Harry Potter and the Power of Time
Chapter 23 – Twas the Time Before Christmas
Neville stepped out from behind Harry, and for the first time, took a long look around the place where he'd be spending his holidays. It was an impressive place, and only one thing came to the boy's mind.
"Holly shit!"
Harry just laughed. "Thanks, Nev. I think."
His face reddened with embarrassment, but Neville couldn't help it. He was a pureblooded wizard, and as one had come to know formal, intimidating decors and furniture. The comfortable and modern decorations that adorned Harry's place though was a different beast, yet still as decadent.
"Sorry, Harry, but, I mean, wow! This place is amazing. I knew you lived by yourself, and when you said you lived in an apartment building, I was expecting a small flat, perhaps. Ron was even saying I'd have to sleep on a cot, if Professor Lupin was staying over, as you couldn't have more than one guest room. But this place must have half a dozen!"
"Nine bedrooms actually," Harry admitted, "ten if you count Dobby and Winky's. I expanded some rooms to be larger than they appear, and the two hallways traverse the entire length of the building. This is actually the whole floor, and was originally a bunch of separate flats. I just took down all the walls, and made it one big space. Give me a moment to dump my trunk in my room, and get settled, and I'll give you the grand tour. Make yourself at home in the meantime. If you're thirsty, there should be drinks in the fridge. That's the large box in the kitchen. Sorry; muggle appliance. I expect dinner will be ready soon, so don't eat too much. You'll be OK?"
"What?" Neville asked. He had hardly been paying attention, as he was still busy taking in the enormous room. "Oh yeah, I'll be fine. Drinks in the fidge, er, in the kitchen."
Leaving Neville alone, as he climbed inside the giant fireplace, Harry left for his room, glade to be home. Once inside he expanded his trunk, and began to unpack his clothes. He could live out of it easily, but growing up muggle, Harry always preferred to use a dresser when one was available.
"No Mr. Harry Potter sir, you mustn't be doing house-elf work sir. Please be leaving the chores for Winky to do!"
The squeaky voice caused Harry to turn around, and he was ambushed by Dobby, tackling him around the knees. Harry would have fallen if his back wasn't to the oversized bureau. Winky too was present, although more composed than Dobby. Harry hadn't seen her personally in a week (she had left his meals in the icebox in the trunk while she was busy with the chores all to herself), but she looked very nice in a new dress and shoes. Harry doubted that she was making new clothes for herself, and suspected that Dobby had bought them for her. Luckily he had more taste in picking out women's fashions than he did when it came to matching pairs of socks.
"Hello Dobby, Winky! It's good to be back home. How's everything here?"
"Everything is okey-dokey, Mr. Harry Potter sir," Winky answered, "there is being no problems while you is gone. Strange men is being washing windows outside the building twice since you left, but men not be seeing inside. He not even washing your windows properly, and Winky be having to do it herself."
Harry smiled. "That's OK Winky. Those men are probably paid to wash the building's windows. They're not looking inside or washing ours because of the Fidelius Charm. That's normal, and it will continue to happen. Alright?"
"Whatever Mr. Harry Potter says, Winky!" Dobby exclaimed. "It is so good to be having Harry Potter back home! We is going to have very god times, right Mr. Harry Potter sir?"
"Yes Dobby," Harry agreed, "We'll be having a very fun time. Listen, I need to talk to you about the progress you've made in Sirius's vault, but that can wait until tomorrow. Winky, I'll also take over feeding and responsibilities for my guests in the trunk this week, alright? This is time for you to be on vacation too."
Winky looked mortified. "No Mr. Harry Potter sir! Sir should not be spending time with bad men. It is Winky's job to do! Winky will take care as always, and sir won't be bothered."
"That's alright, Winky," Harry assured her. "Now that I'm home, I won't mind. Besides, I brought a guest home with me. Remember me telling you about Neville? He's outside right now, and I'm about to show him around. Think we have time for a tour before dinner's ready?"
"Plenty of time there is Mr. Harry Potter sir," Dobby promised, ushering Winky out of the room. Sir can take as much time as needed be, and Dobby and Winky will be keeping dinner ready and warm.
Dobby seemed pleased enough, but Harry knew that Winky was still upset about having her chores lightened, because she was reluctant to leave the room. Knowing what would cheer her up, Harry motioned her to stay, but Dobby to leave.
"Remember Winky, we'll be having a full house of guests the day after Christmas, and we've got to cook a big meal. I think the total number will be fourteen people, although as many as seventeen could show up. Now I want you to prepare some of your best holiday dishes, and make a list. I'll get the supplies later in the week. And remember Winky, you don't have to do all the cooking yourself. I want to help."
Winky made a strange face at Harry's statement, and he thought something was wrong.
"What's the matter, Winky?" Harry asked. "Is fourteen people too many on such short notice?"
"No Mr. Harry Potter sir, fourteen people is being just fine," she squeaked. "Winky is just thinking that Mr. Harry Potter always overcooks his foods. Winky is thinking that it be better to leave the cooking to Winky and Dobby alone."
Harry had to laugh at that. He always though he was a good cook, but apparently not compared to house-elf standards.
"Alright Winky," he promised, "I'll leave the cooking up to you. But I want to make my own dessert. We'll see if any of the guests can tell the difference between out baking."
Clapping her hands like an excited schoolgirl, Winky was very pleased. "Yes Mr. Harry Potter sir, you make good choice. Now holiday meal won't be burnt! Winky was very worried over sir's insistence, but sir is a good master, and knows he can't outcook Winky."
"We'll just see Winky, we'll just see."
When Harry returned to the main room, he couldn't find Neville anywhere. Knowing that dinner was already waiting for them, Harry wanted to show Neville around quickly, and get the tour out of the way.
"Oy, Neville!" Harry called out. "Where are you?"
"In the library Harry," he heard as response. "This place is brilliant. Has Hermione been told about this?"
Walking into the library from the entrance near his suite, Harry said, "No, not yet. It's mostly empty still. The only books here are ones that I read this summer. The rest I've got in the smaller library in my trunk."
Neville looked up from the book he'd been paging through, and took another look around the shelves. "But there must be over a hundred books here, Harry. There's no way you read these all this summer."
Harry didn't feel the need to mention that a lot of them were the muggle paperbacks that he leant to his imprisoned Death Eaters. "Well, not just this summer really. I transported all the books I've read so far at school back here as well. As I finish each book in my trunk library, I move it here, unless it's a book I keep around for reference. Even then, I have easy access to these books."
"Easy access?" Neville asked. "What, does Hedwig carry them back and forth for you?"
"No," Harry laughed. "Although I think she would if I asked, she's no carrier pigeon. I think she'd be angry with me for using her for such a menial task. No, I can leave a pile of books or a list for Dobby and Winky, and they usually bring them back and forth between here and my trunk. They're making the trip anyway, so they don't mind."
"Dobby," Neville mumbled to himself, "where have I heard that name before?"
"Oh, sorry. Let me introduce you. Dobby! Winky! Come greet Neville!"
A second later two small pops sounded to Harry's side, and Neville was momentarily startled at the house-elves' appearance.
"Welcome to Mr. Harry Potter's Hideway, kind friend of great sir. Yous is most welcome to be staying here. If there be anything yous be needing, Dobby and Winky are only too happy to help." Dobby spoke for both of the tiny creatures, but Harry was pleased to see Winky wasn't hiding behind him anymore like she normally did. Perhaps being around more kind people lately had strengthened her confidence? Well, that was something both she and Neville shared.
"Uh, hi, and thanks, I guess," Neville said. Not knowing what else to do, he reached out to clasp Dobby's hand, and hand his whole arm nearly shaken off. Winky was tentative to take Neville's outstretched offer, but gave a dainty little shake after the moment's hesitation.
"Hey, you two look familiar. Haven't I seen you around Gryffindor Tower before? And aren't those some of Hermione's hats from last year?"
Harry wasn't surprised Neville recognized the hats, as they were very hard to miss. Dobby currently had seven perched on his bald head; a record low number for him. And everyone in Gryffindor had at one point the year before seen Hermione planting them around the common room.
"Oh, such a great friend Mr. Harry Potter sir has, to remember Dobby and Winky, and Miss Hermie's wonderful hats. You both is great wizards, for knowing poor Dobby and Winky? We is not worthy of being recognized."
"Er," Harry interrupted, "that's it for now Dobby, Winky. We should be ready for dinner in about ten minutes, and you're welcome to join us if you haven't eaten yet."
Winky politely accepted for them both, and with a snap of her fingers, and anther puff of smoke, they were both gone.
"Kind of like you, don't they Harry?" Neville joked.
Harry had to laugh. "You have no idea. I doubt they'll settle down before it's time for us to go back to school. It took me nearly the whole summer to get them to stop calling me Master, and they still insist on 'Mr. Harry Potter sir.' It'll be interesting to see what they end up calling you."
Neville furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't they just call me by my name?"
"Because that would be too easy," Harry smiled. "So far, Ron's called my Wheezy, Hermione is Miss Hermie, Professor Dumbledore is Dumbleydory, and Remus is Reemy. I tried to get them to pronounce everyone's name right; you can imagine how Ron reacts to Wheezy; but I gave up months ago."
"Maybe they can just call me Nev. It sounds better than Nevley, or something else like that. I'll ask them at dinner."
"Good idea," Harry said, "but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Anyway, how about that tour now?"
Neville agreed, and soon they were walking the long hallways together. Harry started with the east wing first, and went to the back with the empty two bedroom flat and small rooms. Neville asked about the flat, and Harry explained that it was the size of the original units, and for some reason he just left it there. It's not like he needed even more space, Harry explained, and he could always clear it out and change it later if he liked.
