The weeks seemed to speed by, what with feeding hungry dragons, school work, feeding hungry dragons, exploring the castle, feeding hungry dragons, reading and of course feeding hungry dragons.
Hermione's parents decided to sell their house and close their business; they didn't really need to work as they were quite well off in their own right. They moved into Keswick Manor, but still visited Ynys Môn every day, although on the weekends Harry and Luna would come to the Manor or they would all go to one of Harry's other estates. They spent quite some time cataloguing Hermione's library, she appointed a house elf to look after the library and make copies of any rare books, so that they could be read, without the possibility of them being damaged. She also had copies made for Harry's library, as he had done the same for her.
Hagrid was getting quite a following, at the school, after he turned up with his six Pernese Miniature Dragons. The little creatures would go with him everywhere, either flying around him or sitting on his shoulders. It was nothing to see a little head pop out from his beard or hair and there was one little green dragon, with blue ridges, which took up permanent residence in one of his pockets. On one occasion Professor Snape was in a really foul mood, he had forgotten that the school wouldn't take points off unfairly and had just tried to take fifty points off Ravenclaw subsequently, Slytherin had lost them instead, when he confronted Hagrid and started raving at him, about all the blasted dragons following him around. A little green head with blue ridges popped out of Hagrid's pocket and promptly set fire to Snape's nether regions. "Roast nuts any one?" He doubled over and scurried off to Madame Pomfrey.
"What is it now Severus?" she demanded in a stern tone, he was really starting to annoy her with his constant snivelling.
He showed her what had happened, "One of Hagrid's blasted dragons attacked me," he whined.
She took one look, handed him some ointment, "Rub that on them," then turned away with a smirk on her face, muttering just loud enough for him to hear, "Such a big fuss over such a little thing, really, it's not as if he uses the damn things anyway."
The Muggle born students then started to call the little creature Jerry, after Jerry Lee Lewis, and after explaining why to Hagrid and a few of the others it soon caught on.
Professor Snape still hadn't learnt his lesson and was being his usual obnoxious self, so that Harry and the others decided that it was time for some payback.
Harry and Hermione would sneak into the school and under Harry's invisibility cloak, (professor Dumbledore had returned it saying,) "This was your fathers, use it wisely." They pulled pranks on Snape, with guidance from Sirius of course, every time he was nasty or unfair to the students. They were beginning to wonder what it would take before the idiot learned not to be nasty.
The first prank they pulled was a spell that every time he entered the great hall as soon as the meal was served he would stand up and declare in little girly voice, "I have been a bad, bad man" and then explain what he had done wrong, if asked any questions, he was forced to tell the truth, it was a pity really that no one thought to ask him if he still supported He-who-must-not-be-named, aka Voldemort. He tried not going into the great hall for meals, but the elves, under orders from Harry and Hermione, refused to deliver food to him, and every time he brought some in from outside the school, it disappeared, forcing him to eat with everyone else.
Harry and his friends were coming along in leaps and bounds; they were all learning wandless and silent magic, with professor Shinto from Japan, although they did use their wands and verbal spells as well, but more so they would fit in when they went to Hogwarts, than for any other reason. He also explained that in some cultures, his included, they never bothered with wands at all, after all if a child could perform accidental magic without a wand, why was one needed for an adult.
Their potions instructor Professor Rosemary Thyme was leading them through the first year curriculum and because she was explaining why certain things had to be done, they understood what to expect and progressed faster than their counterparts at Hogwarts. She was also teaching them Herbology, but they went to Longbottom Manor for those classes, as there were large greenhouses there.
The way she put it, you can't do potions properly if you don't understand the ingredients; so she explained what the different plants were used for and how they would react to others, again relating it all back to potions.
They were progressing even faster in transfiguration and Professor McGonagall said that at the rate they were going, they would be able to sit their OWLS by the end of the following year, and their NEWTS by the end of their third year at Hogwarts. She also promised to make sure that Luna was accepted into Hogwarts, a year earlier, so she could stay with them.
