Chap. 53: Saturday arrives and Hermione's thoughts about their visit to Black Manor.
Harry, as always, was waiting on Daphne at the Three Broomsticks at nine o'clock in their favorite booth, when he heard the door open. When he looked over his right shoulder, sure enough, there was his beautiful wife, Daphne, his sister-in-law, Astoria, and their cousin, Tracey. With a huge smile, he stood, where Daphne rushed to him and engulfed him with a hug and a lingering kiss.
"How are you, Daph?" Harry questioned as he held his wife out at arm's length to look her over.
"Fine, now, honey," Daphne replied, who stood on the tips of her toes to give Harry another quick kiss before taking her seat in the booth, where Harry followed after Astoria and Tracey took their seats.
After the pleasantries were over, the four heard the door open, again, where Ron and Hermione entered, along with Ginny and Neville. However, both Harry and Daphne almost chortled when Tracey stood and joined Neville at the table beside their booth. It wasn't but a few seconds later that "Little Harry" joined them, and sat beside Astoria, making Daphne roll her eyes.
"Are you all set," Daphne asked everyone, "for our little trip after brunch?"
Everyone said that they were, though Hermione reluctantly nodded. She still wondered how Harry had obtained permission from Headmaster Dumbledore, but the old wizard had granted it.
"Mum and Da' are coming," Ron inquired, "aren't they?"
"Yes," Harry replied, "and Augusta, Cyrus, Helen, Gareth, and Meridith will also be there. Harry," Harry asked, "did you get permission from your parents?"
"Aye, Harry," Little Harry said, "I got a letter during supper last night."
"Good," Daphne exclaimed with a clap of her hands, "then we're all set!"
Hermione noticed that Daphne was doing her best to forget what happened with Flint.
Everyone ordered a quick brunch, which Harry and Daphne paid for, and after drinking a warm mug of cider, each, everyone bundled up and left to make their way toward the Shrieking Shack. Here, everyone stood around an old steering wheel from a muggle automobile, which Harry held out to them and they took hold of, and with a quick trigger word from Harry, a portkey portal opened, and the group disappeared in a flash.
"Where are we, mate?" Ron questioned as he looked around at the forest on either side of the tarmac road they were standing beside, and Hermione did as well while noticing they were standing on a wide graveled spot beside the road.
"At West Yorkshire and the north end of Bradford," Harry explained. "This is Thornhill Drive, and there are only a few manors along it. Just this way," and here, Harry pointed toward the north, "is the River Aire and a canal."
Next, Harry fished out a small slip of parchment from his black wool overcoat, which he unfolded, and handed to Ron. "Here, mate, read that, remember the address, and pass it on."
Ron read the note, which said: "Black Manor can be found at Number Seven, Thornhill Drive, Bradford." After reading the note, Ron had to bat his eyes momentarily, as out of nowhere, a large wrought iron gate appeared with an italicized "B" in the center, and on either side were two large limestone columns, which had a six-foot high stone wall attached that encircled the entire property to the canal. He quickly handed the note to Hermione as he began to look around.
"I'd always heard of Black Manor; even Sirius spoke of it," Ron said. "So, this is where old Arcturus lived, eh?"
"Yes," Daphne said with a proud nod, "this is it, but now, Harry and I just call it home."
Harry smiled at his wife before bending over to kiss her cheek.
"Whoa," Little Harry remarked as the gate suddenly appeared to him," what kind of magic is this?"
"The Fidelius Charm," Hermione explained," but who's the secret keeper?"
"Why, I am, of course," Harry replied with a smirk just as Neville handed him the slip of parchment, which he tossed in the air after it started to combust. "Now, everyone, just follow me and Daph."
Daphne walked up to the gate and placed her left hand against it, which caused a loud noise to occur that sounded like large and invisible anchor chains rattling across each other before the gates slowly swung open. "Come, everyone," Daphne said before taking Harry's hand where she and Harry started to make their way up the gravel drive.
The small group hadn't made it far when the gates closed, and they could hear the anchor chains again before Neville spoke up.
"That's a first, mate."
"What's that, Nev?" Harry questioned.
"Most older wizards don't allow their wives to control the wards," Neville explained.
"Yes, well," Harry replied as he pulled Daphne tight against his side with his arm over her shoulder, "Our marriage is equal, and has been from the start. Daphne doesn't have a dowry, either."
"What does she have?" Hermione suspiciously asked.
"Why, we share everything, including our vault," explained Harry. "What's mine is hers, fifty-fifty. Daph has full access to everything, and that is how we both wanted it."
