Travel Complete

Harry disapparated in a small park near the Vietnamese takeaway he'd visited earlier and walked the few blocks back to the portkey station. Collapsing on his bed he wished he didn't have to leave so early, but with the time difference it was the only way to ensure he'd arrive home at a decent hour. He drifted off to sleep wishing he had Hermione's old Time-Turner.

All too soon a rested, if still tired, Harry was on his way. The sun had not even started to show itself when he arrived at Mulga Bore and was greeted by Nick.

"Welcome back, bit of an ungodly hour to be travelin. You'd never see an eastie out this time of day, but its nothing for an old dust eater like me."

"Good morning Nick. Is the coffee on?"

"That it is. Oh, and you won't be traveling buy yourself the rest of the way. Nuther young English bloke got in late last night might be a mate of yours."

"Not very likely" thought Harry as he followed Nick into the main lobby of the station.

"Neville!"

"Harry! What are you doing here?"

"I was helping Hermione find her parents. I'll be coming back once I've seen Ginny off to school. But, of all the places, what are you doing here?"

"Until the owl from Hogwarts arrived earlier this week, poor thing was almost dead from the trip; I thought I had an early start on my post school years. I wasn't surprised mind you, what with NEWTS to take and all but I couldn't pass up the chance to come down here and study a fascinating plant, Acacia brachystachya or the false bowgada. It's just a little shrub really, but there's this Anangu healer that's doing some amazing things with it."

Harry smiled "If I understood half of what you said I'm sure it would be very interesting."

"Most people might find lopping a big old snake in half more exciting, but it works for me" laughed Neville.

"Wait a minute" said Nick as the pieces came together in his mind. "Harry, Neville, Hermione, lopping a snake in half; was that other bloke with you the Ron? I don't mean to sound like a boofheaded bushie but ain't you the ones that had that big blue, ah fight, at your school a couple weeks back?

Exchanging a glance with Harry, Neville answered "We are."

"Blimey, what a story, makes wrestling with crocs seem like nothing."

Harry seized the chance to redirect the conversation "You wrestle with crocs?"

"Been known to" answered Nick lifting the chain of crocodile teeth hanging from his neck for Harry and Neville to inspect. They found the story of Nick's life every bit as fascinating as the rest of the world seemed to find theirs and the three of them spent the balance of their time together chatting about various adventures. All too soon it was time for the two Londoners bid farewell to their new outback friend and continue their journey.

The trip went without incident and they arrived in England right on schedule. Exiting the Portkey Office Harry was blind sided by a rushing Ginny who had been waiting for him with her father.

"Welcome back you!" she said after a long kiss.

"It's good to be back" he answered with a grin. Looking over her shoulder he was relieved to see that Mr. Weasley was talking with Neville and his Grandmother and not paying any attention to the two of them. "It's going to take awhile to get use to doing that in front of your dad" he whispered to Ginny.

"Really, he doesn't mind."

"Maybe not but it stills feels strange. I half hope we; I mean I! I half hope I never have a daughter." Harry blushed; he was certain Ginny feelings about their future matched his but he hadn't intended to let this cat out of the bag just yet and was now certain there would be a price to pay. He tried to head her off. "Look Ginny I didn't mean..."

It was too late. The impish grin had returned to her face and she cut across him. "What do you mean we / I? Who said we / I would ever do anything and why not a daughter." She had started to tickle his ribs and giggle while she spoke. "I'm pretty sure you're fond of girls. Or have the past couple of weeks been an act?"

He tried to push her hands away "Ginny, stop that, you know what I meant, stop it, of course I like girls its just that, stop that, Merlin! Never mind" she was laughing at him now, extending his hand he turned to her father "Hello Mr. Weasley, good to see you again sir."

"This isn't over Potter" she whispered.

Arthur grasped Harry's hand "Harry good to see you to. Hope Ginny didn't hurt you with that welcome. She was driving her mother mad all afternoon, pacing about the house and constantly checking the clock. Molly finally told her to come to my office and wait for you here."

"I'm fine sir, thank you."

"Good, good, Neville here was just telling me about your chance meeting. I'm dying to hear about the whole journey. Shall we head home, I'm sure Molly will want to be filled in also. Why make you tell it twice, eh?"

"That would be great sir."

Molly had a late dinner waiting for them when they arrived and as they ate Harry filled them in on all the details of the past two days.

"You rode a muggle bus? Fantastic!" Exclaimed Mr. Weasley.

"Never mind that now Arthur" said his wife. "So you found Hermione's parents and the three of them are back together. Do you know if they intend to move back to England and, if so, when?"

"No I don't actually" replied Harry "I guess I'll find out when I go back on Monday and I'll have Ron send you word so you know when to expect us."

"That would be lovely dear."

Harry felt a little guilty. He knew Molly wasn't thrilled with Ron being half a world away or with the thought of him leaving again, but it couldn't really be helped. Hermione had stood by him at the worst of times and he owed this to her.

Sunday at the Burrow would have passed quietly if not for the debate over whether Ginny would be allowed to side-a-long apparate to Hogsmeade with Harry instead of taking the Hogwarts Express. She argued that school's letter said she could make her own travel plans. With a little coaxing from Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley finally acquiesced, even going so far as to admit that the extra time in the morning would be a welcome change from the usual mad scramble to get to platform 9 and 3/4 on schedule. Just after lunch on Monday Harry and Ginny said good bye and walked hand in hand through the front garden. Once outside the gate they spun and were gone. Together they spent a quiet afternoon in Hogsmeade until the arrival of the Hogwarts Express signaled it was time to meet the carriages that would transport her to the school. He kissed her goodbye, to the amusment of several second years standing nearby, and was helping her onto the carriage.

