Chapter Two: One foot in front of the other
Grimmauld place, Receiving room fireplace.
In a flash of green Harry stumbles out of the Fireplace, and doesn't actually fall over.
He stands up, flicks most of the soot off and looks around. The house is softly lit. It's still dark and creepy, but it smells of cooking bread for some reason.
Harry looks at his hand for a second. "Oh Bugger" he says. "Winky" he calls. Winky the house-elf appears with a pop. She looks at him with big brown eyes.
"Winky, I've left my backpack at the Burrow, could you fetch it to my room" he asks. Winky smiles "Oh yes Master" and disappears with a pop.
Harry walks to the kitchen, following the smell of cooking.
Harry passes the portrait of Walburga Black on the way. She is sleeping. Harry moves quietly.
He opens the Kitchen door and the Kitchen is lit up. He walks in, there is the definite smell of cooking bread. It's also quite clean.
On the big, battered table is a single place setting.
"Kreacher" says Harry, softly. An elf that must be Kreacher appears over by the stove, and turns to Harry.
"Yes Master" says Kreacher, surprisingly politely; whose pillow-case has been replaced with a clean one. Kreacher is looking... almost happy.
"Kreacher, how are you" asked Harry.
Kreacher starts slightly. "Kreacher is fine Master."
"Good work with the house Kreacher" said Harry. "I'll be staying here for now on, in Sirius's old room"
"Very well Master" said Kreacher.
"Ill just go visit Teddy and Mrs Tonks" said Harry. "I'll have dinner here later"
"Oh very well Master" said Kreacher.
Harry walked back to the Floo Fireplace and threw in some powder.
"Tonks Residence" he said and disappeared in a flash of green light.
-===0==-
Tonks residence,Sitting room
Harry stumbles out.
It was the same room it had been, but it smelt of flowers, and something else...that smelt.. nice.
There was a dark wooden crib next to the couch, with something tiny in it. On the couch lay someone, asleep with long light brown hair... Andromeda!
Harry sat down on a chair and waited. An hour passed, Harry staring out the windows at nothing.
Andromeda woke up and looked across the room seeing an extra Harry Potter.
"Harry" said Andromeda, sounding tired.
"Hello Andromeda" said Harry, "Could you do with some help?" he asked quickly.
"Harry, I am a grandmother with a baby to look after. Can you change Teddy for me?" said Andromeda.
"I have a house elf who loves being a nanny" said Harry.
"Oh Harry!" exclaimed Andromeda, "You're a lifesaver."
"Winky" he called. Winky appeared, her blue dress now complemented by a smart small hat and tiny duck headed umbrella. Harry just shook his head. "Should never have shown her that book" he muttered to himself.
"Winky, this is Mrs Tonks" said Harry "You're going to be the nanny for Teddy Lupin, my Godson"
"Winky will be ever so happy" said Winky.
Andromeda sighed. "O blessed sleep" she said.
"So Andromeda, I've got some problems and I was wondering if you had some advice for me" asked Harry.
"Ask away, my favourite Head of house" said Andromeda, sitting up and blinking.
Harry chuckled. "I've got a couple of problems"
"A couple" said Andromeda pointedly.
"The goblins are mad at me for breaking into Bellatrix's vault" said Harry. "And they have my money."
"That's a sizeable problem" said Andromeda "I suggest you get the house of Potter or Black a lawyer and have the lawyer deal with the goblins"
"A lawyer" said Harry. "Where would I find one?" he asked.
"You could look in the study and maybe there is a record of the firm the House used to use" suggested Andromeda.
"Or you could go to Diagon Alley and just engage a firm that you like the look of" she said.
"Hmm" said Harry "I think a new firm."
"Then I suggest Wilkes and Davis" said Andromeda. "They are down the end of the alley by Nocturn."
"You should wear something dignified to engage the lawyers, if you own it " suggested Andromeda.
"Hmm" said Harry again "I've got the robes I was given for the funerals, apart from that I'm sort of skint."
"Don't worry, you pay lawyers later when you're a head of a house" said Andromeda. "They know you have money, it's just behind vault doors"
"I'm not the head of house " said Harry nervously "I haven't had a thing for that."
"A thing" asked Andromeda.
"Isn't there some sort of ritual, or magic or something" said Harry, blushing.
"You're Sirus's heir, he died, he willed it, you're head of house." said Andromeda. "It's a family matter"
"But what if someone in the family disagreed" said Harry.
"Most of the people who would disagree are dead" said Andromeda bluntly "And the only thing keeping Narcissa and Draco out of Azkaban was you vouching for them"
"Narcissa Malfoy" asked Harry, blankly.