That seemed to shock Hermione, as she thought they would at least live by some of the "old ways," but evidently not. Hermione didn't notice Astoria and Tracey give each other a raised eyebrow and a smirk either.
The group had walked about one hundred feet through a wooded area on either side of the drive before they came to a tall hedgerow that was about eight feet tall and perfectly trimmed with a flat top. Here, the drive began to curve to their right.
"We'll be there in a bit," Daphne said, "as over the hedge is the front garden and a small maze."
Here, both Hermione and Ron noticed Harry grimace when Daphne mentioned a maze, but he never said a word, and a smile was back on his face in no time.
"Didn't Remus say," Ron inquired, "that this area was where they called the Grim, Padfoot?"
"Yup," Harry explained, "and that was why Sirius and Da' came up with the name, as Sirius' animagus form was a Grim; a large shaggy black dog."
"And here you are, brother dearest," Astoria piped up, "the King of the Woods, now, well, living in the woods!" In the end, she couldn't help but laugh.
"What does she mean?" Ron asked while huffing from the walk.
"Oh, she means this," Harry said just as his Mayhaw wand shot into his hand, where he cast his Patronus.
There, and before everyone, stood a proud white, glowing, red deer stag, with a full neck mane, and a fourteen-point rack. They watched it sniff the air, and stomp one of its front hooves, so Daphne cast hers, which was a hart, and the mate to the stag.
The hart, everyone watched, pranced up to the large stag, which lowered its head, and began to lick the hart on its mouth. This is when Harry said, "That's about enough of that," and canceled the spell, along with Daphne, as everyone noticed the stag's long todger slide out, and hang down in front of its rear legs.
"Uhm, yea," Tracey said slightly embarrassed, and then giggled before wrapping her arm around Neville's. Astoria did the same to Little Harry, who couldn't help but snort and then chortle out loud. Hermione, though, looked scandalized, and Ron started to turn as red as a tomato as well as Ginny.
"Well, uh," Daphne said, whose ears had turned red, "you know what they say about the King of the Woods. Oh, look, we're here."
Everyone did notice that they had finally arrived at the old majestic three-story brick manor house, just as Harry and Daphne led them up the three large curved steps to the portico, where one of the large oak doors opened without Harry or Daphne tipping it.
"Kreacher bes happy that the good Master and Mistress bes bringing visitors today. Can Kreacher bes taking your coats, My Lord and Lady?"
"Thanks, Kreacher," Harry and Daphne said at the same time while handing Kreacher their coats, which was when both Winky and Dobby apparated in front of them.
"The good Master and Mistress finally bes home!" Dobby exclaimed before rushing forward and wrapping his boney arms first around Harry's knees, and then, Daphne's.
"Yes, yes," Daphne replied as she patted Dobby's shoulder, "we made it. How are you, Winky?"
"Oh, Winky bes doing the best, Mistress, and has lunch already cooking."
Dobby, after releasing Daphne's knees, and after wiping his eyes, smiled up at Harry and said, "And wes has been making sure Mrs. Batty is well taken care of."
"Kreacher and Winky bes moving the bed from the parlor, My Lord," Kreacher croaked after hanging up the last coat, "and wes all put the furniture back for the guests."
"You did good, old friend," Harry replied, which caused Kreacher to give a low bow surprising both Ron and Hermione.
"Can old Kreacher bes getting the Young Master something to drink?"
"A tea service for all of us will do, Kreacher, and keep in mind that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Augusta Longbottom, along with Mum and Da' and Uncle Gareth and Auntie Meridith, will also be arriving by floo in a bit."
"Yes, Mistress," Kreacher croaked, "Old Kreacher will be making everything ready." Next, Kreacher snapped his fingers and disappeared with a light pop.
"Winky wills bes as well, Good Master," Winky said before apparating away as well.
"Dobby," Harry said, "I want you to help Winky in the kitchen while Kreacher tends to us in the parlor."
"Dobby wills bes doing just that, Master Harry." Here, Dobby apparated away as well.
"I never thought I'd see that," Ron remarked while scratching his head.
"See what?" Hermione inquired.
"Kreacher," Ron explained, "actually acting nice; like a decent elf is supposed to."
"It surprised me, too," Ginny remarked, who had been quiet all day.
"Ron!" Hermione scolded, and then swatted him on the shoulder. "You know how that poor elf was treated..."
