings, onion rings, little chunks of
octopus and crab sticks; all battered. Adding to that
went a light tossed salad, a vinaigrette for the salad
and home-made tartare sauce for the fish.
Dessert was a simple bread and butter pudding.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As dinner wound down Monica asked the two what
they 'got up to' during the day.
"Well," said Hermione, with a slight smirk on her lips.
"We spent quite a bit of it going through the Potter
family documents; which we're now more than
halfway through."
With her smirk widening, she added, "And Harry
determined just after lunch that he has been, as he
puts it..."
Harry groaned and hung his head.
"... 'Infected with the wizarding daft moron virus'!"
And laughed.
Watching her daughter laugh as Harry hung his head
in apparent shame, Monica smirked and asked, "And
what led him to believe that?"
"Because I completely forgot about something in the
wizarding world that is as obvious as the sun rises in
the east," replied Harry, as Hermione continued to
chuckle.
With a sigh he explained, "The wizarding world needs
groceries, right?"
With a confused frown, Monica nodded back.
"Therefore, there has to be a shop to buy them from,
right?"
Nod.
"However, there is not a grocery shop, or any similar
shop, in Diagon Alley."
Nod.
"So, how do wizards and witches buy groceries?"
"Those with house elves send the house elves to do
the shopping," replied one of the aurors. "Those
without use a mail order system. For urgent needs,
there's a small store in Godric's Hollow that accepts
both wizarding and muggle currency."
"Uh-huh," said Harry. "I didn't know about the second
part, but I did realise about the first only today. That
was my 'daft moron' realisation moment.
"Instead of having to go and do the grocery shopping
myself, having to convert wizarding currency to
muggle currency ahead of time just to shop, I... finally
figured out I could have had Dobby doing the
shopping for me using wizarding currency."
Wendell gave a snort of amusement but otherwise
kept quiet.
"According to Dobby, there is a large grocery store
run by squibs where the elves can do the shopping on
behalf of their masters and mistresses. It just never
occurred to me that was the likely answer; when it
should have, because I know damned well there is no
way someone like Narcissa Malfoy, for instance,
would be caught dead in a grocery store."
That had the table laughing or chuckling away.
Chuckling, Wendell said, "Well, it's good to know the
Great Harry Potter, Sir, is as mortal as the rest of us."
Harry just groaned as the table laughed.
"That's a good thing to now know anyway, Harry," said
Hermione.
"Hunh?" he asked.
"What do you think is going to be the reaction when
someone like Lucius Malfoy finds out the food they
eat is bought from squibs?" she asked. "And that it's
the same food eaten by 'dirty' muggles?"
That surprised the table. Harry gawped at her.
"Hermione! That's evil!"
"That's something I'll fire back at Malfoy the younger if
he ever gets snotty with me again," she smirked.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed with glee. "I wonder if Hogwarts
buys their food from the same store, or even one very
similar.
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Chapter 193
During the early hours of Saturday morning, 12th of
December, a team of six beings entered the Janus
Thickey Ward, Ward 49, inside Saint Mungo's Hospital
for Magical Maladies. They were all so thoroughly
disillusioned they didn't even leave behind a ripple of
air, the most common method by which the
disillusioned were spotted, as they traversed the
corridors of the hospital through to entering the ward.
Once inside the ward the patients, except two, were
subjected to a Somnulus sleeping charm that put
them into a deeper sleep.
While two were accomplishing that task, two more
were searching for and temporarily disabling
monitoring charms without alerting whom those
charms were connected to. Once done, they set about
erecting a privacy field over the entire ward. Again,
this was temporary.
With those done, both of the second two dropped
their disillusionments, which had the rest drop theirs.
It was now clear the group of six was made up of four
goblins and two wizards.
Both wizards moved to the beds containing the
parents of Neville Longbottom, Frank and Alice
Longbottom. Both immediately scanned both adult
Longbottoms, getting readings appearing as wisps of
magic in the air over the reposed patients.
Once complete both glanced at each other with one
nodding to the other. The second withdrew a sheet of
parchment from his matt black robes, read over it for a
moment and drew his wand. He was the one standing
between the beds of the two over the form of Frank
Longbottom, believed to be the most harmed of the
two.
Another last check of the parchment and he began to
cast. It didn't take long.
As the wand movements finished and the incantation
was correctly muttered, a soft sickly purple glow
appeared to cover the rightful Lord of Longbottom
from head to toe. When it sank into his skin both
wizards waited and watched.
After a long few seconds, Frank opened his eyes and
croaked out the first sound to exit his lips in almost
fourteen years. "Whhaa...?"
With a firm nod, the wizard who'd just cast the charm,
counter curse, on Frank then turned and cast the
same one on the wife, Alice.
As the same sickly purple colour sunk into her form,
her response was almost immediate. "N-nn-nnn-eehvvv-lll"
With the two almost matching satisfied smirks the
second of the two, the one who did not cast the
charms, stepped forward and placed a small copper
disk, one each, onto the chests of both Longbottoms,
as the other turned to the goblins standing nearby and
said only one word, "Success."
The senior most goblin immediately said, "We
proceed as planned."
That had all four goblins immediately come forward.
The two who had used magic to bypass the
monitoring wards immediately set up a powerful
Notice-Me-Not field around both beds keyed to all
those who were not of their group of six. The other
two split to one each and placed a gnarled hand onto
an arm of a Longbottom.
Then the final two did the same on the other side of
each patient.
And, finally, the two wizards stood at the foot of each
bed and grabbed hold of an ankle.
