Chapter Thirty Six - What to Do
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 Thirty Six - What to Do
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After she gave Harry a scan and determined he could now come off the potions completely, Andi called Sirius up.
Once he was in the room and the privacy wards went up, she got right to it with Harry.
"I'd been trying to wrack my brains and researched out the wahzoo for a way to get that accursed thing out of your head," she said. "However, it was Ted who suggested to me the way forward - muggle surgery."
Completely surprised, Harry asked, "Muggle surgery? What; he's suggesting it simply be cut out?"
"Excised, yes," she replied. "I think the muggles refer to it as 'going under the knife'."
"Yes," he sighed. "That's exactly the saying."
He thought about it for a little while and asked, "How're we going to do this? I mean, it's not as if you can tell the surgeon what he needs to accomplish."
"Actually, yes I can," she smirked. "I managed to track down a surgeon parent of a muggleborn. And he managed to track down a... gas-passer?... parent of a muggleborn."
"Anæsthetist," he muttered, looking at the floor while he thought. "He's the person in the operating room responsible for ensuring the patient remains asleep and free of pain during the surgery."
"That's the one," she agreed.
He nodded and looked back to her. "How soon can you get it set up?"
"The day before New Years Eve," she promptly replied. "The thirtieth of December."
He nodded, sighed and said, "Do it. Are you going to be there?"
She smirked back, but Harry could see she was clearly relieved by his answer. "You couldn't keep me away."
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Coming back downstairs with the other two, Harry said, "I need to think. I'm going to cook." And immediately left for the kitchen.
Sirius called, "Harry?"
Turning to look at his godfather, he muttered, "Hmm?"
"Can I tell the Grangers about what we discussed?"
Harry thought about it for all of a bare moment before he replied, "You'd best. I don't think I can and they need to be aware of what it means regarding me staying here."
As Harry turned and walked away, Sirius gestured for everyone to join him in the parlour.
Once he, Andi and the Grangers were in, he threw up a set of privacy wards and said, "Because of something relating to the scar on Harry's forehead, he needs to undergo surgery."
Hermione immediately asked, "Surgery?"
"Yes," replied Sirius. "Muggle surgery."
Wendell, frowning, asked, "Why muggle? I know the magical community has their own forms of dealing with injuries and the like. And I didn't think it involved surgery, as we know it."
Andi explained, "There is a... magical miasma, you could say... that emanates from Harry's scar. It's dark in some form. Therefore, we cannot use a magical form of healing to rectify the situation. That's why we're thinking outside the box, here, and going with muggle means."
"I take it you're going to excise the scar and whatever is related to it through surgical means, then," he asked.
"Precisely," she nodded. "By excising the scar and some of the surrounding tissue, it is hoped the miasma will be removed right along with it. If it is, then we can use magical means to remove any remaining corrupt material and heal it well enough that he won't even have a scar left."
Monica asked, "When do you plan on doing this?"
"Wednesday, the thirtieth of December," Andi promptly replied. "He'll go in first thing in the morning and be out that night."
Wendell said, "Monica and I will still be on holidays, ourselves, then. We can get him there - wherever there is."
"I plan on taking him, myself," said Andi. "However, I cannot see the harm in you coming along."
Monica asked, "Which hospital?"
"Parkside," Andi promptly replied.
That had both Wendell and Monica give a start of surprise.
"That's ours!" exclaimed Wendell.
"Pardon?" asked a just as surprised Andi. "You... work there?"
"We do," he nodded. "It's only a ten minute drive from here."
Surprised, Andi said, "Then, do you know Doctor Francis Dolittle?"
"Yes," he replied. "A plastic surgeon, specialising in facial disfigurement. Either or both of us are occasionally brought in to consult when the issue touches on oral and maxillofacial issues. We also do the same the other way, when we're trying to minimise or negate disfigurement in oral surgery."
"Well," said Andi, clearly pleased. "Then, this is going to make things easier. Doctor Dolittle is the father of a muggleborn witch, like yourselves. So, you can discuss issues relating to being muggle parents of a magical with him without any problem."
That clearly made both Doctors happy.
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Harry's dinner that night was, as usual, well received by all. Even Andi stayed for it and Ted was contacted and apparated over to join them for the meal.
Just before the Tonkses and Sirius left, Ted looked to Harry and said, "I'll be over tomorrow to collect the documents you've done and want to discuss other House business with you. What's the best time to turn up?"
"Any time after breakfast," Harry immediately replied. "Unless, of course, you'd like to join us for breakfast. It's your choice."
Ted thought about it and asked, "How about soon after 9.00am, then? I have to call into the office to get some documents first."
Harry shrugged, checked to make sure it was fine by the Grangers, who didn't seem to be disagreeable, and replied, "That's fine."
"Good," nodded Ted. "And you say you've practically finished with the House of Potter documentation?"
"We have," he replied.
Ted gave a nod, smiled and said, "Then I'll see you at just after 9.00am."
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Dumbledore was sitting at the desk in his office and massaging his temples. His plans for what was to come over the next few months, once the students all returned to the school, were yet again in ruins.
