Chapter 8
Harry was pacing around the empty classroom they were using as not to be overheard
"It's a fucking Cerberus"
"Harry James"
"Sorry Hermione"
"But really Pops has lost the plot letting something like that in the school. He's the headmaster and its a fucking school"
"Harry James"
"Sorry Hermione"
"How would he find one"
Realisation dawned on all of them
"Hagrid"
They had just over two weeks until Christmas break. A visit to Hagrid was in order. Today was Sunday the 7th. They would be leaving for home on the 21st they needed time to plan what they were going to say.
The following Sunday they were back in the same classroom.
Hermione listed all they had discovered
"Cerberus called fluffy, a bit of music puts it to sleep. Traps set by other professors, and something to do with Nicolas Flamel."
" We need to find out who this Nicolas bloke is and we have to tell our parents, it's insane someone could get hurt. I don't get it, why here. Where is the logic" Neville added
The following Sunday the four friends were on the train travelling home. They had bags packed having left the majority of their things in their trunks at school. The two girls sat next to each other chatting happily, Neville and Harry were looking through some Chocolate Frog cards.
"11 Dumbledore's"
Harry said turning to read the back. Just then the whistle blew to say they were arriving at London. The four moved from the carriage towards the group of 6 parents waiting at the entrance.
Hermione was engulfed by her parents as Harry and Susan were by theirs. The Longbottoms had Neville in a group hug
Suddenly Harry's face froze marching along the platform was Molly Weasley.
She was Ron's mum and the reason that the two boys were not friends anymore.
Growing up their had been 4 inseparable boys Ron Weasley, Theodore Nott, Neville and Harry. They did everything together, that all changed one weekend two years ago
The boys minus Neville had been playing Quiddich at Ron's House when the shouting started.
"How dare you say my daughter is not good enough for Harry"
The screaming was carrying across the grass, Sirius replied
"I said no such thing, I simply informed you that if and when my son chooses a girl their will be no contracts involved"
"Don't be so ridiculous Sirius that boy is to important to leave it up to him"
Sirius raised his voice
"enough that boy is going to live a normal life and not be pushed into anything"
Ron's ears were turning red, Harry was frozen in place.
"Ron its nothing against your sister, but my parents would never have had one of those contracts."
He could not finish his comment, Ron exploded
"don't lie, you just think the Nott's are better than us" looking at Theo, The boy shrugged
"My Dad said show you the better family" Theo responded
Harry tossed his broom over his shoulder, turned his back on the two boys walking away from their growing argument. After that day Harry didn't trust anyone outside of his family, until the obviously nervous girl on the train broke past his defence.
Susan caught Hermione's eye and motioned towards her brother, looking at the boy she could see he was shutting down. It was Halloween all over again. Lifting his arm she slid under and placed her own around his waist, his arm draping over her shoulder. The motion woke him from his thoughts and he smiled at her.
The Grangers looked on in amazement, their quiet, kind, beautiful daughter had just willingly embraced someone who wasn't family. Hermione had suffered with trust issue's from a young age, and yet they had seen her blossom in the last 3 months. She had friends, Dan was not totally comfortable with the way she spoke about Harry. That was a dad thing. Emma loved it, her little girl was starting to understand that life is for living, balance is key. Seeing Harry and Hermione, Susan and Neville stepped in front of them as with the troll Hermione would be the shield with Sue and Nev as the swords.
Sirius noticed the change in the children transformed into Lord Black and turned.
"Ah Mrs Weasley, what do we owe the pleasure"
The small round red head had noticed the young girl wrapped around Harry and was not happy. Using all the control she had she replied
"We haven't seen Harry for a while, I was hoping he would visit over Christmas"
Pushing her daughter forward as she spoke. Harry dropped his arm from Hermione but took her hand and stepped forward.
"I'm sorry Mrs Weasley but my friends and I are fully booked this time"
Molly Weasley huffed and martched away dragging her sniffing daughter. Unfortunately the fun was not over. A blond Slytherin marched by purposely ignoring them. The four children formed the loose fist and waggle there index finger in the hole, the kids laughed as Sirius asked
"what dose that mean?"
Emma Granger in a perfect imitation of her daughter three months ago
"Asshole"
While they all chuckled Dan removed Susan's bag from her farthers hand. Susan was informed she would be going home with Hermione for the night and Neville was going home with Harry. Alice and Amelia would be joining the lady's later for a girls night and Dan and Frank were to join the boys. Dan was going to introduce them to snooker. Everyone was looking forward to their evening this was going to be a new experience for them all.
Susan and Harry had shied away from social occasions due to similar situations as Harry had with the two boys he had thought of as friends.
Dan Granger drove the car full of girls home Hermione was in the back chatting animatedly with Susan, both girls really embracing their best friend status. He decided to interrupt
"So girls how's school"
"Daddy it's fabulous we are learning so much, and being able to talk to mum through the mirror has made it 10 times easier"
"And what about boys"
Hermione locked eyes with her farther in the rear view mirror and narrowed her eyes the action was repeated by her mother in the front seat
"What exactly are you asking farther"
The tone informed him he had stepped on thin ice. Hermione's mother interjected
"Daniel Granger you will stop right there, I'm sure our daughter will share any information when she wants to"
Looking at her daughter in the mirror she conveyed that they would be having said conversation during their girls night. Hermione smiled at her mum.
