~o~
The disclaimer is in the first chapter.
I would like to extend my gratitude to the Higher Power.
To my mom and son a hug.
to my friends SlytherinSal and Marc the Unruly a big thank you for your support.
To the rest of the followers and readers I have one word, Enjoy!
~o~
-oo0oo-
Chapter 19. Invitation to tea.
5th May 1986.
Longbottom Hall,
Unknown Location.
Property under fidelius.
UK.
10 am.
Augusta Longbottom was having her morning tea when her grandson came into the room.
"Sorry Gran, I thought you were already done with your tea," said Neville.
Augusta smiled and said, "Really, did we have a pending arrangement?"
"No, but I got a letter asking if I could visit a friend for tea. So, can I?"
"Really, and who is this friend of yours?" Asked a curious Agusta.
"Well, he began writing letters since April, and he sent a delayed friendship card for Valentines, and some pictures of my mom and dad when they were young, and of his parents back in school. He said he was staying with his best friend Her-mi-o-ne, that's what she called, and said that since he found out that her friend had house elves, and the names of those people in the pictures, he figured he could write to them. But, I told him that my mom and dad are in-dis-posed," said Neville and then became a bit pale. He stopped, lowered his head and bit his lip, then raised his head and continued to a very attentive Augusta. "He said that it was a shame since his parents were dead, he was told in Gringotts, that he was an heir. Heir to the Potter estate, and his name is Harry Potter, gran, do you think we could go have tea with my friend Harry?" Asked Neville.
Augusta felt like a bolt of lightning hit her straight in the head. His grandson was telling her that Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, wanted to have tea? She needed to breathe. She had to get all of the information first. "Neville dear, would you be so kind, to lend me your letters and pictures and the name of our house elf receiving the letters?"
Neville blinked and realized that so far, he may have a chance for the tea. So, without delay, he complied and brought the letters. Augusta felt like crying at the similar chicken scratch in all of the male Potter's as they are learning to write. Yes, this was Harry, yes those were James and Lily and Alice and Frank celebrating in Gryffindor tower, James was wearing his Quidditch uniform. Good Merlin, this child did want to connect with Neville. Hermione Dagworth-Granger? Good heavens, the Dagworth-Granger line was still alive? Harry would be in the mundane abode of the heiress since he and Hermione had a scheduled playdate. Oh, there was something more going on. Augusta realized she needed to calm down. She took a deep breath and said, "Let me speak to Liny, our house-elf for a moment, now Liny?"
"Mistress called?" Answered Liny, a pretty female house-elf.
"Yes, has Neville been getting a lot of mail?"
"No, just daily mail from the tiny boy with a scar on his forehead, Harry."
"Does Harry have black hair and green eyes, and looks a little like this boy, here?" Questioned Augusta pointing at James Potter.
"Yes Mistress, that looks a little like him. Liny understands now why he has green eyes, the girl was very pretty," said Liny pointing at Lily.
"Indeed, one more thing, can you take me to the home of the heiress Hermione Dagworth-Granger? The mundane home, that is, later today. Neville has an engagement."
"Yes Mistress, just call Liny when you are ready and Liny will." Replied the house elf.
Augusta nodded, Liny popped away and Neville ran and hugged his gran with all his strength saying, "Thank you, gran," Then he stopped, took a step back, and said a bit embarrassed by his sudden outburst. "Sorry, gran." Augusta smiled and pulled Neville into a hug, and said, "Don't apologize for hugging your gran, not now, not ever,"
Neville blushed and nodded and asked, "You're not going to go to the ministry today?"
"Oh Melin, no, thank heavens for small mercies, that carnival is over," said Augusta.
"What do you mean gran?" Asked Neville.
Augusta had to blink and think how she could explain the major points in a language that Neville would understand. She knew her grandson one day would be stepping into his Lordship and as a member of the Wizengamot, and if he was to give his opinion, he might as well have the major points on all topics.