He had planned to use young Ginevra Weasley as Harry's hostage in the Second Task, irrespective of who he took to the ball. Even then, he planned on adding a compulsion potion to see if that got past the boy's surprising immunity to mind magics and to see if he could get the boy to take the girl. His idea was to begin to set in place a relationship between the two.
Already, the young redhead saw Harry as her personal knight in shining armour and, by using her as his hostage, it would create the image in the minds of the wider wizarding community that she was the person he cared about the most. He had hoped it would also start Harry thinking the same.
He had also sent a couple of letters to Molly hoping the woman would help him. However, she'd not responded to any of them.
When he then floo called her, she abruptly cut him off and told him to no longer bother the Weasleys.
She'd flat-out told him, "We are not your dutiful little pawns, Dumbledore. We now want nothing to do with you. Leave us alone." Then she had the temerity to shut the call off while he still appeared in the flames.
That had caused him to be almost violently ejected from his own floo, sitting him back on his butt.
After the unmasking of young Barty Crouch, he knew that Tom had set in place Harry's name to come out of the Goblet and for Harry to be forced to compete. Therefore, it stood to reason he wanted Harry in a certain place at a certain time. That would either be in the Black Lake on the twenty fourth of February, or in the maze on the twenty fourth of June. It further stood to reason it was the Third Task, the maze, that was the important one.
Now he just had to figure out how to capitalise on that.
When the Daily Prophet was delivered less than a half hour later, he learned that trying to pair Harry with young Ginevra wasn't going to work, either. That plan was snuffed out before it even had a chance to progress beyond the old man's thoughts.
He sat back with a frustrated sigh.
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After another filling Dobby breakfast, where Harry was now down to eating a little over the same amount as Wendell, he was finally able to read the Daily Prophet in peace without also trying to fill his stomach at the same time.
He had gotten used to enjoying a cup of tea while reading the paper, right up until the potions whacked him up side the head with its demand to eat. Being able to go back to that was pleasant.
The lead story, that morning, was the breaking news of Harry and Hermione's betrothal. Both were surprised it had taken that long.
~ # ~
BOY-WHO-LIVED BETROTHED
In surprising news, we here at the Daily Prophet have learned our young hero, Lord Harry Potter (14) the Boy-Who-Lived, has entered into a Betrothal Agreement with his close friend, muggleborn Harmony Granger (15), writes your favourite journalist Rita Skeeter.
Further, we have also learned that, unusually, young Miss Granger's magical guardian is not her Hogwarts Head of House, but is Lord Sirius Black, recently exonerated and godfather of Lord Potter.
We are unsure why Lord Potter and Miss Granger's guardians have chosen to enter the two into such an arrangement, but it is suspected it is to protect both from any shenanigans towards trying to slip either an ironclad marriage contract in future.
The Daily Prophet congratulates both children and sends their commiserations to all the other young witches who dreamed of being the one who snagged the Boy-Who-Lived for themselves.
More information on Betrothal Agreements - page 8.
More information on muggleborn Harmony Granger - page 2.
~ # ~
Harry gave a grunt of somewhat annoyance once he'd finished the article and muttered, "I'll need to let the aurors know they'll need to be especially vigilant of incoming mail for the both of us."
"Why?" asked Hermione.
He replied, "There are going to be those who are going to be quite nasty towards you, now. That line about 'all the other young witches who dreamed of snagging the Boy-Who-Lived' has me worried."
It was while he and Hermione were sharing the Prophet and talking about various articles that Ted turned up.
"Good morning," he greeted them all.
With four returned 'Good morning's he turned to Harry and asked, "Have those documents ready for me?"
Harry immediately called Dobby and had the little elf go and collect both sets of documents from off the floor next to the desk in his room.
While they were waiting, Harry asked, "Read the article in the Daily Prophet about our betrothal, yet?"
"I have," Ted nodded back. "I can't use it to yell at Cuffe again, though. It was both truthful and non-insulting; other than misspelling Miss Granger's name."
"No; but you might consider writing up a 'press release' statement, though," said Harry. "Something from Hermione and I about how we're happy with this. And something that threatens dire consequences on anyone who tries to interfere."
"Good idea," nodded Ted. "I'll get that written up as soon as I get back to the office."
When the two piles appeared on the end of the table, Harry gestured to it and said, "That's all of it, thank God."
Ted was surprised and said, "Harry, I hadn't expected you to get through all of it. I only expected you to be, at most, about a quarter of the way through."
Harry shrugged and said, "I just didn't want to head into Christmas with so much parchmentwork hanging over my head. My argument, and Hermione agreed with me, is that it's best to get it all out of the way before more turns up and makes the pile even bigger."
As Hermione nodded in agreement, Ted gave his own firm nod back before he then pulled out documents from within his robes and placed them on the table before sitting down.
Once he was comfortable he slid the documents across the table to Harry and said, "That's the agreement with the warding and repair company to make a start on repairing the cottage."
Harry frowned in puzzlement and said, "I thought we were going with the goblins to get that done."
"That was the original plan, yes," nodded Ted. "However, the goblins were being greedy little... blighters and wanted too much to do it." Indicating the documents he said, "This company will do it for a cheaper price and do a better job of it."
