Chapter 17: The Next Week

As soon as the kids were dropped at school the next morning, Ron headed to Haslemere to try and figure out where Fi may have been in her last week of life. He decided to spend some time walking around the high street as he didn't think Fi would have simply traveled to this town to pick up fancy sweets. So, he stopped into café and got a large tea that he drowned in milk and sugar and headed down the street.

Dressed in muggle clothes he began to stroll along the sunnier side of the street. He focused hard on Fi and tried to guess what she would have found interesting, or who she may have thought to talk to. He smiled as he could almost hear Fi in his head making comments about places he passed.

"Who buys organic dog biscuits?" she would have said. "I know I grew up muggle, but that is insane."

And then several storefronts down she would have laughed at the juxtaposition of the ice cream parlor next to the exercise gym.

He kept walking and eventually came upon a toy shop. She would have popped in, he thought. So, he wandered into the store, trying to see it through Fi's eyes. Hugo wouldn't have been interested in the muggle dolls or the plastic toys geared at little kids. So, he moved towards the back of the store which seemed to target kids around his age. Looking over the puzzles, board games, plastic figurines and lego sets, he wondered if Fi had purchased anything that day. He realized he had never looked through Dennis and Fi's closets, and wondered if they had purchased any gifts for Hugo that were stashed away somewhere to be given at a future time. He made a mental note to try and look the next time he was in the house alone. Moving to the next aisle in the store he found the craft section, and he realized that this was the stuff Hugo would really enjoy. There were several neat sets you could build and then decorate, and Ron thought he may end up coming back here later to pick some up for Hugo. Turning the corner he noticed a poster promoting some plastic figure sets on the wall. The poster showed a child pushing a plastic milk truck and pretending to unload milk at a restaurant. He stared at it a while, knowing Fi would have stopped to enjoy it since the milk truck would have reminded her of Dennis. He sighed, and looked back around the store. Fi would have liked this store, but he wasn't sure it got him any closer to figuring out his case. He picked up a business card on the counter so he could come back later for Hugo and walked out the front door.

As he pushed through the glass door, he looked directly across the street and saw a large sign that advertised, "Rare Plant Nursery - Supplies and Assistance for the Unique Gardener." What an odd shop, he thought. Fi would have been intrigued, so he crossed the street and headed right into the store. He walked in and was immediately immersed in what felt like the greenhouses back at Hogwarts. There were all kinds of weird muggle plants and herbs on shelf after shelf growing under purple lights. He walked up and down the aisles of bonsai trees, herbs and orchids as well as various types of fertilizers, irrigations systems, pruning tools and pots. There were also shelves of different types of books describing weird muggle plants and gardening techniques. Neville would go nuts in here, he thought. Heading back up to the counter, Ron smiled at the elderly man behind the counter.

"Hello," he said.

"Good morning," the man replied. "Can I help you find something in particular?"

"Maybe. Well, my girlfriend mentioned that she had been in here in January. She not so subtly suggested that I should come back here to find her birthday present. But, I have no idea what she may have liked. You don't by any chance happen to remember her, do you?" With that, Ron pulled out an old muggle photo of he and Fi.

The old man put on his reading spectacles and studied the picture for a few minutes and then finally smiled. "Oh! Yes! I do remember her. She was a lovely young lady if I recall. She was very enthusiastic about my shop, you see. She was asking if I had heard of some really obscure plants as well as some only rumored to exist. I told her she should probably believe less of what she reads on the internet about some of these plants, and she thought that was funny. But, she was very interested in learning about how to grow some of these really unique varieties at home. Here, look over here," he said gesturing to Ron to follow.

Ron followed the man towards the aisles of lights and terrariums. "She seemed most interested in how to set up these hydroponic systems for cultivating rare tropical plants."

"Did she mention what kind of plants?" asked Ron.

"Well, she looked at these over here." Ron looked at what the man was point at and his jaw dropped. They looked like tiny samples of some rare magical plants. He didn't know all of their names, but he was rather sure they shouldn't be in a muggle shop.

"Do you know what these ones here are called?" he asked.

"Ahh. Those are very rare. Your lady liked them too if I recall. These are derived from the carnivorous plants in Tasmania. They are said to have great healing powers."

"Huh," muttered Ron. "Do you have any books on these?"

"Yes, of course we do. There are several, but this one here is the one I would recommend."

Ron flipped through the book and saw pictures of many of the plants in the shop.

"Alright. I will take this book on the plants, a book on how to grow them at home and then this small cultivar here. And then if I am right on taking the hint, we may come pick more out later."

"Good lad. Let's get you packed up, then. And, I am going to put in a flyer about group you may like. They meet up or group up or whatever the young people call it now. Anyway, they grow plants locally and often meet to swap things. I think they have a swap meet coming up in a month or so."

