Chapter Forty - Pottermore
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 Forty - Pottermore
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―==(oIo)==―
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Walden MacNair was not a happy customer. It had taken him more than a week to find where the mudblood Granger lived.
He'd first had to purchase all the necessary ingredients to create a scrying potion to track down the location of the Potter brat. Then, when he'd tried it, it didn't work.
After checking all his preparations he realised he'd done nothing wrong. That meant the boy had anti-scrying wards up. That was not really a surprise.
Next, he again brewed the scrying potion and spent considerable effort in acquiring something of the mudblood, Granger, to attempt to scry her. To make sure she wasn't currently out visiting someone at the time he tried to scry for her, he waited until the very early hours of the morning.
Thankfully, it worked.
He had managed to locate her in a muggle suburb that looked, to his pureblood senses, to be quite the affluent neighbourhood.
Now, he could have just directly approached the house. However, he did not manage to attain the rank of Master Executioner for the Ministry by being an idiot.
He spent quite some time staking the place out under both an invisibility cloak and disillusionment charm, while 'camped' on the front lawn of the house across the road.
Carefully, he cast detection charms towards the house, expecting to find none, but was shocked to find that the house was quite well warded.
He detected anti-apparation, anti-portkey, anti-fire, magical signature-based, intent-based, anti-(underaged-)magic detection, various and multiple alert and even DMLE-only wards. Other than the DMLE-only and a couple of the alert wards, the rest all appeared to be fed from a ward keystone. If he was to attempt it, those would take time to be brought down. However, there was another ward, obviously tied to a well-hidden ward keystone, that made his dark mark ache when he first approached it. That told him it was a dark mark detection ward, or something similar.
But, those weren't his only problems he knew about. He had also seen aurors, who were obviously some form of protection detail, coming and going at odd times. And, his monitoring of their movements, showed him there was always at least three on the property at all times; sometimes, more.
However, he had another problem of which he was unaware. An Unspeakable was standing not too far behind him, watching him, even through the invisibility cloak and Notice-Me-Not charm he had upon himself.
In his own mind, though, he was trying to figure out what to tell his master, Voldemort. He was completely unprepared for the very close cast from behind. A compulsion charm to try and get as much information as he could, while also determining he had not yet collected enough and being reticent to share the information he'd already collected.
After thinking about packing it up for the day once darkness began to creep in, he unwittingly changed his mind and resettled himself to wait a few hours more.
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―==(oIo)==―
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As arranged, Neville flooed to the Granger Residence the next morning as breakfast was winding down. Though he'd eaten that morning, already, he claimed he was 'up' for a second, though smaller, serving.
When Harry turned a curious look on him the boy blushed a little and said, "I eat early so I can spend time in the greenhouses. Plus, I... left room for Dobby's cooking." The last bit said with a bit of a mumble.
Harry laughed and said, "No need to be embarrassed about it, Neville. I happen to have it on good authority the aurors are now fighting for a placement on my protection detail, just so they get the opportunity to sample Dobby's cooking."
"And yours, Harry," said Monica. "You're an even better cook than he is."
While Harry blushed at the praise, still not used to it, Dobby also heard and was both pleased for his master and determined to better his culinary skills to beat said master.
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―==(oIo)==―
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Before heading out to go shopping, though, Harry had to take Neville upstairs to properly outfit him in mugglewear. Hermione had determined that what he was wearing didn't quite 'make the grade', as far as she was concerned.
It wasn't until he realised he now 'outmassed' his friend, though, that Harry discovered the other boy would now easily fit into the clothes he purchased only a little over a week ago and he'd just outgrown.
A quick adjustment of size and Neville looked every inch the muggle. He was dressed in dark grey slacks, black loafers and belt, a white T-shirt as an undershirt and a black shirt. Over that went a white/grey/black patterned cardigan and a configured knee length dark grey overcoat with black gloves that an auror configured for him out of transfiguring an old waist length brown coat he was wearing.
Harry was wearing dark brown loafers and slacks with dark brown belt, together with a dark yellow shirt over a white T-shirt similar to Neville. Then over that went a tanned jumper and his own overcoat, of a similar style to Neville, with brown gloves.
When they came back downstairs, with Neville feeling a little self-conscious, Monica beamed a wide grin at them both. "Looking good, you two." That relaxed the boy, as he smiled back.
When Hermione came down she was wearing an over-the-knee length dress in a floral pattern on light blue, with heavy stockings on her legs. On her feet she wore a closed-toe semi-high heeled shoe of a burgundy, which matched one of the main colours of the flowers and her purse. Her overcoat was black; but, one of the aurors colour-changed it to a dark burgundy to match her shoes and purse.
"Very nice," smiled Monica, giving a nod of satisfaction looking at the three of them. "Now; where are you planning on going to shop?"
