Chapter 38: Dust to Dust, Ashes to Ashes
**OO**
A/N: Thanks to my wonderful Beta, LtsHrIt4ThBoyz.
A/N: While I do suffer from several disabilities, one of which is going to bed on time instead of staying up reading, the title is not backwards. It is just flip-flopped from the original on purpose.
A/N Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Warning for violence and character death.
**OO**
Friday, November 6
10:00 AM, Wee Timid Beasties
Freya O'Neal was getting ready to open her shop the next day. The cages were all in place. The playpen for gentle animals like bunnies, puffskeins, and such was ready as well.
It was the day to receive the animals from the kindly souls that raised them.
Finding out that her previous middleman wouldn't come to the Keep to receive his final payment had her very suspicious.
Finding out from the people raising said pets what they had actually been paid, had her Scot's temper ready to wield her wand in recompense. The middlemen had charged her suppliers a 'handling fee' which was more than they kept!
Well, they lived in peace here in the Keep and all would share in the profits.
The Fernsby's had a lovely lad just a bit older than Rionach named Hugo. The two pre-teens talked about animals, and the crups the family had brought in licked the girl's fingers clean after feeding them little treats.
"That tickles!" Rionach laughed. It was the first time in a while that her gram had seen that smile.
"You must be a powerful witch. I wish I could go to Hogwarts." Hugo sighed.
"Well, I'm never going back there. You'd be welcome at the new school. You should come on Monday. There's going to be…"
The bell on the door tinkled, announcing a new visitor.
The happy crups turned from small lap pups into a three-headed Cerberus, guarding the gates. They wouldn't let these two magical children be hurt by a mere muggle!
"Oh, dear! I'm sorry. I was excited, and came a bit early…" Mrs Figg was already backing out the door slowly.
Mrs Fernsby shushed the crup pups. "Easy now! No one's in danger. I'm so sorry, ma'am. Juliet Fernsby, this is my husband, Rodger. My son Hugo. He's been raising crups since he was very young. I thought that crups liked squ… um, people without magic. They love my son so very much. I'm so very sorry."
Constance Pinkerton came in just then, completely oblivious to the drama. She only had eyes for the crup puppies, "Are these the newest recruits? You've done well, young man."
She picked out a new pup just as she promised. She didn't want Corporal Cupcake to be alone.
"I'll just bill the department, Auror Pinkerton. And thank ye." Freya informed. "Hugo's a smart young wizard."
"I'm a squib, ma'am. I can't do magic." Hugo stated sadly.
Auror Pinkerton took out her wand. She'd been helping in the TripleC, so knew the spell. After checking with the parents, she performed it quickly.
Her swear was not loud, but made the children laugh.
"You need to come into the Justice Center for a cleanse, lad. They need to advertise this more. You've been a victim of a Dark Lord. Fortunately for you, it's reversible, and you'll be fine.
"Hugo's a wizard?" Juliet clutched her heart. She knew! She knew something was wrong. So did Rodger! He'd begged Dumbledore! Begged him!
"School's starting next Monday. They'll be lots of new first forms in there. First years, I mean. Free books and everything. Just wear casual pants of a blue or brown, white shirt and a plain open robe."
"I'm a first-year too. I'll help you catch up to where we are." Rionach offered.
"I'm going to need a wand!" Hugo exclaimed with joy.
"Ollivander is opening a second shop here, just for people like you, dear boy." Rionach's gran, Madam Rowley, added.
"We should go see about that ritual, Hugo!" Rodger declared. "Say goodbye to your friend for now."
Hugo hugged his parents, said a happy goodbye to his pups, and hugged Rionach goodbye as well.
"See you in school next Monday." Hugo waved.
"I'll save you a seat!" The lass promised her new friend.
**OO**
Friday, November 6
7:30 PM, Grabthar's Grub
The restaurant was doing a 'soft' opening a week early to practice. Harry Potter had wanted to give his Auntie Esme a proper reception when they returned from their honeymoon. So, Harry had asked BloodRage about expanding the kitchen to be more than just take away. He offered the gold to become a true restaurant.
The goblins had fun ideas of a dining experience. The natural looking alcoves were still being furnished, but some tables had customers, and soft unusual music was coming from one corner.
Ian adjusted his dress robes nervously. He was a little early for the meal, but then so was his date.
"Thank you for joining me." Ian smiled crookedly.
Sabrina tended to have her chair a little higher than standard so that people weren't constantly bowing to her. She liked it like that.
He handed over the wrist corsage. White and yellow roses. The new florists had just opened, and Ian was glad to support them.
"Thank you. Can you please put this on me?" Sabrina smiled.