"You don't say," said Ron. "Thanks. I just may go."

Ron took his packages and headed out of the shop, turning up the road and towards the sweet shop. He popped in there as well, smiling as he thought of how Fi would have enjoyed it. He decided to pick up some things for Hugo, and grabbed several kinds of muggle candy he knew Fi had liked. He walked a few more blocks down the main street before he turned and walked back. He still wasn't totally clear what had drawn Fi to the place to begin with, but he was rather sure that the plant store was the break he had been looking for. Deciding he was done for now, he thought the next place he needed to go was to see Neville. Soon, he apparated to Hogsmede and headed for the gates at Hogwarts.

"Ron, is that you?"

"Hi, Hagrid."

"What brings you up to Hogwarts today?"

"I was hoping to talk to Neville. I need his help on something. Is he around?"

"Sure, sure. Come on, I'll walk with you down to the greenhouses. I think he's with the second years now. You might be able to see James and Fred actually."

"Brilliant."

"How is Hugo Creevey holding up, Ron?"

"You know, Hagrid, I think he is doing very well all things considered. He misses his parents obviously, but I think he will be alright."

"I'm so glad to hear that, Ron. Broke my heart when I heard what happened. So how are you two getting along? Kind of a big change for you, innit?"

"Yes. You could say that. We're doing pretty well. We spend a lot of time with some family friends of the Creeveys. There was a woman Dennis and Collin had grown up with who has a little girl, and as fate would have it, McGonagall popped in two weeks ago and told her they were both witches, and she'd been left off the Hogwarts list by mistake."

"Oh, Professor McGonagall mentioned something about a witch who may come up for lessons. And she was Dennis' friend?"

"Yes. Hermione is her name, and her daughter is Rose. And, well, Rose and Hugo are rather like siblings. Anyway, it has been a lot to absorb, but it is good. We are all good."

"I'm glad to hear it, Ron. You deserve good things, you do. Well, here ya are, at the greenhouses. Will you have time to come by my hut for tea? I made cauldron cakes yesterday."

"Oh, no, I'm afraid not this time Hagrid. I have to get back and pick up Hugo and Rose from their muggle school in a little bit. I just need to see if Neville can help me figure something out first."

"Alright. Another time then. Glad I ran into you."

Suddenly a stream of children in their Hogwarts robes came pouring out of the greenhouse and headed up towards the castle. Two quickly tackled him.

"Uncle Ron!"

"Hi James, Hi Fred."

"What brings you here?"

"I need Neville's help with understanding something for a case. I definitely did not get my NEWTs in herbology."

"Are you staying for dinner?"

"No. I have to get back. But I am so glad I ran into you. Everyone is really looking forward to seeing you two over the Easter Holidays."

"We are too. We miss Grandmum's food," said Fred.

"Right – well give my love to Victoire and Dominique if you see them," he said as he headed into the greenhouse.

"Hello Ron, this is a nice surprise."

"Hey Neville."

"What brings you up to Hogwarts?"

"You actually. Do you have a few minutes to help me with something?"

"Sure. I don't have another class for an hour or so. What's going on?"

"Well, I am trying to finish this last case that Fi and I had been working together. I had been out on medical leave since before Christmas, so Fi had spent a few weeks working leads on her own. She left me a "welcome back" note the day she died that said she had a breakthrough and couldn't wait to tell me about it on Monday morning. But then, of course you know she never made it to work that Monday."

"I am so sorry, Ron."

"Thanks. It's shite, you know. But, well, we just keep going, right?"

"Well, we have so far. So, what's the case?"

"Someone is substituting some fake ingredients into various supply distribution channels. Sounds innocuous, but these fake ingredients are then being sold to main stream potion suppliers, so the bad stuff is getting to the customers. And then when people make potions with the wrong ingredients, well…"

"Bad things happen. Let's face it, Ron. I could make bad things happen in potions even when I had the right ingredients."

Ron chuckled. "Fair. Neither of us was destined to pursue a career in potion making. Anyway, I have tried to retrace Fi's steps from where I know she was during her last week on the case. And, through that I stumbled across this really odd muggle shop that sold rare plants and things to grow them. And then, when I was in that shop, I saw this whole tray of plants that looked to me like magical plants that had no business being in a muggle shop. But, I didn't know if maybe some of these were muggle things, and I just don't know enough to know the difference."

"What kind of plants?"

"Well, that is where I need your help. Here – I bought this one example at the store as well as this book that showed a lot of the other plants it had. And then the shopkeeper gave me this flyer about a group that meets to swap rare plants. I have no idea if this is a legitimate muggle shop that sells plants so rare I haven't heard of them, or if there is some fishy connection to the case. And I was hoping you might be able to tell me if I may be onto something or if I just happened to stumble upon a really weird muggle plant club."