"Activate!" one of the goblins firmly stated.
And just like that, all eight suddenly disappeared from
the ward, together with both beds.
Because the monitoring charms had been temporarily
bypassed, the activation of a portkey within one of the
wards of the hospital was not noticed. No alarm
sounded or alert went out.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Waiting in the restricted portkey receiving area of
Gringotts deep inside the bank, Sirius was pacing
back and forth in worry. The four goblins standing
with him were watching him in amusement. Two of
them were holding a portable stretcher each. To a
goblin, a worried wizard was hilarious to watch.
Knowing not to enter the large circle in the middle of
the room, Sirius was on about his ninth circle of it
when there was soft gong sound. A moment later,
there appeared a bright flash and the feeling of
displaced air.
As Sirius quickly stepped back and out of the way, he
was elated to see that the counter-curse had
obviously worked. If it had not, the four goblins and
two wizards would have returned without the two
Longbottoms.
The two Longbottoms were immediately levitated off
the beds and the two beds were portkeyed away, back
to the hospital. The two with the stretchers then
paired up with one of the others without and
manoeuvred them into place below each patient.
He had been told the two portkeys to return the beds
were made from a single short white thread of cotton
each. They wouldn't be noticeable when it was
discovered the Longbottoms were no longer in the
beds in their wards.
The temporary bypasses back at the ward all faded
away less that five minutes later as if they were never
there.
With the beds out of the way, and the patients now
lowered onto the stretchers, Sirius stepped forward
again to check on each of them. Once he was sure for
himself both were okay, he handed the letter Harry
had given him to give to the Longbottoms to one of
the healers and said, "This is a letter for them. It is to
be given to them when at least one of them is
conscious enough to read and understand it."
The healer nodded and said, "It will be done. Now, if
you'll excuse me, I need to get these two into the time
dilation chamber."
With that, both wizard Healers, six of the eight goblins
and both still barely conscious Longbottoms were
hustled out of the room.
One of the two goblins remaining said to Sirius. "Time
for you to leave." And handed him another small
portkey.
Sirius took it and disappeared from the room a
moment later.
The other goblin remaining looked to his 'partner' and
said, "Stupid wizard."
"That's an oxymoron," said the first.
They both laughed as they made their own way out of
the room.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Harry had taken his mirror to bed with him and had it
next to his pillow. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep
until he heard back from Sirius, but he fell asleep
anyway.
When the mirror stated to insistently vibrate, though,
he was instantly woken.
Grabbing the mirror in his hand and quickly sitting up,
he turned on his bedside lamp and whispered,
"Padfoot."
A moment later Sirius appeared in the mirror and
quietly said, "Both the counter curse and snatch and
grab were a success. Both are barely conscious and
nowhere near lucid yet. But, both are now with the
Gringotts healers and under time dilation."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, before he firmly
whispered, "Yes!"
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Chapter 194
After speaking with Sirius to get a few more details
out of him, including that Sirius had given his letter
for Frank and Alice to the healers going in, when
Sirius had a little bit more important news to give him.
"I've also been informed that written messages can
also be passed in to them through some contraption
they've got," he said. "I think it might be based on
what's known as a Vanishing Cabinet, but it only goes
one way.
"That means messages can be passed in to them but
they can't pass messages back. At least it's
something."
"Good to know," said Harry. "I have a feeling I'll now
be sending through a couple of messages each day to
keep them up to date on what's happening out here in
real time."
"My thoughts, too," said Sirius.
Once the call ended, Harry softly called Dobby and
had him deliver a pre-written message to Hermione.
~ # ~
Hermione,
Both parts successful. Both now in Gringotts.
Cry havoc! And let slip the dogs of war.
Harry
~ # ~
He thought she'd appreciate the Shakespearean
reference.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Augusta Longbottom was sound asleep in her bed
soon after dawn broke when one of the Hall's house
elves woke her.
"Mmm? Yes?" she asked.
"Mistress 'Gusta," said the elf. "There beings
someones from Saint Mungy's wizard hospital in floo.
They says it be urgent."
Frowning and starting to rise, she asked, "Did they
say what it's about?"
"Only that it bees urgent," replied the elf.
Frowning, she continued to rise and said, "Thank you,
Fluxy. Please let them know I'll be down in a moment."
"Yes, Mistress," the elf replied before popping away.
Getting up and pulling a long housecoat over her
bedclothes, Longbottom slipped her feet into her
house slippers and made her way downstairs.
When she arrived in the welcoming hall it was to see
the floo still active and a face within it.
"What is this about that's so urgent for you to contact
me when the sun has barely risen into the sky?" she
snapped.
"Madam Longbottom," replied the female face. "On a
routine bed-check of the wards at first light, this
morning, it was discovered that your son and
daughter-in-bond were not in their beds. A quick
check of the ward, followed by a more extensive
check of the hospital, has determined that they are no
longer within Saint Mungo's.
"They have, without even tripping any of the wards or
alarms, disappeared. It is Saint Mungo's policy to―"
"Enough!" she snapped. "I've heard enough. I'll be
there within the half hour. If you have not found out
any more information than they have 'disappeared',
heads are going to roll!"
With a flick of her wand she rudely terminated the call,
causing the young lady at the other then to be ejected
from her end of the floo call.
Careless of that, she quickly strode from the room and
hurried up to her dressing room.