Just before Christmas Luna and her father moved into their new home, The Rookery, it looked just like the rook you would find in a chess set. The front door opened straight into the kitchen, which was perfectly round. Hanging from the ceiling were perches for their miniature dragons, in the centre, was a spiral wrought iron staircase. Directly below the kitchen in the basement, was a fully equipped potions lab and storage area. On the first floor were the lounge, Xenophilius' printing press and office.
The second floor was Luna's bedroom and her own bathroom; on the ceiling above her bed, she had painted a huge mural of herself, with Harry, Hermione, Neville and all their fire lizards. She had written the word "friends" in golden ink, creating a circle around each of them and connecting them together.
The third floor was a guest bedroom and bathroom and above that were Xenophilius' rooms. The fifth floor was set aside as a hatchery for the fire lizards, designed like the one at Ynys Môn.
For Christmas, the four families decided to go to Harry's home in Australia. It turned out that he owned two islands, just off Double Island Point in Queensland. Of course all the dragons came along with them, as well as Hedwig and Crookshanks, Neville's toad had vanished just before they left home, he was sure that one of his dragons had eaten it as a midnight snack; he wasn't really bothered by it though, as he much preferred his three miniature dragons. Toads were only pets, where as the little dragons were familiars. They could pick up your thoughts, darn useful creatures really, his first day on the islands, he realised he had left the book on Herbology he was studying, at home. His three dragons vanished only to appear a few minutes later, with it in their talons. He turned to the others, "You know it's as if the dragons can apparate, my three just popped out and then a couple of minutes later they popped back with the book I left at home." They discussed this for a while and then went back to their reading.
Later that day Hermione's little golden fire lizard Queenie, vanished for about an hour and returned in the company of another queen and about thirty retainers of various colours.
Hermione looked around at them, "looks like some more Poms have immigrated to Australia," she thought, chuckling to herself.
Harry looked through her eyes, "Cool, I wonder if the Aussies would like Miniature Dragons?"
"Well we like Fire Lizards, so they should as well."
"Yeah we do like Miniature Dragons, so I agree they will probably like MINIATURE DRAGONS as well."
"Yep they will definitely like the Min...I mean FIRE LIZARDS."
Hermione's slip-up, caused Harry to burst out laughing, she could hear him over their link; the funny thing about laughing is that it is catching and it wasn't long before she was laughing as well. The little Dragons noticed this and started trilling along with them.
A few days into their holiday, Harry and Sirius noticed a magical pet shop for sale, in the local magical newspaper. They talked about it for a while and decided that if it were any good they would buy it together; Sirius made a trip down to Maroochydore, to look it over.
The elderly owner wanted to retire as it was getting too much for him. Sirius liked the layout of the store and it seemed to get a lot of trade, so he bought it on the spot. He then went and had a talk to the young female shop assistant, who had been doing a wonderful job of attending to the customers. He made her manager of the shop, with her current salary as a retainer and a fifteen percent share of any profits. He knew that this would cost him a lot of money, but it was the perfect incentive for her to perform, he authorised her to advertise for a shop assistant to replace her in her previous roll. He showed her his dragons and told her that he would see about providing eggs for the shop to sell. He explained the requirements for them to hatch and bond properly, then went on to explain, how he would provide a small clutch of five eggs, these would be for her and her assistant, not for sale. He would provide a larger clutch later, after they had created the market for them. They had worked out which eggs would be male and which would be female, by their colours, so they would only make male eggs available for sale, that way they would corner the market on them.
He went over to the local branch of Gringotts, registered the purchase and set up the new accounts.
As he was leaving the bank, he heard someone yelling to him, "Padfoot you old dog. What are you doing in Oz?" he spun around and Remus Lupin, his old school friend and fellow marauder, grabbed hold of him.
"Mooney you old wolf, great to see you." Remus was a Werewolf, "How have you been?" He then embraced his old friend. "You look fantastic."
"That's because I no longer have my furry little problem," he explained, "I have been traipsing all over the world, looking for a cure, and finally, with my wife's help, I managed to brew one." Mooney was watching his old friend closely, to see which he reacted to first, if he was a betting man and he was, he would put his money on 'wife'.