The storage room was empty except the extra muggle appliances Harry didn't need, and with the exception of one set, Harry said he'd be selling them soon. Likewise, the weight room was also empty, but this time Harry said he'd have to buy new equipment to fill it up. The machines that had been in there previously, Neville wasn't surprised to hear, was the equipment Harry had moved into Gryffindor Tower after their first Quidditch disappointment. That had been basic, non-electric equipment, which Harry was looking forward to replacing. It was fine for when Harry first started to work out, but now that he was experienced, and had plenty of access to electricity, Harry hoped to get the best new equipment possible.
The dueling chamber was just like the one in Harry's trunk, so Neville skipped that room too, even though they both knew they'd be spending lots of time in it. Harry hadn't forgotten his promise to help Neville out with some spells, and after they got settled in, promised they'd spend some time in there each day.
The only other room before the major stuff was an empty space, and Harry explained it was one of three in his home that he didn't have a use for yet. Neville thought he could make some suggestions, but not seeing the rest of place yet, kept his mouth shut for now.
Harry's bedroom, again, was almost an exact replica of the one in his trunk, with the exception of the extra door that led to the muggle room. Neville spotted it right off, and once through, felt he had stepped into another world.
The furniture and decorations were all similar, but at least to Neville's eye's, the rest of the contraptions were truly foreign.
Harry showed him the wetbar and keg of butterbeer (which made Neville smile), but only briefly went over the telly and billiards table. Neville understood that they were both used for muggle entertainment, but Harry didn't have the time right then to explain more fully. And as anyone introduced to television for the first time could attest, with only five minutes before dinner would be ready, it was a good thing Harry never turned the thing on.
Walking through the library (which Neville had already seen) to get to the west wing, Harry quickly showed Neville all six of the guest rooms. Each was decorated differently, but all had the basic same layout and furniture, and Neville already knew he wanted to stay in the room with Gryffindor colors. Now that he had his new wand, and was doing better in school and with his magic after so many years of failure, Neville explained that he finally felt worthy of being a Gryffindor. Harry made to protest, but was waved off by Neville quickly. No matter how much his attitude had improved, he still had a long way to go before he felt his true worth. Harry promised to help work on Neville's self imagine too over the holidays.
Skipping the other two empty rooms (Harry didn't want Neville to see what remained of Wormtail's cell), the last room in the west wing was the laundry. Neville recognized the machines from the extra sets earlier, and Harry explained briefly how they cleaned clothes. Intrigued, Neville told Harry to remind him at dinner to ask Winky if he could watch her sometime in the next week do the wash. Harry had to laugh at that. While not quite as fanatical as Mr. Weasley was, Neville was still very curious at how muggles survived without magic.
The living room area, long dining table, and fireplace were all self explanatory, so Harry brought Neville to the kitchen, so show him around. Winky and Dobby were busy setting the small table behind them, and Harry had just enough time to show Neville the fridge, and warn him about the gas stove, before the two elves called them to the table to eat.
To say dinner was a memorable event was an understatement. While Dobby and Winky had gotten used to eating with Harry and sometimes Remus, Neville was an unknown to them both, and made dinner awkward. Harry tried to find conversation they could all join in on, and it helped tremendously that Neville sensed the awkwardness, and tried to include everyone as well. It was for reasons like that that Harry was glad he had made such good friends with Neville. Ron; while perhaps they had more fun together; would never had been considerate or polite enough to include Dobby and Winky's feelings during a meal.
At least the food had been great, which was no huge surprise to either boy. Neither had ever known a house-elf to cook bad food, and Winky made a particular good impression when she offered Neville second helpings on dessert, and asked him his favorite foods that she might prepare during his stay.
When they all had their fill (Dobby and Winky had finished long ago, but sat happily enough until the boys finished), Harry helped clear the table and wash the dishes, while Neville settled in his room, and unpacked his bags.
"Nev is very nice wizard, Mr. Harry Potter sir," Winky pleasantly said while drying the serving plates. "Winky was worried at first that kind sir's friend would not like having improper house-elves around, but Nev not seem to mind at all."
"Winky," Harry said, "how many times do I have to say it; you're not improper elves. You're just different, that's all. I'm different too, and so is Neville, in a way. It's our differences that make us who we are, and there's nothing wrong with that. You and Dobby are very special to me because of that reason. Otherwise, I wouldn't have wanted to hire the two of you, now would I?
"We know Mr. Harry Potter sir is very great wizard," Dobby said, "and Dobby and Winky are different because wes be taking pay and wearing clothes, but what is making sir's friend different, sir?"
Harry thought about that one. Many reasons came to mind, but a certain one stood out in, and before he thought about it, he told them both about Neville's similar upbringing. Both had lost their parents early on in life, had been raised by strict relatives, had constant self-doubts, and yet each had grown into two different, but equally talented individuals. Neville had a knack for Herbology and a fierce loyalty, and Harry's skill in DADA was matched only by his determination. He made one small mistake however, and on the first night back home, Harry thought he might have already sent things straight to hell.
"Winky is very sad to hear about Nev's parents. Winky once heard Master Barty explain Crucio spell, and Winky still has bad nightmares about it.
Speaking before he thought his answer through, Harry said, "I wouldn't be surprised Winky! Batry Crouch Jr., along with Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, were the ones who cursed them. Neville still visits them at St. Mungo's every year, but they've never once recognized him as their son. Their minds are too far gone."
Harry would have gone on, but stopped when Winky let out a loud gasp, and clasped her hands together under her chin, wringing the dirty dishtowel together.
"Young Master Barty was one responsible?" She asked; lips quivering. It was only then that Harry remembered that Winky wasn't just familiar with the Crouches, but had been their house-elf her entire life until two years ago. Winky probably helped raised the man who grew up into a monster, and by the look on her face; a look Harry knew well; she was suddenly feeling very responsible.
"Oh! I'm sorry Winky; I didn't think. Yes, Barty Crouch Jr. was one of those responsible. It wasn't your fault though. I'm sorry I brought it up. Let's talk about something else."
It was too late though. Before Harry even finished speaking, Winky had huge tears leaking down her face, and was bawling uncontrollably. Dropping the dishtowel she's been using, she raised her hands to cover her face, and began to run for her small room. If the situation wasn't so sorrowful, Harry would have found the sight of Winky running right under the table hilarious. It wasn't though, and both Harry and Dobby just stared at each other; neither knowing what to do.
"I'm sorry Dobby," Harry said after the small bedroom door shut behind Winky, "I didn't think. Is there anything I can do to make Winky feel better?"
Dobby shook his head. "Mr. Harry is most kind for asking, but Winky just be needing time alone. Winky still misses her old masters, and still misses being a proper house-elf sometimes. Tomorrow Dobby will let Winky clean the entire house by herself, and that will make Winky feel better. Dobby thinks that Mr. Harry Potter sir should lock up the butterbeer for tonight; just being in case. Winky has not had butterbeer in months, but Dobby is knowing the temptation is still present."
Harry nodded. Dobby then left to comfort Winky, and Harry made short order of what was left to clean. Knowing Dobby, he'd return in the middle of the night to finish it, and Harry felt it was the least he could do. Harry also went to the muggle room to put a small locking charm on the butterbeer tap, so as not to forget before he went to sleep.
"Hey, I'm all unpacked. Where'd Dobby and Winky go to? Winky promised to show me this telly thing." Neville was done settling in, and found Harry sitting in a quiet corner behind the billiard table.
"She's not feeling well, and retired early. I said something that upset her after dinner, and she reacted badly." Swallowing his discomfort, Harry added, "Now that I think of it, you might react badly too."
Harry had to let Neville know that he'd told Dobby and Winky about his parents, if only for the fact that he probably should have asked in the first place. But now he also felt he needed to admit that Winky had been the Crouch's house-elf for years, and how he thought Winky might act weird around him, because of her guilt. Surprisingly, Neville didn't mind in the least.
"You can't blame her, really. She's a house-elf! The Crouch's weren't all bad, and even if they were, she was bound to serve them at the time. As long as she didn't help curse my Mum and Dad, why would I be angry at her, or she feel bad around me? I hope she calms down some."
Again, Harry was impressed. "Thanks Neville, for being so understanding. If you don't mind, could you possibly tell that to Winky next time you see her. She's incredibly sensitive, and I think it would help a lot if she heard that right from you. If not, we might have a drunk house-elf stumbling around here the next few weeks."
"No problem! Although I think seeing a drunk house-elf would be a little funny. Imagine them trying to clean while not being able to stand. That would be a hoot! Maybe we can give her some spiked eggnog when the time comes? Anyway, so what do you want to do now? It's still too early to turn in yet."
Not having the time or patience so late at night to attempt to explain the telly, Harry settled for showing Neville how the billiard table worked. Neither were very good, as most of Harry's experience with the game was learned from books and movies he'd seen growing up. It had been months since he last played, and even then, he never did have any competition. He tried playing against himself once, but the time-traveling Harry was just as hopeless. Remus had played Harry during one of his visits, but after thoroughly embarrassing himself, decided to retire from his "professional career." The next time he stopped by, he had a dart board with him, which he mounted next to the wetbar. Darts was a muggle game Remus was more familiar with, and opted to play opposed to pool on his subsequent visits.
Neville caught onto the basic rules of eight ball pool quickly (they weren't that hard to understand), but had the most difficulty with gripping the cue stick. Harry knew from experience how hard that was, as his own grip still left much to be desired. Still, the two had fun for almost two full hours, sinking each other's balls by mistake, ragging on the other for missing the break, and one time because Harry had done real well, only to sink the eight ball before his final solid. That was the only game Neville won fairly.
It was after eleven at night when Harry decided to call it quits. Not knowing how Winky would be feeling in the morning, and wanting to give her some personal space, Harry told Neville to get some rest. Tomorrow they'd be exploring muggle London to do some shopping, and Harry correctly assumed that Neville would be blown away.
It was bright and early the next morning, not a house-elf in sight, when Neville finally came out to meet Harry. He'd been up hours earlier, normally to do his morning routine, but now unable because of a lack of equipment.