Ian could have kicked himself. The one hand controlled the chair and couldn't be used right now for anything else. The auror slipped the flowers on the off-hand of the Seer with a smile, and a goblin showed them to their seats. An elderly lady was seated not far from them, and pretending to study the menu.
The first female goblin Ian had ever seen came out for a moment to yell at one of the waiters in their native tongue. He bowed and groveled appropriately, and she returned to the kitchen to applause from the audience of goblins eating there.
Sabrina had moved the chair to one side to see and slapped her hand appreciatively on the side, Ian joining in late.
"What did I miss?"
"Part of the theater. It's hard to explain as it doesn't translate well. But goblins here are much like goblins in America. I spent a lot of time in their medical facilities when I was young. Learning the language made sense at the time."
Ian was curious about what happened to her legs, but would rather cut off one of his own than make her uncomfortable.
Instead, he handed over an ugly porcelain misshapen white cow that covered a small white bowl. A bowl that was not empty, but full of golden yellow butter.
"Yeah, well. My great-grandmother fancies herself an artist. But the real treat is the butter, not the container. Ye saved my family. And stop. Before ye say it's your job, no, it's not. Yer job is to save the children that Death Eaters have been after unhindered for years. You saw because we were together, the attack that was about to happen. So, bless ye and thank ye. And ye get to have an ugly cow with delicious butter for yer table. It refills automatically, keeps it safe and cool, and all that."
"It's a fine gift and appreciated. Please let her know that I said thank you. And I don't think it's that ugly. It's a little out of proportion if you're being picky. But she clearly made it to fit the bowl. In America, we have sticks of butter. That shape would likely work a bit better to have a more normal-looking cow."
Ian coughed a laugh. "Aye! But they'd never go for it. 'Tradition!'"
Sabrina's eyes sparkled as she laughed. The mushroom bread arrived, and rather than dip it in the provided mushroom purée, she scandalized the server by spreading a bit of the butter on it.
"Oh! Now that is good butter! Here! Please try some." Sabrina offered a bite of her own bread.
She fed Ian, who had been raised on it. His eyes twinkled back.
"So, do you play an instrument of any kind?" Ian asked gently after finishing his bite.
Sabrina smiled brightly, as the young Scot touched on a subject that she adored, "The violin. A little piano. I love classical music."
"I play fiddle meself. A wee bit different is Celtic music from yer Chopin or whatever you might enjoy. There's going to be a local symphony group. Would you be interested…"
"Absolutely! And no, I don't mind playing in a group that has children. How else are they going to learn?"
A pair of goblin drummers were setting up. Sabrina hoped that they wouldn't have Troll wrestling in this enclosed space – not a lot of room, and clearly new tables.
The crowd beat tankards on tables in rhythm. Sabrina and Ian joined right in.
She and Ian spent a pleasant evening talking of little things, mostly, and testing the waters on bigger things.
Ian escorted her back to her shared flat, the witch chaperone keeping a respectful distance back.
Ian kissed Sabrina's cheek and asked to see her again. In fact, he asked her if there was anyone he should ask permission to formally court her.
"No, I have no family, no ties. Not anymore." Sabrina looked down.
Ian was about to ask permission to court her himself. But no! Ian's gran just had to embarrass him at that moment. She'd stayed mostly in the background for their date.
"Not true anymore, young lady. You're a part of Clan MacMurray if ye accept. The least we can do for a life debt."
"WHAT? I don't want to become Ian's sister! I want to… I mean, keep my options open… Oh, drat!" Sabrina's cheeks flamed, but Ian was all smiles, hearing she didn't want to be his sister.
"Ye have family. And nay, it doesn't make us brother and sister or even cousins. But ye are not alone." Ian reassured.
Sabrina, clearly afraid of getting 'foot in mouth disease' for the second time that night, held her tongue as she held up the mishappen cow. With a quiet thank you and good night, she got out her door key. Naomi heard, and opened the door and invited the people in. Ian and his gran demurred and headed down the hall after saying their goodnights. They returned to their own large family suite.
"She seems like a nice witch." The older woman stated.
"She claims to not be, but I saw her with a wand for her chair."
"Aye, she's magic, na tha' ye couldna coort a muggle if ye wisht: Goot ta swank tae blud nous an thans." ("Aye, she's magic, not that you couldn't date a muggle, if you wished: Good to strengthen the blood now and then.")
"Aye, mam. She had a suggestion about the cows for a different market." Ian explained long sticks of butter for more natural cow-shaped containers.
"Ach! No! How silly is that? Butter, not in a bowl?"
**OO**
Friday, November 6
Cairo, Egypt
Ginny had been attending mind healing with a lady who was not best pleased with the girl's progress. The disturbed pre-teen had snuck a dagger into their last session and threatened to kill the witch. Ginny accused the healer of 'trying to make her give up on her true love'."