In her haste to dress and leave for the hospital she
never even thought of her grandson, sleeping in his
own room further along the wing from her own room.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Hogwarts, Dumbledore was early for breakfast
because he'd forgotten it was a Saturday. His intention
was to arrive 'in his glory' and stride to his place at
the head table. He did so love to make an entrance.
However, with the late start for breakfast on
Saturdays, he arrived almost right at the start and was
one of the first to arrive. And, now that he was there,
he couldn't very well leave and come back later. That
would be far too obvious. So sit to eat, he did.
When the owls came in for the morning mail bomb,
what few owls there were of course, his copy of that
morning's Daily Prophet was almost dropped into his
half-finished bowl of bran cereal.
Wondering what sort of letter's the Prophet received
in anger at Potter's withdrawal from the Ball, he
almost missed the main story on the front page. He
only stopped to look at it because of the name in the
headline; 'Heartfelt Apology to Lord Potter'.
"What?" he muttered, quickly flipping back to the
main page and reading the article.
As he read he was at first in disbelief, then accepting
shock, then into anger before finally hitting rage.
"Blasted, buggering bastard!' he thought of Cuffe.
'The man's flat-out back-stabbed me!
'How... the hell... am I supposed to regain everything
I've lost, when everything I do is turned back on me!
Potter is just not this smart! This has to be agents
working behind him, goading him on!'
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Harry was just glad it was a later start that morning
than it was for the previous four. He'd have missed
breakfast with the Grangers if it wasn't. Getting down
at a little after 8.30am he only just beat Hermione
down.
"Sleep well?" ask Monica, as she almost always did
first thing in the morning.
"Yes, thank you," he replied, as Hermione walked in.
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Chapter 195
"Morning, princess," her father said while reading the
Prophet.
That's when Harry noticed his own copy of the Daily
Prophet was sitting, folded and ready, in his usual
place.
"Hedwig let you take her delivery?" asked Harry.
"Yes, she was quite polite about it," replied Monica.
"She always is when she deals with me."
"It's just you and, sometimes, me she has problems
with, Harry," said Hermione, just before she had to
smother a yawn.
Picking it up as Dobby deposited a large breakfast in
his place setting, he saw that the retraction was
printed right as the lead story. That surprised him. He
expected it buried somewhere back within the
'section' news on tips of 'new' household charms for
the harried home, the latest gnome repellent or doxie
infestation killer.
That it was the lead story meant Ted must've really
scared Cuffe witless.
As expected, the story was both an apology to Harry
for 'being led astray by a manipulative, lying old man
they once respected' (Dumbledore) and not 'properly
verifying the information provided by their sources
before going to print'.
However, it now left him in a bit of pickle. If he still
didn't go to the Ball then the information would have
been correct. However, he really had no desire, as
he'd written in his letter to Dumbledore, to be
anywhere near it.
When he voiced his concerns to Hermione, it was
Wendell who'd come up with the solution.
"Write a letter to the Daily Prophet and inform them
that, since they'd already pilloried you in their
supposedly great publication for not attending the
Ball when you didn't even know if the Ball was still
going to be on or not, you decided to go ahead and
make alternative plans," he suggested. "After all, if
you were already in hot water for something you'd not
yet done, why not be in hot water for actually doing
it?"
Monica then added, "Then thank them for making the
decision so much easier for you."
Harry gave a snort of amusement and said, "You two
are evil. But... I love it!"
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At the same time, but days later under time dilation,
Frank and Alice Longbottom were now awake and at
least reasonably conscious. And both were still
terribly weak. Both were lying in modern hospital beds
that were only far enough apart for one reasonably
slender person to walk between them. And both were
now reclining propped up in their beds with thick
pillows used to hold them up.
When a Healer in Gringotts healer robes walked in,
Frank immediately asked in a croaking voice, "Where
are we? What's going on?"
"Good morning," the Healer replied. Placing a small
potion vial on each of their bed tables next to their
hands, he replied, "That's a calming potion. If either of
you feel yourselves getting upset, you are to
immediately take it. We don't want you undoing the
repair work we've been putting you through to get
your health back up."
"Enough of the Healer-speak," said Frank. "Answer
the bloody questions!"
After first giving Frank the 'You're being a naughty
boy' look, the Healer replied, "You are currently in a
time dilation chamber inside Gringotts, London. You
have been in a curse-induced near comatose state for
a very long time. You feel as poorly as you do now
because of that.
"You were brought here under orders from Lord
Harrison Potter, using his authority for providing aid
to a member House of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance
for one House to provide aid to another,
approximately four to five hours ago in real time.
In case that surprises you, Lord Potter attained his
majority at the age of fourteen."
"Fourteen?" exclaimed Alice. "Lord Potter... You mean
little Harry?"
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "Lord Harrison Potter.
Because of inaction directed towards you being
healed by the Regent of the House of Longbottom,
Dowager Lady Augusta Longbottom, Lord Potter had
you quietly and secretly taken from Saint Mungo's and
brought here. Because of her inaction to date, she
was not informed.
"You had been in the Janus Thickey Ward of Saint
Mungo's for over thirteen years. In that time, other
than keeping you comfortable, nothing worthwhile
had been done to rectify your condition. Lord Potter,
once he attained his majority only a few months ago,
stepped in and quietly made arrangements. We had
you cured of the curse within minutes. And have been
bringing you slowly back to full health since then.
"Under time dilation it has been just over two days.
Outside, it has been a tad over four hours. Time
dilation is running at twelve to one. For every twelve
days in here, one day will pass outside. The set time
for the time dilation is three days, or seventy two
hours. In that time we will have attained thirty-six days
dilated.