Harry pulled the documents across and asked, "When can they start?"
"Tomorrow," replied Ted. "They want it stripped of the Ministry wards and new private wards up before Christmas. Then, straight after Christmas, they move in and begin repairs."
Harry quickly read through them and asked, "Fidelius?"
"Yes," he replied. "They want to put the Fidelius up while they work. That way, they won't be bothered by anyone trying to stop them."
"Smart," muttered Hermione.
Ted smiled and said, "I thought so, too."
"That's going to take some significant power," said Harry. "The Potter Cottage is a landmark of significant interest and I doubt there'll be many who aren't aware of exactly where it can be found. With that many people knowing of it, the Fidelius has to work that much harder to hide the Secret."
Hermione said, "I'm sure they'll figure a way, Harry."
With a verbal nod of acknowledgement of Hermione's remark, Harry quickly signed the documents and initialled where Ted had marked for him to do so, before sliding them back.
He said, "You'd best let Amelia Bones know I've claimed the cottage back as soon as the new wards go up. We don't want her going on the warpath to find the culprit who 'stole' it, even though it wasn't."
As Ted was placing the documents on the twin stacks of documents Harry and Hermione had gone through, he said, "That's the plan; yes."
Then, turning to grin at Harry, he asked, "You know this is going to get people all up in their wands about it, don't you?"
"Of course," replied Harry. "However, I don't care. They had no right to take it from me in the first place."
Standing up Ted called for his house elf, Benny, to come and take the two stacks and put them on his desk in his office.
"Well," he said. "That's all I needed to see you about, today. I've got a lot more work to do in the office, yet."
Harry stood and shook the man's hand. "Thank you, Ted."
Ted smiled, gave a nod and let himself out. He was apparating back to his office.
After he left, Hermione said, "How long, do you think, is it going to take for the Daily Prophet to get wind of the cottage disappearing?"
Harry shrugged and replied, "About five minutes after someone goes to the DMLE or the Acting Madam Minister to alert them. Therefore, I think we can find we'll be reading about in... three days, max."
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At the Unspeakable fire-side, the 'Spectral Threat' section leader, Scimitar, was on his feet and giving his report.
"For those who haven't read this morning's 'scandal sheet', news of the White Knight's betrothal to Bookworm is now public. 'Knight's Shadow' are tasked with aiding Monocle's people in ensuring no harm befalls either through the post. Any and all harmful mail will be checked and, if the sender is known, the sender will receive a... visit.
"The Black healer has been spending time communicating with a muggle hospital concerning healing Knight's scar. She is very concerned in making sure any corrupt tissue surrounding the scar is excised.
"We believe two points from that. First, if she does what we think she's going to do - immediately after the patient leaves the hospital, vanish the muggle healing bandages and use magic to completely heal the wound site - it means she may have come upon a way to heal magical injuries using muggle techniques."
That had the Unspeakable's healers all glance and softly murmur to one another.
Seeing them, Croaker stepped forward and asked, "Bandage? Your opinion on her success?"
One of the healers hesitated a moment before stepping forward, themselves. "The concept is intriguing. It is not an avenue even we have considered. Permission to monitor her and her efforts?"
"Granted," Croaker immediately replied. "However, you are not to risk 'Knight's Shadow' in doing so."
"No," she replied. "If she is successful, the Black healer will write a report, anyway."
Seeing the side conversation end, Scimitar continued, "The Black healer's... intensity... in addressing this issue leads us to believe the surgery is not just to remove the scar. We believe, however it occurred, a sliver or fragment of the soul of Riddle has attached itself to it."
That had a ripple of shock pass through the gathered senior Unspeakables.
"Now, that does not mean Lord Potter is a Horcrux," Scimitar firmly stated. "We do not see how it is possible Riddle could have completed the Horcrux ritual before his soul attached itself to the boy's scar."
"It couldn't have," said the section leader of the Soul Magics section. "However, that does not mean it cannot act as if it was a Horcrux."
"That the boy is free of any signs of possession leads us to believe that it is both contained in that famous scar and can be excised as the Black healer seems bent on accomplishing.
"If she is successful, the young Knight will not need to be tossed through the Veil, as we initially believed he might need to be."
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After leaving the Grangers', Ted apparated to his office and made sure the House of Potter documents were sorted by his staff.
One of his law-apprentices asked, "He managed to get through all this, on his own, in just a couple of weeks?"
"With his betrothed's help, yes," replied Ted. "Both of them are highly intelligent. And, don't forget, he's also accomplished a lot more than this in that time, too. The latest trial of Lord Black, figuring out and organising the waking of Lord and Lady Longbottom... etcetera."
While the apprentices, interns and paralegals worked through it he contacted, via floo, the company who's contract Harry had just signed to give them their copy and let them know they could start right away.
"Lord Potter accepted?" asked the company manager on the other end of the floo call.
"He did," replied Ted. "However, he has one request."
"Oh?" the man warily asked.
Ted replied, "That I be informed the moment the Fidelius goes up that it's gone up. He wants the Acting Madam Minister informed immediately, before anyone at the Ministry can then panic and go looking for it."
