Title - Who are TriHal Potioneers?
Summary - Since Fleamont Potter sold the rights to his creation, Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, generations of Potters have been generous by selling off pieces of land they owned to newly engaged couples. Here is the story of one Potter generation showing that generosity.
-Who are TriHal Potioneers-
Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London, United Kingdom
17th November, 1999
Harry walked through the fire at Number 12, Grimmauld Place to see that Ginny was waiting for him in the kitchen. He looked at her eyes, his face lighting up, knowing she had waited for him.
"How's Teddy?" she asked, running towards him, "I've literally just got back from The Burrow. Mom is getting ready for Ron and Hermione's engagement party and Ron keeps eating all of pies that I helped make. My brother is such a greedy pig!"
"Hello you!" Harry said, embracing his fiancé, dropping his briefcase onto the floor. "Andromeda and Narcissa went out so that's why I went to look after Teddy. He can't wait for tonight as he loves seeing you!"
"Remember that I need to be back at Holyhead for 11 tonight as I have a game on Saturday and we have a hard days training ahead." Ginny said, taking Harry into the drawing room. "We're facing the Cannons and I want to be able to wind Ron up seven days to Saturday!"
"I'll be there just before the game to do our usual warm up." Harry said, sliding onto the sofa next to Ginny, smiling at the thought. "Pity we couldn't skip the party and just play our own version of Quidditch?"
"Harry! Not when my brother is due to visit here!" Ginny said, frowning, "He can't afford to buy his own place yet!"
"Accio briefcase. It's a pity Molly won't let him leave home yet without a place to go to, even though he is 19!" Harry asked his fiancé, reaching for some parchment in his briefcase. "It doesn't help with the fact that they got engaged last night and it would make it worse for them. I know for a fact that somebody who owns the perfect place for them."
"How do you mean dear?" Ginny asked, curling up into his arms, "What do you mean that you know somebody who owns the perfect place?"
"Remember that letter that was sent to Molly, along with that bag of Galleons, which was delivered on your Birthday?" Harry said, "That was when TriHal Potioneers told them that they owned The Burrow."
"That was when we engaged! Didn't you have to go to Gringotts that day?" Ginny said, stroking Harry's hair, "Did she ever find out who owned that company?"
"She did." Harry nodded, hoping Ginny would work his clue out, "And I do too. All I'm going to say to you is that you've slept in his bed."
Ginny took a few minutes to think, to work out whom the person who it was Harry was talking about. Suddenly she turned to her fiancé and said "Harry Potter, do you mean to tell me that you owned The Burrow? How could your family afford it?"
"I didn't realise that until the trunk that I had hidden in our room suddenly opened." Harry said, "It's something my dad and his dad before him did. Basically what they did was they all knew of a young, but financially strapped, Wizarding couple that needed a house, rented it to them for a peppercorn rent of 10 Galleons a year until their last born got engaged. When that day came, they would give them the ownership deeds to the house.
"There were three conditions to the lease. The couple would have to be engaged before they could lease it," Harry explained, "They could only find out who their actual former landlord was once their last born got engaged, and they could never reveal who their landlord was. In return they would be able to home brew Skele-gro and some other potions you find at St Mungos that one of my ancestors kept the rights to.
"And to answer your final question, my grandfather, Fleamont Potter, created Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. According to what I found out, he sold the Sleekeazy's company, Sleekeazy Potions, and brought quite a bit of land, with the profits, which TriHal Potioneers, who owned the rights to Skele-gro, brought properties with." Harry continued, "That's why, up until last summer, TriHal Potioneers, my grandfathers second company, which he hid quite well, owned The Burrow. The way it works is similar to the Cloak that was originally owned by Ignotus Peverell."
"So that's why dad didn't do much work on it until after the war, because he didn't know who owned it." Ginny said, "Does that mean that when you die, our first born will inherit quite a bit?"
"Unless I say otherwise, yes he does." Harry confirmed, "As well as owning some of the flats on Diagon Alley, 12 Grimmauld Place, Potter Cottage in Godrics Hollow and the flat at 195 High Street, Islington directly through inheritance, my grandfathers company owns 6 properties. And what is more, you own them too as we are near enough married!"
"Blimey! Mom always said that the Potters were well to do!" Ginny said to Harry, "So what's this house you were thinking about for Ron and Hermione?"