"My little sister Narcissa" said Andromeda. "My big sister is dead, thank goodness."
"Bellatrix LeStrange" said Harry, the light dawning on him.
"Well there aren't any LeStranges left now" said Andromeda.
"So who gets their vaults" asked Harry
"Oh" said Andromeda "That would be, um, me." She shook her her head "what's your other problem?"
"My friend is having terrible nightmares, and she's always upset, since the war" said Harry.
"Well it sounds like she needs to visit a mind healer at St Mungos." said Andromeda, firmly. "It sounds like she's got soldier's heart" said Andromeda thoughtfully.
"What's that" said Harry, curiously
"It's a mind illness you can get from being attacked, or having to attack people" said Andromeda.
"A mind illness" said Harry, nervously.
"Oh there's nothing to worried about" said Andromeda dismissively "I'm not a mind healer, but I've seen people come in with it, and within a few weeks they're a lot better."
"A few weeks" said Harry incredulously "If muggles get mental illnesses it takes long time to get better, or maybe never" he said slowly, remembering the story of Frank the Gardener.
"Muggle healers are pretty hopeless" said Andromeda.
"You were really great during the war" said Harry.
"Well, cut's and curses are not exactly my speciality, " said Andromeda "But any healer can do them, they are really common injuries for wizards"
"You're a healer" asked Harry.
"Mostly plant injuries" said Andromeda. "It keeps me busy. Your friend Neville used to come in every summer… with poisoned wounds. That boy!" Harry felt embarrassed, he'd never really asked Neville what he got up to in the holidays.
"Can healers fix my eyesight" asked Harry?
"Of course, but I think its pretty painful if I remember." said Andromeda.
"Madam Pomfrey never said" said Harry, sounding confused.
"Poppey Pomfrey is a fine Mediwitch" said Andromeda tactfully "But she's not a Healer."
"Ohhh" said Harry, who seemed to get the distinction.
-===0==-
Grimmauld Place,Harry's Room.
Harry arrived in his room, that had been Sirius's room. It was exactly as it had been; complete with Sirius's old posters.
And Harry's backpack.
He opened the pack and opened some drawers. The drawers had clothes in them, old clothes. "Sirius" said Harry and sighed.
"Kreacher" called Harry. With a pop Kreacher appeared "Yes Master" he croaked.
"Kreacher, pack away all Master Sirius's old things" said Harry. "It's not like they'd fit me, and they're not my style even if they did fit."
Kreacher snap of his fingers and just like that the drawer next to Harry was empty.
Harry started unpacking. He didn't really have that many clothes; most had been ruined while he was on the run, just a couple of trousers and shirts, and a set of robes he's been given to wear to the funerals.
Under the few clothes, he found a few personal items; the old map, some wash things he'd taken on the run.
Harry grabbed some parchment and a quill and wrote a letter
'Dear Hermione,
I've been talking to Andromeda Tonks.
Remember she was really good at healing during the war.
It turns out she's a Healer at St Mungos, and well,
I asked about nightmares and being upset. She says it's soldiers heart
and is perfectly treatable at St Mungos, and will only take a few weeks to get better.
If you'd like I'll organise a trip there for you, and take you.
Your Friend ,
Harry
P.S. Winky's off helping look after Teddy Lupin, so Andromeda can get some sleep.
He is such a cute baby! His hair changes colour like his mums. '
Having no owl, Harry called Kreacher.
"Kreacher, take this letter to Hermione Granger at the Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole" said Harry.
Kreacher grumbled "Get an owl."
Elf post is so much faster than Owl post, but some elves do grumble.
-===0==-
Grimmauld place, breakfast.
Harry is wearing tidy clothes and eating a bowl of mush.
"Good work finding food Kreacher" said Harry.
A small manic owl is tapping at the back window.
Harry looks up "Oh pig" he exclaims and goes and lets the owl in.
Pigwidgeon flys in erratically, and using his seeker skills, Harry divests it of a letter.
'Dear Harry
Oh please save me,
Love
Hermione'
Harry foo calls St Mungos and arranges a visit at 11am the next day.
and sends his reply post with pigwidgeon
'
Dear Hermione,
11am Tomorrow
Come to Grimmauld Place
We'll got to St Mungos
Your friend,
Harry'
-===0==-
Diagon Ally, Daytime. Before Noon
Harry walked down Diagon Alley, wearing a cowled cloak with the cowl up. The wardrobe at Grimmauld place had a lot of cloaks.
He looked about looking for a legal office sign, his wand in his hand.
Towards the corner which leads to Nocturn Alley, he stops and peers at small nameplates against a door.