"In that time we will be bringing you both back to full
health so that, when you leave here, you'll be able to
walk out on your feet and fit for what you will face.
Someone will be waiting for you when you exit at the
end of that time to see to your immediate needs.
"You are both to take the calming potion now, please,"
he said.
Both Longbottoms were visibly agitated. And both
realised they were, so took the potions.
Once the healer saw it was taking effect, he then
handed Frank the large thick envelope he had in his
hand.
"I'm led to believe this is a letter from Lord Potter,
where he explains to you what is going on and why he
has taken the action he has," said the healer. "I'll leave
you to go through it and be back in about thirty
minutes with your breakfasts."
As he watched the man walk back out of the small
room they were in, Frank broke the seal on the
envelope and slid the parchment within out.
Carefully, he began to read the top page.
"Thirteen years, Frank?" asked Alice. "Thirteen
Years?"
"I know, Alice," he replied. "I'm hoping this letter will
give us the answers to that. It's certainly thick
enough."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Saint Mungo's, Augusta Longbottom was currently
in the Director of Hospital's office tearing verbal strips
off the man.
"I don't care for your excuses!" she screamed, red in
the face. "My son is supposed to be in your care! He
and his wife! It is your responsibility to keep him...
them... safe! I bloody well pay you enough to do so!"
The three-quarter frazzled man sat behind his desk
with his wand out and held below the bottom edge of
his desk - just in case. "Madam Longbottom," he tried,
"As I've assured you over and over again, we are
doing everything we can and could do to find out what
happened.
"The aurors are currently going over every inch of the
ward and surrounding areas to find out how it is your
son and daughter-in-bond could have disappeared
from a secure ward.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 196
"My staff and I are not forensic investigators. That is
why we immediately called in the DMLE. We believe
your son and daughter-in-bond were taken by person
or persons unknown―"
"Of course they bloody were, you stupid twit!" she
yelled. "What? You expect anyone to believe they
could have suddenly been cured and decided to sneak
out?
"Ward 42 is supposed to be the second most secure
ward you have here! Everyone knows only the DMLE
dangerous prisoner ward is more secure! And yet,
through your incompetence, you still allowed
someone to come in and kidnap my son!
"He's One of the Seven. That means, in case it hasn't
occurred to your pea-sized brain or it's just leaked out
your ears, whoever took him and his wife is looking
towards a very quick trip through the Veil! And so will
whoever aided them, in whatever capacity!"
"There is no need for threats or name calling, Madam
Longbottom," he firmly replied. "I have been patient
with you until now because I understand how
upsetting this is―"
"Upsetting? Upsetting?" she screamed. "I'm
absolutely bloody terrified for my son and his wife and
furious this even happened in the first place. Upset
passed by an hour ago!"
He quietly sighed. It was going to be a very, very long
day.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Longbottom Hall, Neville was getting worried. He'd
come down early to breakfast and knew to wait to say
good morning to his grandmother before he headed
out to the greenhouses that morning. He knew that if
he didn't, he'd receive a bollocking from her.
However, when she didn't turn up, he asked the
'inside' house elf, Fluxy, to go check on her.
The little elf immediately replied, "Mistress 'Gusta not
be ins the Hall, Master Neville. Mistress 'Gusta be
out."
"She went out?" he asked, surprised. "When?"
"Mistress 'Gusta be leaving bouts halfway 'tween sun
up and brekky," replied the elf.
Frowning, Neville quickly calculated and realised
she'd been gone since just before he rose.
"Did she say where she was going?" he asked.
"No, Master Neville," replied the elf.
Wondering whether to wait or head out to the
greenhouses to occupy himself, that's when a darkfeathered Spotted Eagle Owl came swooping in. The
Merlin bedamned thing look vicious, but it acted
placid enough. It even held its leg out for him.
Neville was quick to free it of its load and even passed
it a slice of bacon and an owl treat to see if it preferred
one over the other. It turned its nose up at the owl
treat but willingly plucked the bacon out of his fingers
before flying out again.
As soon as he watched the owl fly out he turned his
attention to the letter. He recognised the handwriting
on it, immediately.
'Harry,' he thought. Muttering to himself he said, "I
wonder why he's now got another owl. Maybe its
Hermione's."
Quickly opening it he began to read. Breakfast was
done and his grandmother wasn't there, so she
couldn't tell him off for reading at the table.
Like Harry's last, it was a long one.
'Betrothal Agreement?' he thought. 'Someone with
white hair, eh? How not to be subtle, Harry-style... Ted
Tonks? Yeah, I remember him... 'Bout time you figured
it out, Harry... The Charter? I'll have to remember
where... What the bloody Hell?...
'Okay, if Harry's writing to me about not getting
worried, he must know I immediately would about
something... so, what's going on?'
Neville sat there and tried to think it through, as Harry
told him to do before they left Hogwarts.
'"If you're having trouble with that, write it down," he'd
said. "When you can see the problem with your eyes,
sometimes it helps you see the answer."'
"Fluxy!" he called.
"Yes, Master Neville?"
"Can you bring me parchment, quill and ink, please?"
"Yes, Master Neville," replied the elf.
A few moments later, the required writing material was
on the table next to where his plate was, which
disappeared at the same time.
Bringing it before him he began to write in short
sentences, laying out his thoughts.
When he finished he had a fair idea what to do.
"Fluxy," he called.
"Yes, Master Neville?"
"Do you know where my grandmother is right now?"
he asked.
