Disclaimer: See Chapter I
Also, I'd like to thank those of you who have taken some time to read and review my work (you know who you are). Your kind words have been felt and hope the wait hasn't been too long for this next installment as I'm trying to update my work every three chapters or roughly once every ten days. One final bit of thanks to the Harry Potter Lexicon that is quite the resource for anything Harry Potter related.
Chapter IX: A Strange MeetingThe next morning Harry awoke and went to wash up. Thrusting his head into the pool of water, he scrubbed his head and neck with the cold water, relishing the feel of it on him. When he felt that any possible hairs that were on him had been cleaned away, he pulled his head out of the water and stared at his reflection. Without the long hair in front, his lightning bolt-shaped scar was quite visible. Beyond that, Harry rather liked his new haircut as he felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his head. Rubbing the stubble where his hair had been, Harry decided to keep his hair like this for a while, though he would have to do something about the scar to keep it hidden since he didn't wish to have everyone in the wizard world identifying him via the scar on his head. Dusting any hair off of his jacket, Harry decided to ask Doc Abberline for another of his tourniquets and use it as a bandanna. Pirate Potter, Harry thought to himself jokingly as he headed back to his kit to start packing up.
Yet as he did so, the platoon surprised him. "Happy Birthday!" The whole platoon had made a crude cake out of freeze dried biscuits, pound cake, and scones (from the ration packs they had), and had liberally added chocolate and French vanilla frosting to hold it together. The only complex decoration was a miniature Parachute Regiment insignia made out of Oreo cookies and strawberry jam. Using the vanilla, someone had wrote, "Happy Birthday HP" and "15" on the cake. Denys Malan came up and slapped on his back, "You like chocolate, Harry? This is the same cake my mates back in the old SADF made for me in the Namib for one of my birthdays." Other people came up and started congratulating him.
Harry was dumbfounded until he realized that today really was his birthday. The eleven years of not really having celebrated his birthday had ensured he still didn't exactly keep a close lookout for his birthday unlike most other people his age. He was touched though that these hard men, men who gambled their lives on equipment made to the lowest bidder and stretched thin throughout the world (and who would more often then not laugh and joke saying the odds were always in favor of balls of British steel), would have the kind of childish delight and compassion of making him a birthday cake out of hoarded sweets and freeze-dried rations. Dudley and Neville were grinning and laughing with the best of them as the cake was eaten, after which the presents were passed out. Since Dudley's birthday had occurred a while ago and Neville's was still to come, the men had chipped together to get three identical Fairbain Daggers for the trio. Ghost presented them, each with a darkened blade to prevent light from being reflected off of it.
Designed as a commando dagger during the World War Two by a former captain of the Shanghai Police Department, they were short at eight inches long, but easily concealable by strapping them to the forearm, so that with practice, a flick of the wrist would bring the dagger hilt first into the palm of their hands. Ghost showed the lads how to do this earlier in the month, and as the daggers were presented, handed each of the boys a sharpening stone in a sheath with the admonishment, "Remember, a blade is only as good as it is sharp."
Harry had strapped his blade to his forearm (Dudley and Neville had decided to wear theirs' on the hip or in the small of the back) and was getting ready to pack up when Uncle Alex and Dick Longbottom told him to wait. Dick Longbottom came up and handed him a black plastic case. Opening, Harry discovered it to contain the Browning High Power he had been using on the training range. Alex answered the questions that were forming in his head, "Harry, as one of the best shots with the Browning, as well as being one of the fastest to master the shooting techniques normally taught to members of the SAS and Intelligence Company 14, we decided you earned that weapon." Inside, the Browning glistened with its flat black hue. Located in foam compartments were three 13 round magazines, one twenty round magazine, three boxes 9mm ammunition (two of ball, one of hollow point), and a cleaning kit (gun oil, barrel solvent, brushes and rod, cleaning patches, and a small can of WD-40) in the last one. Harry was genuinely touched, though he felt as though there may be another purpose behind the weapon, one that he wasn't aware of.