'Wilkes Davis Attorneys At Law' Harry stops "Hmm" and opens the door. There is flight of stairs going up.
-===0==-
An office, comprised of bookshelves and two doors, with one small window.
Harry sits in a chair in front of the desk.
A middle-aged, slightly rounded off brown haired man in a suit sits behind the desk taking notes.
"So what I need is a go-between with Gringotts" said Harry.
"Yes" said the Lawyer blandly.
"Because they are still angry about me taking the cup of Helga Hufflepuff from Bellatrix LeStrange's vault"
"A cup" said the lawyer, looking up at Harry and making a mark on the paper.
"And the security dragon, but that was an accident really"
The lawyer stopped and looked at Harry "So you're the reason Gringotts had an dragon burst out of the roof?"
"Yeah." said Harry. "But I ended up owning the vault anyway" said Harry.
"You own Bellatrix LeStrange's vault" asked the Lawyer.
"All the LeStrange's really, she did die last" said Harry. "And I'm her head of house; Black" said Harry.
The lawyer dropped his quill and stared at Harry.
"Are you the head of any Other houses" said the Lawyer " It makes it easier if your lawyer knows these things" he continued.
"Only Black and Potter, as far as I know" said Harry. "I might have some things hiding elsewhere in my family tree, but I don't know, orphan raised by Muggles" said Harry and shrugged comically.
"I'll make a note to look at that later" said the Lawyer" shaking his head "Maybe you need to do an inheritance test at St Mungos."
"Thanks Mr Davis" said Harry.
"Oh Mr Potter, you're going to keep me busy for a while" said Davis.
"Is it going to take a long time to get access to my vault" said Harry nervously.
"Is there a problem" asked Davis, eyebrows raising.
"I'm a bit short of galleons" said Harry. "My house elf is finding some food, but it's, well, mush." said Harry dejectedly.
"The man-who-conquered is currently broke?" asked Davis.
"Oh I'm not broke, I've got some money" said Harry quickly.
Davis nodded and made another note.
-===0==-
Grimmauld place, sitting room.
Harry is sitting on the couch waiting, jiggling his leg up and down.
With a green flash of flames, Hermione appears. She's carrying her beaded bag, and seems quite calm.
"Hermione" said Harry, getting up to greet his friend.
As Harry got closer, he could see Hermione's eyes were a bit red, and her face lined. She looks wrung out.
"Hi Harry" she said, hugging Harry.
After a while, a long while, she let go of Harry. "Mrs Weasley gave me a calming draft." she said blandly.
"Oh" said Harry.
"I've got an idea for disguises" said Hermione, digging into her beaded bag.
"Not polyjiuce again" groaned Harry.
"Oh no" said Hermione "Much easier, a comb-a-chameleon from Weasleys Wizard Wheezes", and pulled out a decorated hairbrush.
"According to the instructions you just turn the dials on the back, comb your hair and it's done."
"That's Brilliant" said Harry enthusiastically.
"It lasts longer if you put more magic into it" said Hermione.
"I brought an extra one for you to keep in case you want to just use it to to you know, um, get your hair to behave"
Harry stared at his brilliant friend for a a long time "And you don't need to make your hair behave " he said jokingly.
"A little Sleekezeys and my hair is perfectly manageable" said Hermione, the hint of her old dignity returning.
"Sleekezeys?" asked Harry.
"The best hair management potion there is" said Hermione "Lav' put me onto it before the ball" she admitted, blushing.
With a swish of her hair brush, Hermiones' hair was a dark black, and straight. She looked really different.
After a bit of digging she found Harry's new brush, still in its colourful box. It took Harry a minute or so to digest the instructions.
Hermione stood, smiling indulgently; eerily calm.
With a grunt Harry finished setting the hairbrush and combed his way to unremarkable straight brown hair.
Hermione blinked at Harry. He looked nothing like Harry potter. That black messy hair was so distinctive.
"A light glamour on your face" said Hermione "And nobody would recognise you"
"Okay" said Harry, and quick as a flash Hermione had flicked out her wand and Harry now has blue eyes and a bigger jaw-line.
"Now you really look nothing like Harry Potter" said Hermione laughing.
Harry looked in the mirror over the sideboard "Wow" he said "I look, chunky, nothing like me"
"No worries about being mobbed" said Harry, "lets go!"
-===0==-
At St Mungo's Magical hospital, Floo entrance.
Harry and Hermione appeared in a flash of green flames. Hermione stepped out, and Harry fell face first. With a crack his glasses broke, again.
"Harry you need new glasses" said Hermione anxiously mending the glasses.