Harry supposed he could have used the machines in his trunk, but since unpacking it, Dobby had stored it away in the storage closet, and Harry had been too lazy to go dig it out. Besides, he was on vacation, made very apparent to Harry at least by the lack of his double.
Three days ago when the other Harry hadn't shown at his usual time, Harry knew he'd made the choice to lay off the time travel during his break. Frankly, he'd been working so hard lately, he thought he deserved it! So not having to share his shower or workout equipment with another (not that he chose to work out that morning), Harry had been left with the problem of occupying his time until Neville woke.
That had been solved easily enough though, as Harry walked through his home and made a mental list of the many thing he needed to purchase. Earlier in the summer, Harry had been so relieved to be rid of the Dursleys, the place had seemed perfect with just the basic furniture. Add in the fact that Harry had been as busy as he was; constantly training and reading; and the place had been left grossly unfinished. It was only now, months later and after a good time away, that Harry realized it.
The few pieces he did have adorning the walls, or occupying shelves, were the few landscapes and knick knacks he had taken from his family vault. It wasn't much, and Harry concentrated them in the main large room, but at least it was a start. Now though, with one house guest already present, and another dozen visiting in another week, Harry was excited about finishing his place off.
There were also a few necessary items that Harry needed to get, like his new exercise equipment, food, and not to mention a Christmas tree. That perhaps was what Harry was most excited about. He'd never before had the opportunity to help buy a tree, much less decorate one. The Dursleys had always used the same artificial tree and the same boring ornaments; which Dudley had made years ago in primary school. Harry remembered vividly the time he tried to place his own ornament on the fake tree, and his uncle had laughed at him, right after throwing it out the window. It didn't matter to the Dursleys that Harry's ornament was better made than Dudley's was; it only mattered that it had been "contaminated" by Harry, and was therefore unworthy. After that, Harry was banned from coming within five feet of the pitiful tree, not that he had anything to contribute to it.
So it was with great excitement that Harry finished his mental list of what needed to be bought, and waited the hour after that for Neville to get ready. You can imagine his frustration then, when Neville exited his room, dressed in what Harry thought to be perhaps the oddest combination of muggle clothes he'd ever seen.
"What the hell are you wearing, Neville?" Not even Harry was sure. The red leg warmers were recognizable, but not the stretchy spandex material his pants were made of. Neville was also wearing galoshes, a sequenced shirt, suspenders with "flare" on them, and a fluro baseball cap that was tilted to the side. It was a good thing Dobby wasn't around, because even he would have laughed at Neville's attire.
"What?" Neville defended himself loudly. "This is one of my best muggle outfits. Gran and her friends helped piece it together.
"Purebloods," Harry muttered under his breath. He'd seen some bad wardrobe choice a few years ago at the Quidditch World Cup, and now he understood why. It was amazing, really, that the muggle world continued to be ignorant of the magical one. With people walking around dressed as Neville was, it was truly a wonder.
"Neville, do you honestly think what you're wearing goes together? All the different colors and materials?"
Neville bristled a little. "Well, no, not really. But what do I know about muggle fashion? I'm told this is all very popular, and it's what I got."
""You don't see me wearing clothes like that, do you?" Harry vented. "And I wear normal, muggle clothes all the time under my robes and in the common room. What do you wear under your robes normally?"
"Just a shirt and trousers, I guess," Neville answered. "Sometimes just shorts, if it's hot."
"Well then, just put those on. You can borrow some of mine if you want. But for Merlin's sake, leave those clothes out so Dobby can burn them later. Once we walk around some today, you'll see just how odd you would have appeared."
Throwing his hands up in annoyance, Neville stomped back to his room. He voice carried in the large hallway though, and Harry could make out, "OK, OK, no need to get tetchy!"
Neville's second attempt at dressing himself was much improved, and for that Harry was thankful. He had no desire to dress his friend on their first outing together, and was pleased that the clothes Neville normally wore when not wearing robes, while technically wizard garments, could pass easily enough for muggle.
His pants were a dark blue, and the fact that they were spelled together, and didn't have a zipper or buttons was well hidden. Likewise, his simple shirt and jumper were commonplace, even if the slogan "Weird Sisters Rock!" might get a few puzzled looks.
And so after only that momentary delay, Harry and Neville called the lift and took the ride down to the lobby. Harry hadn't been in it since the building had opened, but was glad to see that nobody gave him a second look.
Once on the street, the two walked the short block to the tube entrance, while Harry explained about the intricate train system that ran under the city. Compared to other wizards Harry had known, Neville was almost completely muggle ignorant, and at first didn't believe Harry's claims. Only once Harry compared it to the tunnel system under Gringotts, did Neville grasp the concept, and relax some. He was still worried about the forthcoming ride (he got sick on the Gringott's cart rides), but was pleasantly relieved with the large and comfortable train compartment. The fact that they traveled much slower, and Neville could follow their progress on a lighted map, made Neville feel even better.
It was only two stops till Charing Cross Road, and within minutes Harry and Neville were back on the street. Because Harry was familiar with the shops in the area, he had decided that morning to travel to Diagon Alley, and work their way back to his apartment building. It was a two kilometer walk, but with all the shops and side streets, it could very well be a full day's experience.
Having the exterior of the Leaky Cauldron pointed out to him, Neville felt more comfortable about where they were. Up until then, he'd just been blindly following Harry, really not knowing where he was. Now though, in case he got lost or separated, at least he could find his way back to familiar ground.
The first stop they made, oddly enough, was the small bookstore right next to the Leaky Cauldron. It was time for Harry to stock up on cheap muggle paperbacks again, and he found plenty in the discount bin. Neville knew Harry was reading a lot lately, so didn't even question the purchases. He was too busy browsing the home gardening section, and was thrilled with the huge selection of books he'd never before heard of.
None of them were about magical plants, of course, but to Neville that didn't matter. Not all of the species in the Hogwarts' greenhouses were magical, as even the wizarding world used common plants like sage, rosemary, and some citruses in select potions. He never realized though how extensive and colorful some other muggle varieties could get, and Harry was more than happy to purchase two books for Neville. At first Neville had complained, but Harry squelched the argument easily saying later in the week they'd visit Diagon Alley, and Neville could pay him back. Not finding another valid argument against it, Neville conceded to let Harry pay for him.
Moving along, the two settled in for a long day of shopping and sight seeing, and both were having fun.
Neville got treated to his first muggle haircut, at the same place Harry had gone to earlier that summer, but decided not to have his head shaved. He had forgotten to get Lavender or one of the other girls to trim his head before he left, and he was afraid after three weeks, he'd be a horrid mess. Harry said he'd give it a shot if Neville trusted him, and wasn't surprised when Neville politely refused. Harry also suggested that he could wait until Boxing Day when Mrs. Weasley and Ginny would visit, as both of them had plenty experience cutting hair. Neville wanted to look good for their visit though, so he braved the barbaric muggle ritual of scissors. In the end, his hair was stylish enough for even Pavarti to notice, and Neville picked up a bottle of hair gel as well. Much better smelling then Sleekeasy's hair potions.
At the sporting goods store; their next stop; Harry went right to the counter, and placed an order for the best equipment they had. In place of the two machines and free weights Harry had donated to Gryffindor, this time he was getting four machines, all electric and top-of-the-line, and the deluxe set of free weights. The clerk was suspicious of Harry's quick order until he showed his credit card, but after that, things ran much smother. And because the equipment cost over eight thousand pounds, and was such a huge order, the clerk guaranteed delivery the next afternoon. The charge he knew was large enough to draw Dumbledore's attention, but the shop was close enough to Diagon Alley that Harry didn't think it would matter. It's not like Dumbledore would think that his Hideaway was equally as close. And admittedly, Harry found a guilty sort of pleasure in the fact that he'd be flaunting his freedom in Dumbledore's face, and there wasn't a single thing the old man could do about it.
Neville had been standing by during the transaction, but was paying more attention to all the other sports equipment around. In the wizarding world there was mainly just Quidditch, with small gatherings of Quadpot and a few older sports. But here in this muggle store, dozens of sports were advertised and showcased, and Neville couldn't get enough. There were also a half dozen in-house tellys playing a looping tape of a bunch of different sports, and Neville was gobsmacked.
"Harry," he whispered, "how do they have pictures moving in those black boxes. I thought only wizard pictures moved like that?"
While the clerk ran Harry's credit card, and approved the delivery address (another flat building three blocks away from his own, that he'd picked out ahead of time), Harry had time to explain.
"Those aren't pictures Neville; at least not like you think of them. Those are all tellys, like the one I have back at my place. They're playing a looped recording of images and sound, only you can't hear anything because they've got the volume muted. If you can wait until tonight, I'll try to explain better. Just watch and enjoy yourself for now. You know the sport Dean's always going on about, football? Well, that telly in the corner is playing a game. How about I meet you over there in a few minutes?"
Neville didn't need to be asked twice, and nearly skipped over to the corner telly. From the team's colors it looked like it was a Manchester United game, not West Ham, but Harry didn't think Neville would know the difference.
At the department store that Harry had shopped, he stopped in to see if perhaps Becky was still working there; the nice girl who'd helped him buy his wardrobe. She wasn't, but her rude uncle was, and Harry guided Neville out the door before they could be approached. Around the corner at the shoe department Harry asked another attendant if Becky was still employed, and found that she'd be home for vacation herself in another two days, and would work the weeks before and after Christmas. Harry didn't need any new clothes right away, and Neville didn't either, so Harry promised to come back later. Becky had been very nice and helpful, and Harry wanted to make sure she got his commission if he could help it.
Across the street from the menswear store was an art gallery, and that was their next stop. Neville helped Harry pick out some nice pieces for his walls, and the day continued much in the same manner. Harry had early on ducked into an alleyway to magically expand a shopping bag, and that way they didn't have to carry huge packages or odd shaped parcels. Neville was frightened when Harry had pulled his wand, but Harry told him that the Ministry couldn't track his magic anymore, and that he'd explain later.
