Quick thank you to fanatsy generator dot com for giving me rune names, I would be lost without you.
Harry walked through the lush, expansive gardens of Longbottom Manor, the scent of blooming flowers filling the air. The manor, a grand and stately home nestled in the heart of the English countryside, was a place of tranquillity and natural beauty. He was a tad bit jealous of Neville, knowing his friend had grown up in such beauty, but couldn't fault him for it. Neville added to the beauty of this place.
"Harry! You're taking forever!" Neville complained. He was a few feet away from Harry, and was taking him around the manor to show the new things that were added.
They strolled through the enchanting botanical gardens, where Neville's green thumb was on full display. He pointed out rare and magical plants, sharing stories of how some of them had been used by his family for generations. Harry marvelled at the diversity of flora, appreciating the peaceful atmosphere. They spent hours exploring the vast estate. Neville proudly showed Harry the expansive library, filled with ancient tomes and magical texts that had been passed down through generations. He explained how he had been working to preserve and expand the collection, hoping to make it a valuable resource for future generations of witches and wizards, and how Hermione had given him the idea.
Lunch was served in the elegant dining room, where a long table was set with fine china and crystal glasses. The meal was prepared by the skilled house-elves of Longbottom Manor, and the dishes were exquisite, a blend of traditional wizarding cuisine and modern twists that showcased Neville's appreciation for fine food.
"You have to try this one, Harry! It's so good!"
"Neville if you don't stop shoving food down my throat I'm gonna throw up."
"Then I'll just feed you some more!"
After lunch they found themselves back on the grounds, chasing butterflies and other little creatures they found. Neville brought him back to the greenhouse too, insisting he had to show him something.
"It's dark, Nev," Harry stated.
"Thanks, Watson," Neville remarked, still tinkering with the light.
"Was that a Sherlock Holmes reference?" Harry asked. Neville tensed up a bit, and Harry laughed.
"Hermione made me read it," Neville said, grateful it was dark so his blush was still mostly hidden. "It's a pretty good book."
"I enjoyed it back in primary, our teacher read us a kid version."
"Primary? What's that?" The light flickered on above them, and Neville grinned. Finally!
"It's a muggle school thing, we go to learn to read and stuff." Neville just gave him a confused look, but ended up just giving Harry a shrug.
Harry looked around the room, staring at the piles of dirt. It was a bit cramped with all the dirt in it, but both boys could stand comfortably.
"Gran had it created for me when I showed her my dirt bird thingy. Said I needed a place to practice. Oh look, there's Fhozite!" Neville pointed at a corner of the room. There sat a tangle of vines, long and thick, impaled into the dirt. The plant's vines reached up to the low ceiling, covering it. Fhozite stuck out a smaller tendril, wrapping around Harry's finger. Harry smiled at the closeness but shook his head.
"Axiome isn't gonna be here for a few days, buddy. I'm using too much magic as is. Maybe later."
"What do you mean, Harry?" Neville questioned.
"I mean, I couldn't just leave Private Drive you know? They're gonna come after me if they think I'm gone. So after, uh, Kreacher," Harry winced. "I sent an illusion of myself to private drive. It's just laying in bed, so I don't have to worry about it too much, but in case Dumbledore checks in or something, I need my magic to be there."
"Wow, Harry!" Neville stared at his friend in amazement. "That's so cool! How did you figure that out?" Harry flushed.
"Well, it was in a book Mad-eye gave me. I'll give it to you to read, promise."
"Alright!" Neville turned his back to him, putting his hand in the dirt, running it over his finger, scooping it into his palms. "Let me show you why we're here."
Neville closed his eyes, pressing harder into the dirt. The room, previously bathed in the soft glow of a rune light, began to shimmer with an otherworldly radiance. The very air seemed to come alive, charged with an energy that sent shivers down the spine of both boys. It was as if the room itself had awakened, its walls pulsating with a faint, otherworldly rhythm.
As the magic continued to weave its intricate dance, tiny motes of light began to materialize out of thin air. They danced and twirled, creating intricate patterns that hung in the atmosphere like a living tapestry. These luminous specks emitted a soft, soothing hum, their presence a testament to the sheer power of the arcane. A few floated by Harry, zapping his skin with soft kisses whenever they touched.