"Well, let's see. At the start of the month five new trials took place," said Augusta.
"Bad people?" Asked Neville.
"Oh, bad is not enough to describe these people, the worse. Now dear, let me see, first there was the trial for the former Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold. That lady considered keeping secrets, locking an innocent man in Azkaban, while aiding her good friend Crouch senior to take someone out from prison and taking gifts and bribes from death eaters who still walk among us, was no crime. That, or she was not going to get caught, while she was serving as Minister. Well, reality hit, and Millicent realized on her trial that she was caught. After the trial she was sent away to Nurmergard, as Azkaban at the moment is under renovation, since the dementors went insane and rid us of the Lestrange's. Now, oh I need a pot of fresh tea, and a good scone, Liny?" Tea and scones later, Augusta, continued, "Now, Crouch Jr, was found alive and out of Azkaban by a raid. The Aurors, Moody, and Shacklebolt, followed a lead that took them to Crouch Hall, and they found him there, along with the former Minister and Crouch Sr."
"Wait, wasn't Crouch Jr one of the people who attacked us, here?" Asked Neville with crumbs falling out of his mouth and making the teapot splurt hot tea, his magic on the edge. Augusta understood, her grandson was quite powerful and tried not to cheer. Instead, she cleared her throat and said to Neville. "Don't despair, I'm getting there, and take a breath, the tea is already hot, we don't need to alert the accidental magic dept that we had an accident, now do we?"
Neville blushed and said. "Sorry gran, please continue, I won't interrupt again,"
Augusta nodded her approval, secretly enchanted. Planning her revenge on that awful brother of hers Algie for his belief that Neville was a squib. Squib her derriere, she will show him a squib, she was going to teach her Neville how to use those magical outbursts to burn a hole on Algie's bum. Augusta, noticing Neville waiting, resumed her tale.
"Now, as I was telling you, a portion of the Wizengamot, the ones who didn't suffer consequences after making a magical oath to respect and lead a just trial, were summoned by then interim Minister of Magic Amelia Bones. We got to witness the memories of Crouch Senior being found in a compromising position with Minister Bagnold, and if that was not enough, Crouch Jr behind a closet door. It was then that, with the aid of Veritaserum, Bagnold spilled her dirty secrets. Oh, it was worse than a Machiavellian plot, she gave a list of now-dead members of the Wizengamot and death eaters who walked away from a conviction after that noseless freak, went up in smithereens that terrible Halloween, and, your new friend Harry lost his parents. Then Amelia asked me as acting Chief Warlock to unlock the Potter's will, and see if there was any mention of secret keepers and who cast the Fidelius on the Potters."
"Why was that important?" Asked Neville.
"Because Amelia had a feeling that Crouch and Bagnold along with a third member, damaged an innocent man," answered Augusta with more than a touch of sadness.
"What is it, Gran, why are you sad?" Asked Neville.
"Because she was right, there was an innocent man, who was locked in Azkaban for over five years. A man who had committed no crimes, and meanwhile, that animal, Crouch Jr was out and breathing the fresh air we all breathe. We, all of magical Britain, believed the Potters were betrayed by Sirius Black, godfather of little Harry Potter. What's worse, the man faced his captivity with no questions. He never received a trial that fateful day. Amelia proved the remaining members of the Wizengamot to be nothing but a bunch of sanctimonious despots, too cowardly to take a hard long look at the victims of our own arrogance." Sniffed Augusta, she dabbed her tears.
"I don't understand Gran, what do you mean?" Asked Neville.
"The Potters were betrayed by Peter Pettigrew, the real secret keeper, and Sirius Black went to Azkaban while being innocent. Harry lost contact with the magical world. He was being raised by Lily's mundane sister. A woman that Lily even warned us about, the worst type of muggle, the type that hates magic and envied her sister Lily for being a witch, that poor child," said Augusta in a defeated tone of voice.
"Oh no, that's bad," supplied Nevile.