"Potter!"

Harry spun around and found himself facing Gregory Goyle, his wand drawn and pointed directly at Harry's head. "My father is in Azkaban, One of my best friends is dead, the other will have nothing to do with me anymore and it's your entire fault!"

Making no move for his wand, Harry looked Goyle straight in the eyes. "I had nothing to do with your father being sent to Azkaban, he chose to follow Voldemort all by himself. Crab is dead because he was stupid enough to set fiendfyre without knowing how to control it and if Malfoy finally came around that's not my fault either. Why don't you put down your wand, I'm not going to fight you."

Goyle shuffled his feet and scrunched his eyes as if trying to contemplating the great questions of the universe. "No, it is your fault and you're going to pay. If you don't want to defend yourself, well, that's all the better."

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry turned just quick enough to see Neville snatching Goyle's wand out of the air. "Look Gregy, Harry said he doesn't want to fight you. Personally I think that makes you lucky, but if you're too dense to see it then maybe I'm doing you a favor." With one hand Neville snapped Goyle's wand in half and tossed it back to him. "Now why don't you run off to what ever dark hole you came from and leave the rest of us alone."

The assembled students who'd grown up with Neville looked at him in surprise; they all looked at him with awe. As he walked towards Harry several offered him a seat on their carriage.

"Neville that was brilliant" said Harry, taking his hand.

"Thanks, but I wish everyone would stop staring at me."

"If you're going to keep playing the part of the hero you'd better get used to it".

"But I wasn't being a hero, I was just doing what I thought was right to help a friend."

Harry almost laughed "And what have I been trying to tell everybody for the past several years?"

Neville did laugh "Point made." Climbing into the carriage he added "Don't worry about Ginny I'll keep an eye on her for you."

Ginny eyed Neville as he sat down beside her and the impish grin, which Harry found he had grown quiet fond of, once again flashed across her face. "What do you mean you'll keep an eye on me? Do you think I can't lookout for myself, or are you saying that Harry needs to worry about what I'll be up to?"

A startled Neville stammered "No... Neither... I was just saying..."

Harry laughed at both of them "Good luck with this one Neville, I'll see you both at the end of June."

Harry watched the carriages start up the road towards the castle before apparating back to the Burrow and gathering his belongings. Molly insisted on preparing a snack for the road which he accepted, fondly remembering the times Ron had pulled a mangled sandwich from his pockets as they traveled to school.

Arriving back at the white house on Coolgardie Street he was greeted by a for sale sign in the front garden and on the wind screen of the car parked in the drive.

Penny Granger answered his knock on the door. "Harry good to see you back, your young lady is off to school then?"

"Yes Mrs. Granger..."

"Please call me Penny."

"Yes Penny, just this morning. Or was it yesterday day morning? It gets confusing traveling these distances."

"Never mind that now, come in, everybody is anxious to see you."

Harry entered the house and was greeted enthusiastically by Ron and Hermione who filled him in on all that had happened in the short time he'd been gone. As he'd already noticed the house and car where up for sale, the office however was another matter all together. Penny and Stephen's lease was still in effect and unless the owner could find a new tenant they would have to pay for the full term. Stephen added that he wasn't too worried about that as property was moving pretty good at the moment and he was sure a tenant would be found.

When he was up to date Harry told them of his chance meeting with Neville at the portkey station and what had happened when he dropped Ginny off at school.

"Blimey" said Ron "Our Neville, Neville Longbottom, it really is a new world, isn't it?"

"Not that new" retorted Hermione "as far back as our first year he showed bravery. Remember, Dumbledore even said so at the end of year feast? I think maybe we're just seeing it better."

The following days passed in a flurry of activity as plans for the move were put into place. Stephen's prediction about the office turned out to be correct and a new tenant was found almost as soon as it was opened to the market. The house sold to the third couple who toured it. Harry thought it was a little strange that they absolutely fell in love with it the moment they walked through the front door and had no problem with paying the full asking price. However one look from Hermione was all it took for him to very clearly understand you don't ask and I won't tell. Penny even agreed to let the three of them use magic to help with the packing. Sooner then any of them would have dared to dream the day of their departure arrived.

"Where will you be staying when we get back to London" Harry asked Stephen at breakfast.

"Well we've booked a hotel, but Hermione thinks we may be able to move right back into our old place. Says she put some sort of protective charm over it. With any luck it won't have been destroyed and no one will have noticed it's been sitting empty."

Their conversation was interrupted by Ron and Hermione entering the room. "Really Ronald I don't see why you're making such a big fuss. You love flying."

"Sure, on a broom not on some weird machine."

"You flew a Ford Anglia once."

"Ya, but that was magic. These plane things are just big hunks of metal that I'm supposed to trust will hang in the sky."

"They don't just hang in the sky, there's very sound science that explains how the wings create lift and keep them airborne."

"Sure, as long as it's moving fast enough. What if it slows down?"

Harry had heard enough. They'd already had this conversation a hundred times. "Look Ron, just keep your wand at the ready. If anything goes wrong you can use a levitation charm or at the very least arresto momentum to stop from falling. Besides think how excited your dad will be when he finds out you flew in a muggle air-e-o-plane."

"Fine" said Ron sitting down and grabbing a piece of toast "But I still don't have to like it."

Three hours later a very apprehensive Ron found himself sitting on a British Airways Airbus thinking he'd much rather be in a room full of spiders.