"If I'm honest, it's a shock to me too. I don't really know what to do with all the money if I'm honest with you. Anyway, what I think for Ron and Hermione is Kentish house called 'Red Heaven" Harry explained, smiling at the name, "It's got a decent size library and a Quidditch pitch sized garden."
"Hermione would love it!" Ginny said, thinking about her friend, "How are you going to get them to take it?"
"Hermione will go for it, just for the library!" Harry said, smiling at his plan. "Ron will just agree with her, as usual."
"Just don't tell them-" Ginny started.
"Don't tell us what?" Hermione said, walking to into the drawing room. She noticed the parchment in Harry's hand, looking at it. "Is that a house you're looking at?"
"Yes, we thought we would look at a house you night like." Ginny said, turning to Hermione. "We know you were looking at houses in the Daily Prophet and found this which you might like."
Hermione read the advert, looking for contact details. "How do I get in contact with the landlord?" she asked, beaming, "Ron will love the garden for when you guys come over and a big library!" She ran to the door, yanking the shirt Ron was wearing. "At least we can give your parents some piece and quiet, going up and down the stairs every night!" she told Ron, winking at him
"I'm game my pumpkin," Ron said to Hermione, rubbing the soot off himself, "I'm sure Harry can fix us up with everything, contacting the landlord. I bet that the owner is some middle aged Wizarding property investor, although the rent is a bit cheap!
Harry smiled knowingly to Ginny; "I'll owl the owners later for you mate."
The Burrow, Ottery-St-Catchpole, Devon, United Kingdom
17th November, 1999
"Thanks for such an amazing engagement party!" Ron said, raising his glass of Firewhisky, "If it wasn't for Harry or my sister, Ginny, helping us, we wouldn't be able to meet again for our Housewarming party in two weeks at our new home, 'Red Heaven'.
"What?" the crowd shouted, shocked at the announcement Ron had made.
"Yes, Ron and I have leased a house in Kent called Red Heaven from a London based property company." Hermione said to the shocked crowd. "Its all thanks to Harry that we managed to get the house."
"By the way Mom, I think we are going to need your expert cooking." Ron continued, tipping his glass to an angle, the escaped Firewhisky just missing Hermione, "Anyway, thanks everyone for coming to the engagement party for Hermione and I, here at The Burrow. All that is left to say is just to Apparate or Floo home carefully!"
The Burrow, Ottery-St-Catchpole, Devon, United Kingdom
07 May 2029
The Weasley family was gathered at The Burrow when an owl flew in with a letter attached, making its way to Ron and Hermione. Ron grabbed the envelope and opened it. It had the header of "TriHal Potioneers" on the letter
"Dear Mr R & Mrs H Weasley,
As your son, Hugo Weasley, has become engaged, as per the terms of the lease that you signed, you are no longer required to make any payments to us for your property, Red Heaven.
Your landlord, and owner of TriHal Potioneers, Harry Potter, hereby gives you the property ownership of Red Heaven, and wishes you many happy years there.
You must not ever reveal who gave you your property, nor reveal who TriHal Potioneers are, under any circumstances.
Signed
TriHal Potioneers"
Ron and Hermione walked into the living room to find Harry and Ginny sitting on the sofa, cuddling. Hermione ran over to Harry and hugged him. "Thanks," she said, trying to hold back the tears.
She stood aside to let Ron hug his friend. "You've known about this, the person who owns mine and Hermione's house, for 30 years? And you didn't think to tell us?"
"Look mate, if I could have, I would have," Harry explained, hugging Ron, "But I knew you couldn't afford to buy a house back then outright, and it's something that my dad, and his dad, did to show the generosity of our family."
"And what about Ginny?" Ron asked, tears falling out of his eyes, "Did she know?"
"She knew mate. And your mom knew too," Harry said, grabbing his wife's hand, he turned to face Hermione. "I can't tell you the what's and whys, but I owe you 300 Galleons, as a little gift."
"300 Galleons? How?" Hermione asked. "But that is the total rent we paid on our house?"
"Let's just say that you guys have stuck with me through thick and thin, especially when it came to Tom Riddle." Harry said, "Let's just hope that our grandchildren turn out like we did, best of friends!"
"We'll drink to that!" Ron, Ginny and Hermione said, raising their glasses, "To glorious grandchildren, and to friends forever."
"Indeed!" Harry said, raising his glass. "Love conquers all."
A/N - The Potter family history is only possible thanks to the writings by JK Rowling on Pottermore.