Team Avapotter strolled boldly through the corridors of Hogwarts, the fresh snow around them seemed to glitter as the sun reflected off it's surface. Indeed, seeing the sun in Scotland seemed to make this whole situation all the more…magical. They strolled like friends, instead of feuding tribes, and though there wasn't a whole lot of conversation, the silence was comfortable. Finally getting to tell off Zacharias Smith was the perfect holiday treat.
Filch was standing in the courtyard eyeballing students as he checked them off his parchment. As Team Avapotter approached him, his eyes widened to the size of saucers. Mrs. Norris retreated a bit behind his legs at the sight of them.
"And a Happy Chrispymas to you too, Mr. Filch!" Sokka announced, smiling broadly.
Filch spluttered, "Wha…what?"
"Christmas! He said Christmas!" Ron yelled suddenly, before immediately closing his eyes and scrunching his face as he realized how loud and awkward that pronouncement was.
"Er…right. Well, names?" Filch said, looking down at his list as if he had never seen Harry Potter before. Harry and Ron briefly rolled their eyes before they all each ticked off their names in a bored yet amused monotone. After one last awkward Filch gaze the gang made their way towards the Hogwarts train station.
"Here!" Harry whispered hurriedly, and suddenly Harry, Hermione, Luna, Aang, and Katara had broken casually from the pack. Hermione gave one last fleeting look at Draco, who nodded his head ever so slightly and kept walking with the rest, they all acted as if nothing at all had happened. Flawless execution. Soon ,the gang ran hard, around the greenhouses, past Hagrid's hut and into the Dark Forest. Appa was there, staring at a Hippagriff as though they were having a conversation.
"Bloody hell…" Harry whispered, stopping abruptly and throwing his arms out to stop the others from going any further.
"Wha…"Aang started when he finally noticed the mauve Hippogriff staring at them all with alarm. Aang cocked his head to the side in an almost comical manner. "That…is awesome. You have Horsebirds here too?"
"Hold on a tick." Harry said, slowly walking up to the Hippogriff, who in turn stood too it's full height and made a small squawking sound as if it was warning Harry.
Looking the beast straight in the eye, Harry bowed low and prominently.
Katara looked alarmed. Had Harry lost it? "What are you…" But then she stopped as she saw Hermione and Luna also bowing low to the creature, keeping eye contact.
"Just do it!" Hermione whispered hurriedly, never looking away from the animal.
Katara and Aang looked at each other confusedly before both shrugging. They turned and bowed at the animal. It did not seem pleased.
"Look it in the eyes!" Harry whispered desperately. "And for the love of Merlin, DON'T BLINK."
They looked at the beast and it scrutinized them closely, finally after what seemed like several years, the animal bowed and Appa groaned in what Harry hoped was an appreciative manner.
And then Aang was off, flying into the air he landed square on Appa's forehead and the animal groaned contentedly. The Hippogriff rustled its feathers as if scandalized.
Harry and Hermione stared at the giant beast on whom they would apparently be flying. Luna wandered off to pet the Hippogriff whose eyes closed at her touch, all the indignation it had seeming to ebb away. Luna always had a way with animals.
"So…how does this work again?" Harry said nervously, staring at Appa's giant eyeball.
Suddenly, Aang flipped up into a hand stand and using a little bending, landed on Appa's head with crossed legs. He looked a little winded. "Well, you just hop on and we go!"
"Yes…but…how?" Hermione questioned, arching an eyebrow.
Aang didn't have an answer. How did Katara and Sokka usually get on Appa?
Katara chuckled, "Er…I guess you just…climb up his leg? I'm so used to it now that I never really think about it."
Harry and Hermione looked alarmed.
"Can't be harder than when you rode that dragon." Luna said dreamily, gently stroking the Hippogriff.
Somewhere in the background Aang uttered "That's awesome…"
Hermione and Harry looked at each other horrified. "Yes Luna, that was a REAL treat." Harry said.
"Just climb up his leg! Come on, we gotta get a move on if we're gonna follow the express!" Aang said with a giant smile on his face.
Again Harry and Hermione looked at each other, he sighed, she shrugged, and they both slowly walked up to the beast to have a go at climbing on Appa. It only took a couple tries. Harry did have one semi-comical fall right as he was about to climb into the harness on Appa's back, and Hermione's hair and clothes were all over the place as she clambered desperately over Appa's knee, but all in all it was fairly painless.