"You're...Married? Who, when, how?" well that's what he tried to say, it came out more like "Ya mawhwheho" He then grabbed hold of Mooney, took a deep breath, "I want to hear all about it but not here, is you're...I can't believe I'm saying this, wife here?" Just then, two little heads popped out of Sirius' cloak and looked at Mooney their eyes whirling with happiness.
"What the F#*& are those?" Mooney exclaimed, taking a step back.
Sirius reached into his cloak, removed the little dragons and arranged them on his shoulder, "These are Pernese Miniature Dragons, this one is Blackie and that is Notso," he said while pointing to the little black with the white ridges. "Anyway, go get your wife, I have someone to introduce you to, and before you ask, no I'm not married, although I do have someone I'm interested in."
Remus raced off to the specialist robes shop and came back not two minutes later, with a rather stunning Amerindian lady, "Moonflower this is my old friend from school, Sirius (Padfoot) Black and his two friends Blackie and Notso." He said with a chuckle, "Sirius this is my lovely wife Moonflower."
Sirius took her hand and bowed raising it just short of his lips, it is a breach of etiquette to actually kiss a ladies hand, as it presumes a familiarity, "It is both an honour and pleasure to meet you Moonflower, please call me either Sirius or Padfoot, I answer to both."
Moonflower looked him in the eyes for a second or two, taking his measure. She smiled one of those smiles that comes from the soul and warms the hearts of the recipients; I'm pleased to meet you Padfoot and your little friends." She then reached out and scratched the two dragons just above the eye ridges; they closed their eyes and pushed into her hand, with a contented warbling sound.
Sirius asked his best friend and his wife to hold on to him, he tapped his wand to his ring, "Double Island." They arrived in the foyer of Harry's home on Double Island; just by chance, Harry was passing through on his way outside to where Hermione was.
"Mione we have guests."
"I'm coming," Hermione then tapped her ring "Double Island," Hermione popped into the foyer right beside Harry, "Well blow me down it works, I just used the ring from the garden and it brought me to the foyer, I really like magic."
Remus Lupins jaw dropped open in surprise, "J...James? No...It can't be, what am I saying? You must be Harry...Harry Potter, you really look like your dad you know, but you have Lilly's eyes. Padfoot, I think I need a drink."
Harry held out his hand and a drink of fire whisky appeared, "There you go, try that, it's what Sirius drinks when he has had a shock, I hope you like it,"
"You can transfigure drinks, at your age?" Remus reached out and drank it straight down, then gasped "Thanks. How can you do that, it's very complicated magic?"
"I didn't use transfiguration, I summoned it here, I found a spell that allows you to summon something without the transitional phase, it just leaves there and arrives here without the in-between bit."
"Harry Potter I would like you to meet your father's friend, Remus Lupin and his absolutely gorgeous wife, Moonflower," Sirius declared with a flourish and a bow to Moonflower. "Moonflower this is my godson Harry James Potter and his friend Hermione Jane Granger."
Harry bowed to Moonflower, "Pleased to meet you, Moonflower." He then shook hands with Remus, "Nice to finally meet another one of the Marauders," he said with a smile.
Hermione just reached out her hand and shook Moonflower's, "Pleased to meet you both," she then shook hands with Remus as well.
Harry then led them into the lounge room; he figured that if he didn't, Remus would soon be on the floor.
Harry and the others had just made themselves comfortable, when six dragons came swooping in and arranged themselves on and around Harry and Hermione. Hermione had a gold one on her right shoulder, the one nearest Harry. Sitting right next to it on Harry's left shoulder was a slightly larger bronze dragon.
Remus and Moonflower were mesmerised by Hermione's hair, which was once again wrapping itself around Harry's neck, and threading its way through his hair.
"Sorry Harry, all this, sort of caught me by surprise," explained Remus.
Over the next couple of hours, they exchanged stories, Remus explaining how, with his wife's help, he had brewed a potion that cured Lycanthropy, it was a mixture of Winged Panther Venom, Moonflower Nectar and Wolfsbane and that he had arranged to have regular shipments of the ingredients sent to him. He also went on to describe his battle to get his status as a werewolf and dark creature overturned, which eventually happened when he appealed to the ICW.