The girl was soon holding a small non-lethal snake, and she stomped it to death! On purpose! "This is you! This is you!"
The mind healer had called for a guard, taken a calming draught, and summoned her husband for some comfort.
She refused to see the child again and returned all gold given her so far. She turned her notes into the head healer in Cairo. Her husband planned to take her on a nice outing that weekend. Bill heard about it and felt terrible. He gave the husband a hundred galleons as a gift and begged his forgiveness about the knife. What a mess!
The gold that Harry Potter provided allowed Bill to hire the best of healers. A small team assembled and looked at the evidence earlier in the week and the mind-healers reports. They had a serious problem here.
An Account Manager and his human mate also came in, but they were welcomed by the curse-breaker, so the newcomers were ignored by the healers.
One old-fashioned man spat and said that his younger brother was looking for another wife and would give five camels for such a beautiful bride. They only needed to wait a few years for her to be old enough to bear children, essentially.
Bill managed not to punch him, but the goblin healer who was attending signaled the guard to have the local removed.
"What?! You are talking about taking action that will cause her to be squibbed, but she was strong in magic before the cure attempt that didn't work. Why waste such a precious resource?" was shouted as he was dragged from the room.
The goblin healer looked at the angry curse-beaker, who was clearly meditating. Eyes closed and fists clenched.
The rest of the healers in the small group looked at the notes on the newest idea for a cure, and reread the diagnosis. In quiet voices, they discussed what to do.
Ginny was blind, not stupid. If they forced that cure on her, she would lose her magic completely! Harry Potter would never marry a squib! No!
Using a trick she learned at a young age, she began to cry. "Bill! Can I please go back to my room for a little while?"
Livy popped in very angry. "Yous be mad at Ginny witch but she not being healed from ritual or from terrible things happening to hers. She's being child. Not adult. No!"
Bill knew that he couldn't react the way that Luna had foreseen. Livy was a person who had gone through a week of Hades to try to help this girl, and yet, here she was, defending her with the heart of a lion! All she saw was a damaged child who required care and understanding. Livy was a jewel among elves!
"It has only been a few days, but we have to see how she is reacting to the cure before we try a new one," Bill stated.
They then questioned the young witch with the goblin version of truth serum. It made you brag about your accomplishments, goals, and short-term plans.
Bill had to conjure a bucket, so he wouldn't vomit on the floor; the local healer was incensed.
William Arthur Weasley, Heir of House Black, knew that he was at a crossroads. The cure hadn't worked. If Ginny had a chance, she would try to kill Livy, an elf of House Potter. She would be willing to kill anyone else that stood in the way of getting what she wanted.
Taking that love potion while simultaneously compelled by one Dark Lord, doing dark magic while possessed by another, had been a recipe for disaster. The healer from the Nambia clinic shook his head. He wasn't even sure that obliviating and de-ageing her would work.
In fact, having tried a century ago with a different dark lord, he was very sure it wouldn't work.
Normally, the true de-ageing process made one forget everything of their life back to the age they started. But Ginny had been Harry Potter obsessed since a very young age. And Bill knew that, and was open with the healers about it.
Ginny had confessed to knowing the basilisk would likely kill any Slytherin student she ran across. And she didn't care. It was called 'collateral damage'. Besides, Draco had been mean to her, bullied her, so he deserved it!
She had even stolen Draco's House Black family ring so that she could pretend in private to be engaged to Harry.
Bill made a decision. The only right one, or the least bad one, in this case.
Bill thanked all the healers and said he would be in touch soon. He was going to take some time to meditate and do some more research on this issue. And spend some quality time with his sister in the meantime.
He paid them for their time and thanked them for their service, and they left, leaving Bill, Spurnik, Esme, and Ginny in the exam room.
"Ginny. How would you like to go on a magic carpet ride and hear the lions roar?" Bill offered.
Seeing Bill acting so strangely had Esme pull his arm to her, so she could whisper in his ear.
"No. We will take care of it. She is your sister."
Spurnik saw and heard. He took Bill aside and recorded several innocuous phrases in his voice. He complied, but then changed his mind. It was his responsibility to the House!
"I'll meet you at the carpet. I just need to run to my room." Bill stated. He wouldn't let others do his job.
Bill started towards his quarters, the moment that Esme was waiting for came. He was in the corridor alone and no one else could hear.
"'Obliviate.' The healers tried another cure, but it failed. Unfortunately, your sister died from it. This wasn't your fault. I'm so sorry for your loss. You are very tired and need to sleep. When you get up, you need to go home and tell your parents." Esme commanded.
Bill shambled down the hall, tears in his eyes.
He had done his best. The team had done their best.
Why, oh, why was he feeling such relief that she was dead?
