Befriending Neville

Neville sat down to breakfast and was soon joined by Millie, "Morning Neville, where's Harry and Hermione?"

"Oh hi Millie, they have some business to take care of in the muggle world. Hermione's parents are going to become Harry's guardians, you need to be at least sixteen before you can marry there. This move will cover them legally and stop eyebrows being raised at them living together."

Millie was thrilled, this was the most Neville had said to her so far. She had quickly recognised his almost paralysing shyness for what it was and her determination to coax him out of that shell of his seemed to grow stronger with each passing day. She'd known what Harry and Hermione were doing today, but Millie was resolved to use any tool or technique available to her in her bid to get Neville talking and comfortable in her presence.

This was going to be a long term project but Millie was positive the results would be more than worth it. She may have been amongst the first to recognise the wizard that Neville could grow into but she sure wouldn't be the last. Millie's plan was a fairly simple one, become Neville's friend, hopefully girlfriend before the better looking girls came sniffing around and she lost any chance she had. Nice guys like Neville were extremely hard to find, Hermione didn't waste anytime in taking her boy off the market.

Neville was also thrilled, he'd just managed to hold a conversation with a girl without stuttering, stammering and generally behaving like the village idiot. He liked having Millie as a friend but the girlfriend rumours and the accompanying teasing made him blush, surely she couldn't be interested in him? It was also a revelation to be gently teased by his friends, a far cry from what he expected boarding the Hogwarts express.

Glancing around the hall he could quickly see the trend that began after their trip to the theme park was not only continuing but spreading, people were sitting with their friends irrespective of house.

The only table not to participate was of course Slytherin, it remained exclusively attended by students bearing green on their robes. There were five Slytherin first years spread over the other three tables but no one else had risked sitting at their house table yet. Malfoy's almost permanent scowl and Weasley's eating habits might have had something to do with that though.

Millie asked Neville a question about his Herbology homework and he agreed to meet her later in the library to help, maybe she was interested in him as a boyfriend? Until he met Harry and Hermione he'd never even had a friend before, his utter dread of rejection would probably mean Millie would need to ask him out!

Neville though was totally unaware that Millie, being a very smart girl, had already figured that out. She would just bide her time and wait for the right moment.

.....

Harry was disappointed in the courtroom, too many years of spying from his cupboard as his Aunt Petunia watched her legal dramas left him expecting more. There was no jury and the judge didn't wear a wig, as he was follically challenged Harry thought this might have made Judge McGhee appear a bit more impressive. Although this was Harry's first dealings with the muggle legal system, he had been tried twice and instigated his godfather's trial in the magical world. Although the outcome of the last one was everything they could have hoped for, Harry was hoping for a bit less drama here today.

Appearances were apparently deceptive as the balding, middle-aged judge missed nothing. He interrupted the Grangers' lawyer in mid flow. "Mr Wilkes, I am perfectly sure that the paperwork will have every T crossed and I dotted but this is a child's welfare we are dealing with here. I have no intention of granting anything until I personally hear from the lad in question."

Donald Wilkes thought this might happen, McGhee was one of those judges who needed to see things with their own eyes. Although the case was unopposed, he still wanted to speak to Harry. "Your Honour, Mr Potter is here now and more than willing to answer any questions you may have."

Harry was wearing what he now considered was his lucky suit, it had been worn on the day Sirius gained his freedom and the umbitch got her just deserts. He received hugs from all his family except Sirius, the marauder didn't want to cloud the issue of his godfather sitting there and not applying for custody so was currently in Gringotts on business. There was also the question of why he didn't intercede sooner that they really couldn't answer. Finishing with a hug and a peck on the cheek from Hermione, he made his way to the indicated chair, thankfully without the attached chains.

He found Judge McGhee's gaze to be penetrating but in a kindly manner, his whole purpose appeared to be ascertaining what was best for Harry. He couldn't say that about too many people he'd met in his life.

"Harry, could you please introduce me to the people who accompanied you here today?"

Harry imagined himself in this position when he was eleven and acted appropriately, "Oh this is mum and, sorry it's Mr and Mrs or should that be Dr and Dr?" Harry knew he was laying it on thicker than with a bricklayer's trowel but was playing it for all he was worth today. The mum and dad slip had been deliberate, as was the Dr comment, this was something he really wanted. "This is Dan and Emma Granger, the young lady with them is my best friend Hermione."

The joy on Harry's face as he spoke about his family couldn't be manufactured by the best child actors, the judge picked up on this immediately.

"Would it be fair to say you like staying with the Grangers?"

Harry adamantly shook his head, "No Sir, I love staying with the Grangers. Like is reserved for less important things, bacon sandwiches and coca-cola. What it means to me to stay with the Grangers goes way beyond like!"

The sincerity in Harry's words shone through and had already made the judge's mind up on the placement. What disturbed him was why this case was uncontested, this was highly unusual given the child had stayed with the Dursleys for ten years.

"Harry, I understand from the paperwork your aunt and uncle were as happy to see you go as you obviously were to leave. Could you please tell me in your own words what happened the day you left?"

Harry thought of the best way to put this across, "Hermione has been my best friend for many years and I get on brilliantly with her parents. We were all sitting chatting when I let slip some facts about my living conditions at my aunts, ten minutes later I was in the Grangers' car heading over there. Since they claimed I was dumped on them, and they never wanted me in the first place, they couldn't wait to sign the forms. In my short time at the Grangers I've finally discovered what being part of a family feels like."

The judge had been doing this for nearly twenty years and had developed a sixth sense when someone was spinning him a tale. Since his bullshit detector was currently sending out no alarms, he was left with the option that the boy was telling the truth. This was obviously not the whole truth though it raised some other points that would have to be considered.

"Harry I'm left thinking that your home life with the Dursleys was not all it should have been. I understand you have a cousin, this leaves me wondering if that young man is in any danger in that house?"

Harry tried not to laugh, he really did. It took a couple of minutes for him to regain his composure enough to be able to answer the judge. "Sorry about that sir, the only way my cousin would be in any danger in that house would be if he hurt himself in a temper tantrum. Even they are restricted to the odd occasion that he doesn't get his own way. As I've never seen one lasting longer than two minutes before his parents give in, the danger is minimal."

The judge thought about this before deciding he would have them investigated anyway, something didn't ring true here. He then passed one of the easiest judgements he'd done in a long while. "Mr Potter, I've rarely seen a boy more in tune with the people who've applied to be his guardians. I have no hesitation of awarding that right to the Grangers."

The smiles coming from the now family of four illuminated the room.

.....

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