"I... really didn't have much of an idea," admitted Hermione.
Harry immediately said, "Harrods."
He didn't see the look of surprise on the Grangers' faces as he'd already turned to the aurors and said, "I suggest a portkey to the Leaky Cauldron and a taxi to the store from there."
"Close," smiled the senior female auror; Charlotte Watkins, again. "Portkey to the Leaky is right, but we'll have a Ministerial car waiting for us outside the muggle-side doors of the pub to take us where we need to go. It's already been arranged."
"We rank a Ministerial car?" asked Neville.
"One's now semi-permanently assigned to the Potter Protection Detail, just for these sort of issues," she replied. "Madam Bones organised it."
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―==(oIo)==―
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Once final checks were done - with the aurors reminding them, once again, not to try to lose them and be mindful of where they were at all times - the three, with their two aurors, headed out to the portkey point just inside the front gate and portkeyed away. The aurors both had their wands out and ready as the portkey was voice-activated.
As soon as they landed in the Leaky's portkey point, the aurors immediately hustled them all out the front door and onto the street. The car was sitting there with its engine running and the driver behind the wheel, waiting. The car had matching car width back seats that faced one another east/west.
Charlotte, hustled them in and, once they were settled, said to the driver, "Harrods, I believe."
"Yes, Ma'am," the driver immediately replied before indicating to pull away from the curb.
From where he was sitting on the passenger-side of the backseat that faced forward - Charlotte sat in the back seat opposite facing him, ready to step out first once they got there - Neville's head was swivelling this way and that trying to take it all in.
"Not been out into the muggle world, at all, Neville?" asked Hermione.
"No," he replied. "Gran never wanted to, so I never got a chance to go... come."
"Then this'll be an eye-opening experience for you," she said.
"It already is," he grinned back.
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―==(oIo)==―
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After a fifteen minute drive that took them almost right past the palace then beyond, the driver pulled up outside of Harrods on Brompton Road. Both Harry and Hermione were relieved that Neville was not so much swivelling his head all about the place trying to look at everything at the same time, any more.
When the car came to a stop in a cab 'drop' zone, the driver half turned about and quietly said, "We're here." And indicated the store with a flick of his fingers."
With Charlotte leading and the other auror bringing up the rear, the three teens moved into the store.
Once inside, Hermione asked, "Where to, first?"
"Ladies section," Harry immediately replied. "I promised you I'd buy you some nice muggle clothes and this is the best place for it."
After Hermione gave him a look, she then gave a huff and said, "Fine. Then we're off to the men's section. You're getting a whole new wardrobe, whether you like it or not. And, while we're there, we can do something permanent about Neville's muggle wardrobe, too."
That was something Harry had expected so he wasn't so much worried about it. He'd already figured that'd be Hermione's immediate 'retaliation'.
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―==(oIo)==―
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After spending quite a bit of time in both the ladies' and mens' sections of the store, the five then moved to one of the in-store restaurants for lunch. They didn't have to worry about bags, because Harry had also paid for the lot to be delivered to Hermione's home address.
Next, Harry suggested they go to the electronics section, so Neville could get a good look at just what 'marvels' the muggles used in their everyday life.
They almost had to drag the boy out after an hour because it was clear he was shocked almost senseless from what he'd seen. Thankfully, Hermione was a quiet and patient teacher for him, going over just what everything did and how they were used in the home, in business and in everyday life.
As they still had time, to please the boy they also went into the gardening section of the store. Again, he was stunned. He had no idea there were things like portable greenhouses available. And the automated watering systems clearly had the boy trying to figure out how to use them in a wizarding home or business.
Harry took one look at Neville's focus on the demonstration model of a quite commonly known and used black poly-pipe home-build reticulation system that he surreptitiously bought the boy an expanded 'starter' pack that did not include electronics. This one just screwed onto a garden tap using a garden hose connection. He even added a few rolls of fifty metre each 12mm tubing, a 10m roll of 6mm tubing, plus extra anchors, connectors of each size, 'T's, elbows and various sprinklers to plug into the system. The order would be added to the delivery order coming to Hermione's home the next morning.
However, after a stop for afternoon tea because Harry's stomach was growling again, they finally went to the delivery section and organised for all the purchases to be delivered the next day.
"We'll floo you with what we've purchased for you after it all arrives, Neville," said Hermione, just as they were walking out.
"This 'Home Delivery Service' idea is a marvellous concept," said the boy. "I wonder why we don't have similar in the wizarding world."
"House elves, Neville," said Harry. "They make the idea somewhat pointless."
Nodding, Neville hopped into the car, which they'd only had to wait for a few minutes for it to arrive.
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―==(oIo)==―
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Once back at the Leaky and they were once again climbing out of the car, Hermione asked, "Do we have time to go to Madam Malkins before we have to be back at my place?"