Harry, however, cut that argument off by quickly speaking up. "Kreacher and I came to an understanding, and he gave me his full loyalty as the Head of House Black. Now, I couldn't ask for a better elf, to be honest, and he's loyal to a fault."
"What do you mean, loyal to a fault?" Hermione asked with narrowed eyes.
"First, how we made friends is considered a state secret," Harry replied, which made Hermione turn red and ready to explode, "and by loyal to a fault, I mean that I, like everyone else, can make mistakes, which could lead to Kreacher coming to harm, so I try to watch what I order him to do since no matter what, he will do it with no questions asked."
When Hermione started to break into a rant, Daphne spoke up.
"Of course," Daphne explained with a sigh as she began leading everyone by the study and toward the drawing room, "Winky and Dobby are the same. All elves are who bond with a family. You have to word what you ask of them very carefully."
"We learned that with Splodgey growing up," Astoria said.
"Splodgey?" Hermione questioned.
"Our elf back at Greenhill Manor," Astoria explained, to which Daphne and Tracey both nodded. "He's dearly loved by all of us, and he thinks the world of the 'Great Harry Potter.'"
"Oh, no," Ron moaned, "not another."
"What do you mean?" Daphne asked just as she made it to the door of the drawing room.
"That's exactly what Dobby used to call Harry," Ron replied, which caused Daphne to nod with a smile.
"Kreacher," Daphne said, "calls Harry the 'House Elves great protector.'" This seemed to embarrass Harry, everyone noticed, just as Daphne made haste across the large Persian rug in the drawing room. That was when everyone noticed a very old witch sitting in a wingback chair by the fire.
"Oh, Bathilda, how are you?" Daphne inquired as she quickly stopped before the elderly witch and gave her a hug.
"Oh, dearie, I'm just fine," Bathilda replied as she patted Daphne on the back. "You've both been so kind to me, and the elves see to it that I'm well taken care of when young Harry is away at the Ministry. I never want for anything, dear.
"Harry, child," Bathilda questioned, making everyone almost snort or laugh, "what are you doing?"
"Er," Harry replied with a smile from the fireplace, "unlocking the floo so the rest can come over."
"Oh, how I do love company, mein Schatz," Bathilda said as she started to perk up. "Now give me my hug, child, and let's have our tea."
Everyone took their seats at this, with Hermione staring at the fine oak-paneled walls and portraits in the drawing room, along with the fine crystal chandeliers hanging from the twelve-foot high ornamental plaster ceiling made up of diverse patterns and pretty foliage details. The Blacks, she thought, had certainly been wealthy at one time.
Hermione also noticed that all the furniture had been re-upholstered, which was when she noticed some pieces from the townhouse sitting about, but they were no longer completely done in black, and she noticed the townhouse's old piano sitting in the front corner by the outer wall and another door that led somewhere within the paneled wall in the corner. She was startled out of her thoughts, though, when Kreacher reappeared, along with Dobby, carrying two fine silver tea services with the best of matching china, and all having the Black family's coat of arms on them.
After Harry and Daphne had introduced everyone to the elderly witch, which Hermione and Little Harry couldn't seem to get over due to meeting someone so famous, and after everyone had their tea served, where Hermione and Kreacher got into an argument about who would make hers, causing everyone to snigger since Kreacher had won, the floo flared up green, and out stepped the elderly Weasleys causing Harry and Daphne to quickly stand.
"Molly and Arthur...," Harry said, but that was all he could get out before Molly had him in a bone-crushing hug.
"Welcome to our home," Daphne finished for her husband as she shook Arthur's hand. "Molly, you're looking well."
"Oh, dear," Molly said as she hugged Daphne, "you're always so sweet, and I'm glad that Harry found you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Daphne replied, "so please mingle, and have a seat. Dobby or Kreacher will make you a cuppa."
"Thank you, dear," Molly said before turning to Bathilda.
"Bathilda, it's been ages, hasn't it?" Molly asked before bending over to lightly hug the elderly and frail witch.
"Oh, yes, yes, it has," Bathilda remarked as the elder Weasleys took a seat close to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "I think it was around the time that Lily and James were married, and just after Fleamont and Euphemia passed, wasn't it?"
This started a conversation between the elderly witch and the elder Weasleys just as the floo flared up again, Hermione noticed. Out stepped a man, probably in his forties, she thought, dressed in a fine wool suit with black hair, and a woman who was shorter, with blond hair, and favored both Daphne and Astoria.