They stopped for lunch at the same fish and chips stand, and Neville enjoyed the treat just as much as Harry always had. There was just something about huge battered chunks of fish drowned in vinegar that always left Harry's mouth watering, and he was glad for the chance to quench his craving.
After lunch they popped into some specialty shops to finish off their Christmas shopping, and the last stop they made was to purchase a Christmas tree and ornaments. Their was an empty lot two blocks north of the main drag with a small storefront for the decorations, and Harry wasted no time going right for the largest and fullest tree he could find.
"This is the one I want! What do you think, Neville? How's this one?"
"Er, great Harry, but how are you going to get it back to your place? I think someone would notice you stuffing a twelve foot tree in your bag."
"Hmmm," Harry thought, "that is a problem, but I'm sure I can think of something. I know!" Looking around carefully, making sure no one was in direct sight, Harry quietly called out, "Dobby!"
Pop! "Yes Mr. Harry Potter sir? You called for Dobby?"
"Shhhh, not so loud Dobby; there's muggles around. I need you to take this tree back with you to the Hideaway, and I'll explain later. First I need to pay for it and pick up some ornaments. Put it in place of one of the sofas in the living room area, alright? We can position it later when we get back."
"Yes sir, Dobby be doing that right away." Placing his hand against the tree trunk, Dobby snapped his fingers, and both elf and tree disappeared in a small puff of smoke.
"Now all we need to get is the tree stand and ornaments," Harry smiled.
"Hey you two, what happened to that tree you were looking at?" Both Harry and Neville turned around nervously to see the lot manger approach them, but he had just come out from behind a large group of firs. It was obvious he had only heard them talking to someone, not seen the tree disappear into thin air, and for that Harry was thankful.
"Sorry sir, we just helped our friend load the tree onto our car. We pay for it inside, right?" Pretending nothing was wrong seemed the best way to act, and Harry wasn't disappointed.
"Yeah, just be sure to let someone know next time before taking a tree off the premises. We're supposed to load the trees ourselves, and could get in a lot of trouble if one of you got hurt. Plus, I don't remember which exact tree you were looking at. That could be a problem."
"Oh," Harry said, realizing what the man meant, "that's easy. We took the good looking twelve footer. It was the best tree you had, so don't worry about us not paying for it. We don't want to cheat you out of anything. We just wanted to get it loaded before someone else came by. I still need to pick out loads of ornaments.
The man looked confused that Harry had admitted to buying the best tree when he could have played dumb and said he'd only taken a six footer, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Ok then, tell Susan inside the tree's price is two hundred. I think they're having a sale on ornaments too, so if you buy more than twenty, the purchase is ten percent off. Thanks for shopping with us."
Both thanked the man themselves, and quickly made their way into the store. Once inside the small shop, it was Neville's turn to feel at home. For the first time in London, he had more experience than Harry had.
"So Neville," Harry asked, "do you have any idea how many ornaments we'll need, or what to get for a tree that size? I'm clueless really." What made the feeling worse, was that although the shop was small, the selection was huge. Their must have been over a thousand different designs and colors, and Harry didn't know where to begin
"Well," Neville considered, "for a tree that size, I think you'll need at least a hundred. These ornaments don't look much different than wizarding ones, except they don't glow or do anything really. The same size though. It would be safe the buy some extra though. They're real fragile, and a few always break. If you can use magic without the Ministry knowing about it, maybe you could even animate or charm all these, to make them more interesting? They don't have fairies here either, so I don't know what you'll have to do about lights."
"That's a good idea about charming the ornaments, Neville. You could help too, once I place an anti-detection spell on you. Don't ask; it's better if you don't know. I just hope Mr. Weasley doesn't report us when he comes to visit. The lights are taken care of though," Harry said, pointing over to the Christmas light section. Like with the ornaments, there were tons of choices. This time though, Harry knew what he wanted. The Dursleys had always been cheap when it came to buying lights (no doubt to save money for Dudley's many gifts), and had always bought the single circuit kind. Only problem was, when one of the small lights burnt out, the whole chain went dark. And somehow, it was always Harry who was made to unscrew and test every tiny bulb. Too many years of that made Harry sure he wanted the sturdy double circuit strands, and of those there weren't that many varieties. And seeing as he didn't want lights shaped like chili peppers, Tabasco bottles, or bananas, Harry chose a few strands of the normal looking bulbs. Some blinked, some flashed, but all of them matched, and were fine for Harry.
The ornaments were more problematic, and after ten minutes trying to decide on a theme unsuccessfully, Harry just handed a basket to Neville and told him to grab seventy that looked interesting. He did the same, and when Harry finally talked with Susan at the desk about paying for his purchases, Harry didn't know what half of the stuff was. Hopefully, Neville had made some good choices.
It was the middle of the afternoon after they finished their shopping; stopping at a few more stores once done with the tree supplies. Harry wanted to get home before dark, as he still had a few more things to do. He also wanted the time to show Neville the telly, as he knew it would keep the other boy occupied once he explained the basic premise. Talking with Dobby would take awhile, as would planning the next few days, and Harry didn't want to leave Neville on his own in a strange environment for too long.
Once they got back (and Neville had no problem accessing the place now that he knew the secret), Dobby and Winky rushed in to take their bags and offer them some hot cocoa. It had gotten much chillier in the afternoon, and each boy's light jacket and thick jumper just barely managed to keep them warm the last few hours. Dobby must have noticed them shivering when he picked up the tree, and Harry appreciated the cocoa almost as much as the sentiment.
Winky was a little shy around them; this being the first time she'd seen either since her breakdown the night before; but managed to hold herself together fine. Remembering what Harry asked, Neville even managed to pull her aside for a little talk, and after that she seemed more relaxed. Even a bit grateful, really.
"Winky's finally going to show me how that telly thing works tonight," Neville informed Harry when he returned from his talk. "She said we could even eat in front of it, on something called 'TV trays.' I know there was some other stuff you wanted to get done, so I thought I'd get out of your hair for the rest of the night. Maybe tomorrow we could decorate the tree? You've still got some explaining to do, also. Like all the magic you've been doing. It can wait another day, though."
Harry looked relieved, as yet again the elves saved him from blowing off Neville. "Thanks Neville, that will help loads! I promise to bring you up to speed tomorrow. I'll be gone in the morning, but when I get back for lunch, we'll have that talk. I've got some important errands to run, and the sooner they get done the better."
Neville nodded, and after putting away his things, followed Winky into the muggle room, who was levitating their dinner of meatloaf, potatoes, asparagus, and a pudding behind her. Harry and Dobby had the same for dinner, but ate at the kitchen table, where they were left alone to do some talking.
As they ate, Dobby informed Harry of all he'd been doing in Sirirus's vault the past few weeks. Telling Griphook to allow Dobby access had been a stroke of genius, because by the sound of things, Harry would never had been able to get all the work done himself in the time allotted.
The first thing Dobby had done was transfer all the piles of galleons, sickles, and knuts to the Potter family vault. Once it was transferred, Harry couldn't withdraw it again until his next birthday, but that didn't matter. He still had access to his trust fund vault, and there was plenty of money left in there for at least a decade of extravagant living.
The transfer of funds had proved a purpose though. Since his original plan of using vault 833B to sort Sirius's contents was now bunk (because he was using it to store his seized Death Eaters funds), getting rid of the money provided valuable extra space in the already cramped vault to go through the Blacks' assets.
Like the Potter vault, Dobby informed Harry that there was a large assortment of artwork, weaponry, magical objects, and paperwork housed there. So far Dobby had merely been taking invoice of everything, and sorting it all into piles.
The sizeable pile of artwork was expected, and Harry was pleased to hear that some of it might not only be useful, but also valuable. Unlike what Harry had feared, Dobby told him most of the artwork was landscapes and decorative pieces, and that mosy of the few portraits he'd seen weren't anything like the one of Mrs. Black. Harry just assumed that all of the Blacks' stuff would reek of the dark arts and Slytherin house, but apparently that wasn't so. More likely, Harry decided after hearing a descriptive list from Dobby, the Blacks had stored everything in their vault they didn't deem "worthy" of their ancient and noble house. So really, all the dark objects and evil paintings were already in use at Grimmauld place, and most had been thrown out due to Mrs. Weasley's summer cleaning fits.
The weapons Dobby didn't know about, as he didn't have enough magical knowledge to interpret the colored glows that radiated off most of the metals. Like in the Potter vault, there were a wide assortment of blades and armor, and Harry only guessed it must be something that every Pureblood family had. 'Probably dates back to hundreds of years ago,' Harry thought. He asked Neville about it later, and Neville confirmed it so. Every pureblood family that dated back to the Middle Ages had extensive weaponry and armament collections.
Sorting the random magical items was more time consuming, as Dobby had to be careful of any unknown objects. There were the standard foe glasses, sneakoscopes, and long forgotten school items that Harry had expected, and all those were put into what Doby called his "harmless pile." He'd also made a pile though of suspect items that were unfamiliar, or looked suspicious. Then of course there was the small "evil" pile, which Dobby had been extra careful about. Dobby hadn't even touched any of those, instead resorting to moving them by levitation. His inventory included a list of what he could recognize, and Harry himself matched some of the descriptions with what he'd seen in the secret basement room of Borkin & Burkes. If the objects were so illegal that they needed to be kept down there instead of the shop's normal shelves, then Harry was sure he'd be dealing with some nasty artifacts.
There weren't any books in the Black vault like in his own, but there were some ancients scrolls Dobby said. He'd only had time to count and move them aside, but he guessed that they were valuable to be held in a vault, instead of being part of a library collection.
