Chapter Twenty Five - The Snatch & Immediate Fallout
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!
Chapter Twenty Five - The Snatch & Immediate Fallout
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―==(oIo)==―
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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-eeh-vvv-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.
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―==(oIo)==―
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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.
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―==(oIo)==―
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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!"
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.
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―==(oIo)==―
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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.
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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!'
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―==(oIo)==―
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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.
"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!"
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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."
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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.
"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.
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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 dark-feathered 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 big-man 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?'
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.'
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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.
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"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.
"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."
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―==(oIo)==―
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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."
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―==(oIo)==―
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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."
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 roller-coaster 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.
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."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