Chapter 4

"Really, Harry? Dinner and a film? In muggle London?" Neville still sounded astonished.

"A double date." Harry looked from Neville to Hannah Abbott, and both of them blushed.

"Harry?" Hannah began. "What made you decide to …do this?"

Neville stiffened, but he did not need to fear. Harry had no intention of revealing his friend's crush on Hannah Abbott.

"I just thought," he explained, "that Neville and I had plans to celebrate our birthdays, and it would be great if two of our friends came along."

"But why me?" persisted Hannah.

To Harry's surprise, Neville stepped up. "I'd thought about inviting you, Hannah, but…guess my Gryffindor courage was lacking! So Harry did it for me. I'm sorry."

Hannah drew a deep breath, then smiled. "I'm sorry too…that I never spent much time with you before! Of course I'll go out with you on your birthday!"

Neville beamed, looking as if all his dreams had come true, and Harry heaved a sigh of relief. He'd been afraid that Neville would find his action high-handed, but instead his friend gave him a speaking look of gratitude.

Harry took over. "Right, dinner and a film! Let's go!"

"This is known as Classic Cinema," Daphne announced, when they were in front of the theater. "We've been here lots of times. They show really old films but they are pretty good! Last week we saw Casablanca. Now they are showing To Catch A Thief, want to see it? Or we could attend a modern film if you'd rather?"

"No, I love old films, but haven't seen this one." Hannah was a halfblood who was fairly familiar with muggle things.

The film got mixed reviews: the boys didn't think it was very suspenseful, while the girls loved the costumes. All agreed the scenery was gorgeous.

"I've never been out of the country," Daphne admitted. Harry and Neville said the same, but Hannah had once visited Paris.

"It was wonderful, but I'd love to go to the South of France," she said wistfully.

Neville smiled at her. "Maybe someday."

Harry hoped that they'd get the chance.

His mood lightened when they found themselves in a little café, which they'd selected because of the enticing array of pies and cakes in the window.

"What's a birthday without cake?" Neville asked. They ordered eagerly and found the wares tasted every bit as good as they looked.

"Red velvet cake is so pretty," Daphne approved, feeding Harry a bite, and eying his limoncello slice expectantly.

He was happy to return the favor, but Hannah shook her head. "You realize it's just chocolate that's been colored red? Now, my carrot cake is practically health food!"

"How do you reckon?" Neville eyed the inch-thick cream cheese frosting on Hannah's cake doubtfully.

"Everyone knows carrots are nutritious," Hannah said triumphantly.

Neville didn't dispute it, but concentrated on his piece of chocolate mousse cake, thankful it had no nutritional value whatsoever.

They lingered quite a long time in the little café, but finally got up to leave.

That's when their luck ran out.

When they exited the restaurant, they walked right into Tonks.

Usually she greeted him with a "Wotcher, Harry!"

But now she stood with arms folded, scowling. "Do you know how many people are searching for you?"

"Why?" Harry demanded.

Tonks seemed nonplussed. "Why? Because you vanished, and…"

"I didn't vanish," he pointed out. "I'm living in my own house, here in London. As far as I know, I'm not wanted for anything. I'm receiving my mail. So, why is anyone searching?"

"Because it's not safe!" snapped Tonks.

Remus stepped out of the shadows. "Harry, I know you dislike living with the Dursleys, but Dumbledore thinks…"

"I don't care what he thinks!" Harry reached for Daphne's hand. "I'm out with my friends, and we're having a nice evening. And I have no intention of returning to my relatives, so you may as well save your breath. Now we're going."

"Sorry, Harry, we can't let you do that." Tonks said regretfully.

"You can't stop him," argued Daphne. "If you try, we will file a complaint at the Ministry. I don't think Amelia Bones would be too pleased to hear about one of her aurors harassing a citizen."

Tonks blanched and Remus frowned. "There's no need for that! Harry, you must know that we're only concerned for your safety."

"Are you?" Harry questioned. "Because none of you were ever concerned about my safety when I was imprisoned at the Dursleys! You knew how I was treated there, but you never intervened to help me."

"There were reasons for that!" Remus insisted. "Even if it wasn't the most pleasant place, you were secure there!"

"I'm secure where I am now."

"Sirius' house? It fairly reeks of dark magic," Tonks objected.

Harry shrugged. "My house, now. I'm safe, I'm emancipated, and you have absolutely no control over where I go or what I do."

"Dumbledore…"Tonks began.

"Is not here," Daphne concluded. She tugged on Harry's hand, and the two of them, followed by Neville and Hannah, walked away into the London night.

The letters redoubled in quantity, as well as in volume.

"Huh," Neville was surprised. "Nobody is giving up easily. Dumbledore must really want you to move back with your relatives."

"Not happening," Harry responded. "I'm through being a puppet for Dumbledore!"

The four of them were sitting in the back yard of Grimmauld Place while Neville took stock of the garden.

He and Hannah had decided to continue dating to see how their relationship developed, and so far things were going well. They were having fun, frequently accompanying Harry and Daphne on their visits to sites in and around London, with the result that they were all becoming close friends.

Harry even keyed them into his wards.

The House of Black was still a bit decrepit, but at least was now spotlessly clean.

"I always thought Dumbledore favored you," Hannah said hesitantly. "But this seems more like…hectoring."

Neville grinned at her. "You were about to say badgering, weren't you?"

She blushed. "Well, Hufflepuffs are persistent." She turned to Harry. "We're also loyal, Harry. I bet if more of them knew what it's like for you, they'd mostly be on your side."

"I thought they all hated me, because of what happened with Cedric," Harry admitted.

"They don't," Hannah insisted. "They were angry at first but came to believe you hadn't put your own name into the goblet. I promise, they'll be fair."

Harry gave her a doubtful look. "I can't think of any who didn't wear those badges."

"I'm so sorry, Harry." Hannah looked stricken, despite having apologized before.

"I wore a badge too," admitted Daphne. Then she smirked. "But I did alter it to get rid of the Potter Stinks message."

Harry had to laugh. "Let's let bygones be bygones," he proposed.

"Thank you, Harry," said Hannah gratefully. "Everyone was grateful to you for teaching us; if not for you we probably wouldn't have been able to pass our exams."

Neville sat up briskly. "Yes! Will you teach it again this year? Please?"

"Pretty please?" begged Daphne.

"With sugar on it?" implored Hannah.

"Okay," Harry consented. "But not a large group again. Hopefully we won't need to keep it a secret this time."