There was plenty of paperwork though, and that's what had taken most of Dobby's time. He'd had to sort through the crates of parchment to find building leases, business contracts, birth and death records, and tons of stuff he didn't even recognize. Dobby tried to pull out anything that looked like it either required immediate attention or was coming up for renewal soon, but admitted to not having the experience needed to truly know what he was doing. He mainly had looked for dates of renewal and expirations, but even that Harry was impressed with. He made sure to tell that to Dobby too. When he assigned him this task, Harry only expected Dobby to sort everything into piles, and perhaps do a light inventory. He'd never expected the small house-elf to try to make sense of the many legal documents, let alone do a satisfactory job of it.
And of course, Dobby had scrubbed the whole vault from floor to ceiling more times than it needed. Dobby took pride in his house-elf duties, and Harry had no doubt the Black family vault was now the cleanest vault in all of Gringotts.
"Mr. Reemy also had be asking Dobby to find for him a small container. Mr. Reemy said he be needing it for special project, and Dobby not think that Mr. Harry Potter sir be minding. Mr. Reemy is good friend and wizard, Dobby knows. Dobby is hoping that Mr. Harry Potter sir is not being mad at Dobby."
Harry frowned. Not that he was upset with Dobby, but he was wondering what Remus had taken from Sirius's vault. And more importantly, why hadn't Remus mentioned it before? Was he taking something that he feared Harry might want for himself? Or was it perhaps a personal object that Sirius had held for him? Harry knew that Remus didn't have a Gringott's vault himself (due to his lack of a steady job, and the need to travel, Remus preferred to use muggle banks), so it stood to reason that Sirius might have held some of Moony's more valuable possessions.
"No, that's fine Dobby, I don't mind. It's just surprising. When did Remus ask you for this container, and when did you give it to him?"
"Mr. Reemy be asking right as soon as Dobby be visiting the vault, sir. And Dobby be finding the container right away. It was being put in special place, and was easy to find. Dobby gave it to Mr. Reemy weeks ago, Mr. Harry Potter sir."
Knowing he wouldn't be getting more answers out of Dobby, Harry tabled his questions for now. He knew he'd have to ask Remus, and that wouldn't happen for a few more days. The next full moon was only two days away, and Remus had said he'd be holed up in his home until he felt better. He'd still be healed and rested though to spend the days surrounding Christmas at the Hideaway with Harry and Neville, and Harry could wait to find out about the small container till then.
Dinner long over by now, Harry finished his talk with Dobby, who left the table to clean. Harry had some letters he wanted to write and get away before he turned in for the night, and retired to the library to write them. Dobby must have laid out supplies at some point, because awaiting him on the large study table was fresh parchment, quills, and an inkpot.
The first letter Harry wrote was an apology to Professor McGonagall. He didn't follow Luna's suggestions of sending her flowers, but he did express a heartfelt apology about their confrontation. In his letter, Harry explained that it was wrong of her to be placed in the middle of his and Professor Dumbledore's personal disagreement, and he explained that he'd not only be writing, but visiting with the Headmaster soon to address the problem. Hopefully by the time classes resumed, the tension would either be solved or at least lightened some, and she wouldn't be placed in an awkward situation again.
His second letter was to the squib real estate agent he'd chosen from the Squib Services catalogues. Harry had written a perfunctory letter when he first chose the agent, a woman by the name of Shelly Autumn. She had written back saying she'd be delighted to represent a property of his, and had no problem with the unique security measures that might have to be dealt with. She also included a contract of confidentiality, so Harry was confident that she wouldn't leak news to either Dumbledore or the media.
Harry wrote requesting a meeting the twenty seventh of December, and informed her of the general location of the house. He knew he couldn't give away specifics because of the Fidelius Charm, but had given her an address six miles north of Camden Town, which would place her in the vicinity of Grimmauld Place. She knew it wasn't an exact address, and Harry politely requested that she wait for him to collect her at one in the afternoon.
Speaking of the Fidelius Charm, that was one of the main reasons why Harry had to compose a letter to Professor Dumbledore. And after his recent order given to McGonagall to prevent him from leaving Hogwart's for the holidays, it took Harry three drafts to manage a letter that wasn't completely spiteful.
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
You're no doubt surprised and upset that I managed to leave Hogwarts without your approval, but consider the fact that I was just as surprised and angry to learn of your restriction. I had thought we were past the point of you making life decisions on my behalf when you have no right, let alone not even inform me about them. I realize we still disagree on many things, but I didn't think you'd resort to sending Professor McGonagall to enforce your unjust decision. And believe me, I think it surprised Professor McGonagall as well. If you think that sending her to enforce your rule was a good idea, you've made yet another error in judgment. Now I'm upset with you once more, and I think Professor McGonagall doesn't feel too happy about the situation either. Placing her in the awkward position to try to force me off the train (to the point that we actually drew our wands!) was wrong, and now it's stressed our relationship past a point I'm comfortable with.
I've already sent a letter to Professor McGonagall asking her to forgive me for the actions I had to take, and I suggest you do the same. In my opinion you have a lot more to apologize for then me, as you knew perfectly well what my reaction to being told to stay at Hogwarts would be. And please don't plead ignorance that you didn't know of my intentions to leave for the holidays, as it's insulting to both our intelligences. I never signed up for the list to stay, and I've made it no secret that I was excited about leaving for the first time.
Which brings me to another point I'd like to discuss. I also don't think you haven't heard of my plans to invite the Weasleys and Grangers to my home the day after Christmas, and I can only imagine the plans you've concocted to either prevent that from happening, or perhaps even capture me. I still haven't forgotten Snape, Tonks, and Moody under those invisibility cloaks you sent after me last summer, and I'm warning you not to attempt anything similar.
I'm perfectly capable of ensuring my own safety, and I should be able to have house guests as I see fit. I was even considering inviting you for the day, to show you the pains I've gone through in protecting myself, but I'm afraid your recent actions have changed my mind. Perhaps some other time, if you stop playing your games. So I will be escorting the Weasleys and the Grangers to my home, and I request that you don't interfere with my plans. I guarantee if you in any way do, I will still manage to return home alone, and you can forget out any further contact between us outside of Hogwarts. I'd also think that my friends, Mrs. Weasley in particular, will be upset if you force me to remain in isolation for the remainder of the holidays. If you still don't trust my word though, you can at least take comfort that Remus, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Fred and George will all be in attendance. They're all fully-trained capable "adults," and I'd think that would appease you somewhat.
On another matter, if you'd like to talk, I will be at Grimmauld Place the twenty sebenth of December, at noon. As discussed I've looked into selling the place, and have already contacted a real estate agent to make the necessary changes and broker the sale. Feel free to have the Order continue to use it until then, but I'd like the place emptied of any of your belongings by the time I show up. I have no idea how soon the place can be sold, but I'd like to get rid of it as soon as possible. It was never a loved home by Sirius or myself, and I see no reason to keep it. I'm sure you're also capable of providing another place for the Order to meet. If not, perhaps you can use some of that money from Sirius's pardon that you "allocated" to the Order.
And of course, you'll have to remove the Fidelius Charm and any other protective spells or wards that you've placed prior to my arrival that day. It wouldn't do well to show up with a real estate agent who couldn't find herself inside, and I know that you have to break that charm yourself. Any spells that the Blacks originally placed on the house can be broken by the subcontractors that will be hired, but I doubt any of them could break your personal wards.
You'll be unable to return a letter to me in reply, so please just be at Grimmalud Place next week if you wish to talk. I sincerely hope you take this letter seriously, as I've just about had enough of your manipulations. Oh, and have a happy Christmas.
Harry Potter
Harry blew on the ink and waited for it to dry before rolling the parchment and sealing it with some wax. When he was done, Hedwig was waiting on his shoulder for the assignment of delivering the letters. It had been a long time since she had delivered something out of Hogwarts (not counting the trip to South America), and she was thrilled at the chance to make not one, but multiple deliveries. Knowing that she'd have some fun, Harry even told her to take the next day off, and fly instead of teleport. That way she could stretch her wings if she liked, and perhaps do some fishing on the long trip to Scotland. Harry was confident that he could survive one day without her looking over his shoulder, and had to promise not to do anything dangerous or exciting before she agreed.
The next morning Harry set out early for Diagon Alley, taking Dobby with him. He had many things to accomplish, and he wanted to get back for lunch as quickly as possible, so he could spend the remainder of the day with Neville having fun. Dobby was needed for the visit to Sirius's vault, but was still moved to tears that Harry had considered asking him to accompany him, instead of ordering so.
Like his previous trips, his first stop was Gringotts. But as he entered the building, it was also like his previous trips. He was in disguise! The four Death Eaters he'd caught in November, and had a chance to interrogate before leaving Hogwarts for vacation, he'd yet to empty their vaults like the others. Knowing that Voldemort had noticed their absence much sooner then the ones before them, Harry wanted to get it done with much earlier. He was out of Polyjuice Potion however, and had had to wait the two weeks for it to finish brewing. Even by transporting the potion with him back in time twice, the vile concoction was only finished just the day before Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express.
Luckily, Harry didn't have any problems with transferring all their accounts to the one in vault 833B. It was a different goblin manager he'd seen, but this one didn't show the amount of shock as the last had. No doubt, he'd been informed of the transactions after that very profitable day.
Only having to make three visits this time (the married couple shared all their accounts), Harry made short work of drinking each potion, and doing what he came to do. When he was done, he wondered Knockturn Alley in a dark hooded cloak until the last potion had worn off. When it did, no one was paying enough attention to notice the slight change under his heavy cloak. Harry'd saved a similar sized man for his last transfiguration on purpose.
With that done, Harry went back to Gringotts, this time entering as himself. Dobby met him at the doors, as he'd been wondering the streets by himself earlier. He'd never had a master before grant him that freedom, and Harry could tell Dobby had got a lot of mileage because of all the house-elf sized handprints on the glass on the nearby shops.