**OO**
Spurnik changed his robes to be the same shade as Ginny's and donned an invisibility cloak. It was time to go.
Esme held the girl's hand. "I'm Esme. Bill promised me a carpet ride. I'm Harry's aunt. Would you like to sit next to me and talk while we fly?"
Ginny was instantly on her best behavior. This was her reward for telling the truth!
They flew for quite a-ways, the warmth of the desert air, the smell of the approaching water in the air.
The girl didn't see death coming. She heard the lion's roar and could feel the power from there.
Then she felt nothing as she was stunned. Quickly, at Spurnik's urging, Esme searched the young girl and came up with two daggers and her wand. The wand would be returned to her parents in remembrance, but the daggers would be shown to Livy, to demonstrate how close she'd been to death.
Uttering a short prayer for the soul of the child, Esme dropped her from the carpet into the far end of the lions' den.
After the lions were done and had moved away, Spurnik burnt the remains and summoned them in a conjured ornate box.
Spurnik removed his invisibility cloak and wore the same color robes as the girl, and had an illusion of her face if anyone was watching them return. Esme cleared her wand by doing sticking charms and cleaning charms over and over.
Spurnik waited quietly, on the trip out for the need for Bill's voice, but it wasn't used, so cleansed the recording orb for another time.
"You acted as a goblin mother tonight. I'm very proud of you, my Esmeralda. No goblin female would allow a child to live that would endanger the clan."
"Thank you, my husband. There's a small part of me that wishes that there was a different solution that would keep Harry and others safe. Come, I don't want my memories of Egypt to be made of this day, or interfere with our honeymoon. Harry must not hear of this, though; I don't want him to fear me. He has only killed others in protection. Like Moody."
"Like any warrior who has the need."
They somberly returned to Gringotts.
The few people watching saw a tall one and a short one go out, a tall one and a short one come back. Nothing remarkable at all.
Spurnik later potioned his beloved to modify her own memories. She would remember seeing Bill from a distance, and hearing that they were still struggling to heal the girl. Then she and Spurnik went on a camel ride.
The next day they were going out to a dig, and Spurnik had arranged a business meeting to buy up some old damaged tapestries.
He would not allow their trip to be spoiled by this Dark 'Lady', even while he was proud of his bride's actions.
**OO**
Ginny found herself at the station where the Hogwarts Express had come. It wasn't that long ago she had finally met her hero. Had actually had the courage to wish him 'Good Luck'.
An old man walked down the platform, and sat on an empty bench. It appeared to be Headmaster Dumbledore!
"I had heard that you were dead, sir! I'm so glad that isn't true. You have to help me! Everything's gone wrong!"
The sound of a whistle in the distance, and the train would be pulling in soon.
"Alas. I'm forgotten child. I need to get on the train. Will you help me?"
"Of course!" Ginny smiled at him, realizing that she was tall. Far too tall. Taller than her own mum!
Peering into the reflection of the windows, she saw a vibrant young woman. "Have I been asleep for a long time?"
A young man, no two young men, came down the stairs.
"Uncle Fabian! Uncle Gideon! You're here! You're here!"
They looked sadly at the child. "Ginny. Ginevra Weasley. Have you done something that you wish you hadn't?"
Ginny's life flashed in front of her. The embarrassment of used clothing, the poverty. Living in such a ramshackle house when she deserved a manor!
Being talked into making an illegal, no. Making a dark potion and putting them into chocolates in order to gain her goal.
Harry Potter.
Ginny blushed and looked down. But there was more. The basilisk, the four Slytherins. She saw them for a moment in clarity. How her actions of guiding the basilisk to kill Luna and Hermione had killed them first.
Ginny was crying.
"Why did I do such terrible things? I really, really messed up."
Luna's words came to her mind, to stop while she could. She had been mad at Luna since forever! She would never listen to her.
Now it was too late.
"I'm lost, aren't I?" Ginny asked in a small voice.
"You have some community service to do, little one. And it won't be easy. But you were a victim as well. And you'll have help." Fabian reassured her.
"I won't be alone?" Ginny asked.
"Never alone." Gideon assured.
Forgetting to wave good-bye to Dumbledore, Ginny's uncles helped her onto the train.
Gideon came to have a final word.
"Do you have a message for her? For later?" Gideon asked in the calmest voice he could manage. One didn't strike others here, though he sorely wanted to.
"Message? The child failed me. No message."
Gideon's booted foot 'accidentally' met with Dumbledore's bony ankle on his way up the steps.
Albus pleaded with them to be allowed on the train, but they couldn't hear him.
And their focus was on healing their family member's soul.
Not the broken spirit of Albus Dumbledore.