Dan had left when Sirius came for him leaving Amelia behind. After changing into PJ'S the women sat on cushions on the living room floor with takeaway pizza and drinks ready for a night of gossip.
There was a glint in Amelia's eye when she started
"So who's first Neville or Harry"
The two youngest girls blushed and hid behind pillows, Emma was not about to let this go. She had hoped that one day she would get to see this side of Hermione, and was not for letting it pass.
"Well I for one would like to hear about black hair and the most gorgeous green eyes I have ever seen"
Hermione rounded on her mother
"mum please"
"OK Hermione I don't mind sharing"
"I do" clapping her hands over her mouth to stop anything else escaping, too late.
The three mothers fell about laughing, while Hermione burned redder than the sun. Susan tried to deflect the conversation
"I don't know what's so fascinating, he's just my smelly little brother"
"just because you like the strong silent type, Alice your son will be a handsome young man"
The proud mother beamed about her little man
"I would like to know yours daughters intentions towards my son"
Amelia spoke "don't ask me, I'm not his girlfriend"
Pointing at Susan.
The young girl smiled happily
"neither am I"
Hermione mumbled "yet" and received a mock glare from her friend who continued "I trust him and he makes me feel safe. Also so dam cute"
Everyone laughed including Hermione. Emma was not done yet
"So Amelia your son, dish"
Amelia smiled "that boy should be damaged beyond repair, after loosing his parents we took him. Still he was not allowed to be a boy, the media hounded him. So called friends turned on him, slowly he shut down"
The room was silent as she took a drink
"We had to work hard to convince him to go to Hogwarts, he begged to stay at home and have us teach him, It took Susan and Neville stating that they all go or none"
Wiping a tear she continued
"Then he called about his new friends and how we were right, that school would show that there were people out there who were honest and that he had true friends"
Susan smiled at Hermione, both spoke together
"best friends forever"
Everyone laughed, the evening ended with ice cream and cheesy movies
The group of lads were taken by Dan to a burger joint, after stuffing their faces with burgers, fries and milkshakes. Dan took them to a snooker hall.
They got a couple of tables next to each other and Dan proceeded to teach them the finer points of snooker. Everyone picked it up quickly but Harry was a natural.
"I can't wait to see you playing Hermione you may actually be able to challenge her . That girls talent to see the angles gives her a rare gift"
Sirius spoke " Both those beautiful young ladies are rare gifts and any boy who hurts them will feel the full force of the family"
Neville's dad did a very good job of signing somebody having their head pulled off and stuffed up their ass. The two boys swallowed nervously they got the point. Be good or be dead. More snooker followed as well as pool and darts. At the dart board Neville was astounding. Standing facing the disc on the wall with his arms loosely hanging at his sides.
"So let me see if I get the point, we each start of with a total and the point is to get to zero first"
Dan nodded and added
"yes it has to be the exact number and finish on a double"
"The double is the outer ring and the inner ring is a treble, seems a very easy game"
whilst Neville was speaking Dan had not noticed the darts dancing through the young man's fingers.
The dentist smiled
"Neville it's a hard game to master"
Neville shrugged
"so what number am I aiming for "
"101 is a good number to start from, most professional players star"
He was cut off by three dull thuds, the boys hands had flicked towards the board in an almost lazy flick of the wrist. Turning to the dart board Dan stood in amazement. The first dart had struck the centre of the 1 with the other two darts perfectly aligned in the bulls eye.
"Fucking hell Nev are you some kind of Ninja."
The other three laughed as the asked what a Ninja was, Dan proceeded to fill them in and in turn it was explained how Neville acquired his love of a blade.
The boy had been painfully shy as a small child, when asked why he was moving away from his friends.
"Daddy they have all done accidental magic and I'm worried I am a squib."
His farther smiled and started to sigh
" You are a Longbottom and I'm sure you will grow into your magic, but if not why don't we see if our goblin friends can teach you a thing or two"
Frank suggested this as a way to distract his son, he had no idea what he was starting. The boys bedroom wall looked like a display from an abattoir. It was In one of these training sessions when Neville had his first bout of magic. There had been a particularly difficult target to hit and no matter how hard he tried he could not tag it. In frustration he let go of the knife he had been holding in each hand and rubbed is fingers through his hair. When he looked up Fangduller the Goblin was fixated on Neville's legs. Looking down the boy could see the two blades hovering up and down by his knees. As the young boy reached for them he felt a connection as if they were an extension of his own limbs. The boy looked up with a genuine smile and the two Goblin blades shot forward, the first struck the elusive target in the centre and the second impacted the hilt of the first forcing it through the target and into the wall behind.
"Master Longbottom, squib my ass, you are so powerful you already have some control. We need to increase your training there is a lot of power locked in you"
From then Neville became a lot more confident and happy.
"Dad I need one of those" pointing at the dart board
"And some of these retrieving the darts"
His Father smiled if it stopped him throwing knives in the house it would be a good thing. The night finished with a stroll to Grimmuld place, a stop on the way back had them eating something greasy and unrecognisable out of paper, but God it was good.
The boys were woken by Sirius banging on the door
"Get up Kreacher is making breakfast"