"I know dear, after Bagnold, Crouch Senior and Junior were convicted, Bagnold was sent to Nurmergard, and Crouch father and son were sent through the veil for treason. That raving lunatic Crouch Junior had the gall to promise retribution by his master. The man was made unconscious by Auror Moody. Crouch Senior was ordered to release his house-elf and the female elf decided to follow her master through the veil." Added Augusta with regret.
"Well, then, was that it?" Asked Neville.
"No, we still had two more trials to go through, remember I said five?" Added Augusta.
"Yes, you did, now I understand why you said you were glad that circus was over." Said, Neville.
"Yes dear, now remember Neville, what we say in this hall, between us, stays within these walls, and it is no one else's business, alright?" Asked Augusta, and noticed her grandson, scrunched his eyebrows. He then asked, "Why would I tell? I'm not a tattletale,"
"Good, unless you decide to work for the news, I suggest you keep that attitude. Now, where was I? Ah, yes, after the sentencing of Crouch Senior and Junior, and the shipping off of Millicent, Amelia said that we had the duty to provide justice to a very special orphan. Little Harry Potter sent Amelia a letter in which he asked if he had any other family than the Dursleys. After that, she told us she had one prisoner who had survived the dementor Lunacy, because he had a secret. The man was an animagus, and he wanted to plead his innocence. it was then that Sirius Black took off his invisibility cloak and asked for his long denied trial." Said Augusta as Neville exclaimed, "You're joking!"
"No dear, I'm not. Sirius Black in the flesh! Healthy and sound of mind and soul, asked for his trial, and we complied. The man gave us his memories of himself, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew learning how to be animagus. The godfather ritual, when the Potters asked him to care for Harry, his last day with Harry, and the moment he was betrayed by Peter Pettigrew. He added that he had been in contact with the head of the DMLE shortly after his escape, but he needed advice on how to ask for help. After he found out about the plot from the former sentenced trio, he was instructed to plead for his innocence today. The vote was unanimous, he was declared innocent and was promised a reward for his unjust treatment by the previous ministry administration. Of course he got to pay a fine, for being an unregistered animagus, but since the Ministry is still embarrassed by his unjust incarceration, it was only a token fine" Said Augusta.
"Wow, no wonder you were so tired that day, who was the fifth person on trial?" Insisted Neville.
"Peter Pettigrew," replied Augusta, to which Neville asked, "You are not joking, are you?"
"No dear, I'm not," answered Augusta. "You keep telling me of the godparent vow, why?" Asked Neville.
Augusta couldn't hide her pride and reached out and hugged Neville and gave him a kiss. Then she added, "You are so much like your grandfather and father and so sweet like your mother, never forget dear, I'm proud of you." She let go and added. "Because, if Peter Pettigrew had been the godfather to Harry, he would have died from the moment he delivered that noseless monster to the Potters,"
Neville picked up and said, "You cannot make an oath to protect someone, and then help have them killed, magic would kill you, oh, oh, I see what you mean, madame Bones figured it out, wow, that is bad," said Neville.
"Yes, it was, but fortunately, Pettigrew was found as a rat, by one of the ministry's elves and the rat was delivered to Bones. Bones did the reverse animagus spell and surprise, surprise the dead Pettigrew was found alive and kicking. Oh, we, and I mean the whole of the Wizengamot, felt like fools. Well, that rat got to join his good friend Barty Crouch Jr in the veil," said Augusta with anger.
"His good friend, oh, of course, you cannot show you-know-who to the Potters if you were not a death eater, oh, that's horrible." Neville hugged his gran again. Then he added, "I'm glad that day is over, I'm proud of you too." Augusta smiled, returned the hug, and said, "Thank you, dear, now, we must get ready for that tea. I need to see Harry, just to be sure he is well."
They parted, smiled, and went their separate ways. Augusta felt so much lighter, and Neville wondered if he could give Harry and Hermione a plant as a gift, after all, he wanted to make a good first impression.