Hermione watched Harry and Daphne quickly stand, along with Astoria, who dragged Higgs along with her by holding his hand, where she watched the sisters hug their parents, while Harry shook his father-in-law's hand as Cyrus gave him a pat on the shoulder with a huge smile.
Well, Hermione thought, Harry wasn't lying when he said he got on well with his in-laws, especially as she watched Helen hug Harry before they took a seat on the sofa by Astoria and Higgs. Here, she noticed Helen and Cyrus greet Tracey, who introduced Neville, and they began introducing everyone else, including her.
Hermione was surprised that Cyrus nor Helen treated her any different than anyone else over her being a muggle-born, and was surprised, yet, again, when Helen tried to drag her into their conversations about their Hogwarts grades.
While this was taking place, the floo flared up a third time and out stepped a taller but older man with graying black hair, and his wife, who had black hair as well but done up in a bun. She noticed Arthur and Molly quickly stand, where Molly began tearing up when speaking to the witch about her daughter before she hugged her.
So, that must be Gareth Greengrass and his wife, Hermione thought, and was proven correct when Helen and Cyrus stood to greet the two.
After everyone was seated, and the conversations flowed, the floo flared up again, and out stepped a stern-looking witch wearing a long green dress, who had grey hair, and was wearing a hat with a vulture on top. That was Augusta Longbottom, whom she knew very well, as she watched Neville and Tracey stand to greet her.
Now, after everyone was seated, Harry and Daphne stood and made their way to the floo.
"Everyone," Harry said, "we have two more guests arriving, and they should be here any second."
Before anyone could ask who it was, the floo flared up for a final time, and out stepped Rufus and Alice Scrimgeour, causing everyone to stand, except for Bathilda, to greet the Minister for Magic and his wife. Hermione noticed that Harry and Daphne had surprised everyone with the invite, and was told that it was kept secret so that nobody would know except a handful of Aurors, who were now stationed around their grounds, to protect the couple's whereabouts.
Once the Minister and his wife took up a loveseat close to Harry and Daphne, conversations were flowing everywhere, again, especially with Bathilda Bagshot, who, Hermione noticed, was having the time of her life. When things came back around to Bathilda, Hermione couldn't help herself from asking how the elderly witch had found herself at Black Manor.
"Oh," Bathilda replied, "I had just finished reading a book in my sitting room at the Hollow, and was thinking about starting supper when I heard the sound of apparation close by. I looked past the curtains in my front window, and it was the Death Eaters snooping about who had taken a keen interest in my cottage.
"Of course, young Harry and Daphne had warned me about them, and had given me an emergency portkey, as well as the secret for the house, so I quickly took the portkey to here.
"Now, I am an ancient witch, Miss Granger, and can't get around as well as I used to, so I did not exit the portkey with grace. No, I fell to the ground like a stone, where I scuffed myself up plenty, and broke my hip."
"Oh, you poor thing," Meridith said from down the room by her husband.
"Thank you, dear," Bathilda said with a nod and smile. "However, Kreacher and Winky were beside me within seconds, and they levitated me to the breakfast room and gave me a warm cuppa by the fire. Poor Kreacher didn't know where his master was, you see, and said that he was out later than usual.
"It wasn't long, though, before I heard someone enter, where Harry suddenly rushed in with wand drawn, who was surprised to find me here, that I can tell you," Bathilda explained finishing with a loud chortle.
"The good child that he is, mein Schatz, sent his Patronus to Albus and asked if Madam Pomfrey could travel here to see me. Of course, Albus sent her, where she treated me, and I've been here ever since, though I am thinking about returning home."
"You don't need to do that, Bathilda," Harry said, "and you know that you're welcome here."
"I know, dear, I know" Bathilda replied as she reached over and patted Harry's hand beside her, "but I need to see about my cottage."
"I can have Kreacher and Winky come with me to do that," Harry stubbornly replied.
"You're such a sweet child," Bathilda tearily said, "just like you've been since you were born."
However, this led to the Minister finally asking the elderly witch a very morbid question: "What really happened at the Hollow that Halloween night, Bathilda?" Hermione noticed Daphne gasp and take Harry's hand before he sat forward to listen very intently. Everyone else seemed to as well, and one could have heard a pin drop if it weren't for the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.
Here, Bathilda turned to stare at the fire in the fireplace, as she thought back about that night.
"Oh, it was terrible," Bathilda finally replied in a distant voice. "I had been busy with the children and parents coming to my door, and it had rained on and off that evening. A fog had also started to rise, and I could hear many of the elderly residents singing merrily from the pub close by.