When neither boy, or the aurors, said 'No', Hermione gave a firm nod and said, "Then we can use the time left to go into the Alley. I want to pick up a couple of modern books on nobility in the wizarding world and Harry, now that he seems to have finished growing so fast, needs to build up his wizardingwear."
When Harry looked about to disagree, she frowned back and said, "You also need to replace your Hogwarts robes, Harry."
Right then Harry knew he'd lost. She was right; he did need to replace his Hogwarts robes.
After 'delivering' the two boys to Madam Malkins and 'demanding' the store-witches outfit Harry in new Hogwarts robes and more casual wear robes, she took off for Flourish and Blotts.
Surprising Harry, Charlotte stayed with them while the male and a junior auror who'd joined them had to take off to try and keep up with Hermione.
Once Harry was properly outfitted with a very much expanded wizarding wardrobe, with the witches declaring how much he was 'growing like a weed', he also made sure Neville's wardrobe was suitable.
When Hermione still hadn't made it back, they went down to Flourish and Blotts to look for her.
She was standing at a shelf scanning through a large pile of books and trying to decide which ones she should get.
Harry just rolled his eyes, sighed, scooped them all up and took them to the counter to pay for them. Stunned, Hermione was a few seconds before she had to hurry to catch up, just as Harry was paying for them.
"Harry!" she exclaimed, when he took off with all 'her' books.
Once she caught up at the counter, she grumped, "I didn't need all of them, Harry."
"But you wanted all of them," he said. "As it's easily within my ability to grant it, I simply bought them all."
When it looked like Hermione couldn't make up her mind whether to be angry or happy, Neville just snorted in amusement.
Hermione glared at him for a moment while Harry finalised the purchase.
Harry then turned back with the shrunken package and said, "There; done. Let's get out of here."
"Thank you," said Charlotte. "I don't like the idea you're here without proper protection and undisguised."
Harry smirked back and said, "Look at me. I look so much different than I looked only a few weeks ago that anyone who 'knows' me, now won't recognise me."
"You still have the glasses and the scar, Lord Potter," she disagreed.
"For now," he muttered.
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―==(oIo)==―
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When they finally arrived by portkey back at the Granger residence, Harry tried to immediately head for the kitchen to stake his claim at cooking for that night.
As he'd already started, Dobby was having none of it.
"Damn it!" grumped Harry.
"Master Harry needs to change," said Dobby. "Master Harry be havings a very busy day and needs to tell the Grangys about it. Master Harry should relax."
"I should fire you and throw your mangy arse out into the street in Knockturn Alley," Harry barked. "There, you'll be reduced to begging hags to allow you to clean their shoes of dog turds with your tongue!"
"Master Harry be sayings the nicest things," chirped the elf. "Master Harry be such a wonderful master!"
Stumped for a comeback, it was a moment before Harry just again barked, "Damn it!" And stomped from the kitchen.
As he walked into the parlour, where Monica was relaxing with paperwork spread on the coffee table before her, she said, "Leave Dobby alone, Harry. He's doing a good job."
"He's taking mine!" he grumped. "And he knows it, too; the scrawny little―"
Snapping her eyes to him she snapped back, "Harry."
Taking a deep breath he let it out in a long sigh. Then said, "Sorry."
She gave a nod back before turning her attention back to her papers. "He's right, though. You need to change; or, at least get rid of the coat, gloves and jumper."
Neville, who was still there and was snickering, stood and said, "I'd best get home. My parents will be waiting and wondering how my day went."
Harry gave a firm nod back and said, "I'll walk with you to the floo."
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―==(oIo)==―
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After reminding the boy he and Hermione would see to his purchases being sent over once they were delivered to the Granger residence, Harry saw the boy off before returning inside and going up to his room to shed himself of layers.
After disrobing of the coat, gloves and jumper, he then went ahead and removed the rest down to his boxers and socks before redressing in jeans, collared T-shirt and light jumper. On his feet he just donned trainers with Velcro fasteners.
As he came out, he was just in time to meet up with Hermione, who was coming down from her room wearing similar. On her, though, he thought it looked much better.
As they were walking down the stairs he asked, "How do you get into those jeans, Love? They look as if they're painted on."
Smiling at the unintentional compliment, she replied, "With practice, Love."
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―==(oIo)==―
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Through dinner, the two teens took turns explaining their day to the Granger parents.
"Twice, there, I thought we broke him," said Harry. "He was so stunned by what he'd seen I thought it might have been a toss up whether he was going to faint or run screaming in terror."
"He wasn't that bad," smiled Hermione. "He was surprised, though. By the end of it, however, he started to be able to handle it better."
"That's why you recommended a swing through Diagon, wasn't it?" he asked her. However, it was more a statement than a question.