The man gave a grunt and nodded, "I'll do that. Probably a wise idea."
"My and his thoughts, exactly," said Ted
The man seemed to mutter about something and said, "Expect me to floo you with that information at about lunch time, tomorrow."
Ted nodded and said, "Thank you." Then terminated the call.
He then set up the 'dot points' for the press release Harry had asked him to write up and had one of his staff develop it into a proper press release, while he moved onto his next task.
Next, he collected the vial of blood from the suspected Malfoy Heir that was in stasis from his safe and headed for Gringotts.
'Time to confirm it for sure,' he thought.
Once in the bank he was sitting before the desk of the Gringotts's Inheritance Office and handed the vial over.
It was actually against bank policy to do it without the actual person in attendance; but the goblin, Snaggletooth, had just been handed a small bag of gold to carry out this test. The gold would both ensure his silence and his compliance.
After the blood was poured from the vial and into a small bottle of enchanted ink, a quill was dipped within before being moved to a sheet of parchment. It began to write as if by an invisible hand, similar to a Dicta-quill.
Less than a minute later the quill returned to the ink for the final time and stopped.
The goblin picked up the parchment, placed a small pair of pince-nez glasses on his long nose and peered through them to read.
"Interesting," he muttered.
Looking to Ted he asked, "Were you aware the blood is of the missing Malfoy Heir?
Ted gave a huff of pleasure and replied, "Almost certain, yes. I take it you can confirm the blood is of one Corina Cephei Malfoy, born the tenth of August, 1982?"
"It is, indeed," replied the goblin.
"Thank you," said Ted, standing up. Indicating the sheet, he said, "Burn that, won't you?"
The goblin smirked back and dropped the sheet into a small brazier that sat in the corner. It was instantly alight and burned away to ash.
"Burn what?" the goblin asked.
"Thank you, Snaggletooth," said Ted. "May you vaults fill and your enemies perish."
"And may your business flourish," replied the goblin with a very slight head nod of a bow.
Letting himself back out, Ted headed back to his office.
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Once back in his office, Ted was going to write up a report for Sirius and thought better. He went to his floo and flooed home.
Sirius was even waiting for him. And it appeared he'd been pacing while he did.
"Well?" the Lord Black practically barked.
Ted smiled and replied, "It's confirmed. Little Miss Wilkins was, indeed, born Corina Cephei Malfoy on the tenth of August, 1982."
Practically relieved, Sirius quietly but firmly said, "Yes!"
"So," said Ted. "What do you now want to do about her?"
"I don't know; so, for now, nothing," replied Sirius. "She's happy, well-cared for, needs nothing and, above all else, is safe right where she is."
Ted gave a nod and asked, "Do you want me to keep the file on her in my Fidelius-charmed safe?"
Sirius gave a firm nod back and said, "If anything happens to Lucy and his brat of a son, the girl is the rightful Heir to take over the Malfoy fortune. I want you to make sure she gets it."
Ted nodded back and said, "I'll write up the relevant parchmentwork and have it placed in the file, ready for just such a contingency."
Back in his office, the legal intern he'd had writing up the press release entered his office and handed him the document.
Ted made on a few changes and handed it back. "Good job," he said. "As soon as you make those changes, get copies sent off to the Daily Prophet and WWN, would you?"
"Yes, Sir," replied the intern, before he walked out again.
The intern, one of the two law-apprentices and two of the four paralegals were new hires, brought in because of the increased workload, and were proving to be 'Merlin sent'. At this rate, this particular intern, at least, would be receiving a pay rise before too much longer.
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With the Granger adults now home and 'on holidays', with the legal and financial parchmentwork for the House of Potter up to date and most of his problems rectified or planned to be so soon, Harry was hoping to put his culinary skills to the test and let himself go in the kitchen. However, that was completely contrary to Dobby's own plans.
An hour before lunch Harry and Dobby were standing in the kitchen arguing over 'delegation of tasks' - and Dobby was, unsurprisingly, winning. However, that had more to do with every time Harry picked up a kitchen implement Dobby would banish it out of his hand again.
"Do-obs!" whined Harry. "Come oooonn! You know I love to cook. It relaxes me."
"Master Harry, Sir, likes to be flyings when he be bored," argued Dobby. "Master Harry should go flyings."
"I can't fly here!" he argued right back. "It's a muggle home!"
"Master Harry, Sir, can be visitings his friend, Mister Neville," said Dobby. "Mister Neville's home be wizarding home. Master Harry, Sir, can be flyings there."
That brought Harry up short.
Thinking about it, he muttered, "You know, that's not a half bad idea."
From behind him, Hermione spoke up, "We should also see if we can visit the other Hogwarts members of the Alliance. You did say that was something you were planning on doing, didn't you?"
As Harry sighed in defeat, Dobby smirked at him, but stood his ground.
"Alright," he said, turning to her. "I guess we can wait until after lunch to visit Neville. But, I'd best send an owl to the others, first. It would be impolite to just turn up, unannounced."
"And you should ask Neville if he'd like to join you," she added.
"Another good idea," he agreed.
"I know," she smiled. "How about you go give him a floo call to make sure it's alright for you to visit after lunch?"