Dick Longbottom warned him though, "Harry, make sure you keep it out of sight otherwise the damn Bobbies will pick you up for ownership of an illegal weapon." Dudley cracked, "Yeah, and make sure you don't shoot my dickhead parents." Everyone had a good laugh out of it.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Second Platoon was taking a leisurely one- and-half kilometer march back the long (i.e. twelve kilometer) way to Dwrryn Camp in two columns. The weather was pleasantly cool with the sun up and shining. They were marching across a valley with Private Cooper and the platoon singing "Over the Hills and Far Away". Cooper was something of a Sharpe's Rifles fan and only stopped when Longbottom curtly told him to shut it after the tenth song in a row (on pain of having to never watch another episode ever again).
Harry was in an especially jovial mood, and decided to sing a tune he thought of. Marching, he spoke first, "Eh, Coops here is a song I made." With that he broke into singing.
Parvarti Pattilly! Parvarti Pattilly!She is so witty.
And every boy loves her titties
And described her 'servicing' a French student while her idiot boyfriend wondering what became of her. Neville (who knew what Harry was talking about, the events of the previous school year's Yule Ball) was laughing so hard he almost slammed into the ground. The rest of the platoon liked it and after Harry sang it solo a couple of times, were soon bellowing it enthusiastically. Even Alex liked it, and yelled to Harry, "You'd make a damn good soldier, Harry! Christ knows you can talk like one!"
Yet their amusement was cut short as Dick yelled, "Civilians ahead! Shut it as we take tea break." Sure enough, near the small stream where they planned on having their break, there appeared to be large family. Harry, whose hearing was pretty good, could swear he knew them judging by their voices.
"…But his birthday"
He couldn't hear any more as the platoon moved downstream of the group. Looking towards them, he spotted a group of about ten people having a picnic under a tree nearest the stream. While he couldn't make out any features, he noticed there were at least three women in the group. Harry suddenly had a crazy idea.
Waiting until the platoon stopped to have tea in a rocky field about two hundred meters away from the family, Harry went up to Neville and Dudley and explained his idea. Neville seemed game for it while Dudley told them he'd like to watch, at least this time around. Not deterred, Harry went over to his uncle Alex and Neville's Uncle Dick. "Hey, Uncle, you mind if me and Neville go over and chat up a few girls? You know, the ones over with that family over there." He pointed towards the oak tree upstream where the family was picnicking. Alex and Dick looked at him and both laughed, "You got a lot of balls lad, trying to sweet talk a girl in front of her whole family!" Alex stopped, stifling a few more laughs, "Ah go on, we'll call you when it is time to move out. Just make sure you freshen up and change into them barracks dress trousers, side-cap, and lace-ups I told you to bring." He was referring to a uniform of dark green trousers that looked like slacks and were usually worn when out on the town by the troops. Alex had told them to carry them, an extra khaki shirt, black socks, their lace-up oxfords, and their side-caps in a plastic bag on the off chance they decided to visit a village during their exercise.
Harry and Neville nodded enthusiastically and took off. Fifteen minutes later (they had needed that long to strip off their combat dress uniforms, wash behind some rocks downstream, and change into their other uniforms), Harry and Neville were walking up towards the oak tree. Both of them had on khaki shirts, over which they had on olive green 'wooly-pulley' sweaters with officer cadet rank insignia pinned on. Harry liked his side-cap for it was large enough to cover his scar. Behind them, Harry knew the rest of the platoon was watching them (Tom Courtenay had even gone so far as to start a small pool if they would get a phone number, a kiss, or a romp in the bushes).
Harry and Neville both were calm as they headed towards the group. After nearly being castrated and gutted, Harry thought wryly, how hard could chatting up a girl be? Surely not as hard as asking Cho out. Harry's thoughts were stopped as he saw who the family was, and then he grinned. Neville gasped also as he recognized the family, and muttered, "Harry, isn't that…"
Harry had on a smile as he muttered through the side of his mouth, "Shut up and follow me, Nev." Starting to grin, he could see who it was.
Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George, Bill, Charlie, his old friend Ron, Hermione Granger, Ginny, and…Colin Creevey? What the fuck is he doing here, Harry thought to himself. While Harry was surprised to see his old friends (as well as group of people who were more of a family to him then the Dursleys, excluding the 'New' Dudley), Harry finally noticed that over the year Ginny had changed into… A woman. Harry decided. Sure, fourteen is young, but what the fuck, I'm fifteen myself. Instead of a small, frightened girl, Ginny had filled out and curved in all the right places over the last year, with high full breasts, an hourglass figure, and a smiling beautiful face topped by a halo of fiery hair. Harry's breath stopped in his throat, but he shrugged it off, This is your best mate's sister, so knock it off dickhead. Noticing that the conversation had stopped as they came up to the tree, Harry grinned and spoke first, knowing he was taking a page out of his uncle Alex's book.
"Hello, Ron, Hermione, you how's it been? You missed me?" Ron and Hermione merely looked at him. Still walking, he turned to Bill, "Hey Bill, still got that earring with the fang? And hey Charlie, still playing with dragons?" Turning to Fred and George, "Fred, George, you have to tell me how's business with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." Turning to Mrs. Weasley, "Hello Mrs. Weasley, I hope you are well?" Mrs. Weasley was staring at him wide-eyed.
"Mr. Weasley, how are things at the Ministry, still chaotic with Fudge being a moron and Crouch dead? I see Percy isn't here with us?" Arthur Weasley looked as though he was in shock. Finally, Harry turned to Ginny and Colin. Flashing a smile, he looked at Ginny, and spoke, "'Lo Ginny?" Something sparked in her eyes, and Harry winked but continued on as he nodded a greeting to Colin and spoke, "Colin."
Mr. Weasley asked the question first, "Er, who are you, young man?" Harry shook his head and smiled, "You mean you don't know me, Mr. Weasley? Do you, Ma'am?" This was to Molly Weasley. She shook her head. Fred asked, "Who are you? And how do you know who we are?" Grinning, he turned to Ron and Hermione, "I hope you two know who I am?" They shook their heads too, and Hermione looked as though she were going to say something when Harry turned to Ginny. "Surely you remember me, Ginny?" Harry was grinning still, as he was enjoying himself immensely.
Ginny looked at him and asked hesitantly, "Harry?" Mrs. Weasley looked
at her, "Don't be foolish Ginny! Harry is away with his uncle, we can't contact
him via owl post, and there is no telling where in Wales they are." Harry
replied dryly, "Right here in Wales, Ma'am." With that, he took off his
side-cap and revealed the lightning scar on his forehead.
All of them gasped while Ginny and Harry laughed. Neville was grinning, having enjoyed the whole show from a distance back. Smiling, Harry took a seat on the cloth and listened while Hermione asked the first question, "Harry, what are you doing in the Army?" Harry and Neville laughed as Harry told of what had happened to him since summer break began, omitting only yesterday's firefight. Mrs. Weasley wanted to know how his uncle was treating him, and was gladdened to hear that his time away from the Dursley's was good for him. Harry finished his tale quickly, telling them of how him and Dudley had ended up being friends.
"So, to top it off, me and my cousin, well, he's changed and really isn't a bad sort. Anymore, anyways." Fred and George, who had once given Dudley a toffee that had made his tongue grow, both snorted. Harry leaned back on and asked seriously, "Mr. Weasley, what is the situation out there? You know, of Voldemort?" Seeing all cringe, he hastily corrected himself, "You-Know-Who I mean? I haven't received a single owl from anyone. What has happened?" Arthur grimaced and spoke, "Nothing much. There have been no major attacks, and the story is still not out about Diggory's death and You-Know-Who's return. Rita Skeeter has been surprisingly silent." Harry grinned towards Ron and Hermione, as he knew Hermione had blackmailed Skeeter into shutting up over the last year.
Arthur continued, "Fudge has been going on saying it was a freak accident, though Amos has been transferred to a new unit under the direct control of Fudge. Apparently, it's sole purpose is to investigate any possible sightings of You-Know-Who, Sirius Black, and other possible Dark subversives." Harry spoke up, "I thought that was the duty of Aurors?" Arthur sighed, "Normally it is, but Fudge doesn't wish a real investigation. He wants a cover-up, and that is what Diggory is giving him, even going so far as to launch a new hunt for Sirius Black." Harry cringed at slightly at this but Arthur continued, "Anyhow, the only real news is that the body of Bertha Jorkins was recovered from Albania, and Karkaroff has been found dead in Ireland. Apparently, the story according to the Artemis West, the chief of the Auror's Division, is that he may have been tortured to death by the 'remaining' Death Eater elements." Harry, who had killed his first man (Professor Quirrell not withstanding) the other day, shrugged it off and asked, "Nothing else?" Arthur shook his head, "No, all quiet."