Surprised, she replied, "Yes, actually. But, I did want to see you increase your wizarding wardrobe to go along with your muggle wardrobe. And you did need to replace your Hogwarts' wardrobe. Plus, yes, I also did want to pick up those books. Alice and Adeline both recommended them.
"Alice, from a half-blood's perspective and first being 'elevated' to the role of a Lady Presumptive, when she became betrothed to Frank. And, Adeline, from a pureblood perspective, who grew up her whole life in a Noble House."
"Nice," he nodded. "But, if you need any more and know the titles, let me know. I can easily send Dobby in to purchase them for you."
She nodded and said, "I'd forgotten about that; Dobby being able to go in, I mean."
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―==(oIo)==―
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That evening, Croaker walked into the Knight's Shadow team bullpen and said, "A problem has arisen. A known Death Eater, the Axe, has begun to stake out the White Knight's hidey-hole."
"Damn!" said one. "Anything being done about it?"
"Eagle's managed to tag him with a compulsion charm that has him thinking he hasn't collected enough information yet, plus another that compulses him not to speak about what he knows until he does have enough information."
One of the others, Crow, gave a snort and said, "That's clever. We'll have to make note of that idea. It could come in handy in the future."
Owl asked, "Is the Axe 'sanctioned'?"
He meant, was deemed to be killed if that's what it took to ensure his silence.
"No," replied Croaker. "Instead, we're going to put a tracker rune on him the next time he turns up."
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―==(oIo)==―
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Their purchases from Harrods arrived almost right on the time the store told them they'd be delivered, a few minutes after 11.00am.
After accepting the delivery, paying the driver a tip for his professionalism and closing the door again as the man retreated up the front path, Harry called Dobby to take the clothes and other goods and put them in his and Hermione's rooms. "Once you've done that, can you take the stuff for Neville over to Longbottom Hall for me, with my compliments?"
"Of course, Master Harry," replied the elf.
Once Dobby had popped away, Harry bolted for the kitchen.
If he knew the elf as he thought he did, he would not just take the clothes upstairs, but would also remove them of tags and the like, probably given them a wash, re-press them and put them away.
That gave Harry some time to get into the kitchen and prepare lunch.
Chuckling to himself, he was quick to start whipping something up for the household.
He had no idea Dobby had popped in invisibly just as Harry got started, looked at his master with exasperation and silently popped away again. Dobby would let his master 'win' this one, just to keep the game interesting for him.
The elf returned to the kitchen half an hour later to the sight of Harry humming some muggle tune while happily working.
"Master Harry being a bad master," he declared.
Harry just happily blew him a raspberry and kept working. "Better luck next time, sawn off!"
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―==(oIo)==―
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When MacNair turned up on the same lawn the next evening, he had no idea that, moments after he arrived, he was stunned, had a tiny rune stone with a tracker rune engraved on it 'surgically' inserted into the skin in the hollow at the base of the back of his skull, taken back to the exact place he'd been stunned, woken, obliviated of the whole event and left.
The Unspeakable who did it, Kite, just continued to watch him to both make sure he didn't figure out he'd been discovered and obliviated, or didn't do anything stupid as it related to the Grangers and the White Knight.
He also had the information the White Knight was living there, which he'd only the previous evening managed to confirm, obliviated from his mind, too.
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―==(oIo)==―
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The next morning was the day of Harry's surgery.
He'd at first had a restless night. But, unbeknownst to him, Dobby had been alerted to his master's distress in the middle of the night and had popped in to cast an elven calming charm on him. It had worked.
Therefore, when Harry arose at 7.00am, he'd felt the most rested he'd felt in he didn't know when.
Of course, due to the surgery he couldn't eat that morning. So, was thankful the potions were no longer still pressing him to eat.
Dobby had even thought he'd done something wrong when Harry wouldn't eat the breakfast he'd lovingly prepared for him."
"I can't eat, my friend," Harry gently explained. "Muggle surgery requires the patient to be, as they call it, 'Nil By Mouth' for up to eight hours before the surgery is due to start. As mine is only a few hours away, I'm already under doctor's orders not to eat."
He'd no sooner finished explaining things to the elf when the Grangers came down. Even Hermione was down early.
"While you folks eat, I'm going to be in my room, reading," he told them. "Let me know when Andi arrives, please."
"Will do, Harry," said Hermione.
It was only a half hour before Hermione knocked on his door.
He looked up, saw her and asked, "She's here?"
"Sure is," she replied. "Ready to go?"
"Yup," he replied, rising from the chair at his desk and picking up an overnight bag.
Hermione frowned at it and said, "You're not staying overnight, Harry. You're coming out this afternoon."
"Very occasionally there are complications, Love," he explained. "As such, I'll be prepared for that." And jiggled the bag he was a carrying a little.