Nodding, he smiled and walked up to her. Wrapping her in a cuddle he kissed her and said, "I'll go do that now."
However, before he left, he wheeled on Dobby and said, "This argument is not over, you horrible little gremlin! I will be occasionally cooking lunch and you'll be letting me."
With his betrothed blushing just a touch from the kiss he unexpectedly landed on her and not waiting for Dobby to retort, he headed out the back to the Doghouse to make that call.
As he hurried down the stairs to the lower ground floor, Hermione sighed and thought, 'Oh, that boy. Why does he, every time he kisses me, make me feel all gooshy inside?'
With Harry gone and clearing her head again, she looked to Dobby and firmly said, "You and me need to talk."
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After sorting out everything he needed for his second visit to Bagman, Ted alerted his staff of where he was going and informing them he'd be back after lunch. Then he was out the door and on his way.
Again heading directly to Bagman's office, he knocked and walked right in, not even bothering to wait for the invitation to enter.
As soon as Bagman looked up in shock, he immediately went white in fear.
"M-Mister Tonks, Sir," he stammered. "W-what can I do for you, today?"
This time Ted walked right up to the desk and plonked himself into the chair put there for guests.
"Ludo," he smirked.
That put Bagman right on edge, right there.
Noticing his effect on the man, Ted smirked even more and said, "I've now had plenty of time to go over the contract for the Tri-Wiz. Imagine my surprise in discovering it is the intent of the organisers... you, Dumbledore, Maxime and Karkaroff now that Crouch has been locked up in Azkaban... to use hostages for the Second Task."
"Errr... yes?" asked Bagman.
"Did you know that, even though the three champions and Lord Potter may be bound by the Goblet to be involved in the Tournament, there is no similar binding for any hostages?"
When Bagman only stared back, Ted continued, "That means no hostage can be forced to take part."
Again Bagman didn't say a word.
"What that means, legally, Mister Bagman," explained Ted, shifting to lean right forward, "Is... if you take anyone against their will to be used as a hostage it will be kidnapping.
"Are you starting to understand, yet?"
Bagman spluttered and said, "Dumbledore assured us that we only need permission from their Heads of House... their Hogwarts Heads of House, that is... to use anyone we need to use."
Ted's smirk immediately dropped to a scowl.
"If he told you that, he lied," he flatly stated. "I have already been informed by both Lord Potter and Lord Black that if you use Lord Potter's betrothed as his hostage in the Task both will immediately come after you and the rest of the organisers.
"As well as it being illegal for you to take anyone as a hostage without their prior consent... and the consent of their guardians if they are under-age... they both will see it as an attack on their Houses. Right there, in front of everyone, they will both declare a blood feud on you and the other organisers.
"Remember what I told you what would happen if Lord Potter so much as developed a blood nose as a result of this Tournament?"
"Errr... y-yes?"
"Even worse will happen if the hostages are harmed."
Bagman immediately whimpered, "Ohh, Merlin!"
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After eating a big lunch and giving it time to settle, Harry had asked Hermione if she wanted to join him at the Longbottoms.
"No, thank you, Harry," she was quick to reply. "You go and spend time with Neville and flying. I don't want to be there to see you performing dangerous stunts in the air."
Exiting the floo at Longbottom Hall with his broom in hand, and again skidding across the marble floor on his back, Harry looked up to see a grinning Neville.
Neville chuckled and asked, "How is it you can be so graceful in the air on a broom and so hopelessly uncoordinated using the floo?"
"No idea," he replied, climbing to his feet before checking himself and his broom over for damage.
As Neville stood there smiling at him, Harry asked, "Got any brooms here, Nev?"
Frowning in puzzlement, Neville replied, "You're carrying one, Harry. Why do you need another?"
Grinning back, he replied, "It's not for me. It's for you. It's time I helped you get over your fear of brooms."
Frank had just walked in, heard what Harry had said and said, "I quite agree."
Neville spun to stare at his father so fast one could be forgiven for thinking he didn't turn, so much as apparate about on the spot. "Dad?" he fearfully asked.
Looking to Harry, Frank said, "You'll find brooms in the broom cupboard next to the back door. They might be quite old compared to that lovely broom you have in your hand, Harry, but they are definitely not the death traps Hooch had you on for your flying lessons in your First Year."
Harry grinned back and, as he began to head for the back door, looked to Neville and said, "Come along, Nev. No time like the present!"
Almost shivering in sudden fear, Neville turned pleading eyes on his father.
"Go on, Neville," his father commanded.
Giving the impression he was heading to his doom, the sandy-haired boy reluctantly headed after Harry.
Surprising the boy, though, he found Harry to be a very patient and very good instructor. By the end of the hour he was now carefully slaloming a path around the garden beds and ornaments in the back of the Longbottom Hall property. Though he flatly refused to climb higher than about ten feet off the ground, he was definitely becoming more comfortable riding the broom.
'Who knew that allowing one foot to hang while riding made it a hell of a lot easier to learn to ride?' he thought. 'A counterweight, Harry had called it.'
At the end of the second hour, Harry led the pair of them back to the back patio of the Hall and lightly touched down, Neville was only a few moments behind.