"Yes, Master Neville," she replied. "Mistress 'Gusta be
at Saint Mungy's hospital. She be seeing hospital bigman in his office on top floor."
"Is she hurt or injured in any way?"
"No, Master Neville. She just beings really, really
angry."
'Right,' he thought. 'Harry was right. Now, why was
she angry with someone at the hospital?'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 197
Rising he muttered, "Time to go read the Charter and
what it says about aiding a House. Maybe the answer
is there."
As he strode from the dining room and determinedly
headed for the Hall office, he thought, 'You're being
overly circumspect in telling me what's going on,
Harry, but providing me clues. That's not like you and I
need to know why.'
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Gringotts, Frank continued to read the letter Harry
sent him as he ate his breakfast.
The covering letter was only that; a letter that just
hoped he was doing well and referred to the
'attached'. He was reading that 'attached' now.
He wasn't the only one. As he'd read each sheet he'd
passed it over to Alice, who then read it for herself.
They were only partway through the 'history lesson'
when they had to take a break. They were put through
an hour of in-bed physical therapy, then given a series
of questions to answer about their own backgrounds
to check their memories, more physical therapy and
finally they could get back to Harry's letter before
dinner.
"I can't believe this," said Alice. "Dumbledore put
Harry with the Dursleys. With the Dursleys, Frank!"
"I know," he replied, still reading. "I read it before you,
remember?"
"But, why would Dumbledore do such a thing?" she
plaintively asked.
"An even better question is, why would Mum allow
it?" he asked right back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
"I can't keep this from them, Harry," said Hermione. "I
just can't."
After setting up the Christmas decorations on the
upper ground floor, that morning, the two were now
sitting outside on the play-set 'jungle gym' Hermione
once had a great deal of pleasure playing on when she
was a little girl. For many years now, though, it
remained unused - until today. The two were sitting on
side by side swings, just rocking back and forth.
"Hermione, you know there are things that my House
is going to be involved in you cannot tell anyone. And
by 'cannot' I mean just that; not that you're not
permitted," he explained. "This is a project of the
House of Potter and the House of Black working in an
unofficial alliance. If you tried to tell anyone you
would just choke on your own words. If you tried to
push through it, you risk losing your magic."
"Then I need you to tell them," she firmly said. "I
never thought I'd be required to keep something like
this from my own parents. I feel kind of evil, Harry. I
feel like a criminal."
Harry sighed and said, "Alright. We'll go tell them. But
they need to know, first, that there's a specific
document, the alliance Charter, that not only allows
me to do this, it pretty much requires me to do this."
Hermione's obvious relief told Harry he needed to do
this. However it also told him he could not involve her
in something like this again. At least, not until she'd
shown she'd be more comfortable with it.
When they returned indoors Hermione asked her
parents to come sit with them in the dinette, that they
had something to tell them. As soon as they sat, Harry
threw up a privacy charm so any listening aurors
would not hear what was said.
He then called Dobby, had him bring him his copy of
the alliance Charter and make teas for them all.
Once ready he indicated the book and told the
Granger parents what it was and that he couldn't open
it in their presence without the approval of all other
alliance charter members.
"Then why ask Dobby to bring it?" asked Wendell, a
little confused.
"So that you're aware of its existence," he replied.
"Now, this is what Hermione feels you need to
know..."
He told them about the section within the Charter that
requires all members of the alliance to provide
succour to all other alliance members in certain
circumstances. He explained how the other of the two
named Houses, Longbottom, had at that time a
warhorse matriarch of a Regent because the rightful
Lord and Lady of the House were incapacitated.
He then went on to explain how it was his duty and
responsibility, as per the Charter, to step in and act in
the best interests of the House of Longbottom,
whether the Regent of the House wanted it or not.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 198
"My responsibility is to the House by way of its Lord,"
he explained. "Not its Regent. Plus, after a long time
considering the issue - years - I've come to firmly
believe that the Regent, the current Lord's mother, has
been deliberately not trying to find ways to cure her
son and daughter-in-bond; but, especially, her son.
"I believe she quite likes the idea of being the Head of
one of the Seven and doesn't want to let go. It's a big
step up from her House of birth, the Rosiers - who are
only an Ancient House."
"So you believe she's deliberately keeping the Lord of
the House in hospital and untreated so she can
remain in charge?" asked Monica.
"Exactly."
"Isn't there anything you can do?" asked Wendell.
"There is and I've done it," he replied.
That's when he explained exactly what had happened
the previous night. He also explained how the Healers
sent from Gringotts had the Lord and Lady awake, but
barely, within moments. And how, once they knew
they could be healed, they were snuck out of the
Hospital and into Gringotts's own in secrecy.
"You kidnapped them," frowned Wendell.
"No," he firmly replied. "As I said earlier, the Charter
not only tells me I should act, it directs me to actually
act. If I did not also firmly believe the Regent would
not try to block me, I would have just had the healers
heal them in situ and left things alone. But, I'm also
responsible for the safety of the House, which is why
they were removed from that location to a secure
treatment centre."
Wendell sat back, thought a moment and asked, "And
this was completely legal?"
"Absolutely," he replied. "However, Madam
Longbottom is going to go spare when she discovers
it was me who did it."
"How will she know?" asked Monica.
"Because, I'm also going to make sure she knows it
was me," he replied. "Well, it would be better to state
I'm going to make sure her grandson, my friend,
knows it was me and that his parents are safe."
"That's a big risk," said Wendell. "She might try to kill
you."