Hermione gave a sigh, but nodded in agreement. Bracing herself up again, she firmly said, "Come on. They're waiting for us downstairs."
Because of Andi also attending, Harry thought they might be portkeying there. However, they actually drove in the two Granger cars. The aurors had firmly stated they weren't being left behind.
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―==(oIo)==―
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Andi and Doctor Dolittle had the surgery timed down just right. An hour after Harry arrived and was 'checked-in', he was on a hospital bed and being wheeled into surgery under the affects of a medication that made him slightly drowsy and carefree about the whole thing. He was even 'singing', if it could actually be called that seeing as how off-key he was, something by Monty Python called 'I'm a Lumberjack'; which he kept stopping as he had a short giggling fit.
Two hours later he was waking up in a recovery room with Tonks and the Grangers around him. Sirius had also turned up by then and was there and waiting for his godson to wake.
As he woke he felt the pressure on his forehead and began to reach up for it. Obviously they were prepared for it as, as soon as his hand began to rise, Hermione grabbed it and held it away from his head. "Don't touch it, Harry."
Groggy, it took him a while to start to put the pieces together again.
Finally, he asked for a mouthful of water, which he got, before he asked, "How'd it go?"
"Successfully," Andi was happy to reply. "The... dark miasma... was all removed, as expected, and Doctor Dolittle was able to connect the remaining tissue together with microsurgery.
"You're going to feel tight across your forehead until I can apply magical healing to you once we get you back t the Grangers'. So, don't touch it until I'm done."
Harry nodded and relaxed, still quite groggy.
Thankfully, there were no complications and Harry was released into Andi's and the Grangers' care late that afternoon.
The biggest surprise for Harry was it wasn't until he was getting dressed again that he realised he wasn't wearing his glasses. The removal of the Horcrux had also removed his need to wear them.
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―==(oIo)==―
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As soon as they were able to get back to the Grangers', again in the cars, Andi carefully removed the bandages and plaster, laid him down on a conjured healer's examination table, stunned him, vanished the stitching and used her wand to heal the again gaping wound - removing the stitches had allowed it to open up.
Doing it her way meant new skin formed to replace the skin that was excised in the surgery, so Harry didn't end up with a constant feeling of tightness across his forehead as his body adjusted to the near half inch wide missing section of dermis.
After the skin was regrown she immediately checked to see if the area still emanated dark energy, signifying the Horcrux was still there - it didn't. With a sigh of relief she quietly informed Sirius, "Harry's definitely now free of the... item."
Once he was awake again, the only requirement she had for him was to use scar reduction cream on the site for the next week to ensure the new skin, which was still a little pink, didn't leave a new scar. She also promised there would be no sign of it before he and Hermione returned to Hogwarts.
"Just so long as you remember to apply the cream twice a day between now and then," she'd warned.
Hermione was almost bouncing in jittery happiness for him. "Without your scar or glasses, together with your new fit build, there's going to be many who aren't going to recognise you, any more."
Sirius said, "Hermione's right. The only true signs you're Harry Potter now are your messy black hair and your green eyes. The only thing you can do about your hair is to use Sleak-Ezy through it. And all that can be done about your eyes is the wearing of coloured contacts.
"Don't you dare!" said Hermione. "While I might like to see an improvement in his hair, I happen to love the colour of his eyes."
Harry grinned and said, "I had thought about contacts. But, I'd have only gone that route if I still had to wear glasses. Since I do no longer, I'm not going to wear contacts, either."
Since the parents were present, Hermione satisfied herself with a quick kiss to the lips and not the full snogging she wanted to give him.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
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For the rest of the day, Harry recovered more and more from the surgery. However, he was getting frustrated by how much Dobby was trying to 'mother' him.
With an annoyed sigh after the devoted little elf tried to hand off on him his third cup of hot chocolate in the past four hours, he had to tell the little guy, "Dobby, I'm fiiiiine. All they needed to do was cut a section of skin out of my forehead and stitch the resultant cut back together.
"Once I got back here, cousin Andi even healed that small wound. It's not as if I've had a leg blown off, or something."
Dobby calmly heard him out and then said, "Dobby understands. However, Dobby be cooking dinner tonight. Master Harry still bes a bit wobbly-wonky on his feetsies." And popped away before Harry could disagree.
Hermione snickered and said, "Oh, let him have this one, Harry. If I remember correctly, you did take 'his' chance to prepare lunch yesterday."
Grumpily, he asked, "And all the times he's taken mine for dinner?"
"So, he's up a few," she grinned. "Let it be. Besides, he's right. Doctor Dolittle said you weren't to operate any heavy machinery, drive, or anything like that for at least the first twenty four hours. In other words, things that take constant concentration to do safely. I think we can include 'cooking' anything as being on that list."