Slowly, tendrils of magic snaked their way into the dirt, their presence felt rather than seen. The earth responded, stirring to life as if it had been granted a newfound vitality. Roots of nearby plants reached out, intertwining with the magical energy, as if they too sought to partake in this extraordinary communion.
As the magic delved deeper into the soil, the room's occupants could sense a profound connection with the natural world. It was as if the very essence of the earth had been awakened, and they could feel its heartbeat beneath their feet. The air was imbued with the scent of rich, fertile soil, and the room seemed to breathe in harmony with the land.
And slowly, like a phoenix born out of the ashes, a bird began to rise from the dirt. It was made of the dirt itself, but more solidified, as if you dried mud into it's very shape.
"Harry, meet, uh, I haven't named him, actually she's a her, yet, but yeah. Meet her!" Harry chuckled, and slowly put his hand out for the bird…sniff? Yeah, Harry didn't know what he was doing, but it seemed the bird didn't care, as it promptly flew onto Harry's shoulder. Clumps of dirt landed on his shoulder, but he didn't care much. It was when the bird started to nuzzle his hair that he started to regret his decision.
"Neville there is dirt in my hair-"
"Harry, you know you can shower here right? Every day if you want." Harry's cheeks flushed, and he looked down at his shoes.
"Oh, yeah," he was embarrassed, having gotten readjusted to his 'shower every 3 days' routine at the Dursleys. "Anyways, what are you gonna name him?" He never was subtle at changing topics, but at least Neville didn't laugh.
"I don't know, I was thinking something easy to say, so if I need him he's there quickly."
"Kind of like a house elf, right?"
"Yeah, kind of, I guess." Neville gave the bird a few pats on its head, shaking more dirt onto Harry's head. "I think I'll name her Eve."
"Eve?" Harry questioned.
"Yeah, it's easy enough, right?" Harry just shrugged, not really caring much. She was still shaking dirt all over them. And then she tried to sing.
It was as if death was trying to speak to him. It grated on his ears and tore at his soul. It felt like a dementor was actively trying to escape out of his body.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Neville sighed, letting the bird bury back into the dirt and disappear with a poof.
"That was horrible," Harry said honestly.
"Oh, right, you aren't death-chosen or whatever." Neville dusted some dust off of Harry's shoulder. "Sorry, Harry."
"Nah it's fine, can I go shower though? Because.." He gestured at himself. "I'm not staying like this for dinner."
Dinner was a boisterous affair. Not necessarily because of the conversation, but because of the massive food fight that managed to happen.
"That was an accident, Nev!" Harry yelled, quickly ducking under a pair of soaring sausages.
"It was not!"
"Was too!" Harry ducked again. Neville didn't buy it. He had known Harry for long enough to know that he was always looking for ways to get under people's skin. And he wasn't about to let this one slide. Before Harry could gather his next item, Neville grabbed a handful of peas and flung them in Harry's direction. The two boys paused for a moment, staring shocked at each other, before bursting into laughter.
The peas went flying back and forth across the table, splattering everywhere and making a huge mess. The dinner table was a battlefield of green and yellow goop, and the two boys were in the middle of it, trading blows with the nearest ammo at hand.
Next were the mashed potatoes. Well, they were boiled beforehand, but they were hitting the boys so hard they mashed right into their skin! Harry laughed, throwing a soft carrot at Neville next. Neville didn't have time to dodge and got hit in the forehead with it, reminding Harry of their second year with the Doxies. Harry laughed, bracing himself on the table as the memories flooded him.
That was when Neville struck.
"MASTERS!" They both heard, but it was too late. Quickly, so quickly, the steak was nearing Harry. "What are you doing?!"
The steak hit Harry square in the cheek. Neville's hand covered his mouth, out of shock at first. Then his laughter began to slowly bubble over. It was like an exploding potion. He was almost able to contain it. Till he made eye contact with Harry, the look of pure shock on his face was too much. He doubled over, bracing his stomach as he laughed, gasping for breath. He tried wiping his eyes, covered in food and tears, but he just couldn't. He laughed and laughed, and Harry quickly joined him. It looked like a scene out of a madhouse!
They laughed so hard that they collapsed onto the table in a heap of exhaustion. They lay there, breathing hard, before rolling onto the floor and continuing to laugh until their sides ached. Not once did they look up, or open their eyes, and they didn't notice the food vanishing around them.
"Are- are-" Harry laughed some more. "Are you full, Nev?" He wheezed.
