CHAPTER 21: The Longbottoms & The Weasleys.
It was just gone midday and Dowager Lady Longbottom flued back home to her Longbottom Manor Home. She was annoyed and worried about information that had come her way from a couple of Ministry officials who were, frankly, scared stiff of her. She had overheard their conversation whilst waiting for the internal Ministry building lifts and upon fronting them out in her usual formidable manner, the two fearful clerks fully gave her the information in question, that being: that Harry Potter and his muggle relatives were dead after an attack on some Muggle house in a place called 'Little Whinging', wherever that was. Also, the perpetrator of the murders, a young, fat Muggle boy, had been arrested by the Muggle Police. That was all they knew.
"Neville, where are you? Where are you, boy? I need to speak with you now!" … No answer. … 'Hmmm. The greenhouses or the garden, that's where he will be.'
Sure enough, less than a minute later, having gone through the dining room and out the wide-open French doors, Lady Longbottom spotted her grandson out by the rose beds, secautors in hand, dead-heading for all he was worth.
"Neville" she shouted. "Come here a moment, please. I need to speak with you."
Looking up from his gardening duties and seeing his Grandmother, he waved and made his way to her.
"Afternoon Gran. Thought I would do a bit in the garden instead of the greenhouses for a change. Loads of dead-heading and other pruning to be done. What's wrong? You are looking a bit perplexed."
"Yes, you could say that. I need you to listen and listen good. I have heard some disturbing information about Harry Potter." And she told him all she had heard. "Now, do you know of Harry's domestic situation away from school or this place called 'Little Whinging'?"
Neville was shocked at what he had heard. It couldn't be right, surely. Not Harry Potter! He had survived the tri-Wizard tournament, basilisks, attacks by Slytherins. He can't have been killed by a Muggle!
"Neville! Listen. I don't need you going into your usual shell of fear whenever something shocks you! Not now! Harry Potter is your friend and God-brother. Now, answer me. What do you know of Harry out-with Hogwarts?"
Neville was trying to get his brain in gear. He was no fool, although many thought him so, but he was a rational, methodical thinker, not prone to rashness or fast-on-his-feet thinking. More than once he thought he had been placed in the wrong House at Hogwarts.
"Eh. …. I think Little Whinging is the village or town that Harry lives in. I have heard him mention it more than once. He is there with his relatives, possibly from his mum's side of the family. Yes, yes, that's right. His mum's sister and her family. I don't know where it is, though."
"Right, that's something. I am going to contact Amelia Bones now. As head of the DMLE she should know something of this. I need you to owl the Weasleys; I understand from the few things you have said that Harry is particularly close to their youngest son. Now go, right away now, and find out if they have heard anything. Also, if they know where this 'Little Whinging' is. Got that?"
Neville was learning, think fast.
"Gran! They do know where it is! At least, Ron and the twins do. They got Harry out of that house last year or maybe the year before. Harry was being kept in there like a prisoner. His uncle wouldn't let Harry out or contact anyone. They broke him out using a flying car, a sort of escape. That's when Harry first went to the Weasleys."
"Good. Then there is a chance they might know more of what's going on. Arthur may have heard something of it whilst he was at work. Get an owl to them now!"
"Will do." And off he ran to the owlery.
_HJP & HJG_
"Morning Mum, what's for breakfast?"
Molly Weasley was not amused. She had just walked through the door, it was gone midday and her youngest son was just getting up. Still in his PJ's at this time of day! She had been so busy with her domestic chore's and sorting out getting to the local town of Ottery St Catchpole for the weekly shopping that she hadn't thought of waking Ronald.
"Morning! Morning! It is GONE half past twelve in the afternoon, Ronald Weasley! Morning has come and gone and you have slept though the lot of it."
"Well how was I to know I was sleeping through the morning! I was sleeping!"
"Don't you be cheeky with me, young man! Any more of that and you will be doing chores the rest of the summer! Now, give me a hand putting this shopping away. You are quick enough to eat it so you can help to stack it into the cupboards."
"Aw, Mum. I haven't had anything to eat yet! How can I do stuff on an empty stomach. Can't I have breakfast first?"
"Breakfast! That time has come and gone, Ronald. It's lunchtime, and if you want any lunch, you will put this stuff away now or your next meal will be at Hogwarts in September! Now, get moving or else! ….. Wait a minute, where's your sister? Why isn't she here?"
"How would I know Mum. I told you, I was sleeping! Merlin, I really don't need this! I'm hungry!"
"Get moving, Ronald, or I swear I'll not be cooki …."
Molly heard the sound of the hands of the family clock moving. She looked at it and saw that her husband Arthur's hand was showing him 'travelling' and then further moved across to 'Home', then she heard the sounds of footsteps approaching the open back door. Her 'travelling', 'homeward bound' husband stepped through.
"Arthur! What are you doing home so early on a work-day? Are you feeling alright?" and she rushed over and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek.
"Afternoon Molly. Afternoon, Ron. I'm fine, but the news I have heard around the Ministry isn't, not fine at all!"
"What news? What's wrong Arthur?"
"It's about Harry. Not good news l'm afraid. Apparently, there has been a … 'situation' I think I heard it called, at Little Whinging in Surrey, south of London. That is the town where Harry lives. Aurors went there yesterday about an incident some days ago. Dementors attacked Harry. Then, something else. They also destroyed Harry's home and killed his relatives; blew them up into little pieces. And worse still, Harry is missing. No sign of him at all."
"What? But Arthur, what has happe …
"Harry is missing?" asked a much younger female voice from behind Arthur. "Since when, Dad?"
The small, slight figure of Ginny Weasley, wrapped in a large towel as a result of swimming in the Weasley pond, walked around her father to stand between her mother and brother, who was standing as still as a post, pale-skinned and mouth open, too shocked to ask anything.
"Hello Ginny. Since about two days ago, or so the rumours are saying. That's when the Aurors discovered what had happened. Two dead Muggles blown to bits, loads of magic around the place …. And no Harry."
Ronald Weasley said his first words.
"Oh, Shit! Hermione finds out about this she will go mental!"