Turning his attention to the other boy, Harry grinned and said, "See? Not all that much to it. What you need to do now is practice doing that. Then, once you're more comfortable keeping your balance, have both feet up and on the pegs."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Neville smiled back and said, "That was a lot easier."
Harry, still smiling, said, "That's because you weren't forced to ride on a death-trap of a broom that should have been burned fifty years ago for being unsafe."
Neville nodded and led the two back inside, stopping at the broom closet to drop off 'his' broom as he did.
"Well," sighed Harry. "I must be off. Dobby should have afternoon tea ready by now. And I don't want him turning up here berating me for missing it."
Neville gave a small snort of amusement.
"Now," said Harry, as they headed for the floo. "Can you write down the floo addresses of Greengrass, Davis, Bones and Abbott and send them to me by 'elf express'?"
Curious, Neville replied, "I can do that. Why?"
"Well, I was wondering," he replied. "Would you like to join Hermione and me as we go and visit them? I really need to properly introduce them to... not Miss Hermione Granger... but Lady Presumptive Hermione Granger. I've been a bit remiss in not letting them know."
Surprised and cursing himself for not thinking of it himself, Neville replied, "Yeah, I can do that. Expect my elf within the hour or so."
As they stopped in front of the floo, Harry smiled again and said, "Thanks, Nev."
A dash of floo powder into the fireplace, a call of 'Doghouse', a pause of a few moments and a call of 'Woof Woof' and Harry was gone.
Neville had just given a snort of amusement at the password used when he heard his father behind him. "You looked like you were starting to get over your fear of brooms out there."
Spinning about and looking at his Dad, Neville replied, "Yeah; I was, wasn't I?" And smiled.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Harry had just walked in through the back door at the Grangers' when he heard Hermione call, "We're in the dinette!"
Making his way up the stairs and heading for the kitchen he discovered the Grangers had obviously not long sat down.
Hermione looked to him and said, "I was just about to send Dobby to Neville's to let you know tea was ready."
"Thank you," he smiled. "But, as you can see, I figured it to be ready about now."
Monica piped up and asked, "Just where is Longbottom Hall, anyway?"
Harry thought about it and replied, "Ummm... It's near the seaside town of Skegness in Lincolnshire. You know the Longbottoms are of Viking stock, right? Or, haven't I mentioned that?"
"You haven't mentioned that, no," said Hermione. "But I figured they must be, considering their manor is named a Hall."
Wendell gave a snort and said, "That's about a five to six hour drive from here. And you can step in one floo and out the other in a few moments."
As he sat alongside Hermione, Harry gave one of his little knowing smirks and shrugged. A moment later there was a bowl of thick beef stew before him with a crusty bread roll alongside. Just the sort of stew to stick to your insides and the right type of bread to soak the juices of the stew up.
With a glance at Hermione he said, Neville's sending over a list of the floo addresses for the other junior members of the Alliance in about an hour. Then I'll floo call them all this afternoon and see about organising a visit with each of them for the two of us.
"Why visit them?" she asked. "Why not just write them?"
"Because, my dear sweet Lady Presumptive, I need to introduce you to them," he replied.
With a frown of confusion she said, "I already know them all, Harry―"
"No," he cut in. "Miss Hermione Granger knows them; Lady Presumptive Hermione Granger does not. As I said to Neville, I've actually been a little remiss in not taking you to visit them before now, as I really should have. But, I hope they'll forgive me considering a lot of that time was organising and accomplishing the waking of Lord and Lady Longbottom from their cursed states."
Monica smirked and said, "That... actually... makes a kind of sense."
Wendell, frowning, asked, "You actually have to introduce her?"
"To other Houses of the Alliance? Yes," he replied. "It's the way things are done."
Hermione sighed and said, "I'm going to have to get dressed up in wizarding garb again, aren't I?"
"Yes," he replied. "But, not formal, or even semi-formal. They're of allied Houses so, like the Longbottoms, we go in upmarket casual."
"This is one of those reasons you purchased that clothing for me, wasn't it?" she almost scowled.
He shrugged, "One of the reasons, yes."
Wendell asked, "You bought her clothes?"
Monica hadn't even batted an eye, so Harry knew she already knew about the clothes.
"Yes," he simply replied. "As was explained to Hermione at the time... and confirmed by the aurors who were with us and the sales assistant at Madam Malkins... Hermione is now a representative of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Black and Potter. She needs to dress the part.
"That's why Sirius and I will be buying her suitable clothing for her role as Lady Presumptive. Neither of us believe it's something you should be paying for." With a grin he said, "Don't sweat it. We'll leave the purchase of her muggle wardrobe to you, still."
Wendell gave a grunt of amusement and clearly accepted the decision while Monica just grinned back at Harry.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Longbottom Hall, Neville was sitting down with his parents to their own afternoon tea.
After discussing a bit about Harry's visit, Alice asked Neville, "Feel more comfortable on a broom now?"
"Yeah," said Neville. "I'm surprised, really. Harry was right about those school brooms. I guess they're the real reason why I developed a fear of them."
"Your grandmother never allowed you to ride one before you went to school?" asked his father.