He explained how he was now looking for someone who could manufacture and distribute the potion. Harry and Hermione made a mental note, to see what they could do to help.
Harry explained to Remus and Moonflowe-r, his link with Hermione; he went on to tell them about their titles and the private tuition they and their friends were taking. Sirius told them about how Harry and Hermione, had freed Alice and Frank Longbottom, from their mental prisons; leading to the finding of James and Lilly's wills, and his freedom.
As it was getting close to dinner, Harry invited them to stay over and even suggested they move in, for the remainder of their time in Australia, which they agreed to, as they had not booked into a hotel yet.
Dinner was a bit overwhelming for the two newcomers. Not only were there nine adults and four children present, but there were also twenty dragons arranged around the table. Not that the dragons stayed put, they spent half their time perched on a shoulder or head, the rest of the time swooping around the table, trying to steal food from off the plates.
"Harry, does Hermione's hair always do that," said Remus indicating how her hair was once again twisting its wayinto his.
"Huh huh" he grunted while swallowing a piece of apple pie, "it's quite relaxing, but yeah whenever we are within reach it does. Mind you if my hair was longer it would be doing the same to her."
"It is quite an amazing effect," Moonflower added, "maybe you should, let your hair grow, it would be quite spectacular."
"Yeah I'm trying to, I figure, why should Hermione have all the fun," he replied with a big cheesy grin.
"I know you said, that you and Hermione have a mental link to each other, but how deep is it?" Moonflower then asked them.
Hermione chose to answer that question, "Well, we hear each other's thoughts, we can see, hear, smell and feel what the other does. While we sleep, we more often as not, dream the same dreams, not only that but anything the other has learned during the day, is transferred as well. So if I read a book,"
"And believe me she reads a lot of books," interrupted Harry.
Hermione punched him playfully on the shoulder and then continued. "So, as I was saying, if I read a book, the next morning it is as if Harry read it and vice versa."
Harry interrupted again, "It's quite useful, this way we read twice as many books in the same time and it's the same with studying. We can cut the connection, which we do when using the bathroom, but other than that we leave it open."
Hermione added, "We have a total bond between us and if possible, it will only get stronger."
The rest of the night passed quietly, while Remus and his wife digested what Harry and Hermione had told them. They seemed mature beyond their years, but they assumed that it was because of their bond.
When they Got back to Britain, Sirius discovered that he along with Harry and Hermione, had controlling shares in a Pharmaceutical company. They signed a contract with Remus to manufacture the lycanthropy cure and insisted on paying him a royalty of twenty percent of all profits with an upfront payment of ₲1,000,000
Remus didn't want to accept the upfront payment, but when shown the projected profits from the cure, he relented. It didn't hurt that being married he now had a wife to support and maybe they could start thinking about a family sooner rather than later, after all he wasn't getting any younger.
oo00oo
Professor Snape did not seem to be learning, although he did not take points from the wrong person deliberately any more. He still was not teaching the students, he just wrote what to do on the board and left them to it. If they got it wrong he would humiliate them and take points, unless they were from Slytherin, then he would have them come to his office where he would explain what they did wrong and coach them.
Harry and Hermione decided they needed to increase his punishment, so they had the school add his name to the scoreboard, every time he had a class and didn't teach it properly, he would be docked points, just like the students.
oo00oo
Luna woke early it was the 16/3/91 her first birthday since her mother had died. She was feeling lonely and depressed. She lay on her bed and looked up at the mural she had painted on her ceiling, that was something that she did not have a year before, friends. Her three miniature dragons swooped in and landed on her bed, they could sense her mood and started trilling to her, this always managed to bring her out of a depression. "You are such wonderful friends, all of you." She said, indicating not only Harry, Hermione and Neville, but also the dragons as well. You always seem to know what I need.
She made her way down to the kitchen, where her father was making an omelette for breakfast, he looked up as she entered, "Happy birthday poppet," he exclaimed, while handing her a package, that was wrapped in paper with fairies flying all around it.