Then it was Luna's turn. And she smiled mysteriously, even as Harry and Hermione were still trying to catch their breath from trying to ascend Mt. Appa, Luna gave one last stroke to her mauve hippogriff (it squawked sadly as she walked away) and effortlessly climbed onto Appa's tail and sat. Harry and Hermione looked at her from high atop Appa's back smirking, Luna was never gonna get into the harness from there. And she certainly couldn't ride on his tail.
"Appa, if you would do me the honor?" Luna said musically, and suddenly Appa's tail was raising and as it did so Luna gracefully slid down his raised tail until her feet made contact with the harness and she climbed in effortlessly. "Thank you Appa." She continued stroking his fur.
Harry and Hermione looked absolutely dumbfounded for a moment before Harry yelled: "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
"YIP YIP!" Aang yelled, and suddenly the beast was starting to ascend and all was wiped from Harry and Hermione's minds as they found themselves gripping to the harness for dear life. Luna sat comfortably with her legs crossed and hands laying gently in her lap; Katara noticed Luna's apparent comfort with the ascent and found herself wondering if Luna had ridden on Appa before, she quickly scoffed at the thought and turned her attention back to Harry and Hermione, who looked like a mixture of terror, shock, and rage. Katara was highly amused.
They rose through the trees and our gang found themselves fighting off hostile tree branches and random owls, leaves flying everywhere and for a while it just seemed like the world was a confusing blur and everything was moving but you had no idea where you were going or what was happening.
Finally, they leveled off and the view provided Harry and Hermione with an odd mixture of terror and awe. And what a view, Hogwarts from the sky. Harry had flown over Hogwarts several times in his tenure here, but usually he was being chased by a dragon or riding on an invisible horse on the way to an impossible task, or freeing the one man in the world that he would call his father other than James. In other words, his mind was far too preoccupied to take it in. Even now he couldn't understand why he was so enthralled, after all he was trying to orchestrate a mass cover-up of an alien race, but perhaps it was the lack of imminent destruction or looming ghastly consequences that allowed him to take in the beautiful buttresses of Raven claw tower, how truly large and magnificent the Black lake could be, or the…Darth Vador gargoyle on the astronomy tower? What? In any case, it was a sight to behold. Hermione seemed to be thinking the same thing as well because she looked at Harry and smiled a beautiful, entrancing smile. Merlin, she was so beautiful.
Get your head in the game Potter! Harry thought suddenly as he snapped his head over to Katara who was leaning a bit over the harness apparently also taking it all in. Harry found himself smiling, what it must be like to see this view from her eyes. Even Aang was oddly silent as they flew over head, circling the castle.
"So, disillusioning time?" Hermione yelled, over the whipping wind.
"Yeah, I think so! All together then." Harry replied, and he, Hermione, and Luna all waved their wands.
Katara watched as they all worked in sync with each other effortlessly and briefly wondered how long it had taken them to learn it all. She was brought back to her early days as a waterbender, how hard it was to make a simple wave. Now, if she wanted, she could control the blood in another human being… effortlessly. Her face fell at the thought. They were three fully realized witches and wizard. What had she become?
They all finished their spells and Aang found it strange that he could still see Appa. "Did it work?" He yelled, yet his voice sounded oddly loud for a person rushing through the air, in fact it felt like there was no wind at all.
Hermione smiled. "I altered the spell a bit. Harry, Luna, and I once had to fly on creatures that were invisible and it was bloody terrifying. So I made it so that WE could see Appa, but the outside world can't. Just reach your hand outside the harness and you'll see what I mean."
Hermione was briefly brought back to the first day of the year as the carriages pulled up. Most of the underclassmen hopped in without a care, but Hermione, Ron, probably Draco, as well as most of the of seventh year class balked in horror. They could finally see the thestrals, they had all wanted so desperately to see what they looked like when Hagrid had introduced them to the animals during Care of Magical creatures, but on that day Hermione wished more than anything that she couldn't see them, not because of their appearance but because of what they all had to lose to see it.
Skeptically, Katara slowly reached out and saw her hand gradually disappear into thin air. She snapped her hand back and slowly examined it. It was her hand alright. "Wow…" was all Katara could say as she stared on.