"No I'm getting my eyes fixed today too" said Harry. "Turns out its just a painful potion and fifteen minutes"
"That sounds okay, I suppose" said Hermione, nervously.
Harry and Hermione walked over to the Welcome Witch, she had a little podium and a huge sign behind her.
She welcomed them and gave them both clipboards. "Just fill in your preferred name on the top of the parchment and prick your finger on the top of the clipboard, there's a love"
"Prick my finger?" asked Harry.
"Oh we just need to ID you, you know some families are allergic to some potion ingredients." said the Welcome Witch, with an encouraging smile.
Harry and Hermione filled in their names with the quills from the podium and wincing, pricked their thumbs on the tiny spike on the top of the clipboard clip.
The parchments glowed blue briefly and filled in.
'Harry,
'Harry James Potter'
'no significant allergies'
"Huh" said Harry "That was actually pretty neat."
Hermione's parchment lit up blue
"Hermione"
"Hermione (Dagwood-Granger)"
"no significant allergies"
"Uh, there's something wrong with my parchment" said Hermione. "It's got my name wrong"
"What's wrong with it dear" asked the Welcome Witch, taking a look at the parchment.
"Well my middle name is missing" said Hermione, and powered on "and my surname isn't Dagwood-Granger, it's Granger"
"Ah" said the Welcome Witch and lifted her wand into the air and swirled it around, casting a privacy spell.
"You see dear, the records don't know your middle name because you've never been here before." said the Welcome Witch, cautiously.
"It's Jean" said Hermione. The Welcome Witch smiled encouragingly. "Just write your full name on, and I'll update the records."
Hermione paused and looked the the Welcome Witch sharply. "What about the Dagwood-Granger bit in parentheses" she asked.
"Oh dear, that's, well that's a blood test result. Your ancestors are Dagood-Grangers, and they are in the records." said the Welcome Witch, clearly not enjoying explaining this.
"But my parents are both muggles" said Hermione.
"Ah no dear, one of your parents at least is a squib." said the Welcome Witch.
Hermione went red as beetroot.
"Just a minute" said the Welcome Witch and took a book out of the podium, and opened it to the middle. It was blank. She touched the page with her finger and said clearly "Dagwood-Granger"
The page lit up pink and filled in with names, the the facing page filled in with names and dates.
"This is the next-of kin finder" aid the Welcome Witch "We can use it if you're unconscious when you come in" she said. then looked the pages closer. "Well, not for you dear" said the Welcome Witch sadly.
"What do you mean" said Harry.
"Hermione hasn't any living Dagwood-Granger relatives." said the Welcome Witch. "The birth dates are here, and the death dates too, I'm sorry"
Hermione took a good look at the page "There hasn't been a Dagwood-Granger born in the book since the eighteenth century."
"We have very good record keeping" said the Welcome Witch proudly.
"But the list goes back for ... centuries" said Hermione. "The names are a bit silly though, a lot of them all have letters after them.
"Oh yeah, those are title codes" said the Welcome Witch. "All the old noble families have titles."
Hermione got redder... Harry could start to feel the heat coming off her face.
"Well we need to get going.." said Harry temporising.
"What exactly is the title of the house of Dagwood-Granger" said Hermione in a voice that reminded Harry of long hours in the library.
"Just a tick love" said the Welcome Witch, turning the page and quickly writing "legal - Hermione Jean Dagwood-Granger"
The page lit up and filled in with writing
'Hermione Jean Dagwood-Granger Heiress of the Noble house of Dagwood-Granger'
Harry chortled. "Welcome to the country club Hermione". It began to appear that sleekezeys could not keep Hermiones' hair starting to stand apart from itself and float a bit.
Her eyes also seemed to be starting to glow a little white.
Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and looked her in her (glowing) eyes. "It's okay Hermione. It's just a title, and it will irritate the hell out of those pure blood bigots."
"You can sit at the kiddies table with me and all the other half-bloods" said Harry. Hermione gave him a look.
"Oh Harry" said Hermione. "You are an ass." and shook her head, calming down.
"Which way to Healer Lowry" asked Harry turning back to the Welcome Witch.
"Upstairs, room 223" said the Welcome Witch.
"Thanks, it's been fun" said Harry, tugging at Hermione's hand.
Harry and Hermione walked off, finding their way up stairs and along corridors.
-===0==-
Second Floor, St Mungos, a warm brown wooden door in a light green wall with a small nameplate "Mind Healer Lowry"
A slightly grumpy Hermione and a slightly smiling Harry knocked on door 223.
"Oh come in" said a powerful yet slightly crackly voice.