"Thanks daddy," she replied then gave him a hug and kiss. She carefully removed the sticking tape that held the wrapping together and removed the paper, that would go up over her bed, inside was a long narrow box, Luna looked at her father, then opened the box, inside was a necklace with a ruby pendant, and two ruby studs. Luna carefully took them out and held them up to the light, "they're beautiful daddy," she placed them back in the box and gave her father a big hug.
Xeno leaned down and hugged his daughter to him, "They used to be your mother's and I know she would have wanted you to have them."
Tears were streaming down their faces, but both of them knew that it was true, and what better way to remember her mum than with her favourite piece of jewellery. Her father picked up the necklace and placed it around her neck, he handed her the studs so she could put them in, "I love you poppet," he said, leaning down and giving her a kiss on the forehead. "After breakfast why don't you go to Hermione's and have some fun, I have to go to the ministry on some business."
Luna had a bright smile on her face, she really liked going to Hermione's, as she always had fun there and it was like having a big sister to talk to, she had always wanted a sister.
At four o'clock when she went home, Hermione followed her and when they arrived, they found that Xeno organised a party for her. It was a gathering of the four families, Potter, Black, Granger and Longbottom and of course themselves, plus Remus and his wife, their teachers, Hagrid with his six dragons and the Weasleys turned up as well, the twins Fred and George Weasley were even allowed to leave school for the weekend so they could attend.
The miniature dragons, were zooming and swooping around all over the place, grabbing chicken off the table and then playing tag with it, well before one of them forgot and ate it. Ron even had a piece snatched from his hands, just as he was about to take a bite of it. Mind you, he didn't give it up without a fight, then spent the next ten minutes complaining about the vicious beast that stole it.
Luna had a wonderful time with her friends, she even made up with Ginny Weasley, funny thing though, Ginny was a month older than she was but somehow seemed like she was a year younger. Ginny's brother Ron was still being a prat, he had the gall to call her Loony; Harry, Hermione, Neville and the twins, sorted him out though, she doubted he would ever call her that again, but then again he wasn't the sharpest knife in the draw, so he would probably forget the lesson in the next day or so.
The twins told them all about what was happening at Hogwarts, and to Professor Snape in particular, they were speculating about who was pranking him, it was some of the funniest pranking they had ever seen and they were desperate to know who was behind it.
"It's absolutely"
"Fantastic"
"You ought to"
"See his face"
"Every time"
"He loses"
"Points."
"He goes"
"Mental."
"How do you guys do that?" Hermione asked, "It's brilliant." "Maybe we should try doing that."
"Yeah we could send Sirius barmy."
"As much as I enjoy the twin speak," Harry said, "could just one of you tell us this story."
"Ok Harry," Fred spoke up, "as we were saying, he goes absolutely mental when he loses points, one day he had a go at Hagrid and one of his dragons set fire to his nuts, you should of heard him squeal, it was one of those high girly kind."
All the children were rolling around laughing; at the image, that Fred had painted and the laughing started the dragons off, it was a cacophony of sound.
After they had all calmed down again, George continued the story. "He is minus 890 points already; we are all having bets on how low he can go. He has broken the record for the most points lost in one day, and he did that after he had been losing them for three weeks, you would think he would learn but noooo." The twins had no idea who was behind the pranks, but thought it must be the Ghosts of the Marauder's, they had no idea how close they were to the truth. Half the marauders were at the party and four more had joined the group.
Luna got some wonderful gifts, other than her necklace, which would always have a special place in her heart; her favourite was from Harry, Neville and Hermione. They gave her a Harrods' gift voucher valued at £3,000 and Hermione's mum was going to take them all clothes shopping. Overall, it was a wonderful night and like all such nights, all too soon it ended. Every one made their farewells and returned home, well all except Hermione who decided to stay the night and slept in the same room as Luna, the two girls stayed up half the night talking, finally falling asleep about 1:30 in the morning.
A couple of days later, Harry, Neville, Hermione and her mum, took Luna to Harrods as promised, where she had a wonderful time trying on clothes and modelling them for the others. She came out of there with her arms loaded with clothes the likes of which you could not find in Magical Britain, it did upset her though as she couldn't share the experience with her mother but all in all it was a happy birthday for Luna.
oo00oo
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