Harry mulled this information for a moment, and then turned to Colin, "So what brings you out to the wilds of Wales, Colin?" Harry had a sinking idea what it was, but decided to hear it out. Colin looked down at his feet, and said, "Well, me and Gins have been, well…" Harry decided to help him out, "You and Ginny have gotten together?" Colin seemed to be staring intently at his shoes while Ginny was blushing. Inwardly, Harry was thinking Well, Harry, another time you have fucked the duck by waiting too damn long. Outwardly, he smiled and continued (hoping he had learned how to keep a poker face capably, as taught by Books Fielding, the platoon card shark, had taught him earlier), "Congrats Colin, Ginny."
Almost in the same breath, he asked Hermione of her own summer break, trying to change the subject. Hermione told him of the three-week trip to Bulgaria with her parents as guests of Victor Krumm, and at the end Krumm and her had departed as friends. She had returned a week ago to visit the Weasleys, who had then taken her to Wales, where Charles had received his transfer to from Hungary to work with . Harry couldn't help but notice, nevertheless, how jealous Ron looked whenever Victor Krum was mentioned. As soon as she was finished, Ron started on about his beloved Chudley Cannons and the Quidditch season.
The Quidditch season reminded Harry of something. He asked Fred and George, "Do you know what happened of Bagman?" The twins grinned, "Indeed we do. We sent a message to the goblins he owed money to and bought off his debts using the capital you loaned us." Harry wasn't surprised by the fact that they continued to call his gift a loan, but he didn't feel like fighting over it. "So, when Bagman came out of hiding, we've been using him as a marketing source. It got so big we've gone into partnership with Zonko. He likes a lot of our ideas and doesn't mind at all that we have another year at Hogwarts." Fred and George continued speaking of several ideas, but it was cut short as Harry heard a whistle playing long, two second whistles. This was the old Rifle call for them to fall back, and Alex had told Harry that that was the signal for them to return to the platoon.
Getting up, he said goodbye to the Weasley Family, and Colin as Neville did like-wise. Mrs. Weasley came up and kissed him on the cheek, "Do you think you'll be able to visit us sometime this summer Harry?" Harry nodded, "In the letter, Dumbledore told me I had to stay with my Uncle for seven weeks out of eight during the summer holidays, so I should be able to visit the last week before school starts." Mrs. Weasley understood, and Hermione gave him a kiss as well before they all waved goodbye. Harry winked playfully towards Ginny, who started to blush.
Walking back, Harry and Neville were greeted by the ironic cheers of the platoon, as Alex asked, "So, enjoy visiting the Weasleys? And your friend Ms. Granger?" Harry looked at him askew for a moment, until he remembered that Alex had carried with him a pair of German binoculars. Harry grinned, "Yeah, it was good." With that, Alex clapped him on the back and told him, Neville and Dudley to gather after they changed.
Once they had done so, Dick Longbottom took the platoon picture. Afterwards, they marched through the valley and over the hills to Dwrryn camp, taking only an hour. There, they washed up, changed into No.2 Dress (a more formal, khaki parade dress uniform) and another picture was taken. Neville, Harry, and Dudley then turned in their uniforms and gear (less the paratroop smocks that they had been given) and said goodbye to the men who had become a second family to them. Addresses were given, and the lads were told to keep in touch. Longbottom embraced his cousin Neville and told him and the others, "Stick next to Alex there," pointing to Alex, "he'll see you right."
Tom Courtenay, on behalf of the platoon, came up to them as they were preparing to board the Beaver that would take them back to Army Airfield D290 and gave them each a packet of latex condoms and the reminder (for he was the unit womanizer, and had taken the lads under his wing and tutoring them in the ways of women), "Remember lads, always treat a lady, for all ladies from the lowest whore to the most innocent virgin, with kindness and courtesy and they will treat you like kings. And be sure to wear one of these unless you want your cock to one day fall off covered in lesions."
All of them were still laughing about it during the flight back.