Healer Lowry was big ginger haired man greying and ruddy, (so as a wizard he could be anything from fifty to ninety) sitting behind a big desk with two chairs on the door side, close enough to the desk to be sitting at it too.
He was also very friendly. "Ah Mr Potter, Miss Dagwood-Granger please come in, sit down"
Harry looked surprised. "The Welcome Witch's parchments update my schedule, so I know who I'm talking to next." said Healer Lowry.
"I'm having nightmares" said Hermione bluntly. "And if I don't have a calming draft, I'm crying, I just go off"
"And I have this cursed scar where I was tortured" Hermione ploughed on. "And this other one from a dark cutting curse that nearly cut me in half"
Harry looked at the bookshelves, anywhere but at Healer Lowry and Hermione. He would get up , but Hermione's hand was holding his arm pretty tightly.
"Hmm, sounds like soldiers heart" said Healer Lowry "Can you just hold out your hand and look into my eyes, I'll cast a quick diagnostic charm" he said.
Hermione stuck her slightly shaky hand across the desk and healer Lowry pulled out a wand and cast a rather long, involved charm, ending by touching the wand tip to Hermione's hand.
"Hmm, yes. you'll need a prescription for a couple of weeks, then a ritual for that." said Healer Lowry smiling grimly.
"That's all" said Hermione confused for once.
"Well it's not the dark ages, I'm not going to prescribe leeches." said Healer Lowry jokingly, and pulling a parchment pad out of his desk drawers, wrote out a prescription.
"Now don't mix this with calming drafts, it's a modified calming draft anyway."
"Then we'll need a date in about two weeks for a ritual. Best to have a day or two to recover, so Fridays are popular."
"A ritual" said Hermione incredulously.
"Oh yes, we'll need you to be in a calm, soothing place physically and mentally, then you take another potion, have a trance for some hours, and then rest for a few days."
"And I'll be better" said Hermione, starting to sound a tiny bit brittle.
"Well, in some cases we might have to repeat the rituals a few times every few weeks." said Healer Lowry sounding more serious. "And in extreme cases we might have to do the rituals at a solstice."
"And the trances are a guided thing, it's not just guzzle and go" said Healer Lowry.
"That's astonishing" said Hermione, stiffly.
"That's modern medical magic. In the middle-ages without the potions before, it was a lot harder to get good one-time treatment results. It was a bit hit-and miss" said Healer Lowry steepling his hands.
"For the scar, go down to Felicity in Room one oh three, scars and curses. She can remove most any small scar that hasn't removed a limb. Big scars, sorry you're stuck with them, but check with Felicity, it's not my speciality.
"Er" said Harry. "Um..."
"Yes Mr Potter" said Healer Lowry, looking at Harry thoughtfully.
"I have nightmares, have had them for years really." said Harry.
"Hand" said Healer Lowry gently.
Harry put his hand across the desk and Healer Lowry repeated the diagnostic charm.
"Oh yeah" said Healer Lowry, recoiling slightly. "How do you get any sleep young man" he asked kindly.
"I just, kind of make do" said Harry.
"So you have mood swings, anger " said Healer Lowry. Harry nodded nervously.
Hermione shot Harry a look.
"And a prescription for you too" said Healer Lowry, "You can pick the prescriptions up from any apothecary, though the nearest is probably the one in Diagon Alley.
"Same prescription for you then, we'll do the ritual the same time as Miss Dagwood-Granger,
it helps to have a friend for the ritual anyway"
"Um, Friday week for the ritual" said Harry.
"Let me just check my calendar" said Healer Lowry, "Yes, we can do that, be here at nine am, the ritual will take till afternoon, and you'll need a friend to help you floo home, or you could stay in the wards till Sunday. You'll both be bit out of it.. and don't try any magic till Sunday evening at the earliest."
"Should her boyfriend come too?" asked Harry.
"Are you both comfortable with him" asked Healer Lowry quizzically.
"He's our best friend, saved our lives" said Hermione.
"Oh, that must be Mister Weasley" said Healer Lowry. "More war heroes" he said darkly.
"Does he have nightmares" asked Healer Lowry pointedly.
"Only sometimes about the weird brain experiment things he got suckered by in the department of mysteries" said Hermione, helpfully.
"Ah those, That's a no then" said Healer Lowry shaking his head.
"You can't treat that" asked Harry ?
"That's an unnatural abomination created to research into things men was not meant to know of" said Healer Lowry. "Just tell him to get some healthy exercise"
"Healthy exercise" asked Hermione.
"You are engaged to your boyfriend" asked Healer Lowry ?