Harry only had some short business to conduct at the counters (Neville had authorized him to withdraw and convert some money into muggle currency), and had to wait in line as the bank was now busy. With his hood still up, no one noticed him, even with a house-elf in tow, which was just fine with Harry. When it was time to make the exchange however, he had to lift his hood and state his name, and that drew some attention. The transaction didn't take long though, and soon enough Harry was making his way to the mine carts for the long ride down to Sirius's vault.
"Good morning, Mr. Potter. Good morning, Dobby. Please step inside and we'll be on our way."
This time, Harry had no difficulties recognizing Griphook. It amazed Harry that he once again had appeared to escort Harry to his vaults, but Harry figured he must have been alerted when people started to recognize him in the lobby.
"Hello Griphook," Harry returned warmly. "I didn't think your duties included escorting people in the carts anymore."
"They don't sir, normally. But if you'll remember, I'm still under certain obligations to accompany you whenever you visit your vaults. And while those directions do not encompass your desire to visit the Black family vault, I thought it best to do so anyway. The arrangements we've made regarding your new vaults, and granting Dobby unrestricted access to your own, haven't been shared with anyone outside of my direct superiors. I thought you might not appreciate another party being unnecessarily informed.
Harry thanked Griphook for the forethought, but wasn't sure if the goblin heard him or not. That was because the mine cart ride had already started, and Dobby had his hands in the air, his bat-like ears flapping in the breeze, screaming his bloody head off!
"WEEE! This is being so much fun. WEEE!"
Harry tried asking Dobby to quiet down, but was unable to over the noise. Harry could have sworn he saw Griphook snicker at the attempt, but it was hard to say for sure with the goblin's back to him.
It wasn't until they passed the security dragons, and one shot a blast of fire over the cart's top, that Dobby yelped in fear, and quit screaming. Frankly, Harry thought he and Griphook had more reason to be afraid. If the dragon attacked the cart, they'd be the ones it would go after. Dobby's small size would only make him seem like a piece of floss lost in the dragon's enormous teeth. Still, they passed by the first dragon without further incident, and Dobby remained relatively quiet for the remainder of the trip.
"What the hell was that all about, Dobby?" Harry asked once they came to a complete stop. Griphook was busy moving the lantern and opening the vault doors, and again Harry thought he might be laughing.
"Dobby is being so sorry, Mr. Harry Potter sir, but Dobby has never had so much fun before. Dobby did not like the bad dragonseys, but the ride was being a screaming good time!"
"But you've been down here loads of times before, Dobby. Surely you must be used to the mine carts by now?"
"Begging your pardon, sir," Griphook interrupted them. "But that's untrue. Being a highly magical being himself, and not being subject to the wards protecting our vaults from wizarding magic, Dobby has in the past been able to appear directly into your vaults without having to use our tunnel system for access. Although I fear that might not be the case in the future, after I accompanied him the first time as per your instructions, Dobby's had free access to your vaults this whole time. I believe today was his first cart ride. And as I'm sure you'll agree, I think he rather like it."
"What gave you that idea?" Harry asked sarcastically. Still, it made sense. Dobby didn't apparate as wizards did, so it would stand to reason he could just "pop" in and out of the vaults when he wished.
Once Dobby had calmed down from the exhilarating ride, he and Harry got to work sifting through the piles of stuff. It wasn't much work, really, as Harry had already decided what he planned to do with each. Thanks to what Dobby had already accomplished, and his knowledge of where he had put everything, Harry spent less than an hour in the vault.
The weapons and dark objects he left alone, not knowing what to do with them for the moment. All the other magical items Harry packed away in an enlarged bag though. Like in his own vault, among the paperwork was a list of every item and instructions on how to use the more rare ones. That took some time to find, but Griphook didn't mind lending a hand, as he had nothing better to do. Actually, he was pleased to help, as wizards rarely trusted goblins enough to rifle through their possessions.
Harry took the bulk of the artwork too. All the landscapes and sculptures got packed immediately, and Harry decided on two portraits that he had short conversations with. He wanted to make sure his home stayed secure, so he politely asked the portraits who they were, and where else they had portraits of themselves.
The male portrait Harry selected was of Sirius's uncle; the one Harry had heard about who had left Sirius some money. Apparently he had been the other "white sheep" in the Black family, and was relieved at the chance to be hung on a wall again. Questioning who Harry was, or why he had access to the Black family vault didn't even cross the man's mind. As he was most agreeable, and didn't have another copy of a portrait anywhere, Harry foresaw no problems in hanging him on the walls of his Hideaway.
Aileen Lindsay was the other portrait Harry chose, for the sole reason her case was an interesting one. She didn't know anything about how she became a portrait, how she ended up where she was, or what happened to her real self. The woman didn't even know who the Blacks were! You see, Aileen was a muggle, and hadn't remembered ever being outside of the vault. The first few years, she was understandably confused, but over time some of the other stored portraits had filled her in on the world of magic, and what she had become. Still, it was roughly fifty years since her appearance, and Harry took her if only for the simple fact she'd never been out of the vault, and he looked forward to trying to solve her mystery. And like Sirius's uncle, she too didn't have a duplicate portrait (as far as she knew), so didn't present a security risk. Briefly, Harry wondered if the real Aileen Lindsay could still be alive.
Harry also packed away the "questionable items" Dobby had tagged, although those were handled with more care. Harry knew he could go through them at his leisure, and decide if each object was worth keeping. He probably wouldn't have time during the holidays to go through each one, but he could bring the rest to school with him, and finish at Hogwarts as time allowed.
Dobby promised to find his own way back home (he wanted to stay to do some more cataloging of paperwork), so when Harry was finished, he traveled back to the lobby with Griphook, and made his way to the public floo at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry could apparate of course, but it was illegal for him to without a proper license, so he couldn't in public when so many people had seen him already. Harry didn't mind waiting in line though. He got to trade a few pleasantries with Tom while he waited, and when his turn came to use the floo, he was able to speak his destination quietly enough so nobody overheard. Harry wasn't clear on exactly how strict he had to be when telling others the location of his charmed home, and thought it best that people not overhear him, just in case.
Stepping out of the large fireplace, Harry's nose immediately caught a wiff of the delicious smell coming from the kitchen. Winky was busily hurrying back and forth between the stovetop and table, and it looked like he was just in time for lunch.
"How was your morning, Winky? You keep Neville entertained alright?"
"Mr. Nev is still watching the telly, Mr. Harry Potter sir! Mr. Nev hasn't left the muggle room since last night sir. Winky not even be knowing if Nev has been to sleep yet."
"What!?!" Harry couldn't help it; he burst out laughing. He knew that television could be addicting (Winky had gone through a small addiction to cooking shows herself), but it was almost twenty hours after Neville had been introduced to the accursed black box. He couldn't still be watching, could he?
"I is trying to get him to take a break, Mr. Harry Potter sir, but Mr. Nev is not be listening to Winky!" Winky looked like she had actually washed her hands of the situation. "Mr. Nev wants to be a couch potatoie and watch the telly all day, and Winky has tried to turn it off, but Nev not be letting Winky. Winky has not even cleaned the muggle room today! Mr. Nev cannot be doing this much longer!"
"Oh no!" Harry thought. "Neville's keeping Winky from cleaning. Now he's in trouble."
Still, he had to comfort the small elf, and he knew realistically Neville couldn't spend much more time in there. They still had the entire afternoon together, and Harry wanted to at least trim the Christmas tree and explain about his magic use before the day was through. The explaining wouldn't take long, but Harry had no idea how to even begin with the tree. It could take hours for as much as he knew, especially considering that the lights and ornaments were muggle, and had to be placed by hand.
"I promise I'll get Neville out of the muggle room, Winky. Lunch is almost ready, right? Well, I'll make Neville come eat it at the table here. We'll also be busy for the whole afternoon, so you can either help us decorate the tree, or use the time to clean the muggle room. Whatever you like."
Winky was pleased with Harry's promise, and went back to cooking lunch. By the smell and look of things, it was some sort of seafood bisque, with skewered grilled prawns and homemade crusty bread. Harry couldn't wait!
In the end it took ten minutes to drag Neville away form the telly. Apparently he'd been so enthralled after Winky had shown him the night before, that he'd spent three hours watching cooking shows before he managed to discover that there was more than one channel. One being just more exciting then the next, Neville had been up until the early hours of the morning before he came across the real revelation. You see, Harry had hacked into a neighbor's cable signal in the late part of summer, once people had started to move into the building, and therefore had over a hundred channels. Harry should have known to just tell Neville from the get go about the gardening one.
"They're the most wonderful things I've ever seen, Harry!" Neville exclaimed the praises of the shows he'd been watching since then. That's what he'd been watching the entire day. Gardening tips and suggestions from around the world, in every possible climate, and addressing every type of problem imaginable! None of it was about magical strains, but Neville hardly noticed. It was only when Harry promised the shows would still be on later, that Neville agreed to come away from the telly. He still must not have understood that cable channels ran almost twenty four hours a day.
After lunch, the two agreed to give the telly a break, and trim the tree. It was still leaning in a corner where Dobby had left it lying, and all the ornaments and lights were still in the shopping bags. Harry had no idea where to begin (he saw Professor Flictwick decorate a tree once at school, but hadn't been paying attention at the time), but luckily Neville did. He and his Gran did two things every year for Christmas, he told Harry. One, they trimmed a tree together, and two, they visited his parents at St. Mungo's. Harry remembered seeing Neville there the year before when he went to visit Mr. Weasley, and privately made a note to himself not to make any plans for Christmas day. It meant a lot to Neville, so Harry would have to make sure to fit in a visit to St. Mungo's for him.