"The Halloween crowd had thinned down by now, you see, and there was a horrible explosion. I just knew what it was, my worst nightmare, as I hobbled to the door as quickly as I could.
"When I made it outside and turned the corner to look down the street at the end, I saw the cottage with part of its roof blown off, and some of the windows were shattered upstairs. What was worse, though, was some of the muggle residents now noticed it, and I knew, then, that poor James had fallen since he was the secret keeper.
"Next, I started making my way as quickly as I could toward the old Abbott cottage, which was where the Potters were staying, and I was wondering when the Aurors and Obliviators would show up, as I tried to make my way to check on Lily and Harry.
"By the time I made it to the churchyard, the Vicar had already come out and was gaping at the scene, but, of course, he was one of the muggles that knew of we witches and wizards that lived there."
Hermione was stunned at this news, especially when she noticed Minister Scrimgeour nod in agreement. Wasn't that against the Statute of Secrecy, she wondered?
"The Vicar helped me make my way there," Bathilda continued, "and just as we were nearing the fence, we heard the sound of apparation, and it was Severus Snape who Albus had quickly sent to check on the cottage.
"Severus told us to stay there before he rushed inside, so we waited. In about thirty minutes, he came out of the house with a horrified expression on his face, and he looked as if he had tears on his cheeks, though he just shook his head and walked toward the pottery shop at the end of the alley to our right, where he disapparated.
"It wasn't a minute after that," Bathilda said with a sniff as she wiped her eyes, "that we heard the roar of a motorcycle, and out of the air came Sirius Black, where he landed the thing in the same alley, and jumped off the contraption in a panic.
"Poor Sirius! The young lad rushed by us and ran to the door, where he entered, and we could hear him wail out. Next, we saw wand light coming from upstairs, and then he came back out of the cottage carrying Harry wrapped in a blue blanket, though that was when Hagrid apparated just over from us. He said that Albus had sent him to collect Harry."
Here, Bathilda hung her head, shook it, sniffed, and continued while wiping her tears with a shaky hand.
"There was an argument between Sirius and Hagrid, but Sirius finally relented, and handed Hagrid young Harry over my protests, while telling Hagrid to take his motorcycle. That was when Sirius turned toward the Vicar and I, where he looked quite deranged with an evil glint in his eyes, and said, "I'll kill him," before he apparated away. Well, you know the Blacks, who could be really vindictive if anyone crossed them.
"The Vicar and I didn't know who he was speaking of, of course, and just after Hagrid left with Harry on that muggle contraption, the Aurors and Obliviators arrived, where they shooed the Vicar and I off. The Vicar had me to come into the church, and into his apartment, where he poured me some brandy to calm my nerves, and to listen to me sob about what had occurred.
"I wanted to take young Harry in, but Albus argued against it, saying I was too old, and that he was going to send him to a place that had the best protection that he could think of. If I had known that it would have been Lily's sister, I would have cursed Albus on the spot."
Here, the old witch finally broke down, and began to cry, which caused Harry to suddenly stand, startling Hermione, where he sat on the arm of the old witch's chair, and hugged her to him. She couldn't tell what he was whispering to her, only that it seemed to help.
"Splodgey!" Cyrus called out, and Hermione noticed a small elf suddenly appear.
"What can Splodgey bes getting for the good master?"
"Splodgey, if you would," Cyrus asked the elf, "please fetch me a calming draft from the manor. It's for Harry and Daphne's guest."
"Splodgey wills bes glad to fetch a potion for the Great Harry Potter's guest, Master," Splodgey said causing Ron to snort, "and Splodgey will bes coming straight back to Master Cyrus!"
Here, the small elf snapped his fingers and apparated away. Hermione, though, noticed that the elf was well taken care of and that Cyrus spoke very kindly to him. She still couldn't wrap her mind around why House Elves acted as they did toward magicals.
When Splodgey returned, Cyrus directed the elf to hand Harry the potion, Hermione noticed, who gave it to Bathilda, while Cyrus asked Splodgey to stay and help Dobby, Kreacher, and Winky until everyone left for the day.
After everyone calmed down, they began to discuss what Bathilda had revealed before Harry and Daphne stood, and announced that it was time for lunch in the dining room.
TBC next chapter.
A/N: This is the first time that the Potters invited anyone to Black Manor, besides Daphne's parents, Gareth, Rufus, and Alice. In the next chapter, Harry and Rufus will reveal why everyone was invited, along with telling them about Flint, and I will try to have that chapter completed within a few days.