"How do you know that?" asked Hermione Surprised. Harry turned and looked at his friend.
"You've been trying engagement rings on, it's marked your ring finger a wee bit" said Healer Lowry. "Like I said, as soon as you're feeling better, healthy exercise"
Hermione slowly reddened.
"Now you're getting a little bit strained so I'll just give you a quick charm to tide you over till you get your potions." said Healer Lowry jovially.
Healer Lowry took his wand and holding Hermione's hand, cast a long,intricate charm.
"That will keep you going till potion o'clock. Now remember to take the potions daily, and be in at nine next Friday" said Healer Lowry brightly.
"Now Miss Dagwood-Granger, I need to talk to Harry on his own for a few minutes" said Lowry.
Hermione smiled nervously and stood up.
"This won't take long" said Lowry, reassuringly.
Hermione left, and once the door shut, Lowry cast a privacy charm.
"Do you know you've been obliviated." he asked, suddenly businesslike.
"Eh, yeah. I um, did that to myself… to help with the nightmares" said Harry.
Lowry stared at Harry, totally surprised "Are you sure you haven't had your memory of that modified?"
"I cast prior incantatum on my wand. I was alone. I did it" said Harry.
"That is without a doubt the stupidest thing I have ever hard of anyone doing. You could have turned yourself into a vegetable, and be drooling all over the the Janus Thackery ward"
Harry swallowed.
"I don't care if you've killed he-who-shall-not-be-named, If I ever find a hint you've done something like this again, I'll have you committed. You can only use obliviation on muggles to preserve the statue, and you should stun and get a ministry obliviator whenever possible. Do you understand me!" the last part, Lowry yelled.
Harry nodded meekly.
"Now run along." said Lowry, waving his wand. Harry felt cheered up immediately.
Hermione and Harry left room 223 a little stunned, and embarrassed.
"I can't believe he said that" said Hermione.
"He didn't actually say you should snog Ron senseless" said Harry "It was only implied" he continued, "S'practically Doctors orders" he snorted.
Hermione gave Harry a look.
"Oooh" said Harry "That's got to be a Dagwood-Granger sneer" said Harry.
"Harry, why are you being funny" said Hermione, stopping and looking at Harry askance.
"Oh that's easy Hermione, I'm a bit drunk, and Lowry just hit me with a cheering charm" said Harry. "I start early most days" he said "But I'm going to get better. The potion, then the ritual, then sleep"
Hermione put her hands on her hips "How long have you been unable to sleep at night?" she asked, sounding a lot like his old best friend from before the war.
"Um, I dunno" said Harry making eye contact with the ceiling. "I don't remember."
Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him back on course.
They walked down to room one oh three.
-===0==-
Room 103 had rows of hospital beds with privacy curtains. It was a was a bit reminiscent of the Hogwarts infirmary.
They were greeted by a tall, serious woman in healers robes with brown eyes. "Hello, scars and curses, I'm Healer Felicity."
Hermione spoke up "I have some scars. one of them is cursed" she said to the Healer.
Healer felicity waved Hermione into one of the curtained off spaces.
Hermione went into the curtained off bed and her voice suddenly was silenced, as was the Healers.
After a minute or two Healer Felicity came back out. "Miss Dagwood-Granger needs to lie down for a while, while the potion re-grows some un-scarred skin and tissues."
"Er, " said Harry, ever articulate. "Can you look at some scars of mine" he asked, tapping himself with his wand and cancelling the glamour.
"It's literally what I do best Mr Potter." said Healer Felicity, surprisingly smiling. "Pop into the next screened bay, and expose the scars you want seen to."
Harry got into the next space over and took off his jumper and shirt. "I've got these scars on my arm. I don't like them, and, um a lot on my back."
"What about the one on your head" said Healer Felicity. "Must be a pain having people stare at it"
"You understand" said Harry, relaxing.
"Scars is what I do" said Healer Felicity. "Lets just check these out" she said, casting a barrage of diagnostic charms, then touching her wand to each scar in turn.
"well these are all just scars... I can do the one on your head, and arm. You'll need to come back for the ones on your back though."
"Are they that bad?"
"No, you will need to lie on your back for a quarter hour while I repair the head and arm scars... can't do your back at the same time." said Healer Felicity.
"Oh" sighed Harry.
"Now for a medical secret..." said Healer Felicity. "I'm not going to fix the scars."
"You're not?" said Harry, incredulous.
"No I'm going to vanish the scars and the adjoining skin, then repair the missing patch with a potion. End result is no curse scarring. Only works on natural scars and small cursed ones."
"That's genius" said Harry enthusiastically.