Getting the tree in the stand wasn't too hard, with a little help from Harry's wand. He managed to levitate the tree while Neville fastened the device, and doing so reminded him to explain to Neville that he had found a spell to lift the Ministry tracking charm placed on them all. Once the tree was in place (it was in the corner of the room, opposite the kitchen), Harry repeated the spell on Neville so he too could use magic freely over the holidays. It was a good thing Harry remembered the incantation and triangular wand movements that Burkes had used on him all those months ago. Of course, whatever potion Dumbledore slipped in the Welcoming Feast drinks would still be active, but somehow Harry wasn't worried. If Dumbledore wanted to call Harry and Neville out on illegal underage magic use, he wouldn't have the Ministry to collaborate evidence. And Harry also knew it wasn't public knowledge that Dumbledore didn't trust the Ministry, and used his own form of tracking. If that came to light, Harry was sure there'd be some upset parents who wouldn't approve of strange potions given to their children without any kind of permission. No, Harry wasn't too concerned about Dumbledore finding out.
Once Neville could use his wand too, the trimming went much faster. All the ornaments were levitated into place, and Dobby had shown up by then to help out. Winky coordinated the effort from her seat on the sofa to make sure the tree was evenly decorated, although Harry let her place the star on the top of the tree when they were all done.
The two were so lost in their work, that Harry nearly forgot to meet the delivery men with his new workout equipment. He apparated to the address with three minutes to spare though, and like always, they were almost a half hour late. But once the equipment was delivered (Harry had picked the address of an empty unit, which he temporarily spelled the door unlocked), he called on Dobby, and the two had the machines in his weight room within minutes. Then it was right back to the tree.
The lights went up effortlessly, although it had required a quick lesson in electricity for Neville. He had seen how the electric lights (and of course his telly) had worked the day before, but hadn't given it much thought. The lights peaked his interest though, and Harry had to take the time out to explain about power generators and electric bills. Harry only hoped that Neville would remember it all, so that he could tell Mr. Weasley the same later on, when he came to visit. There was no doubt in Harry's mind that he'd be asking the same questions and more.
Harry also offered to start dueling with Neville perhaps after dinner, but not surprising, Neville was too tired. They made plans for the next day though, and Neville eventually drifted off to his room much earlier than he normally would. Harry didn't mind though. He spent those few hours alone before he himself went to sleep finishing off the tree. A candy story had been among the shops the two had visited the day before, and Harry had different flavored candy canes to finish off the tree. Harry also took the time to spell some of the more ordinary ornaments, like Neville had suggested. Some he made glow, some he made move, and some he transfigured into little brooms and snitches, but Harry must have spelled at least a quarter of all the decorations by the time he was done. Very satisfied with his work, and basking in the beauty of his first Christmas tree, Harry retired to bed after a very long day. So tired he was in fact, that for the first time since he began his training, Harry skipped his Occlumency exercises. It was a mistake he'd continue to make for the remainder of the week, and one that put into motion effects with tremendous repercussions.
The next day, and in fact the remaining week until Christmas, passed in a leisurely and relaxing way for both Harry and Neville. They did manage to spend time each afternoon to increasing their dueling skills, usually spending two to three hours together in the dueling chamber or weight room, but in the mornings they managed to have some fun as well.
Neville had cut back on the telly once the programs started to repeat, and Harry thought it might be nice to take him to London's botanical gardens. Only the greenhouses were on display thanks to the cold weather, but Neville still thought the impressive exhibit was worth the long train ride.
They also returned to the clothing store where Becky worked, who was delighted to see Harry again. She was even more pleased when she heard he had waited for her to make any new purchases, and had brought Neville along as well. Neville's wardrobe of muggle clothes (or things that could pass for muggle) was limited once he got rid of all the sequenced shirts, so he spent some of his money on basic jeans, shirts, and sweaters. He need a heavy jacket too, as his cloak wouldn't do in public, and the one he had been borrowing from Harry was way too small. Neville had much broader shoulder and a stockier build than Harry, and the nice wool coat he'd chosen was a much better fit.
Neville had also been introduced to the wonderful world of arcades, on a spur of the moment idea Harry had while walking by a popular one. Harry himself had never been able to play any of Dudley's many computer games, and wanted to stop in real quick to have a look. He changed five pounds into tokens, and gave half to Neville, thinking they'd be there perhaps an hour at most. It was actually only twenty minutes before Harry had run out of tokens, but Neville wasn't so unfortunate.
Apparently, Neville had discovered another hidden talent. Along with gardening it seemed, he also had great hand/eye coordination, which served him well as he broke a high score on one of the machines. Harry was impressed that his friend took to the games so naturally, and made no complaints about waiting around while Neville finished using his own tokens. Fortunately though, Harry had used the last of his cash, and Neville hadn't thought to bring his. They left soon after, but Harry promised Neville he could return.
And return he did. Two days before Christmas, Harry had completely used up all the art and decorations he'd bought from stores and taken from Siruis's vault, and he wanted to make another run. Neville didn't want to tag along this time though; instead he wanted to return to the arcade, alone. Harry was nervous about letting him, but realized he really didn't have a say. Neville had his own money, remembered the way, and had his wand in case of an emergency. And who was Harry to be telling Neville how to live his life? If he did that, then he'd be guilty of the same crimes he'd been accusing Dumbledore of.
Harry did make one stipulation though. Neville must carry a portkey with him, in case he got lost or ran into trouble. By that time in the vacation, Harry had let Neville in on a few more of his secrets (none of the big ones yet!), and felt comfortable with entrusting his friend with a small portkey that would transport him to his building's basement. It was illegal sure, but would make Harry feel much better about leaving Neville alone in muggle London. So he turned a small stone into a voice activated portkey, and gave it to Neville to wear around his neck on a thin leather strip. It wasn't pretty to look at, but it was only to be worn when Neville went out, and could be activated with one mention of the keyword, "Mandrake."
Harry managed to get a few more things for his home, and all the food and supplies that Winky had decided on, by the time he returned home that afternoon. Much to his surprise, he found Neville and Remus talking over a game of darts in the muggle room, not even aware that Harry had returned. Harry had to clear his throat to get their attention, but greeted Remus warmly once he dropped his packages.
"Remus, nice to see you! When did you get in? I hope you weren't waiting alone long?"
"No Harry," he replied, "not too long ago. And Neville was already here when I arrived, so I wasn't alone at all. We've just been talking about muggle arcades. It seems Neville here has broken a few local records, and had already earned himself a small reputation. I was asking to come by and watch him maybe sometime next week, if he doesn't mind. Sirius used to go to muggle arcades and amusement parks, and he'd sometimes drag me along. I wasn't much into the rides, but the arcades were fun. I was telling Neville about bowling as well. He's never been, but he surprised me by knowing a fair deal about it.
Harry shot up an eyebrow. "Neville, you were about as muggle ignorant as any wizard I've ever met before your visit. Where'd you hear of bowling before?"
Neville's face turned a shade pinker at the statement, but he knew it was the truth. He had been muggle ignorant; not about bowling though. And funny enough, he'd learned about it from a wizard.
"Well, I don't know if you remember or not Harry, but I used to be very big into collecting chocolate frog cards. I still do, but not like I used to. Anyway, on his chocolate card Professor Dumbledore says..."
"...chamber music and ten pin bowling," Harry finished for him. "Yeah, I remember now. That was my very first chocolate frog card, you know. I think I gave it to Ron though. Actually, I think I've given him all my chocolate frog cards. So, that's how you know what bowling is then?"
"Yes," Neville nodded. "When I first came to Hogwarts, and I finally got the chance to meet Professor Dumbledore, that's the question I wanted to ask him. You see, I knew he liked bowling, but I still didn't know what it was. It took me until the middle of my second year to gather the courage to ask him, but he enjoyed explaining it. He even showed me a game in his pensieve! I'd never been in one before, and it was so real; almost like being there. Anyway, so since then I've known bowling, though I've never been."
"Well, maybe we'll get the chance to all go sometime before you return to school," Remus suggested.
It sounded like a grand idea, and Harry and Neville were both looking forward to it. Harry had only been bowling once, at Dudley's seventh birthday party, when he was forced to come along, but stay out of sight. Harry had gotten mixed in with a group of kids from another party though, and had gotten the chance to bowl a single frame before his Aunt Petunia had found him and dragged him away by his ear. But even though he only bowled that once, and had only managed to knock down a solitary pin, it remained firmly implanted in Harry's mind. It was probably his happiest thought of that year. Not patronus worthy exactly, but not too shabby either.
The rest of the time before Christmas flew by with Remus now part of their trio. He joined in with their training, and was impressed by both Harry's and Neville's dueling skills. Actually with three it was more of a fair challenge, as Remus and Neville together could fight Harry as a team. Harry still hadn't managed to get a clear upper hand against them both, but could fight them to a draw nine times out of ten. As long as he could hold off both their attacks though, Harry felt the practice was worth it.
Christmas Eve day was soon upon them, and Dobby and Winky were preoccupied preparing all the foods for the feast in two days' time. Cooking for fourteen people; half of whom were Weasleys; required a lot of preparation, and Winky wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Harry too did some work that morning, deciding on and making a simple dessert. Crème Brule was something he'd had only once before (while dining in muggle London), but he read that it was simple to make, and easy to vary.
So Harry found a recipe in a cookbook he'd bought, gotten the necessary ingredients (basically just eggs, cream, and sugar), and made the batch over a double boiler. He was expecting fourteen people, so Harry decided to make sixteen portions just to be safe. And because it wasn't the only dessert, they were small portions at that.
The mixture got poured into separate small ramekins, and Harry added a chocolate sauce to some, fresh raspberries to others, and a pumpkin puree to the final batch. Then they all got moved to the refrigerator to cool and set, and all Harry had left to do was clean his mess. The last part of the process, broiling sugar on the surface to make a hard, sweet crust, could be done just moments before presentation. The cookbook even suggested use of a blowtorch for the step, but Harry knew he'd survive with just his normal oven.