"TEA KETTLE!" Neville shouted, falling into laughter once more, eliciting snorts and wheezes from his best friend.
"If Masters are still hungry, they will have to feed themselves, they will! Mopsy is done for the night!"
"Yes, Mopsy, thank you," Neville spoke in breathy giggles, Harry still lying on top of him. They stared at the top of the dining room ceiling. It wasn't enchanted like the Hogwarts ceiling was, but it was still quite pretty, In Neville's opinion.
Of course, that could be because he had someone to stare at it with him. It wasn't as lonely as it usually was.
Minutes passed, their breathing calming as they relaxed, enjoying each other's company. Many would say it was a romantic scene, looking at the drawn cupids above, hearts and runes carved around. The thought didn't cross their mind.
"Oh, Harry! I completely forgot!" Neville jolted up, practically throwing Harry off his chest. "I was going to show you this new plant I've been cultivating!" Harry groaned.
"Nev, I just showered, please don't bring me back to the greenhouses today."
"Harry, we just had a food fight." Harry blinked, then laughed.
"Good point."
"And anyways, it's in the downstairs shower." Neville got up, Harry following him with a curious look on his face.
"Do I even wanna know why?" Harry asked, following him with a mixture of curious delight and painful intrigue in his stomach.
"Here, just read this!" So, Harry took the paper from the boy. Some lines were more underlined or slanted than others, and the paper itself was a bit crumbled, but Harry could still read it.
The miraculous herb Aefrinthe is renowned for its capacity to purify water. It is frequently employed in brews and spells that deal with the element of water.
Aefrinthe has a very unusual root system, which is an intriguing characteristic. Aefrinthe can filter enormous amounts of water via its system because its roots spread out like a spider's web as opposed to growing straight down into the ground as most other plants do. Because of this, Aefrinthe plants are water-intensive and frequently grow close to bodies of water or in areas with high water tables. The herb's purifying properties have also made it a valuable ingredient in numerous healing and purifying medicines. Aefrinthe is a plant that can be grown reasonably easily and grows best in damp environments. Depending on the intended use, it can be kept in a container or planted in the ground and needs plenty of sunlight. The plant should, however, be grown in an area with access to plenty of clean water, like a stream or pond.
No-Grow
The mystique surrounding the rare and mysterious plant known as azurite agréable is thick. It is claimed that a wizard named Azurite, a renowned herbalist known for his lovely garden made the discovery. The name of the plant alludes to its special ability to clean the air and make it pleasant to breathe.
The mythical plant known as Azurite Agréable is said to grow on the outskirts of dense, gloomy woodlands. The flower is thought to have a pleasant, musky scent, and the plant is distinguished by its deep, azure-coloured foliage and blue blossoms. The plant is also said to have medicinal benefits, and some people think it can produce a potent healing elixir out of its blossoms that can treat a wide range of illnesses.
"Neville, what's this last one? 'No-grow'?" Harry questioned his friend. Neville flushed, head to neck getting coloured pink.
"Uhj sha cnt hhgro whf mgacx." Neville mumbled, head down.
"Uhm, what?"
"I can't make it grow with magic," Neville said, shaking his head. "No matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't grow. I even snuck into greenhouse five without telling Professor Stout because I needed to know if it was a me thing or a plant thing."
"Is it only that plant?"
"As far as I know of, but that's not why we're here! Come, come!" Neville pulled him into the downstairs bathroom.
And there was a fucking plant in the bathtub.
"Oh yeah!" Neville plucked the note from his hands, using the wall to write down a quick sentence.
Bathtub works. Bloody Hell Neville.
The next day was a calmer affair, and neither boy mentioned the food fight that had gone on the day before. Not even when Neville's Grandma was giving them the meanest stink eye.
Then, Ron arrived.
"Ron!" Harry yelled, getting off the couch to give his friend a hug. Neville got up too, albeit slower, and gave Ron a hug too. "Man, I've missed you so much! I didn't expect to see you today!"
"It was hard to convince mum, that's for sure, but I told her it was for your birthday, and that me and Neville were planning something big. Oh, how are you here?!" Ron demanded, sounding quite hysterical.
And so, they spent a good ten minutes filling Ron in on everything that happened. Not Harry's murder, no, never that. Not with how Ron had reacted after the attack on the ministry. No, that was one secret Harry and Neville would take to their grave.