"Lie still, and this will sting."
"Oh, and leave the round one on my arm alone" said Harry. "It's where I got bitten by a basilisk and I kind-of like it as a reminder."
"You got bitten by a basilisk" said The Healer stonily.
"Phoenix tears" said Harry bluntly.
"War heroes" said Healer Felicity darkly, in a tone a lot like the one Healer Lowry had used.
Later...
Harry and Hermione, looking a little different met outside the screened beds.
"Healer Felicity, where would I got to get my eyesight fixed" asked Harry.
"Eye ward is over at one nine eight"
Taking a deep breath, the golden duo strode off looking for room 198.
-===0==-
Later in a tiny room with a tipping chair, Harry in the chair and a healer.
Andromeda had not been entirely honest about how much the eyesight potion hurt.
"Now this will hurt" said Healer Jeffries. "Bite this" he continued and handed Harry a leather strap.
Harry bit it, then the healer leaned Harry back on the special chair till his eyes were facing straight up. Suddenly magical straps that shot out of the arms and a head-belt clicked on and Harry was startled but couldn't move
"Just prevents accidental magic messing with the potion" said Healer Jeffries reassuringly. Healer Jeffries then used an eyedropper to put the potion in his eyes.
Harry screamed himself hoarse through the bite-strap. Eventually the pain stopped.
"That's like the cruciatus curse" said Harry, a shaking puddle of sweat in the chair once all the straps were released.
The healer looked at him diffidently.
"I've had it multiple times.. even from he-who-should-not-be-hyphenated" said Harry bitterly, but he didn't bother keeping the glasses.
He left the room shakily, Jeffries having dried his clothes for him.
"Wow Harry, your glasses really covered up your eyes" said Hermione,looking up from the magazine she'd been reading
"Everything is very clear" said Harry. "Even things close up"
Hermione looked again at her friends green eyes, and scar-less forehead. He had no IDEA.
"No need for a glamour now Green-eyes" said Hermione "Lets go get our potions."
"Green-eyes" huffed Harry.
"It's your most dishy attribute." said Hermione bluntly.
Harry turned red as a tomato. "Hermione, Just NO!"
Diagon alley, The Leaky Cauldron
Harry stumbled out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron, and slid face-down across the room, almost hitting the tables.
Hermione stepped out and swayed, but remained upright. Nervously, she rubbed her arm where the big scar repair had happened so recently.
Harry got up off the floor. "Hi Tom" said Harry to the bartender as Hermione and Harry headed out the back door.
In the Alley, people were bustling around, although some shops were still shuttered. Those that were open were doing good trade.
Harry and Hermione made a beeline for the apothecary's store.
After a short wait, Harry got to the counter and handed over his and Hermione's prescriptions.
The apothecary at the counter, a middle aged man with stained robes looked at the prescription briefly then regarded Harry.
"That will be..." and he stopped talking. Harry tried smiling slightly at the man, who was frozen, in an awkward expression.
"Your money's no good here" said the apothecary, and waving his wand summoned two potion vial boxes which floated over, and the picked them up.
"I'll just go in the back, fill these up. I'll be back momentarily" said the apothecary.
Harry turned to Hermione and shrugged. "What going on" asked Harry ?
Hermione looked around at the crowded shop. "I don't know" she said. "But he seemed to go a bit odd when he recognised you" she said.
"Recognised us" said Harry , who'd seen the Apothecary's almost comical double-take.
The apothecary reappear a minute or two later and handed over the potions boxes.
"Now the instructions are in the boxes. Don't magically exhaust yourself while taking this potion. No other potions while you're taking this potion. Don't mix it with alcohol. Don't conceive while taking this potion. Apparition isn't recommended, but is possible if you must. Side effects may include vivid but pleasant dreams"
He Apothecary paused "And remember the effect is to prevent the bad dreams and panic attacks, but you need the ritual too. This is only a short term remedy"
"Friday week" said Harry.
The Apothecary nodded, cheered up "Bless you Harry Potter, and Bless you too Miss Granger". He paused and made a slight gesture towards the door "Next" he said.
Harry and Hermione left holding a box each, clutching the boxes like the lifelines they literally were.
"I'll floo back to the Burrow now Harry" said Hermione, looking at the box.
"Whatever else happens, see you Friday week!" said Harry, smiling at his friend.
Hermione turned and bustled back to the Leaky Cauldron, and the Burrow.
-===0==-
Harry walked down the alley until he got to the Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes shop. The shop was shuttered, with a sign "Closed till Further notice"
Harry rummaged in his robes, took out a key and opened the doors.