"I also threw on an atmospheric charm." Harry chimed in. "Ya know, so the wind won't make us deaf and freezing."
Aang was quiet for a moment. "Like…like you did in your dorm room when I went into the Avatar state-" Aang quickly shut his mouth and bowed his head out of shame.
Harry seemed to see his embarrassment because he quickly changed the subject. "Look! The Hogwarts Express! Right on time!" He said, pointing down at the scarlet red train as it left out of Hogwarts station.
"How…how's it goin forward? Magic?" Katara asked, momentarily mesmerized by the speed of it.
Hermione was thoughtful for a moment. "Yes, I suppose it does. But muggles have trains too. They run on coal or electricity." When Hermione looked up and saw Katara and Aang's bemused faces, she gave up on any more explanations. "Yes, it's magic."
"Looks like something Azula once chased us in…" Aang said looking genuinely pensive.
Finally, Harry allowed himself to relax a bit. The animal really had amazing control, the ride was smooth. "So Hermione, do your parents know about this bloody righteous party you're planning to throw?"
Hermione pursed her lips. "Well…not exactly. But I figure I have some time before the date to ween them into the idea, plus they have always wanted to meet my friends…"
Harry laughed. "Yes, I'm sure this is exactly what they meant…you know, I've never been to your house before."
Hermione sighed, "Yes I know, I meant to bring you sooner but seeing as how the last couple of years of our lives have been rather dangerous…we seemed to spend all our time at the Burrow just so it wouldn't be COMPLETELY easy for Voldemort to kill us…only Ginny has ever been over. You know how she just likes to…show up. She took a real liking to our T.V."
"Yea, I know what you mean." Harry said and all was solemnly quiet for a moment.
"Well, I know Daddy will be delighted to see you all again. If not a little ashamed. I gave him a good talking to when I came home!" Luna said, and for the first time she sounded legitimately stern.
"It's ok Luna, if you had been my daughter I would have done the same." Harry said, Hermione nodded vigorously in agreement.
And then it hit Harry. Luna... LUNA, ALUITIOUS LOVEGOOD! "Luna! HOW DID YOUR GRANDFATHER KNOW ABOUT THE AIRBENDERS?" Harry blurted out, he had hoped to breach this conversation delicately instead of practically screaming at her. And out of thin air, Aang was suddenly sitting with them on the Harness, Appa's attention rapt with the steaming Hogwarts express.
"Yea!" Aang continued lamely.
Luna smiled. "Well I tried to explain, but Hermione had so many questions about other things that I thought I would just wait until she was done. Nargles can make things so confusing." Luna continued, looking apologetically at Hermione, who in turn, had the decency to look a little ashamed of herself.
"Poppy puff-that's what I always called him-" Luna started, Harry and Aang smirked at each other. She continued, "He studied them extensively. He used to say that they were almost magical. Very good senses of humor." Luna said smiling, staring at a passing cloud that seemed to drag against whatever invisible bubble Team Potter had cast.
"But how?" Aang started. "How did he get there?"
Luna was quiet for a moment, apparently still lost in the clouds. Finally she spoke, "He didn't really get into it. I was only 4, after all. But Daddy would probably know." Luna said, finally looking at them with that smile.
Harry swallowed hard. "Luna, PLEASE tell me we can visit you at The Rook."
"The what?" Luna said, ignorant of the new nickname that Ron had bestowed on the place. "Well of course Harry, weren't you coming anyway?"
Actually, Harry really was planning on coming, he and Hermione had agreed upon it ages ago. "Er…yea, I guess so."
"Lovely!" Luna said excitedly, and Harry briefly wondered if Luna was still a bit scared that they didn't want to be her friend seeing as how she had spent so long without any.
"And you'll come to the burrow right? And my parents?" Hermione said warmly.
"Don't forget Grimmauld Place." Harry continued. "You're one of our best friends, Luna."
"And the Southern Air Temple!" Aang chimed in, so swept up in the warm solidarity and professions of friendship, that he had briefly forgotten the Air Temple didn't exist in this world.
"Oh, I've always wanted to see the Air Temple!" Luna said, and yet she looked close to crying, the kindness of their words seemed to have gotten to her. "I've only ever seen it in the pictures…"
"Wait…pictures?" Harry said, and Katara's eyes grew incredibly wide.