**OO**
Saturday, November 7
Ollivander's Wand Shoppe, Hogsmeade, Established 1992
Garrick Ollivander was a character, and not a few people around him knew that his family had a special kind of Seer.
They never forgot a wand, or who it had bonded with.
Garrick himself was thrilled to get out of Diagon. The fumes of the city weren't the same cloying coal smoke and horse dung of his youth. Modern technology had led to different smells, more noise.
Less peace.
Several people were coming in today that had never owned a wand before. Young and old. If the people couldn't afford it, he was to put in on the tab of the Ministry of Magic, Scotland.
No one was going to be turned away. Not today.
A part of Garrick wondered about the new cores that would be available to him. Many were the stories he had heard so far. Hearing that the unicorns had only moved to be safe had the elderly man weeping in undisguised relief.
"Rubeus Hagrid! I knew that I would be seeing you today." Garrick called out, scaring those in line outside the shop.
"O' course you did. Ye sent me an owl saying me wand was ready!" Hagrid beamed.
"Tricky, tricky to make." Garrick should confess that he had most of the two scales left that he had been given for the wand.
Hagrid picked it up, and a wave of blue and silver sparks came out.
"How very Ravenclaw of you, but I thought you were Gryffindor? Hmm?" Ollivander gently teased.
Hagrid was getting wages and knew that this man would be giving wands away. "I brought ye some interesting things from the forest that I thought you might like. Ye know, to help others. Thank ye so much for this, Mr Ollivander."
"You're welcome, Hagrid. Do me a favor though. Keep your eyes open for a likely lad who might make a good apprentice for me?"
Hagrid thought about that, and started to suggest Charlie Weasley, but the man loved dragons.
"I'll keep my ears open, sir. Good day to ye!" Hagrid waved, knowing that there were others waiting their turn.
It was odd. Last night, Hagrid knew that this store was empty. Now, shelves upon shelves were full, seats outside for people waiting. And unlike Diagon, it wasn't waiting in the rain!
Hagrid remembered the first spell he ever did.
"Lumos" The wand lit brightly enough to startle people, and one woman even complained.
There was only one problem. How did he turn it off?
"How do ye turn it off? Help!"
Hagrid had tried shaking his new wand, but that wasn't working.
Several kindly people shouted NOX at him, and the gentle man yelled "NOX!"
Not only his wand, but several nearby lights, went off for a time before the house-elves assigned to the section were called and restored order.
**OO**
Saturday, November 7
Breakfast, Children's Center
"Neville? Can Harry and I talk to you after we eat?" Sirius asked.
Neville nodded but didn't smile; he'd been worried that Harry would hold a grudge about the punch, but it appeared not.
Sirius moved down a couple of chairs to sit next to his cousin, but kept track of the boys' conversation.
Neville introduced Tommy to Harry, who shook his little hand. "Yes, Mr Pierce and I are already friends. Looking forward to going to the Pet Store later today?"
"Yes, sir!"
Neville and Harry pretended to look around. "Where? Where?"
Tommy laughed at their antics.
"He's just Harry, Tommy."
"Okay, Just Harry. What are you going to get?"
Neville started laughing.
"Mr Longbottom? Are you saying I can't get a new pet if I want one?" Harry demanded.
"Mr Potter, if you want a new pet, how long will it be in your hands before it winds up in Luna's pocket?"
Tommy looked back and forth between the boys and was appalled. Someone was stealing Harry Potter's pets!
"Don't worry, Harry, if someone takes your pet, I'll make this mean Luna person give it back."
Sirius started to laugh. "You do that, Tommy. So, can we borrow Neville for just a minute? We'll be back before it's time to get your new friend."
**OO**
They moved into a private room, and Sirius sat the boys down.
"Look, what happened yesterday wasn't your fault. Until yesterday, everyone thought that you had been told. Your grandmother is alive, fine, and living in my house on the private island." Which was no longer true, but Sirius didn't know she had left.
Neville sagged in relief, and though he felt angry about how his grandmother had treated him even after the unbinding ritual, he still loved her and was grateful she was okay. A few tears dripped down from his face; bent in gratitude for her deliverance.
Sirius continued, "She's tried to write you many letters." Sirius hesitated, knowing this would be hard for Neville to hear. "She, she was being 'encouraged', Neville, to be mean to you," Sirius informed gently.
Neville's head suddenly popped up, "Like Harry's supposed family?" looking at his godbrother who nodded.
Neville stood, abruptly, and began pacing around. "They put me in charge of the children's greenhouse. I'm in charge of buying and stocking the TripleC with plants!" He stated proudly.
"While I'm exceedingly glad and eternally grateful that my gran is alive and safe, I don't want to go back to staying with her… I'd like… I want to stay here! I've just begun working through my anger at her, and while I do love her, I think it's best that we stay apart."