Neville looked into the shopping bag Ron held out. Soon he was flipping through the book nodding and tracing things with his dirt stained fingers. Neville examined the small plant closely, finally breaking off a piece of the stalk and crushing the pulp in between his fingers before smelling it carefully.

"Well, this is actually a muggle plant known as verderes polios. But, it looks identical to the magical plant verderes segwas, which is used in a lot of medicinal potions. The only way you can tell the difference is by smelling the oils released when you crush the stem, but not many people know to check for that. So, I don't know if it could be connected to the case. But, if I were going to try and make money by sneaking fake ingredients in place of rare, expensive, magical ingredients, this is the exact type of plant I would use. The magical variety is worth maybe 200 galleons a gram while the muggle variety is worth about 50 or 60 galleons a gram."

"So what would happen if you switched the muggle ingredient for the magical one?"

"It would depend on the potion you were brewing of course, but with this example the muggle variety has no impact, but the potion would lose out on the medicinal components that impact the cardiac system."

"So, maybe someone who thinks they are taking a potion for their heart would basically be taking a worthless potion – so maybe no harm or maybe they have a heart attack?"

"Precisely."

"So, what kind of people are super knowledgeable about these muggle plants and the magical plants?"

"Hard to say. There aren't that many of us herbology fanatics floating around. But, you would have to know enough about the plants to be able to switch the muggle for the magical variety. And you would also have to know enough about potions to know who would want to buy them."

Ron considered this for a moment. "Would it have to be someone magical?"

"What do mean, do you think a muggle could be doing this?"

"Well, maybe a muggle who knows about the magical world – maybe a family member of a muggle born witch or wizard, or maybe a squib?"

"That would definitely be a possibility," agreed Neville. "You wouldn't need magic to grow it or switch them, you would only need magic to grow the magical ones, not the muggle ones. That said – if you were putting together a growing operation to try to grow these plants on a large commercial scale, magic would be an asset."

"Ok. Help me understand what we are talking about. If that is what is going on – and I am not sure it is, but let's just say that's the case. What kind of operation would they have?"

"Well, it would depend on volumes of how much they are producing and what plants they are growing. But, they would need multiple greenhouses at a minimum. And if they didn't have greenhouses with natural light, they may be able to set it up in a muggle basement using the electric ultraviolet lights. They don't work as well as sunlight, but they work. Then they would use a hydroponic irrigation structure, so they would need a fresh water source and probably fertilizer."

"Do you know what the key plants are that I would be looking for?"

"Yes. Actually – that's pretty easy. Let me give you some books to borrow. This one here is a good comparative volume on the differences between muggle and magical varieties, and it notes here," Neville pointed to a part of the description box, "for each plant what its magical potion properties are."

"Excellent. Thanks. Can I keep for a week or two while I read through them?"

"Sure."

"And, one more question. Do you have a sense of who the main suppliers are that grow the real ingredients for things? If I can trace the chain from what is grown to where the ingredient is getting swapped, I may be able to understand the distribution channel."

"Well, there are different suppliers for different types of plants. Let me look through some things this evening, and I will draw up a list of who is known for selling what to who and I can owl it to you tonight or tomorrow. Would that work?"

"That would be brilliant, Neville. I would be so grateful."

"Any chance to be helpful. And this is what I love. Are you still loving the auror work without Fi?"

"Honestly, no. I have promised myself that I will finish this last case for both Fi and I. And then, I don't know. I'll take some time to figure things out. It's just a really hard job to have as a single parent I have discovered. And Hugo has already expressed some concern about what would happen if I got killed at work. So, who knows. I might stay with the aurors but switch to a position that isn't field based so I can be there for Hugo. Or maybe teach at the auror academy. Or, I am also thinking about going in with George at the shop. But, I need to figure this out first, you know? I owe it to her."

"That's a lot to consider, Ron. I wish you clarity in your decision making."

"Thanks, Nev."

"Hey, how are your friends that I met the other week? I believe that Hermione is the witch Professor McGonagall mentioned may be coming for some tutoring."

"She's great. They're both great," beamed Ron. "They've been lifesavers for both Hugo and I honestly. She is teaching me how to be a single muggle parent, and I am teaching her how to do magic. And the kids are rather like siblings."

"That's fantastic, Ron. I'm happy you are able to be there for each other."

Ron smiled. "Well, I have to get out of here in order to get the kids from school. You sure it's ok if I borrow these books for a bit?"

"Absolutely. And I will send the list of suppliers to you no later than tomorrow. And if you need any other help, just let me know. I am happy to do whatever I can."