"Well of course! Oh but you'll see them when you get to my house! Daddy keeps them in his room along with some of Poppy puff's old things, papers, pictures, you know sentimental things." Luna declared warmly.
Hermione was pensive, she would very much like to look at these sentimental things, something told her there was more there than some family heirlooms. "We'd love to Luna."
"And we'll fish for blimpies!" Luna said excitedly and I think I will make a few additions to my mural…" And then Luna was looking at Aang and Katara, who looked at her confusedly. But Harry and Hermione knew better, they knew exactly what mural she was talking about. Friends.
"Blimpies? That sounds brilliant Luna." Harry replied, and for the first time in his life, he wasn't just accepting it.
He genuinely couldn't wait to catch a few blimpies with his friend Luna Lovegood.
…
Sokka, Ron, Toph, Draco, Zuko, Ginny, and Neville walked along the corridor of the Hogwarts express looking for an empty room. Yet, they seemed to be having a hard time finding one.
"Bloody Hell." Ron said annoyed. "You'd think some war heroes could find a seat."
"Or a really handsome man." Sokka continued thoughtfully.
Draco rolled his eyes.
And then they came up on a little second year standing sadly outside of a particular car room.
"Yea right, like we want YOU to sit with us!" A voice said from within the car. "You're so pathetic. You have no friends, no one likes you. What makes you think we would want to be around you?"
And then another child spoke, "We don't sit with losers. No one gives a fuck about you. Do yourself a favor and just claim to be a muggle and join them. Be worthless." The voice said with the air of a child who thought that it was impressive to use curse words before slamming the door on him. Children.
The boy stood, momentarily shocked. Then, his face fell.
"Oi, kid!" Ron yelled, and the second year turned abruptly, then his eyes widened as he saw that Ron Weasley was talking to him. He didn't answer.
"Alright?" Ron said. He gazed at the kid, and was momentarily surprised as he realized he had seen the kid several times before. He was a small guy, thin but not underfed, with hair that reminded him of a tree trunk. He had the starkest blue eyes that could rival Sokka himself. But the reason Ron had known who he was? He was the very same second year that had delivered the message to Team Potter to go see McGonagall the day she let them know that she knew Team Avatar was at Hogwarts. The very same second year that had challenged him for seeker at the Quidditch try-outs, the only one good enough to go one on one with him. The child had failed of course, but it was clearly because he was so easily startled. Ron had recognized him on occasion since then, and had learned that the kid was picked on constantly and usually abruptly. Ron had seen it several times in the corridors and in Gryffindor Tower. He was easily startled because people were so mean to him.
The kid sort of mumbled and looked at the ground. Ron walked up to him and the kid turned blood red.
"I'm Ron."
"Weasley." The kid finished quietly, staring at the ground.
"Just call me Ron." Ron replied kindly.
The kid took a deep breath and finally looked up at Ron. This did not alleviate his discomfort.
"What's going on?" Ron said, resting his hand on the kid's shoulder. The kid's head slowly turned to Ron's hand and he stared at it, mouth agape.
"Come on, out with it." Ron said gently.
"I've got nowhere to sit." The kid said still staring at Ron's hand.
"What's your name?" Ron said.
"Liddry." The kid replied shortly.
And then Sokka stepped forward. "Well that doesn't seem very fair. Let the kid sit!"
"Excuse me Wang, but don't you distrust chairs?" Toph replied smirking, Sokka ignored her.
Liddry looked up and saw that Wang Fire was speaking to him, THE Wang Fire.
"I think it's quite mean." Ginny said, and she was briefly brought back to Luna and her ostracism.
Liddry's eyes spun in his head, before him was Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, THE Wang Fire, Draco Malfoy, and Melone Lordaye "The Potion Monster" as she had come to be known. Most of the most popular, famous, feared, and powerful people in school. How was this happening to him?
"Well, Liddry, it would seem that we can't find a seat either." Ron said, and Liddry looked at him confusedly but still with Awe.
"I think I can fix that." Draco said.
"What are you playing at Malfoy?" Ron said.
"Weasley, those kids…are bullies. I KNOW bullies. And they respond to fear." And Draco looked over to Toph and smiled almost evilly. "Tophhhh…Uh, Melone, if you would lend me a hand?"
"I'd like that Malfoy. Very much." Toph said.
"Wha…" Ron said as Toph and Malfoy passed him heading to the car that had just slammed it's door on Liddry.