"Neville, it's your choice. You can stay. There's a hearing soon. But you can stay here." Padfoot confirmed.
"I don't want to go back to the manor. I really like it here." Neville confirmed.
"Then we'll let them know," Sirius stated.
James had been this boy's godfather. Sirius was happy to let Ian take over that role. But he could still be another wizard in the boy's life that didn't scowl at him.
**OO**
Saturday, November 7
Daily Prophet
The dashing and debonair Gilderoy Lockhart had been replaced at Hogwarts by a phalanx of willing aurors. Seven different ones, rotating. Gilderoy was thinking of spinning it as 'it takes seven regular wizards to replace one 'Magical Me!'.
He was here for one purpose: Get a paying job before the public found out about his little 'faux-pax' at Hogwarts. It wasn't like Snape was anyone important, after all!
Greeting him fondly were several older witches, all willing to help him find just the right person to talk to. This was more like it!
Then Rita Skeeter came up to him. He was frogmarched over to her office, privacy spells up. The beetle animagus was terrifyingly mad. "Here to try to get the basilisk proceeds again, Mr Lockhart?"
"Rita! You must be just furious with me! I can explain!" Gilderoy started, but he was throwing a stunner and an obliviate before she could defend herself. She was made to forget why she was so very angry with Lockhart.
"You want fame and gold; I want fame and gold. Together, we investigate stories. Well, you investigate, I write. I'm much better at that than you, after all. Together, we'll get the Golden Quill every year. You'll see." Lockhart promised.
Rita came out of her daze. She had had a brilliant idea. Work with Gilderoy Lockhart. He had his finger on the pulse of 'not-so-young' witches the length and breadth of the land. Yes. He would be an asset. And who wanted the tedium of actually writing stories! She wanted to find them. And had the skills to do so.
"Skeeter and Lockhart, Investigative Reporters. Has a nice ring. Like a cash register, don't you think, Mr Lockhart?"
"Please, Rita, call me Gilderoy. We're going to be working together after all."
**OO**
Saturday, November 7
After Breakfast, Wee Timid Beasties
Neville waved hello to Hermione as the group walked past the dentist shop. Harry detoured to hug and kiss Hermione before continuing with the group. The mourning bands on their arms, and traditional mourning dress, would hopefully be a disguise for just a bit longer.
"Wee Timid Beasties" would never be Hagrid's place to find a pet.
It was, however, the perfect place for both Neville and Tommy. All the children were cycling through and getting their own pets. This was just Neville and Tommy's turn.
Sirius Black was volunteering for the morning, and Harry was along to be with Sirius.
"So, what kind of pet are you thinking about, Harry?" Tommy asked him.
The pet store had a variety of magical and mundane pets in neat cages and rows. An open pen for petting currently had a small bunny native to Australia (and they were happy to export them) and a few breeding pairs of North American Jackalopes.
Luna and Rionach came out of the back holding a black bunny each and added them to the pen.
"Harry Potter!" Luna called and jumped at him to kiss him.
"Luna!" Harry smiled and opened his arms to catch her.
All of a sudden, Luna was blasted back a few feet, unhurt, but startled.
"You are a big, pet stealing meany! Harry's my friend!" Tommy shouted, standing protectively in front of Harry; hands on hips and legs spread wide. Talk about "the mouse that roared"!
Sirius tried to keep his demeanor. He did. But he started laughing and went over to give Luna a hand up.
"Tommy, Luna is Harry's betrothed. Um, girlfriend. She loves animals. She would never really steal any of Harry's pets." Neville started to explain.
Luna dusted herself off. "That was most exciting! I've never been attacked by an incipient Dark Lord that was defeated. Wow! I need to interview you for the newspaper, Tommy."
"Tommy, Luna is a special friend of mine. Please don't blast her again." Harry asked gently.
"You're not a meany?" Tommy asked. Now, feeling ashamed and contrite, Tommy quietly said with a bowed head, "Okay. I'm sorry. I thought you were goin' to steal Harry's new pet."
Reaching out and lifting his chin, Luna said, "I understand; you're forgiven! But you are right. I likely would try to borrow any pet he gets because I love animals. And I like helping to raise them. Can you talk to snakes?" Luna asked.
She looked directly at Neville. "Some potential Dark Lords can do so. Others, who protect the earth, can do so. It's a rare skill, but ever so useful."
She then went back to the back to get the next load. She loved helping in this shop!
Harry and Neville took Tommy over to the tank of different benign snakes. Neville started hissing at them, but Tommy couldn't understand anything. Harry was surprised that he could still understand parseltongue - he hadn't tried since the ritual!
"It kinda sounds like Neville's leaking." Tommy fake whispered to Harry, "Does he need a patch?"