The elves' cooking wasn't so simple though, and Harry's personal foray into the kitchen had disrupted their schedule, so Harry, Remus, and Neville decided to get out of Dobby and Winky's way for the rest of the day. There was no way they'd be getting a home-cooked meal with all the preparations going on, and decided to eat out. None of them however, expected to be literally shut out of every restaurant and shop in sight. In was Christmas Eve! Harry only remembered too late that no one in their right mind would keep their place open, and would instead spend the time home with their families.
"Well, this is surprising," Remus admitted. "I don't think I've ever been out among muggles on this day before, otherwise I'm sure I would remember this. Usually I just stay in around the holidays, and now I know why. Any suggestions about how to get a meal? I saw a fast food place open a few blocks ago, but I'd rather something else if it's available."
Neville was clueless, and suggested the fish and chip stand, but suddenly Harry had a better idea.
"I know! I remember something from when I went to primary school. There was this kid who was Jewish, Zach Schwartz, and he always used to joke about there not being anything to do this time of year. He always used to complain they played the same boring movies on the telly, and there was nowhere to get a decent meal. Except one place! He said he and his family always used to eat Chinese and go to the movies on Christmas! It's the only places open."
"That does make sense," Remus agreed. "The Chinese celebrate the holidays differently. Do you know of any Chinese restaurants around here though? Or a cinema for that matter?"
Harry didn't, but a quick look in the phone book solved that problem. Neither Remus nor Neville had enough experience to make sense of the listings, but Harry found three Chinese restaurants all on the boarder of London's small Chinatown, not too far away. Harry hadn't been in that direction before, but the streets were practically deserted, as was the train system. In no time at all the three found themselves in front of exotic store windows with hanging meats and delicious looking sauces, and all three places were open for business!
One was a little less ethnic, and perhaps more English than the others, and that's where Neville decided they should go to. It boasted a large buffet table, and the many options in sacrifice of authentic dishes or perhaps food quality seemed a good trade off. It was the first time either Remus or Neville had had Chinese food past the basic stir fry or egg rolls, and Harry enjoyed explaining what the different dumplings and bean pastes were. He was wrong in his descriptions just as often as he was right, and all knew it, but nobody cared. The added conversation made the meal only more enjoyable, and two hours passed before the trio left their empty plates behind.
Deciding to walk a ways back home, Harry stopped to look at another phone book; this time looking for a cinema. There were two nearby; a multiplex and an older, but more stylish single house. When Harry listed the movies that were playing though, Remus grinned like a mad man. Apparently he'd heard of one of the choices; a midnight movie; and insisted they go to see that one. There was a screening of another movie before it though, so the group decided to turn the evening into a double header. It wasn't as if they had anything else to do!
Unlike the rest of the city, the theater was almost packed to capacity, and Neville gawked at the massive size of what he correctly assumed was a "gigantic telly." It was a first experience for Harry as well, as he'd never seen a movie in a theater before. It didn't even matter what the movie was really; it was just the experience he enjoyed.
It was just plain luck that the first movie was highly enjoyable, and simple enough for even Neville to understand with his limited knowledge of all things muggle. It was an American action movie, with an apparently popular star, who the rest of the crowd was familiar with. None of them knew who the huge guy was with the bad Austrian accent, but they didn't care. There were topless women, massive explosions, car chases (almost as good as watching Quidditch; Neville said), and the good guy won at the end. It was a pointless, thoughtless movie in other words, but it was perfect. Just the sort of thing for three single guys to watch together.
After a forty minute break when Neville was introduced to the wonderful world of popcorn, the second movie started up, and Remus had an odd sort of glint in his eyes, to match the crooked smile on his face. The three had managed to keep their same seats, but almost everything else had changed. Much of the audience was younger and rowdier then those of the first movie, and some of them seemed to be wearing strange clothes. For a second Harrry thought they had stumbled across more wizards who had badly dressed as muggles, until the opening scene of the movie started up, and Harry realized a lot of the women (and some of the men) were dressed just like the attractive brunette on screen. Some chic named Janet.
Both Harry and Neville shared concerned looks when the characters (both on and off screen) began singing, and neither could be more surprised when Remus started in himself. Harry never caught the full song title because he was so stunned about what was going on around him, but he did manage to catch a curse word in their somewhere. It was only after the first musical number, when the two main characters were approaching an intimidating looking castle (not like Hogwarts though), that Remus whispered to Harry that this was a popular old movie, and that it had become a sport of types to show up in dress and sing along. Remus hadn't seen the movie in years, but apparently he, Sirius, Peter, and both Harry's parents had once upon a time gone to see the movie together, and had even dressed the parts. Harry wanted to know right away who had dressed as what (he noticed a few odd looking leather getups on the blokes), but Remus insisted that he just enjoy the movie, and ask questions later. Harry conveyed to Neville what little he had learned, and reluctantly sat back to listen to another song; this time about transvestites.
"What's a transvestite?" Neville asked. "If they're from Transylvania, are they some sort of vampire?"
It was hours later, over steaming mugs of butterbeer, that Remus finally explained more about the cult movie, and told who had worn what the one time he and his old friends had gone out in full regalia. Sirius had spelled his hair blonde and dressed as a scantily clad Rocky, Lily had been fetching in a slip and bra as Janet (Harry blushed red and Neville gave cat calls when Remus promised to dig out pictures), Remus had been the Riff Raff, Peter had been the wheelchair bound Dr. Scott, and James of course had been Brad, although he had to refused to strip down to briefs in the end scenes.
Never before had Harry enjoyed stories about his parents so much; so much in fact that the constant mention of Peter being present couldn't eve bother him. He may not have been celebrating Christmas Eve in the traditional manner, but he was still spending quality time with his friends and family, and Harry was happier than he'd be in a long time. He was even thinking about making Chinese food and "Rocky Horror" a new tradition. Perhaps next year he'd even dress a part, and invite the rest of his friends. He could just imagine Ron getting into black stockings and a corset, and Merlin knows he wouldn't mind seeing Ginny dressed as Janet in her rip-away slip, or Hermione as the devilish but seductive Magenta.
It was with more pleasant thoughts, and a tipsy head from too much butterbeer, that Harry finally went to sleep sometime in the early morning. He, Neville, and Remus had already decided to wait until Boxing Day to exchange gifts, so there was no reason to rush to wake up. For that alone, Harry was glad Ron wasn't sharing a room with him. No, Harry would have a chance to sleep in the next day, as the only thing he had planned was the visit to St. Mungo's; and that wasn't until the afternoon. Remus wanted to stop by and see some friends (other werewolves), so it was just Harry and Neville that would be making the trip. So as he drifted off to sleep, Harry was deciding what excuse he'd spring on Neville to get him to the hospital. Neville had mentioned visiting his parents briefly, but hadn't made a specific request yet, so Harry knew he could surprise his friend. And yet again, as he drifted off to sleep, Harry didn't even realize that he'd forgotten his Occlumency exercises.
Author Note:
Well, that's the next chapter for you! I can imagine some of you will be disappointed that not a lot happened in this one action-wise, and I've yet again gone into too much detail, but the way I see it is this. Harry has never before had a chance to properly experience Christmas, or enjoy time away from school other then the one summer he stayed at the Burrow. So it would make perfect sense, especially the way I've continued to write his character, that Harry would make a big deal out of everything Christmas he could, including the trees, decorations, etc. He's also using the time to get to know Neville better outside of Quidditch, classes, and the D.A., and Harry's finding he likes him very much. (Not that much, you slashers!)
By the way, I hope I got all the Christmas terminology and stuff right, as I really have no idea what I'm talking about. Like Harry, I've never done a tree, or gotten ornaments, etc., but for different reasons. It's because I myself am Jewish, and grew up celebrating the great made-up holiday that is Chanukah! Yes, that's right. This chapter was self biographical in part because I grew up just like Zach Schwartz, hating all the crappy Jimmy Stewart movies on TV, and always eating Chinese food and going to see the theaters on Christmas day. Really! There's not a blasted thing else to do! I suppose I could tell you I sit at home and spin a stupid dreidel for hours at a time, but nobody hates those things like the Jews themselves. So if I hear one "Dreidel Song" joke in any review, I'm hunting your ass down!
You'll be pleased to know however, that I've set a lot up in this chapter to happen. You probably all picked up on the "Harry not doing his Occlumency exercises" hints, but there were plenty more in there. Next chapter is a bombshell, with possibly the most action I've written yet, so I hope that will please you all, and you can patiently wait until I put the finishing touches on it. This chapter, along with 24 and 25 are part of a three chapter arc (the same one I had to rewrite last month), and they all tie in together very nicely. So why this chapter alone may seem a bit boring, think of it kinda like "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace." It may suck by itself, but as part of a whole, it's pretty good.
Oh, and I threw in plenty of jokes this chapter (more than I originally had) to make up for the boring stuff. I especially liked Dobby's rollercoaster ride, and Neville's "What's a transvestite...is it a vampire?" line. The whole Rocky Horror thing I added at the last moment, as I thought it would be cute to inject some past history of Harry's parents in the story, and I can totally see James and Sirius dragging the rest of their friends out to see it. Plus I like the imagine of Lily and/or Ginny dressed up as Janet. I may one day even do a short ficlet about this scene, but not for while. Anyway, if there are any "Rocky" fans out there like me, I hope you liked this little bit.
And as always, I've started to resend to reviews in a separate file in my Yahoo! Group in the "Files" section, as people seem to like it there better. You'll have to join to view it, but it's free and easy, and I hope if you've read this much of my fic (300,000 words I think), you'd have no problems joining my group. I don't respond to everyone, but almost, so please log in to see if you're there. And if for some reason you'd like me to send you the file myself, just email with the request, and I'll get it out to you the first chance I get.
That's it for now folks! The next chapter should be in 2-3 weeks, and I'll probably host a chat to discuss this chapter in my Yahoo! Group sometime this weekend if you'd care to drop by. Later!
Ross