Draco threw the door open and saw several silly second years laughing. Their laughs turned to horror when they saw Draco Malfoy standing before them, their horror heightened when they Melone Lorday at his side. The scariest people in Hogwarts.
Draco gave a sweeping look around the dead silent room. Toph smirked, leaning against the door.
"Get out." Draco said, looking at the now terrified second years with penetrating steel gray eyes.
Finally, one of them got the courage to speak. "I'm…I'm sorry?"
Toph noticed the voice at once as the one that declared, only moment ago, "We don't sit with losers...just claim to be a muggle, be worthless..." This child, who was a GRYFFINDOR, said. Sometimes we sort too soon.
And then she stepped into the car, "Of course, I can always MAKE you move." Toph said. She had to be about the same age as them, and yet she seemed FAR more prominent and terrifying.
"Ms. Weasley!" Draco called, and then Ginny entered the car looking calm and formidable. The kids flinched as she entered.
Draco turned his eyes on the cruel second years. "Ms. Weasley noticed you like to pick on people. She is not amused." He finished shortly, crossing his arms and smirking in a terrifying manner.
The kids looked around. All looking at one student who apparently was the ring leader. He spoke, "Pick on…" and then out of the corner of his eye he saw Liddry peeking into the car nervously. "Liddry? But…but who cares about him? He's nobody. You guys, you're somebody, you're awesome!" The kid replied in a weak attempt to suck up. It became obvious that they were pre-teens. So obsessed with being cool, with being seen by cool kids. "Come join us!" And the leader quickly shoo'ed the person sitting next to him to sit on the floor then grandly gestured for Ginny to sit next to him. It was all very middle school.
And then Ron Weasley walked into the car (and every bully gasped) and walked toward the seat that the ring leader had cleared. The child looked at him with a kind of excitement that was almost embarrassing.
Ron bent down to the child. "My best friend is muggle born." Ron said with a kind of steady, quiet voice that was terrifying. "They are not worthless."
And then Draco ended it. "I thought I told you to get out. Shall I sic Ms. Weasley on you? I'm sure you've read about her in your textbook. She took on Bellatrix Lestrange you know. But I'm sure you can take her, after all, you JUST learned Wingardium leviosa." And as Draco said it, he waved his wand and one of the bullies started floating in the air, grippingly futility at the air.
"Ok, ok we'll leave!" The bully yelled.
Draco let him down immediately, and the bullies ran out of the car, giving a wide birth to Liddry, their victim. They stood halfway down the hall staring at him in bitterness. And then Team Avapotter walked into the car and Liddry was left outside, staring at his enemies.
"Oi! Liddry, you coming?" Ron yelled as he popped his head out the door.
"Uh…" Liddry said, and Ron grabbed him and brought him inside, smiling menacingly at the second year bullies who quickly retreated at the sight of him.
Team Avapotter sat but the room was a bit cramped. Not only were there 7 people in this room, but they were all mostly fully grown young adults. This would not do. Ron looked around examining the situation. "Hmm, I think I've got an idea." He said before waving his wand in a complex matter. Suddenly the room seemed spacious, it grew, stretched and transformed into a comfortable space for such a large number of people.
Sokka straight up dropped his luggage (consisting of a suitcase full of food and air) and his mouth was agape. "But…I… room…big…Unagi…"
Ron noticing Liddry staring curiously at Sokka quickly explained, "Haha! Very funny Wang, like you don't know what a-"
"Undetectable extension charm." And the room spun around to look at Liddry, who then turned blood red, had he just spoke?
"Um…right." Ron said. "How did you know that?"
And suddenly Liddry looked at the ground. "My…Charms textbook."
Ron looked at him scrutinizingly. "That wasn't in my second year charms book. You're a second year aren't you? I've seen you around the Tower."
Liddry looked pale as if the idea of Ron Weasley recognizing him was too much to bear. "Yes, Mr. Weasley…and no. Not in the second year edition…in …in the seventh year edition."
"Seventh year?" Ginny said. "You're reading the seventh year edition?"
"Yes, Ms. Weasley. I…like to read." Liddry said, now staring at the floor for dear life.
Neville chuckled. "You remind me of Hermione."
And then the room was a little uncomfortable as Ron and Ginny flopped down in their seats.