Neville and Sirius looked clueless, while Harry and Tommy laughed quietly.
"Ah, come on Tommy, use your imagination and say hello. Like this." Neville hissed '$$hello$$'.
Tommy did a good imitation and was rewarded with several snake crowding to see the '$$small speaker with the speech impediment$$'.
Harry wrote in his notebook to see if others could learn parseltongue. French was a language people learned, after all.
From behind him, Luna startled Harry, whispering that she'd like him to buy them a pair of jackalopes, please? He hadn't realized she'd returned from the back.
Whipping around, he saw that she held a pair of said 'lopes. He sat down in one of the many squishy chairs that dotted the shop for just that purpose and took the adorable pair into his lap.
The bunnies were young, and just had nubbins for the horns. Harry petted one of the pair that just purred in his lap.
"Have you been helped, young man?" Madam Rowley asked. It was Rionach's grandmother from the funeral.
Their adult escort stepped up just then. "We're here to get Tommy and Neville their pets, ma'am. Sirius Black. And who might you be, oh beautiful matron?" Sirius bowed, rewarded with much giggling by the boys.
"Rose Rowley, of THOSE Rowleys. Hmf. I was warned that you were one of the volunteers. Have the boys seen some of the wonderful offerings that my daughter has pulled together?"
Tommy and Neville were spoiled for choice, and Tommy soon chose a beautiful white kitten who had the most amazing blue eyes; the color of his dragon.
Neville argued that he had Trevor at Hogwarts, but Sirius was firm. "You don't want Harry to get the reputation that he stinted on getting a pet for his own godbrother or anyone living in the Castle now?"
The Longbottom boy selected a small snake that said he liked nesting in plants and eating bugs. And he was a magical snake whose shed skin was used in potions, Madam Rowley told them.
Sirius heard a beep, and it was his wife wanting him home for a little while. It was very early there. "I'll drop Neville and Tommy back to their rooms. Will you stay here for a bit?"
"I'll be fine, Sirius! This is my home! Cute kitten, Tommy. I'll stop by later for reading time and see if you've named it yet. Nev, are we still on for berry bushes with the girls after dinner?"
Neville smiled and nodded, and the three wizards took their leave, Sirius way overpaying for the animals, including Harry's bunnies.
Freya O'Neal came out for a minute, hearing that Harry was actually there. "We got the invite to join the community sing and the notice about the symphony group getting back together. Rionach's flute was returned, but she gave it to the elves to clean and let another have it."
"MUM! I wasn't going to tell." Rionach protested.
"An auror found it in Ginny Weasley's trunk along with several other things from other girls. Molly Weasley was handling the Gryffindor things. Poor woman! And her husband is as honest as… Sorry." Freya ran to the back of the shop in tears.
"It's a process to get over a loss, my dear children. It certainly isn't your fault that someone stole from you, Rionach or that mentioning aurors hurts right now." Madam Rowley advised.
"Before that, though, we were offered a good used instrument to replace it. You wouldna know anything about tha' nou, would ye, young man?" The older witch clearly looked askance at charity.
"I was gifted with many things from people grateful for my supposed actions as a baby. Some must not have had a lot of money and sent me useful, used things. I fix them up and sell them in the shop. If Rionach's mum bought a used flute that way, we both win. I'll never play it, and I get to hear beautiful music. And now I have gold to buy my Luna a book on animals or Hermione a book on stars. We all win."
Harry patted Rionach on the hand. He wasn't going to bow or kiss or even offer to shake hands. "It's a really cute shop."
Madam Rowley took him aside. "That man, Black. He's not hurting you or anything now? You can always stay with us." The woman offered sincerely.
"I promise you, he's my sworn godfather. He would never hurt me. I know that Dumbledore spouted a lot of vile things about him, but they weren't true."
"Well, the new headmaster was livid about the Weasley witch's theft. Said that if she ever tried to come back, he'd call the aurors, the Scottish ones that is, and make sure she was charged with grand larceny! Imagine: A first-year stealing like that!"
"Rionach was wise to stay away from her as much as she could. I've hardly seen the Weasleys, but was told they moved into their new flat. Mr Weasley is working here, as is Mum Weasley."
"That's right. You're friends with her boys. This must be hard on you too. I hope she didn't steal from you."
Harry remembered the missing quidditch jersey and several other small items from his old trunk. That must have happened during the summer. His Heir's room was well warded. He wouldn't dwell on it, though. It was in the past.
Shaking his head, Harry changed the subject, "The family was talking about going for a visit while the school was shut down. Now, I don't know; with school starting Monday and Mrs Weasley being busy making potions for the hospital, so I don't know."
"Eirwen Hospital?"