There were a few envelopes on the floor that must have been shoved under the front door. Harry pocketed them.
He took the sign on the door and after a bit of a rummage around by the till found a quill and wrote as neatly as he could on the other side of the sign "Reopening soon"
He was putting the quill back when the saw the pile of owl-order forms on the counter. Harry took a small stool and pulled out his wand. With a careful motion and a muttered spell the stool became a brochure stand with a glass cover.
Harry then cast another spell on the cover, which glowed green briefly. Potting his wand back away, he filled the stand with owl order forms and put it outside the shop. With a muttered "adhereo" he sticking-charmed the stand to the cobbles of the alleyway. He nodded, rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully and went back into the shop.
Harry was just checking out what kind of mess the Twins flat was, when there was a voice yelling from downstairs "Shop!" the Person yelled. "I know you're there, saw out putting out your stand"
Harry looked around and saw aprons hanging from a row of hooks, quickly he put one on. Looking in the mirror he quickly cast a not very good glamour to change his eye colour to blue. A quick stroke with a handy chameleon comb and he had brown hair. He braced himself and went down into the shop.
There was a Wizard in brown tweedy robes standing just inside the door. "Eh, " said the wizard "I'm after some fireworks" he explained. "To celebrate you know, the war being over."
Harry remembered where the fireworks were, and this would just take a minute, so he walked over to the fireworks shelves "Here's the fireworks selection" said Harry.
The Wizard who introduced himself as "Bruce Jenkins" took ages, but ended up picking three boxes of fireworks. Harry walked over to the back of the counter and found the price list was right there in big print.
He grabbed the quill, and a blank order form and filled it in with the wizards order. That made adding up the price pretty easy, and when the price was filled in he cast a quick xerographia charm to to duplicate it.
He put one copy in the drawer behind the desk as he'd seen Fred and George and handed the customer the other. Bruce Jenkins fished out his money pouch and quickly Harry had three galleons, two sickles and eleven knuts.
After his first customer left, Harry realised he now had some money. "I eat tonight!" he said to himself cheerfully.
He was just beginning to contemplate buying some groceries, when the door opened and an endless stream of customers started. Four hours later he'd sold a lot of fireworks, a fair few rubber chicken wands and some prank sweets.
As soon as there wasn't a customer coming in, he closed and locked the front door, and took a rest, leaning his back against the door for a while. Then he went back over to the counter, opened the potions box and took out the instructions.
Nodding along, he put the instructions away after two minutes of reading, took out a vial and swigged it. He made a face as he swigged it, then his lips pulled upwards "Blimey" said Harry "Not actually disgusting."
After a minute or two sitting down behind the counter, Harry went into the back room in search of replacement stock. Restocking the shelves took Harry another hour. There were gurgling sounds coming from Harry's stomach as he finished.
He bundled up all the receipts for todays sales with the letters and after carefully locking the shop, went off to the Owl Office, and posted the bundle of parchment to George Weasley, The Burrow and paid for it with two of the three knuts Harry had in his pockets. The days profits in a small sack, Harry went to the nearby grocers. They were still open, though the day was getting later. Harry looked around the store and finally got to the shopkeeper. The queues were definitely less than earlier, but the shops that were open were doing steady business.
"Uh, I'd like to buy some food" said Harry to the Grocer, a middle-aged witch with a big, shallow pointed hat. She took one look at Harry and laughed "Oh Mr Harry Potter, you're moneys no good here. We'll make you up a box".
Within a minute, vegetables and bottles and jars had floated into a wooden crate the size of a small doghouse. "There you go" she said, smiling at Harry, "Now next time you need some, you just say and it's yours. Least we can do , considering you got rid of you -know-who and his lot"
Harry was visibly dumbfounded "Thank you" said Harry, who'd been hoping he could afford maybe a cabbage. "Kreacher" he called and after a short pause, Kreacher appeared with a pop "Yes Master"
"Kreacher take this crate of groceries, this box and this sack home" said Harry. Kreacher put the box and bag on the crate, picked it up and disappeared with a loud pop.
"Mr Potter, you just send your elf if you 're needing anything" said the Witch "We're proud to be the official grocer of Harry Potter", and she took out her wand.
Harry looked suddenly at the sign that a magical pen was now writing "Official Grocer of Harry Potter's"; then the sign floated over to the front window.
Harry's shoulders slumped slightly. The food wasn't exactly free. And the sign had a grocers apostrophe and quote marks. Harry smiled weakly and left the shop.
It was now clearly closing time for most shops so Harry flooed home to Grimmauld place.
"Dinner will be in an hour Master" said Kreacher as Harry face-planted out of the fireplace