"Ms. Granger? No…not me Mr. Longbottom." Liddry said, still standing by the door as if unsure whether he was supposed to enter.
Sokka strode up to the boy and draped his arm around him. Liddry flinched. "Liddry! It's Liddry right! Ya gotta stop with the Mr., Ms., Sir, thing you're doing. You're making me feel old!"
Sorry sir…uh Mr. Fire…um …" Liddry said.
Sokka guided him, somewhat forcibly, to a seat between him and Ron. "The name's Wang. That's Ron, Ginny, Melone, Lee, and Draco."
"You can call me Mr. Malfoy." Draco said and Toph hit him.
"So! How old are you Liddry, what's your story?" Sokka said, reaching for his suitcase he pulled out a soggy sausage. Everyone in the room looked at him in a disgusted manner…except Ron. Sokka looked around then gasped slightly, "Oh but where are my manners! You want some sausage?"
"I'm 12 sir. Almost 13." Liddry said, staring at the sausage in a disgusted manner.
"Oh yea? Like Melone?" Wang said.
"But…but isn't Ms. Lordaye a seventh year?" Liddry said, looking at Toph like he had never seen her before.
Everyone in the room's eyes widened in horror. Sokka had blown their cover. Damn that Sokka! Damn him and his luggage sausages!
"I'm an advanced student." Toph said, as if nothing were weird, usually she was terrible at coming up with on the spot cover stories, even her Earthbending fighter persona had been meticulously planned out before she stepped in the ring.
Ginny chimed in, "Yup! In France, she's a prodigy…that's why she was chosen to come to Hogwarts in the…" Ginny sighed in irritation. "…exchange program."
Liddry looked skeptical for a moment. Then nodded his head slowly.
"You seem like a smart bloke Liddry." Ron said, quickly changing the subject. "What are you doin' playin Quidditch. I reckon a bright kid like you would be in the Library…changing the world or something. Not goin' one on one with me on the Quidditch field."
Toph rolled her eyes.
"Merlin Weasley…" Draco muttered under his breath.
Liddry spoke up. "My Dad taught me… sort of. He loved Quidditch. He used to take me to Chudley Cannons games when I was young."
"Merlin! A Cannon's man!" Ron said and then Ron pulled the top of his pants down to reveal his Chudley Cannon's kegs.
Draco and Zuko literally snorted out loud. Ginny and Toph laughed outrageously. Even Liddry chuckled a little but was appreciative of the gesture all the same.
"Outstanding…" Sokka said through his laughter.
"Well, excuse me if no one has the kind of Quidditch loyalty that I have." Ron said stretching his legs.
"THAT is loyalty, flashing your knickers to a relative stranger," Liddry said and then he turned ghost white as he realized what he just said and who he just said it to, did he just sass Ron Weasley?
The room was dead quiet for a bit and then both Ginny and Draco burst into laughter, followed by Toph, and finally Ron and the rest.
Sokka was doubled over laughing, "This kid is the BEST! Please, have some sausage!"
"Forget that, we'll wait for the sweets lady, I owe this kid a chocolate frog!" Ron announced boisterously.
"Sweets lady?" Sokka said confused.
"Right, you must not have those…where you come from." Ron said hastily. "She comes round with the trolly, you know, with chocolate and candy and such."
Sokka looked dumbfounded for a moment. "Let me get this straight…there is a woman…who delivers chocolate…TO you." And then Sokka turned suddenly to Ron and Liddry. "Let us never leave this place."
"Hogwarts?" Neville questioned.
"No! The Hogwarts Express!" Sokka said.
And there was laughter all around. Even Liddry laughed and then the attention was brought back to him.
"So Liddry, what will you be doing over Christmas Holiday?" Ron asked, picking a sausage out of Sokka's disgusting food suitcase.
Then Liddry's face fell and he was quiet for a moment. "I'll…be seeing my mum."
"Oh yea? Will she be fetching you from the station then?" Ginny said as she popped an issue of 'The Quibbler' out of her suitcase. She scrutinized the title before reading aloud: "How much do you know about the Rumple-Horned Snorkack'…Well I reckon I'm about to find out." And she flipped open the magazine and started to read.
But Liddry looked suddenly stricken. "I'll…be taking the floo."
"Oh, is she unable to make it? Planning a big welcome home party for you then?" Neville said, leaning around Ginny to, also, test his knowledge of Rumple-Horn Snorkacks.