With a sigh he muttered, "Damn it."
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―==(oIo)==―
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Even as early as the next morning there was marked improvement in Harry's rapidly healing wound. The deep redness and swelling had already faded some, with the swelling almost completely gone already.
As Harry walked into the dinette, a little later than usual as Wendell and Monica were already up, Wendell stood to cut him off just before he could sit.
He took one close look at the healing wound and said, "That's amazing. It gives all the appearance of more than a week having passed since the surgery and it's been less than a full day."
"That's magical healing for you," said Harry, as he sat down at the dinette to eat.
"Are you planning on going anywhere, today?" asked Monica.
"No," he replied. "I prepared for there to be complications from the surgery and that I'd be longer than I thought I would be. So, I had thought I'd possibly still be in hospital, at the moment. I'm glad I'm not, but it also means today has nothing prearranged."
Wendell ordered, "Keep it that way. While using magical healing techniques have rapidly increased the rate of healing you're going through, you were still in surgery yesterday. It can take anywhere up to a few days for the drugs you were on to be fully cleansed from your system."
And that's exactly the sort of day Harry enjoyed. Hermione rose a short time later and then he and her spent the time watching some television up to lunch.
The afternoon was then spent writing letters to a few of their friends. Hermione was now also writing to Adeline and Alice, as they had suggested she do if she had any questions relating to the information contained in those books Harry had recently purchased for her.
On receiving a letter back by HEED from Alice, Hermione told him, "Alice suggests I spend time next summer at Longbottom Hall going through specialist etiquette lessons with her and Adeline."
"Live there, or floo back and forth?" he asked.
"Floo back and forth, I think," she replied. "I mean, it's near instantaneous travel, isn't it?"
He nodded and said, "Once I check the Potter manor to ensure for myself it's alright, I think I'll plan on living there next summer. If you want, I can make sure the floo is connected and operational so you can come and go as you please."
Hermione turned a smirk on him and asked, "Harry, are you asking me to come and live with you?"
Not panicked or otherwise upset by the idea or question, he calmly replied, "I'm asking you to come and spend time with me during your summer break. How long you stay there, or whether you just visit for the occasional day or stay longer, is entirely your choice."
As it was a quiet day for the Granger household and no parties or the like were going to be attended by them, no one was too tired to wait up for the changeover to 1995 at midnight. They even watched the BBC televised special that showed footage of crowds of people in Trafalgar Square and similar large open areas, as they counted down the time.
However, the entire household was a-bed by 12.30pm, at the latest.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
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The next day Harry still woke at his usual time, even though he'd been up late. However, he was the only one. The Grangers did not come down until just after 9.00am and Hermione was down about fifteen minutes later.
Harry had already eaten, but was drinking a tea while reading the Daily Prophet, as the others joined him.
Once Hermione was down, Monica asked, "What are you plans for today?"
Harry waited a moment before he said, "I think it's high time I paid a visit to the Potter manor. I don't know why I've kept putting it off, but... it's time I go."
That had Hermione perk up in subdued excitement. "Can I come, too?"
"Yes, of course," he replied. But, before she could suddenly leap to her feet and demand to go right there and then, he quickly added, "However, it's best I go on my own to start with. I need to see if the wards are still set to a war footing or not."
With a sigh of disappointment she asked, "How long will that take?"
"No idea," he replied. "However, it shouldn't take me long to grant access to you, your parents and our auror shadows. Depending on how much effort is required, I should be no more than... half an hour? I really don't know."
"Then, as you've finished your breakfast, how about you go now?" she asked.
He smirked at her and asked, "Eager to see your future home, are you?"
While she spluttered in half-denial half-laughter Harry could see that Wendell didn't react at all to his remark. It seems the man had finally accepted his little 'princess' was definitely going to marry him; it was only a question of 'when'.
When she tried to scowl back, Harry just grinned even wider.
"Fine!" she harrumphed "Yes, I'm eager to see where you and I are eventually going to live."
"I understand," he nodded. Quickly rising, he said, "No time like the present, then."
As he walked off to track down an auror to let them know where he was going, Monica looked to her daughter and said, "Don't expect some grand mansion, love. Not every princess gets to live in a palace."
"Actually," she said, "That's what I am expecting. I've seen the Potter family documents relating to the manor. From what I've read, the place is going to be huge."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After convincing the Senior Auror who had leadership of his auror detail that morning that he had to go alone to start with, Harry tossed floo powder within the fireplace and barked, "Pottermore!".
He was worried the connection wouldn't connect, but it did. As soon as it did he then barked the password, "Ex pura cordis!" (Latin: Pure of heart) And stepped through.
As he was not concentrating too much on the travel through the floo, he hesitated a moment before he exited when he arrived at the other end. And realised he'd simply stepped out.