"Have you seen some of the pendants that my Auntie Esme is selling? The sacred Ice dragons. Supposed to have healing properties in their scales. They live for hundreds of years, and shed their scales all their lives."
"You should write a book about them, Harry Potter," Luna suggested, coming out.
"Would you be willing to help me?" Harry tilted his head. That actually sounded like an amazing children's book. Harry had been sketching dragons recently. This was actually something that sounded fun to do. But he would need Hermione's help at least. And Luna's.
"Of course." Luna bounced to her next task.
"I think tha's byspale, er a wonderful idea, children. Well, I need to get back to work. Good day, Mr Potter." The matron nodded regally.
"Bye, Madam Rowley. Bye, love." Harry kissed Luna. "Bye Rionach! See you Monday, if not before."
**OO**
Saturday, November 7
Cairo Gringotts
Spurnik had received a coded message via Ragnok that he was needed at Gringotts Cairo.
Had their actions been discovered? He didn't think that the goblins here would object to their response to the situation, if so.
"Greetings, Account Manager. Please. You and your mate are welcomed here. I have a favor to ask."
"Greetings, Director. I am Spurnik currently of Hogsmeade Gringotts."
The Director nodded, but chose not to share his name yet. He did appreciate the trust shown by the visitor in sharing his name.
"We have a situation. A young goblin maid. She fell in love with a foreigner. He took advantage. She thought they were married; he didn't understand our customs. She bore twin cubs three years ago, and is struggling to find acceptance here. The children are old enough not to need her everyday. She had let her clan leader know that she would care for them until they found a home."
Esme sucked in a breath. Oh, dear! Goblins didn't mind mating with humans here, but illegitimate children were unheard of.
"The father chose death?" Spurnik asked his mate's question aloud.
"Worse. The man left. Broke his contract when he found out she was with child. You have to understand, her family thought her honorably wed. They don't know what to do. The young goblin has been in counseling with a mind healer. She wants to take her own life, but cannot."
Spurnik paced. "My mate and I want to sponsor such children, but we have an older boy to consider too."
"As I was made aware. It would do the children much good to be raised by a couple. Children need a father and mother both in their lives." The Director shared.
Spurnik looked at Esme.
"We need a few minutes to confer, Director. Please excuse us." Spurnik stated.
"Let's call Harry on the mirror, my love. Unless your answer is already no?" Emse suggested.
"I did want to wait to get settled in. Perhaps this is best." Spurnik said. "No humans at the Keep will know their background; only that we adopted orphaned cubs."
"It's our honeymoon. Cedrella and Tonks are going to tease me." Esme shared.
Spurnik barked a laugh at that. "Call it goblin ingenuity. What takes a humon nine or ten months takes a goblin two weeks!"
"We should cut our honeymoon short though, love. It wouldn't be fair to the children to expose them to such strange cultures all at once if they've only known the caverns."
"Let's spend the weekend here, then, and do a few more tourist activities. Meet the mother and children." Spurnik suggested.
"Will the mind healers help?" Esme asked.
"Undoubtedly." Spurnik concluded.
Esme pulled out the wonderful magical mirror Sirius Black had given them.
"Harry Potter. Hi, Harry! Oh, you look so handsome. I've missed you. Spurnik and I have some news for you. We're going to be bringing home a pair of orphaned twins. They're half and half like Flitwick. Are you going to be okay with this change, love?" Esme asked, all in a rush.
"Wow! Wow! You go on holiday and this happens. You know I want to help orphaned children. And if you ever need a break, you have the TripleC for school or just for a bit of babysitting. Wow! Just Wow!" Harry exclaimed. "Hey! Do you guys want me to get some furniture and stuff together? How tall are they? Wait! Are they babies? Or children? Will I get to be a big brother or just a cousin?"
Esme laughed at Harry's excited ramblings. "We're going to be told specifics in a little while, and we can call you again." Esme explained.
"The legal parchment work will take a day or two, so we'll be home after that's taken care of. Bless you, my boy, for being so supportive. Getting furniture together will be nice. We'll be in contact with the needs list. I'll pay you back."
"Uncle Spurnik! You know I'm going to use gifts. I can't charge you for gifts. Now, if you want to trade lessons, we can work out a deal…"
"No! No! No! Flying carpets are illegal in all of Britain." Esme laughed.
"Awww… Alright, good luck with everything. Call me later. Take care, you two!"
"Die with honor, Potter!" Spurnik growled.
"No, Uncle Spurnik. Make the other guy die with honor. Then get yourself back home safe!"
Harry skipped out the normal swear words they would usually use. But the wink from the crafty goblin told Harry that he had heard them.
**OO**
A/N: From kind reader Marcus Kyle. Story Recommendation: Knit One, Purl One by Gaia caecilia( s/13609879).
Very cute and clever read in my humble opinion.