"No." Liddry said shortly.
And then Sokka and Toph looked at him. The boy looked heavy.
"…Liddry?" Sokka said.
"She's…at St. Mungo's. She…uh…she was just released from….she's not well." Liddry said.
They all looked at Liddry, Ginny almost dropping her Quibbler upon hearing this boy speak. The odd thing was he didn't sound heartbroken or sad, as you would expect a child to be. He just seemed…resolved.
And suddenly Neville looked at him and it was a long, painful, searching gaze. The gaze of a man who understood. "Was just released from where." Neville said, it wasn't a question.
"Azkaban." Liddry looked momentarily shocked as he said it, he had no idea why he was telling them this. He had not told anyone, but something about Neville's eyes made him feel safe. "She's a muggle. My Dad too. My parents adopted me when I was a baby, Professor Dumbledore came to our home and told them what I was when I was very young…they raised me like a wizard ever since. Taking me to Quidditch games, to Diagon Alley…with Professor Dumbledore's help of course." Liddry chuckled a bit. "My father loved Quidditch, he used to say it was like futbol…but with flying, he tried to teach me as best he could, as best as a muggle could. My mother used to read 'A History of Magic' to me every night before I went to bed, she said it was important to learn my heritage."
"Oh Gods. I…I thought muggle borns weren't told about their magical heritage until they were 11…" Ron said quietly. Draco looked at the ground, so much shame.
"Yea, usually. I suppose Dumbledore had his reasons…" Liddry finished pensively, Ron and Ginny snuck glances at each other. Dumbledore and his reasons.
"In any case…my parents faked my family tree with the help of our wizard neighbors once Voldemort came to power, I don't think they fully understood the danger. They were caught and pulled me out of Hogwarts last year during holidays." Liddry said, and he looked up at Neville almost defiantly.
They all looked at him. He said Voldemort's name, he said it without hesitation or fear.
Neville was quiet for a moment. Staring at the boy. "Where is your father, Liddry?"
"Neville!" Ginny said. It was not his place, it was not any of their places. Why was Neville doing this to the kid!
But the boy didn't look upset, no, he looked…alarmingly adamant…sadly proud. "He's dead. Deatheaters killed him. He was trying to help my mother and I escape…when they came for us…for me. They had hidden me but… they killed my father and imprisoned my mother when they wouldn't give me up…they said they wanted her to feel what it was like to cross REAL wizards."
Neville looked intently at the boy. "Your mother and father were very brave. VERY brave."
"I know." Liddry said staring Neville right in the eye.
"My parents are in Saint Mungo's, maybe I'll see you there. I'm visiting them as well. With my gran, tomorrow." Neville said.
"Maybe I'll see you." Liddry said quietly, for he knew the story of Neville Longbottom's parents, indeed, his story was history now. Kindred spirits.
"In the meantime, maybe we'll see you at Hermione's party?" Ron said.
"Yea, maybe." Liddry said, and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face.
"Definitely." Ginny confirmed smiling.
"ANYTHING FROM THE TROLLEY!"
Sokka's head turned abruptly and then he looked back at the gang who looked at him like he was an insensitive goon from moronland.
"What?" Sokka said, but he had the decency to look ashamed of himself.
"Liddry, I believe I owe you a chocolate frog." Ron said, getting up and heading for the door being violently followed by Sokka.
The rest of the train ride was filled with stories of the last year. Happy and sad. Of all the things they had gained and lost. Of Rumple Horned Snorkacks. Watching Liddry perform spells that were rather surprising for his age, culminating in a game they had dubbed 'Try to Stump Liddry'. There was laughter, poignant silences, gentle stares, one armed embraces. All the words and mannerisms of people that had seen hell, knew true hell, and were still carrying on.
And for the first time since he started at Hogwarts, Liddry felt like he had friends, even if only for a moment. And what Sokka had said seemed to echo in the back of his mind: Let us never leave this place.
…
They were approaching King's Cross station and Team Avapotter watched from the Vantage point of Air Appa. Harry perked up, he had never seen what it looked like to enter King's Cross from this vantage point. But from what Harry could see, the train was heading straight for a brick wall from the back of the ornate building where there also happened to be no other train tracks. This did not go unnoticed by Team Avatar.