"No, but she will try everything else," he disagreed.
"Having me arrested, having me censured by the
Wizengamot, reporting to the Daily Prophet I've
kidnapped her son and daughter-in-bond, that sort of
thing. She will try everything in her power to force me
to hand them back over to her.
"The problem for her, though, is it won't work. Besides
me being legally in the right in this, where they are
now is under a lock-down that will not release until the
early hours of Tuesday morning. They're under time
dilation. Which means, after seventy-two hours of
outside time - three days - thirty six days are going to
pass inside the chamber. When they come out they're
going to be healthy, hearty and hale.
"Then, if I'm right and I believe I am, Augusta Reeves
Longbottom née Rosier is going to have to face the
wrath of her Lord. She will be brought to task for all
the things she has done in the name of the House of
Longbottom that weren't in the best interests of the
House of Longbottom, after all."
"Does this endanger my daughter?" he asked.
"No, not at all," he easily replied. "No pureblood,
which Augusta Longbottom is, would ever think of
interfering in a Betrothal. Even during the height of
war, that was a definite no-go area for all."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After the previous day's 'up', today was a 'down' day
for Ron Weasley. Yesterday's Daily Prophet had Harry
Bloody Potter being torn apart by the newspaper.
Today, they were all on their knees begging his
forgiveness and blaming some old white haired git for
telling them lies.
"Hey, Mum?" he asked. "In the Prophet, where it says
some manipulative old white haired git told them lies
about Potter, who do you think they were talking
about?"
"They were talking about Albus Dumbledore, Ron,"
she replied, not even looking up where she was
cooking extra bacon. "I would have thought that
would be obvious."
"And it's Lord Potter, Ron," said Arthur. "The young
man has attained his Lordship now. You have no right
to just call him 'Potter'."
As Ron sat there moping, the hand associated with
his name on the clock clicked back to 'In Danger'. This
time with a loud 'Dong!' sound. The hand had been
charmed so the adult Weasleys would know if it
moved to point to the wrong spot on the clock.
His mother spun on the spot and screeched,
"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!"
Ronald, half-terrified, stared back in fear and his clock
hand immediately moved back to 'At Home' with a
'Ding!'
"Ron," sighed his father. "If you don't get that
jealousy, resulting anger and foolish determination to
open your mouth and say what you shouldn't under
control by Christmas, you're going to your Aunt
Muriel's the very next day. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Dad," he mumbled.
"Louder, son!"
"Yes, Dad," he quickly and more clearly stated.
"If paddling your behind until it is redder than your
hair won't fix it, maybe your Aunt Muriel will be able
to."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After figuring out his grandmother was upset about
something relating to his parents, Neville had been
hanging either about or in the welcoming hall of the
Hall, waiting for her to get home.
When she finally arrived back, after having been away
for almost two hours, Neville was just walking back
into the hall.
Standing just inside the doorway, he waited for her to
clear herself of soot before he quietly said,
"Grandmother."
Turning on him, Neville could see she was still angry
and, yes, even a little frightened. That expression
suddenly disappeared. "Neville," she said. "Good
morning."
'Wow; those Occlumency barriers went up fast,' he
thought.
"How were things at... ummm... well, how about that?"
he quietly said. "I don't know, because you never
actually told anyone where you were going. Actually,
you never told anyone you were going anywhere at
all."
Snapping her head to stare at him, she snapped,
"Don't take that tone with me, young man."
"You left here without telling anyone, especially me,
you were even going out," said Neville. "You just
disappeared. Not a word, not a note, not even giving
the house elves a clue as to your destination, why
you'd be there or when you were likely to return.
"I'm not the one who needs to apologise for their tone,
grandmother. I was moments away from contacting
the DMLE and reporting you a missing person. And I'd
have been right to do so."
Augusta tried to glare her grandson down, but failed.
Since he'd acquired his own wand and found out it
was her intransigence about him using his father's
wand was almost completely the reason behind his
poor showing at school for the first three years, he
had started showing a lot more backbone. She knew
he knew she failed him miserably in that.
She sighed and more quietly said, "You're right,
Neville. I should have at least let Fluxy know to let you
know where I was going, so you wouldn't worry when
you rose."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 199
He gave a nod and walked further into the room.
"You're worried and angry about something, what's
going on?" he asked.
"Come into the office, Neville," she said. "I have
news." And strode past him, heading for said office.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At the Grangers, Wendell walked into the dinette,
where the two teens were yet again, and said, "Come
on; we're going out for the day."
"Where?" Hermione immediately asked.
"It's a surprise," he said. "Dress warm, though. Jeans,
jumpers and jackets; that sort of thing. I need to go let
the aurors know."
As Wendell walked back out the two quickly packed
up what they were working on and set it aside, making
sure to cap the ink bottle so as not to let it dry out.
Once the dinette was tidied, the two quickly made
their way upstairs to change - Hermione was, at that
time, wearing a skirt and thick stockings.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
An hour later, Neville was out in his greenhouses.
Working with the plants had also allowed him to focus
and think. And that's what he now needed to do.
As he began re-potting a series of seedlings he was
cultivating, he was thinking. 'Is this what you were
trying to hint at, Harry?' he thought. 'Did you have
something to do with the disappearance of my
parents?'
The only thing his grandmother could tell him was
that they were both alive and, apparently, well. Before
coming home she had gone to Gringotts and
confirmed their stones were still glowing. So, whoever
took them, was caring for them.
