Chapter 49

"Frank come on wake up!"

He could hear somebody calling his name. But why? It was still early he was sure of that. His alarm hadn't even sounded.

"Frank just get up will you!"

Then cold air began to circulate around his ankles. What the hell was happening? Slowly he opened his right eye and saw Joe standing over him a grin on his face.

"About time. This arrived for you."

Frank sat up and looked at a box that Joe was holding. Realisation hit him. He was seventeen. It was his birthday. He took the box from him and looked at it.

"Well open it!"

"Who's it from?"

"Your mum. Now open it!"

He pulled the paper from it and looked inside. A smile came to his face and he couldn't believe it.

"Oh it's just an old watch. Why'd you want that?"

"It's not just any watch Joe."

"Wait you don't mean? Wow I mean I thought it would be bigger."

"I know. It's perfect though. I can't believe she's given it to me."

"Yeah the famous Longbottom watch."

Frank couldn't help but smile. There was a tradition in their family. When a boy turned seventeen he would get the watch of his family. The watch he was holding now had been in the family since 1237 in one shape or form.

It had started as a small pocket watch that some muggle had later on seen and copied. Over the years it had been changed into a wrist watch. The watch had been altered many times. The strap had broken, the hands had stopped working. Yet one thing had remained the same in all that time. It's face. The face of the watch had never been changed or altered. Now it was his to do as he wished with until the day he would be able to pass it onto his son.

"I think that I'm going to make the strap red and gold."

"Very Gryffindor."

"Well it does look old-fashioned so I gotta give it the Frank style."

"Oh so you're going to make it old and unfashionable then."

Frank threw a pillow at his mate and carefully put the watch into his trunk. He wouldn't be wearing that watch on a day to day basis. He'd probably break it. No this was a special watch that would only be worn on special occasions.

"Alright Frankie. You gotta open mine next."

Frank grinned taking a parcel from Joe. It was big and covered in blue paper with waving women. Frank ripped the paper off and looked inside. The box was sealed. So pulling it out he used his wand to open the lid. Inside was another box wrapped in the same paper. It took him six boxes to get to the present. With each one it got smaller and smaller.

In the centre of the box was an envelope. He looked at it wondering what was inside. Finally opening it he saw a piece of paper in it. He looked at Joe but the boy was smiling at him almost jumping up and down.

"Okay what is it?"

"Take a look!"

He looked down and his eyes widened at what he read.

Port Key confirmation for the 29th June 1975 from London to San Francisco

"Joe this is a ticket to America."

"I know isn't it great!"

"You're sending me to America why?"

"Oh well… umm… maybe you should open this next it might explain it."

Joe was holding what Frank assumed to be a card. So taking it he broke the seal and he pulled out the card. Inside was scribbled a message in a hand that he had become slightly familiar to. It was from Karl.

Frank liked Karl. He was twenty-four and a career driven man. Like both his brothers he loved having a good time but he knew when to call it a day. Karl had become an Unspeakable like his old man and he had promised to help Frank get a job within the Ministry when he finished Hogwarts.

Frank being an only child his friends had become like siblings to him and when he and Joe had become best friends he'd became part of their family. This meant that Karl and indeed Anton thought of him as a younger brother.

"Well come on read it!"

Joe's voice snapped his mind back into focus and he looked at the card.

Frank.

Happy Birthday bro. Seventeen already I can't believe how fast the time has gone. Over the Christmas holidays I promised Joe that this summer we'd do something amazing, something wild. Since you're part of the family you're invited too.

We have a tradition that during the summer between sixth and seventh year we leave the country. Anton went around Europe for his. Then for mine the pair of us went around Africa. Well for you and Joe we're going to travel America.

I promise you Frank this will be a summer you'll never forget. I mean you, me, Anton and Joe travelling around. Picking up women, getting drunk. Now don't worry about Carina, she's already said you can go.

So Frankie boy get ready for the summer of your life.

Karl.

Frank looked back at Joe. He was grinning. Frank looked back down and then back at him.

"I'm not picking up women."

"Well fine you can pick up men. I don't care you're coming."

"Joe!"

"Look mate this is going to be the summer of our lives. I mean you and Alice are going to get back together and be married when she leaves Hogwarts. This is going to be one of the few times we can go away and have guy time. Come on you know you want to."

"I'm going to America!"

"We're going to America!"

"Hey Joe think we should send letters into their local papers there warning about Anton. I mean husbands are gonna want to lock up their wives and father's their daughters."

"Oh they're going to have to with three Wild boys and a Longbottom."

The pair burst out laughing as Frank opened another box. It was a long box that had been sent from Anton, Joe's oldest brother.

Frank liked Anton. Sure he was twenty-six but he was a fun guy. He also played professional Quidditch for the Tornado's he was one of their Chasers. Frank knew that he was a 'fun time' guy who made no commitments to women as he said he wasn't ready to settle down.

"Wow."

Inside the box was a brand new Comet 360. They were top of the range and the brooms that the Tornado's were using.

"Wait he sent you a broom."

"The team are gonna die when they see this."

"Forget the team Hufflepuff will die. I mean Tomlinson hasn't got a chance if you're riding that. It's the fastest broom on the market."

"I know. Wanna go test it out."

"You don't mean skipping Transfiguration do you?"

"No of course not. After lessons today we'll go down and try it out."

The pair agreed and then dressing for the day ahead went to breakfast.