"How's it been at your place?" Neville asked. Currently, he was dying Ron's hair the muggle way. Each stripe of his newly buzz-cut hair was painted a different colour. Ron didn't mind. The buzz cut was a result of him not being able to cut his own hair, and Molly taking pity on him. Harry was reading a book on quidditch, only joining in to shout another colour to add to Ron's mess.
"Not the best mate, Mum's not Happy about me wanting to do warding," Ron admitted, wringing his hands anxiously. Harry looked up, bookmarking the page about the Kenmare Kestrels. Apparently, they were on a winning streak.
"Why not? Charlie does it, doesn't he? Or wait no, that's-"
"Bill, yeah. And that's what's making me so upset! When Bill brought it up, Mum loved the idea! I was like, nine or something when Bill told the family he was gonna start curse-breaking and warding at Gringotts."
"What's her issue with you doing it?" Harry asked, ready to give Mrs. Weasley a piece of his mind.
"She said it's a 'sudden interest' and that once I get bored of it, I won't care anymore." Ron ran a hand over his face, groaning. "I even showed her some of the Rune Layering I have been working on! Even Flitwick was impressed with it, you know? But nooooo~ Mum said I shouldn't make a hobby out of a job."
"Like Bill and Charlie did? Like the twins did?" Harry deadpanned. "Honestly, I don't know what the big deal is. Like, it's your life."
"It is my life! I don't know, sometimes I just wish she's bugger off about it, you know? I already got approval from Flitwick and Babbling to join Ancient Runes, and I'll just take the O.W.L for it at the end of this year. If I pass with an EE, they'll let me take N.E.W.T Leve."
"Not arthimacy?" Neville joked. He didn't dodge Ron's pillow in time. "Ron, if you get dye on my pillows I'll paint you pink!" Threatened the herb boy. Harry just snickered before returning to his book.
"Oh, Harry, did you get a letter from McGonagall about potions yet?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head.
"No, but I only got an EE on my potions, that's not enough for Snapes NEWT level class."
"We got a new potions professor! Some dude named Slughorn, but McGonagall told me it's a part of our schedule because he takes in EE students."
"I've never been happier to have gotten an A." Neville joked. Ron jerked away from him, probably to hit him again, but Neville was painting his head with black dye. "Oi! You messed up my run swirl!" Ron just stuck his tongue out.
"I hope it's optional, I'm not buying another potions book," Harry said, pointedly glaring at his trunk.
"Oh shit, I gotta go water Crystal!" Neville said, hopping out of bed. He shoved the dye and brush into Ron's (not) awaiting hands, smearing dye on them as he raced out of the room. Ron's jaw slacked, but Harry just got up and followed his running friend.
"Oi! I'm not going outside! Come back, Harry!" Ron yelled!
He still followed them outside.
When Harry and Ron entered the greenhouse, Neville was cradling a familiar walnut-coloured pot. Inside was a flowering plant, its leaves and buds a strange multicoloured mess. Almost as if they were reflecting the light.
"That looks familiar." Ron pointed out.
"Yeah, it's the plant Grandma Mary gave me! I have to water her every few days, kind of like a succulent."
"How you know its a her?" Ron said, poking one of it's leaves.
"It flowers. I mean, a lot of male plants can flower too, but the Dryopteris Sensibilis is a plant that only flowers if it is a girl. Plus, they have danger receptors in the middle of their blooms, and if they don't feel safe they won't bloom. It's an extraordinary plant. I thought it was a boy for the longest time.
"Wow," was all Ron managed to say.
"You should show him Bathtub Ben." Harry said, wiggling his eyebrows at Ron. "You'll like him." Ron paled slightly, but Neville laughed.
Later, the boys were once more lounging around, and Harry was growing sick of it. They hadn't done anything, and Harry was tired. Tired of having to maintain an illusion back with the Dursleys, and of being bored.
"Let's go get ice cream." Harry practically demanded, throwing his book to the ground. Ron gave a lazy thumbs up, but otherwise didn't move.
"Harry, I am not walking in this heat for ice cream," Neville said, referencing the muggle town a few miles away.
"Neville, you have a fireplace." Harry pointed out. "Let's just, go somewhere. I hate being all cooped up. I feel like-"
"Like you're about to shit yourself?" Ron unhelpfully inputed.