'Hunh!' he thought. 'That's all there is to it? Just hesitate a moment before stepping out?' And sighed.
A moment later and a house elf wearing a grey Japanese keikogi - incorrectly, but commonly called, a 'gi' -with a gold belt tied about his waist and a Potter crest embroidered in matching grey silk styled on his left breast popped in right in front of him. It stood in an aggressive stance about twenty feet away and with its hands raised to attack.
"Why you be―?" it started to demand before it froze in shock for a moment. Then it suddenly dropped all aggressiveness, popped forward and began jumping up and down in front of him. "Little Master Harry! Little Master Harry!" it practically shouted in obvious glee.
After seeing how the Longbottom elves reacted to discovering Frank and Alice were awake, the behaviour of the elf did not surprise him. Just as it did not surprise him when the elf suddenly snapped its fingers and four more elves popped in, also capering about and shouting, "Little Master Harry is back! Little Master Harry has returned!"
He gave them a few moments before he calmly said, "Alright, that's enough."
Instantly, all five stopped and turned to look at him. All five were showing both happiness and near adoration in their expressions.
Harry held up his ring and said, "I, Lord Harrison James Potter, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, hereby lay claim to this abode, Pottermore, the Seat of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter. As I say, so let it be written."
Immediately there was a flash of magic from his ring. It was quickly followed by a slight golden glow coming from all five elves for a moment. They all beamed smiles back at him.
Looking down at the elves he then noticed that, while they all appeared to be dressed identically, there was one difference. Different to the first, who wore a gold belt, the others all wore a dark grey belt.
'Rankings?' he thought.
Looking to the first, he said, "I take it you're in charge of the elf population of the manor?"
"Yes, Master Harry," it immediately and enthusiastically replied. "I be The Jeeves, Willy." He then indicated the other four and said, "This be Betsy, Raggy, Tally and Pinty." Indicating them in the same order he said, "They be Ladies elf, Guest's elf, Ground's elf and Lower floor's elf. I be The Jeeves. I be... Major Domo."
"Excellent," said Harry. "First things first, I need to adjust the wards so some guests of mine can come through."
Willy gave a firm nod, snapped his fingers having the other elves all pop away again and said to Harry, "Willy will lead you to ward stone." Then he began to trot away.
Of course, Harry with his much longer legs, only needed to walk with a slightly lengthened stride to keep up.
Once down in the basement, Willy showed him what he needed to do to access the ward keystone, then what he needed to do to change the wards and helped Harry do it.
As he'd expected, the war wards were up and active. He first scaled back and turned off the lethal wards, then adjusted the non-lethal wards concerning 'intruders' to immediately immobilise and stun. Next, he added the full name of Hermione as a 'resident'; and Wendell, Monica, Sirius, Remus, Frank, Alice, Neville, Ted, Andi and 'Call-Me-Tonks' went into the permanent 'guest' list - with Dumbledore, whose name was down as a permanent guest, removed.
That then allowed him to reset the permanent wards with a new password, as well.
Into the temporary guest book he made sure the book was clear of all other names before adding the full names of the current auror detachment.
He knew he'd have to keep a separate list of full names of those he suspected would often or sometimes visit set with the book, so he wouldn't have to ask them for their full names in future. That would be the names of the Alliance members.
When he asked Willy about another related matter, the little elf told him there was a book only available to the Head of the House, which could apply to the lethal wards in cases of blood feuds and the like.
He immediately asked for it and the elf indicated the hidden niche in the brickwork next to the stone. "It's in there, Master."
Drawing it out, Harry saw there were quite the number of names actively listed within. He recognised all of them to be who he suspected as Death Eaters. One was Snape. However, on thinking about it, he realised he knew a few names that weren't there; so went ahead and added them. Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew, Walden MacNair, Corban Yaxley, Bartemius Crouch Jr and Igor Karkaroff all joined the list of names that included all three LeStranges, Avery, Dolohov and others.
Once done he closed the book and followed Willy's directions on how to activate the book's changes.
Finally, with all the changes he needed to do now done, he closed back up the hidden chamber wherein rested the stone and made his way back up to the main floor.
"Alright, Willy,' he said, once back in the welcoming parlour. "I need to go back to the Granger residence to round up my betrothed, her family and a couple of aurors who have it in their heads I need to be babysat. I'll be back soon."
"Very well, Master Harry," said the elf. "I'll let the others know."
As soon as Harry disappeared back through the floo, Willy called the others back and instructed them to begin to get the Manor ready. "Master Harry be bringing guests!" he declared. "Clean, clean, clean! Raggy be helpings Pinty be preparing lunchies; and Tally be helpings Betsy be cleanings!"
Happily, the five all popped away to work.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Stepping back out of the floo in the Doghouse, this time remembering to pause the moment before stepping out, Harry was happy he didn't so much as even stagger.