"No," he sighed. "She said it was too dangerous and I should wait until I was taught properly at school."
His father said, "Normally, I might have even agreed with her on that. However, it sounds as if the brooms at school are in poor condition."
"They're ancient," Neville replied. "I really don't see why they still use them."
Frank and Alice glanced to one another before Alice said, "That's something we'll be discussing with Headmistress Marchbanks, Albus Dumbledore and Madam Hooch when we see them."
Frank thought for a bit before he said, "When you send your letter to Harry with the floo addresses of the other Heirs of the Alliance who are still at Hogwarts, I want you to suggest to him you join him when he goes."
"He's already asked and I've already said I would," replied Neville.
Then he thought through why his father was suggesting it and realised why. "You want me and Harry to show a unified front of the two named Houses. Harry did exactly the same thing while we were at Hogwarts, before Gran picked me up to bring me back here after the First Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
Frank nodded and said, "Precisely. Then, once you two... or, rather, three... pay your respects, I'll be following up to call the Alliance together for a meeting a couple of days after Christmas."
Neville thought a bit and asked, "Do you want me to hint at that?"
Frank smiled and glanced at his wife before looking back, "That would be helpful, yes."
Neville felt good knowing he'd correctly guessed his Dad's intentions.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
About half an hour after they'd finished tea, the Longbottom's inside house elf, Fluxy, popped in before Harry with a note. "From Master Neville, Lord Potter, Sir," she said.
As he was standing next to the kitchen counter at the time, Harry gestured to it and said, "On the counter, please, Fluxy. And, thank you."
With a snap of her fingers Fluxy magicked the note to the counter and popped away again.
Harry immediately drew his wand and cast detection charms over the note, finding it clear.
Opening it, he saw that Neville had come through for him. He now had the floo addresses for the Abbotts, Boneses, Davises, and Greengrasses.
Turning around and about to call out to the girl, he saw Hermione was already leaning on the door-frame of the dinette and smiling at him.
"Good; you're here," he said. "Neville's come through for me." And held up the note.
About to reach out and pluck it from his fingers, she stopped at the last moment and almost snatched her hand back. This time she asked, "May I?"
He smiled in pleasure and offered it to her. "Yes, you may."
Taking it she quickly read through it and asked, "To the Doghouse to floo call them?"
"Definitely," he agreed.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After placing the calls, starting with Bones, he and Hermione had the visits lined up in short order.
They would visit with Susan at 9.00am, Hannah at 10.30am, return back to the Grangers' for lunch, visit with Daphne at 1.00pm and Tracey at 2.30pm. As far as he was concerned that would mean a pretty full day.
After pulling his head out of the fire of the last call, to the Greengrasses, he saw Hermione was sitting in one of the two armchairs now in the room that sat with their back's to the door with a small side table between them. She had a lap-table on her lap and was writing on a sheet of parchment with a quill.
"Is an hour and a half too long or not long enough?" she asked, worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth.
"As I said, it's more than enough," he said. "Don't forget, I've also told them each that we'll be visiting the others throughout the day.
"Besides, I told them each almost four weeks ago we'd meet again in a month. It had slipped all our minds that would have put the date between Christmas and New Year. That wouldn't have been fair to any of us.
"By going now I fulfil that desire for us to all meet again, introduce you as the new Lady Presumptive of the House of Potter, free them of doubt about whether to recognise you or not when it comes to gifts for Christmas and allows everyone to not have the meeting hanging over their head on Christmas Day."
Hermione nodded, recognising the truth in his words.
His last call was to Neville to let him know to be at their place just before 9.00am, or come over at 7.30am if he wanted breakfast with them first. Plus, who they would be visiting and when.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After Ted had left Bagman's office, the ex-Quidditch star trembled for a while, downed a couple of shots of firewhiskey and finally floo-called Marchbanks.
After hearing what the man was blubbering about, she called him through.
It took the application of a Calming draught before she could make heads or tails of what the man was going on about.
"You have to do something," the fat man blubbered.
Marchbanks sighed and said, "I've already done it."
Perking up, Bagman asked, "What?"
"First, I've already discussed the matter with Highmaster Karkaroff and Headmistress Maxime," she explained. "We have decided there will not be hostages for the Second Task. They will, instead, rescue an item that is of importance to each of them."
Bagman immediately sat back, relieved.
He sighed, "Now we just have to figure out what is more important to them that a hostage."
She frowned at him and snapped, "Foolish man! No, we don't. Have you even listened to the clue?"
"Of course!" he exclaimed.
She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Bagman, you're an idiot. We ask them, of course."
"What?" he asked, before he understood. "Oh. But part of the Task is for them to discover what it is."
"Oh?" she asked, a little snarkily. "And just where in the clue or the rules does it say that?"
After thinking about it for a few moments he suddenly deflated and quietly said, "Oh."
Exasperated with the man she said, "Go back to the Ministry, Ludo. And let those of us who can think things through figure this out."
He left less than a minute later, feeling like a school boy who'd just disappointed his favourite professor.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
With all the House of Potter documents dealt with, both teens found themselves with little to do.
Harry asked, "So, what do we do with the rest of our day?"