'That hint to read the section in the Charter about
providing aid to the other alliance houses certainly
pointed to it. But, to what end? Did Harry know how to
cure them and didn't want his grandmother to
interfere? Did he fear for their lives if he just told Saint
Mungo's how to do it? Maybe he did it because he
didn't believe Saint Mungo's would believe he knew
how to do it.'
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The surprise for Harry and Hermione was a day at an
amusement park in the southern London outer
'suburbs'.
It hadn't taken Wendell and Monica long to work out
Harry had never been to one. And, even though the
weather was chilly, the park had remained open an
extra couple of weeks longer than anticipated due to
the unseasonably warm weather.
This was the last weekend it would be open before
closing until March, so the Granger parents took the
opportunity while it was there.
Taking both cars due to the aurors, Harry was in a car
with Monica and two of the aurors on their detail,
today. Hermione was in the other car with her father
and the third auror.
It wasn't until they were on the road and off that Harry
looked about and realised he was the lone male in a
care with three females. And he had a right to be
concerned.
Almost as soon as they hit the road, not even
reaching the end of the street on which the Grangers
lived, Monica asked, "So, Harry; what else did you and
Hermione do besides 'write letters and go through
Potter family documents' all week?"
"Nothing improper, if that's what you're hinting at," he
immediately and comfortably returned. "No hands
wandered where they shouldn't have, or anything like
that.
"I know it might sound all fuddy-duddy, but the both of
us just don't... I mean, we're not looking for an excuse
to find a broom cupboard or the equivalent. The odd
kiss, holding hands occasionally, that's what we're
comfortable with."
"That wasn't what I was getting at, Harry," she wryly
returned. "But, thank you for saying so."
In a lighter voice she said, "I was simply asking to
ensure the two of you did not just do the equivalent of
office work for the entire week. You're on break. You
should be making the most of it."
"Sorry," he sheepishly returned. "I guess we're both
aware that, at this moment, we should be at Hogwarts,
attending classes and studying. So, yes, we have
been spending a lot of time doing office work, as you
put it. But, we've also taken a couple of walks outside,
weather permitting."
"You should be making use of the break," she said.
"Besides going to the shops to do a grocery run, have
you been far out of the house?"
"No," he sighed. "The idea of having... the aurors with
us - and neither of us having much in the way of close
friends, besides ourselves - there's really been no
desire to go and visit anyone."
"Well, Wendell and I would like it if you found
somewhere occasionally to go while we're at work.
Are you sure you can't contact some of your school
friends and pay them a visit?"
Harry thought about it for a while before he said, "I
really should pay a visit to some of the Heirs of the
alliance. There's Susan Bones, Daphne Greengrass,
Tracey Davis, Hannah Abbott and Neville Longbottom
on that list. Plus we should, maybe, visit the
Weasleys; but that is dependant on how Ron's going
to behave himself while we're there.
"We also need to let them all know that Hermione and
I are now betrothed. I was just holding off because
of... what's going on leading up to the Wizengamot
meeting on Tuesday morning."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The day at the amusement park was, as far as Harry
was concerned, brilliant!
While he was not afraid of heights due to his playing
Quidditch, the idea of being flung about in a rollercoaster where he had absolutely no control of the
movement was a little thrilling - and deafening.
Hermione had one hell of a set of lungs on her and
could reach quite the high note when she screamed.
He much preferred the more leisurely rides, where
they could cuddle against one another. Of course,
when one of the aurors smirked at them while they
were doing it, they used the excuse they only did so
because it was cold. It was also clear the auror didn't
believe that for one moment.
The 'fast food', though, he felt he could have done
without. It felt like he was eating almost ninety percent
fat and oil. It did not sit well in his stomach and he
was glad to have found somewhere that sold fresh
fruit. That apple had done a lot to settle his stomach
again.
While the day had turned out overcast, it did not rain.
So they did not have to experience that bane of the
amusement park day. And finally decided to head back
to Wimbledon when the light was starting to get a little
too dim.
As they arrived home too late for Harry to cook,
Dobby cooked dinner that day.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The two Longbottoms had been under time dilation
now for seven days of dilated time. They were both up
and walking around and had been allowed to explore
the small set of rooms that made up the chamber.
However, they were both still far too weak to remain
out of bed, or at least sitting, for too long. Both also
had modern recliner chairs, so they could feel like
they were out of bed when they needed to rest.
Their hospital beds had since been transfigured into a
single standard queen-sized double but, at nearly hip
height, was still a bit high for their liking. However, at
least it meant they were sleeping together again. For
the first time in thirteen years they could lie together
and cuddle.
While they had been taking their potions and doing
their exercises they were now much more focussed
on regaining their health than they might have
otherwise been. Since reading Harry's letter the two,
once both got their anger under control, had almost
both living in a state of perpetual simmering rage ever
since - and not aimed at Harry, either.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 200
No. There were many targets of their rage: Severus
Snape, for his treatment of their son in Hogwarts;
Albus Dumbledore, for what he put everyone through;
Augusta, for her treatment of their son almost since
the day she'd become his guardian; Algernon 'Uncle
Algie' Rosier, for trying to kill their son twice; Sirius
Black, somewhat, for doing something so damned
stupid as to get himself arrested and tossed into
Azkaban; Minerva McGonagall, for proving to be a
failure as Head of House and protecting their son from
Snape; the other alliance members, for failing to
uphold the Charter; Remus Lupin, for not being there
for Harry when he should have been; and the
Wizengamot, in general, for failing to do its job.