"Yessss!" he happily declared.
The auror waiting for him grinned and said, "I see you've figured it out."
"Yup!" he then declared. " Alright, time to go round up the troops."
He'd only just exited the little building to find Hermione hurrying down from the back door.
As soon as she reached him she started rapidly asking questions like her days of old. "Thank God you're safe! Is it still there? Did you have trouble with the wards? What's it like? Is it as big as the Longbottoms'; or bigger or smaller? Are there elves―"
"Hermione! Stop!" he barked.
That immediately shut her up and made her blush. "Sorry!" she squeaked, looking down and away.
With a sigh of frustration and acceptance, he instructed, "Come back up and inside and we'll round everyone up. As I hope you'll all join me to go and have a better look, you're going to find that you'll be able to answer most of your questions simply by looking for yourself."
"Umm... yeah," she said. "Sorry!"
Harry lead the way back up to the house and inside.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once everyone was rounded up, the whole household except one auror who'd remain behind, trooped down to the Doghouse.
Once inside, he reminded them, "Alright. The floo address is 'Pottermore'. And the new current password is 'Rule Britannia'. Everyone got that?"
When no one disagreed he tossed in a dash of floo powder and was away a few moments later. Again, he gave the short pause at the end before almost nimbly stepping out.
Pleased with his efforts in having finally figured out 'the secret' to floo travel, he stepped away just in time for the first auror to step through. Then, in quick succession, came Hermione, Wendell, Monica and the second auror.
That's also when Willy popped in.
Looking to the elf, Harry said, "Good. You're here."
"Of course, Master Harry," replied the elf.
"We have one more to join us," he told it. "I have a personal elf and I'd like to bring him over. Is that alright with you?"
"Of course, Master Harry," replied Willy. "Will he also be the new Jeeves?"
"No," replied Harry. "You remain Major Domo of Pottermore, if that's alright with you."
"Of course, Master Harry."
"He'll be my personal elf, who will also return with me to Hogwarts in a few days."
"Very well, Master Harry," replied the elf.
With a grin back, Harry suddenly commanded, "Dobby!"
Dobby arrived with the slightest of cracks a few moments later. "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"
Indicating Willy, Harry said, "Dobby, this is Willy. He is Major Domo of Pottermore and otherwise known as The Jeeves. He has four other elves under his leadership."
Turning to Willy to indicate Dobby he said, "This is Dobby. He is my personal elf and tends to go where I go."
Turning back to Dobby as both elves were looking each other over, Harry said, "Dobby, for ease of identity, I want you to dress the same as the other Potter elves here; but... I want you to have a silver belt, rather than the gold one Willy wears, or the grey ones the other elves wear. The silver is to show you to be my personal elf. Is that alright with you?"
"Of course, Master Harry, Sir!" Dobby immediately and happily replied. A snap of his fingers and he was wearing just as Harry described.
Turning back to Willy he said, "Sorry, I should have asked first. I take it the gold belt, rather than a grey belt, is because of your position in the Potter household?"
"Yes, Master Harry," replied Willy.
"No one else wears a silver belt?"
"No, Master Harry."
"Excellent," he declared clapping his hands together and rubbing them. "Alright, you two. Willy... would you mind introducing Dobby to the other Potter elves and bringing him up to date with the House of Potter and what his role within the household will be?"
"Of course not, Master Harry."
A moment later, both elves popped away.
Spinning back to the rest, except the aurors, they were watching him with amusement. The aurors had already begun to move through the manor, casting as they went.
Wendell chuckled and said, "That was great to watch. You have skills in leadership."
Hermione asked, "How many elves are there, Harry?"
"Here, excluding Dobby? Five," he replied. "I still have no idea how many there are in total."
Suddenly, he realised he'd forgotten something, or simply hadn't until then realised it. Giving his fingers a snap he declared, "I've forgotten something. Wait a bit."
Looking off to the side he called, "Ummm... Betsy?"
The little female elf he'd been introduced to by Willy earlier popped in. "Yes, Master Harry," she asked.
Indicating Hermione he said, "Betsy, this is Lady Presumptive Hermione Jean Granger, magical ward of Lord Sirius Orion Black of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black - and my betrothed."
Looking at Hermione, he was grinning and said, "Hermione? Betsy. Ladies elf of Pottermore. Your personal elf."
While Hermione stood there gaping like a stunned fish at him, he heard Monica snickering in amusement slightly off to one side.
Betsy, meanwhile, dropped into a curtsey - proving, as Harry suspected, she was female - and carefully said to Hermione, "Mistress Herm-my-oh-nee."
Spending a few seconds glancing in shock between Harry and Betsy, Hermione finally fixed a glare on Harry and barked, "Harrison James Potter!"
Harry just burst out laughing.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