With a small smile on her face, Hermione just shrugged. "Perhaps... What do you think about the idea of going to see a movie?"
Surprised by the suggestion, Harry thought about it before he replied, "You know what? Why not? But, is there a cinema within walking distance?"
"Yep," she immediately replied. "Down near Centre Court Shopping Centre, near the train station."
"How do we find out what's on, so we don't just go down there and find it's some sappy romance, or something?" he asked.
She gave him a funny look and asked, "'Sappy romance', Harry? Really?"
He blushed a little and replied, "Well, it might be something you want to see, but I'm a bloke. Perhaps, something like a comedy would appeal to us both?"
She gave a snort of amusement and said, "I'll go have a look for a copy of the home-delivered free local paper and see if it's covered in there. I'm pretty sure it usually is."
After finding a copy, the two found the advertisements for the local cinema and found what they wanted to watch. With matching grins, they rose, alerted their auror detail and Hermione's parents as to where they were going and left.
As soon as they were out the door, Monica turned to Wendell and said, "He's finally taking her out on what I'd consider a date."
Wendell sighed and said, "He's been a good boy and not set one foot wrong. I still worry he will, though."
Monica asked, "What movie have they decided they're going to see?"
Wendell gave a snort and said, "The Santa Clause, would you believe?"
Monica chuckled and said, "Not exactly a romantic movie, is it?"
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
It had taken a while, but Andi was standing in front of her potions station in Saint Mungo's smiling at the potion they had just managed to complete.
Taking a deep breath and sigh of relief, she set about bottling the potion and setting it aside to cool.
It had taken her, the Head Potions Master of the hospital and two of his third year apprentices to determine how to counteract the potion inside Remus Lupin and brew the tricky counter-potion.
At first, the Potions Master was against the attempt. However, both his professional ethics and the desire to solve the challenge brought him into the project with his two apprentices.
"Damnable nasty thing," grumbled the Potions Master. "And you're saying this was Albus Dumbledore?"
"It definitely points to it," she nodded, as she ladled the potion.
"Well, I'll be keeping the research notes and how the solution was developed with hospital records," he huffed. "It's a variant of the potion he used on Persephone Pomfrey."
"I figured as much," she replied. "It was your development of that potion that led me to the base for developing this counter-agent."
"And this worked on a werewolf?" he asked.
"Yep," she replied.
"Good to know," he muttered.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
When the two teens returned from their visit to the cinema, walking hand in hand, they were both laughing and generally having a good time.
Monica, first to see them, asked, "Good movie?"
"Funny," grinned Harry. "I really felt for the main character. He was locked into a contract he had no idea he was being entered into, just like me. However, his is for life, while mine is just for eight months. It kinda put things in perspective."
Monica smiled back and said, "At least you took something from it, then."
Harry gave a nod and then clapped and rubbed his hands together enthusiastically, "Anyway; time to think about what to cook for dinner."
As he spun away, he gave Hermione a quick peck on the cheek, said "Thanks for both the idea and the company, 'Mione." And quickly left, heading for the kitchen.
He didn't notice Hermione suddenly blush pink and look away, her father roll his eyes or Monica smirk at his back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The four were just sitting down to breakfast the next morning when Harry felt the alert of the floo and saw one of the aurors jog out the back towards the Doghouse.
Harry, closest to the window as usual, rose in his seat enough to look out.
As soon as he saw who stepped out ahead of the auror from the ex-shed, he smiled and called, "Dobby. One more for breakfast, please."
"Yes, Master Harry, Sir," Dobby called back.
"Who is it, Harry?" asked Wendell.
As he was sitting back down, Harry smiled back and said, "Neville's just turned up."
Less than a minute later, the boy walked in through the door closest to the stairs that led down to the lower ground floor. "Good morning!" he greeted them all with a smile.
It took less than a moment for both Harry and Hermione to see the boy now moved with an almost assured confidence. He was also dressed wizarding casual, but of decent quality.
"Good morning, Neville," said Hermione. "Take a seat, if you would. Still hungry?"
Sitting on the chair at the end of one side of the table, he smiled back and replied, "According to my Mum, I'm always hungry."
Immediately a plate appeared before him with poached eggs and grilled bacon on toast. A cup of tea appeared near his right hand, but further back.
Monica gave a snort and quietly said, "Typical teenage boy, then."
Neville just grinned, gave a shrug and picked up his cutlery.
Hermione asked, "Everything settling down at the Hall?"
With his mouth already full, Neville just nodded back.
A little while later he suddenly perked up, swallowed what was in his mouth at the time and said, "Oh! I meant to tell you when you came over to go broom riding. That sweet drink and the popcorn I ate when I was over here last time?"
When Harry smirked and nodded, he continued, "It caused me to fall asleep right after dinner. Is that what you meant by 'sugar crash'?"
Harry laughed and replied, "Yup. I hope your parents weren't too upset about that."
He grinned and replied, "Nope. They thought it was hilarious."
Hermione then had to explain to her parents what happened. They, too, thought it was funny.
Once breakfast was complete and the Daily Prophet read, it was time for the three teens to head down to the Doghouse to floo to Bones Manor. It was 8.57am.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