They both knew what an incredible gift they'd been
given by the young Potter Lord, Harry, and the
incredible cost this time dilation chamber must be
costing him and Black. They knew enough to know
what costs were likely to be involved.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After dinner, knowing the Longbottoms would now be
up and about and wanting news, Harry and Hermione
wrote them a letter.
~ # ~
Lord Franklin and Lady Alice Longbottom,
By now you should be up and somewhat about. At the
rate of approximately two hours 'outside' for every
day 'inside', we estimate just over a week has gone by
for the two of you. For us, it's been barely fourteen
hours. It's now early evening on the same day I, Harry,
organised for you to be taken from Saint Mungo's.
So far, word has not gone public that you've
disappeared from the hospital. However, I've no doubt
both Augusta and Neville would know by now. My
heart aches that he will currently be in a state of high
anxiety over your disappearance. And I'm truly sorry
he has to go through that for the next couple of days.
I also don't know if he'll ever forgive me for doing this,
but I know him getting his parents back hale and
healthy makes it all worth it for me, for us. If, at the
end of this, you believe the alliance should be
terminated or the Charter rewritten, the House of
Potter understands and will support you.
Though I know by now you've read the rather large
'report' I sent you as background of what's been going
on in the wizarding world since you've been otherwise
indisposed, I think this time I'll tell you more about
your son from the point of view of a friend who shared
a Gryffindor boys' dorm with him for the past three
plus years. And Hermione will be adding points, too.
The first time I met your son was when this young
nearly twelve year old muggleborn girl flung open the
door of my compartment on the Hogwarts Express on
1st September, 1991. She was helping another 'little
firstie' look for his missing pet toad, Trevor.
It was actually he who introduced me to Hermione, the
girl, because she had forgotten to introduce herself.
(Ouch! She just smacked me on the arm!) So, in a way,
Heir Longbottom introduced Heir Potter to his later-to-
be betrothed.
Once we got to the castle and while we were in the
antechamber waiting to be taken into the Great Hall
for the Sorting by McGonagall, as an aside Neville
said to me he felt extremely lucky he even got invited
to attend the school. Even back then it was very clear
the boy grew up believing he was little better than a
squib; his own House and relatives had been
demoralising the boy that much. He even said he'd be
very happy to even be chosen to be a 'Puff. And
believed he had no chance to be a Gryffindor.
Imagine his surprise when, very soon after the Hat
was placed on his head, the Hat called out,
"Gryffindor!" He was so surprised and pleased he
immediately dashed to the Gryffindor table before
McGonagall had a chance to pluck the Hat off his head
first.
Thinking back to that night, I like to think I had a hand
in Neville ending up in the House of the Lions
because, back in that antechamber when he said he
didn't feel he was brave enough to go into Gryffindor, I
said something along the lines of, "You're eleven,
Neville. Just how brave do you think however or
whoever does the sorting thinks you need to be?" I
know it made him think about that.
After I convinced the Hat to put me in Gryffindor, too,
we became dorm-mates. We even sleep in beds next
to each other.
One thing to know about Neville is that he, like me, is
a 'neat freak'. His and my combined area in the dorm
is a clean oasis in a sea of teenage boy mess. It's
another thing we have in common.
By the end of the first week it became very apparent
Neville is a prodigy when it comes to Herbology. To
Hermione's unearned sometime chagrin it is one of
the few subjects she is consistently beaten for top
marks. Neville absolutely whoops her bum in it!
(Ouch! I just got unfairly whacked on the arm again.)
She claims their unofficial competition in the subject
helps them both.
I know that Professor Sprout has had her eye on
directing Neville towards a Mastery in Herbology. And
I've not interfered with that, because I know it's
Neville's dream, too. The joy on his face when he's
working 'up to the elbows' in manure, re-potting or
whatever, is heart-warming. Fair warning: I would be
quite upset with you both if you were thinking about
trying to steer him away from the subject.
However, while Neville is a prodigy at Herbology,
when it comes to Potions he's his own worst enemy. I
know that sounds odd, in that both Herbology and
Potions should be quite integrally linked, but it's true.
And the reason is obvious to anyone who saw the two
together in the same classroom for more than about
five seconds - Severus Snape.
Neville is going to need to start learning about Potions
right from the beginning. Severus Snape's constant
belittling and harassment of him has led Neville to be
terrified of the subject. He has often been hurt by
failing and or exploding potions. So he needs to be
gotten over that before the real teaching of him of the
subject of Potions can begin.
If Snape had not been such a bastard, or McGonagall
had done her job of protecting her 'cubs', the situation
would not have evolved into the mess it currently is. It
is for that reason I recommend Neville receive
personal tutoring in the subject. Actually, I think we
should both have personal tutoring in the subject.
Neville was not the only target of Snape's
vindictiveness.
[...]
Hermione and I send you our love and support. Please
use this time to get your health, strength and magical
abilities back up. When you come out, there's a lot of
work that'll be waiting for you both. The first of which,
of course, is to hug your son on Tuesday morning.
Lord Harrison and Lady Presumptive Hermione
~ # ~
When both agreed the letter was done, Harry called to
Dobby to deliver it to the time chamber via the
goblins.
"They must be going spare!" sighed Hermione.
"I know," replied Harry. "It doesn't change the fact,
though, that this is necessary."
"That letter is going to both relieve them of some of
their worry, and anger them quite a bit," she said.
"I know," he replied. "However, in their robes, I think
I'd rather know than not."
"Agreed," she sighed.
After checking the clock she declared, "It's late. Time
for bed."
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