"What?" Neville and Harry stared at Ron. Ron stared back, then shrugged, getting up.
"Something Bill always said." Ron grounded while he stretched, back uncomfortable from laying on the floor for the past few hours. "Come on, let's go. Harry's right, I've been here for a few hours and wanna do more than just talk before I gotta go."
"Where to then, my liege?" Nev joked, pushing Harry to the fireplace.
"Same place we went last time, I suppose. I wanna try that banana flavour they have."
And the boys were off Germany, Harry being the most ungraceful one out of the floo. A few nearby families giggled, but he tried his best to ignore them. It wasn't his fault Wizard travel was so annoyingly hard!
"One Banana ice cream please," Harry ordered from the girl working the counter. Her apron read 'Cuore di Vetro' in bright pink letters. Ron thought it was an eyesore. Harry said it reminded him of Ron's hair. The girl giggled but jotted down his order.
"Am I funny-looking or something?" Harry grumbled as they sat to eat. "I mean, come on! I look good with my longer hair, don't I?"
"Harry, you've got soot all over your nose." Neville pointed out, barely hiding his grin.
"Bloody Hell." He angrily wiped at his nose.
"You haven't heard from the Greasey Git this summer, have you?" Asked Ron, taking another large bite out of his ice cream. Of course, Ron would be the friend who bites into his frozen treats.
"No, thank Merlin. I know Dumbledore said he would try to get him to write, but I hope he never does."
"Harry…" Neville said softly, patting his friend's hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't even know he said that."
"I could care less, to be honest, he's not my dad. James was, an-and so was Sirius!" He sighed, taking a bite of his ice cream. It was really good! "Ugh, I wish he could just, not exist."
"Don't we all," muttered Ron before quickly changing the topic. "I completely forgot I brought this along, but here we go!" Ron pulled out a folded bunch of papers from his pocket. "It's about my rune stacking! Go ahead, give it a look!" Harry and Neville looked over it. Ron clicked his tongue before he began explaining.
"In rune magic, if you use correct runes, you are able to create run stacks, or rune-circle stacks, which is what I'm working on right now. These are for buildings, and they are engraved on the house to activate. Rune-circle stacks are used to create larger and more complex rune circles. They can get pretty big. This is just a reference drawing, but it would need to be about triple the size to actually work. Anyways, the smaller rune circle contains the specific runes you wanna activate, and the two larger circles here contain the bonding elements, and the backing elements."
"What are those, Ron?" Neville questioned. "I know you said they are the specific runes, but what exactly are they?"
"Oh, right, you guys aren't in runes. Okay, this is the rune Kenaz, normally meaning light, but if we use this bonding rune, Cegrur, which means aspect, it changes the meaning to heat. Zowru, this rune in the middle stack, is a semi-rune, meaning it's a small rune that is factored into the whole stack, not just the individual line. And Lekad, which means Brass, is the bonding for Ugrerth, which means fire. Sorry, I'm not trying to drone on, but I really like this stuff. Plus, you know, my mum."
"Mate it's fine! I might not understand it all, but you like it, and that's all that matters." Harry said earnestly, giving his friend a large smile. "It reminds me of something if I'm honest. Where'd you get the idea?"
"A muggle heating system my dad brought home from work."
"Oh, fun. I think. It was cursed, wasn't it?"
The rest of the night, Harry, Ron, and Neville stayed up late. They talked of the future, of chaos, of ruling the world, of ending the world, and everything in between. For the first time in a while, Harry truly felt like Harry, and he was grateful for that.
When Harry finally laid down that night, it was nearing dawn, and the Slytherin locket warmed comfortably on his chest. He wondered if the locket had a warming rune on it.
As his eyes closed, he felt something begin to slip from his mental grasp. Maybe, if he had been more awake, he would have held tight to it. Not tonight though, not tonight. He let go.
Harry
The headmaster sent me a letter, about how he can't reach you. I know you aren't ignoring us, since you wrote me back, but please write to the headmaster. I believe he is truly worried, and I thought you set aside your differences. If something more happened, please tell me and I'll let the matter drop, promise.
Love, Hermione
The letter lay unopened on top of a desk, falling into a pile. All are addressed to the upstairs bedroom of Number 4, Private Drive. Harry Potter had disappeared, and Severus Snape was the one who watched his illusion-self shatter.