"They're…they're gonna crash!" Aang said and he hopped up as if he was planning to do some kind of last minute bending to try to save the Hogwarts express.
"Shhh." Luna said serenely and just as she said it the Hogwarts Express disappeared into some kind of invisible barrier that seemed to make the world around it reverberate.
"Huh." Harry said with a look of a person who just had a question answered that they never knew they were thinking about.
Katara turned to Hermione, mouth agape. Hermione simply shrugged, "Magic." Hermione said. "You know, I should get you a copy of Hogwarts: A History." She finished thoughtfully.
"Er…" Aang said, still staring at the wall the Hogwarts Express had disappeared into. "Where to now?"
"West." Luna said serenely, pointing towards downtown London. Everyone just accepted it. You just gotta accept it.
And soon the gang was flying through downtown London and Team Avatar looked at it in awe. The buildings were huge, far more elaborate that even Ba Sing Se. There were crazy contraptions buzzing all about.
"What?..." Aang said.
As if Harry knew what he was asking he answered, "Cars…it's like how muggles get around town. What do you guys use to get around, other than Appa?"
"Horsebirds mostly, kind of like that thing we bowed to in the Dark Forest… although the Firenation has been inventing these machines that look kind of like that." Aang said pensively.
"Well, we have…horses, but no one in the muggle world has used them in ages. The magical world uses horses from time to time…" Hermione said, and suddenly her eyes flew wide. "LOOK OUT!"
Aang's attention snapped forward and he saw some kind of giant flying metal animal coming towards them. He reeled Appa hard to the right, barely missing it by inches.
"WHAT WAS THAT!" Aang yelled.
"Aeroplank." Luna said, smiling at the machine as it flew to a nearby airport.
"Airplane." Hermione corrected.
"No. I don't think so." Luna said smiling brightly.
Hermione sighed. She just accepted it. You just gotta accept it. "It's another way muggles get around. Like if they have to go really far distances."
"Yea, think of them like the muggle versions of Appa." Harry said smiling as his heartbeat returned back to normal after their near crash.
"Hmm…muggle versions of Appa." Aang said dreamily.
"I don't know why the wizarding world rags on Muggles so much. They seem pretty smart, after all, they seem to have everything the wizarding world has and they didn't even have the help of magic." Katara said.
"That's what Daddy says." Luna chimed in. "He said that if Wizards ever REALLY fought with Muggles, the Muggles would probably win…in the long run. They are better at adapting."
And then there was a poignant, pensive silence as they thought about the gravity of what Luna just said. It was so strange because Luna had a point. A sane, logical point. Wow.
And soon the bustle of downtown London was fading and the country side came into view and for the rest of the ride there was silence. The silence that comes with being able to take in the beautiful English countryside. The rolling snowy hills dotted with beautiful little cottages. Wooden fences and little barns. It wasn't the city, it wasn't the suburbs, it was natural, universal. A world that Team Avatar could understand and Team Potter could appreciate. It was the epitome of beautiful silence.
And suddenly, Harry realized that Luna had been right. This WAS good for him, he needed a little sun, a serene aerial tour of the London countryside was definitely what he needed. Luna was right, really, she was right far more often than not. She was right about flying on Appa, she was right about which direction to get to Ron's house, she was right about Team Avatar not being 'exchange students.' Harry should probably have realized this sooner but…Luna was a Ravenclaw for a reason.
"The Burrow!" Luna said suddenly and the gang turned to see it coming into view. The lake, the apple orchard, the impossibly crooked, impossibly perfect home of the Weasleys.
Appa turned for his descent and flew around the house before landing gently in the back yard. The chickens were not amused.
Aang hopped off Appa and took a look around. The grounds of the Weasley estate were actually rather beautiful. Then he saw the house and his mouth fell open. It didn't make any sense. It was leaning. It looked like several houses that were haphazardly slapped together. He couldn't let Katara go in that place. He turned to Harry as he slid down Appa's tail and looked at him with the expression that was akin to: "ARE YOU SERIOUS?"
"Magic!" Harry said, the word was starting to turn into a catch-all explanation for any question.
Aang looked at him skeptically before catching something out the side of his eye. A tiny little thing running through the bushes…about the same size as Harry's hip hop chain. Then Aang finally saw it, a tiny little man…or woman? It was definitely something. Giant head, threatening sneer. Aang arched an eyebrow. "What is that?"
Harry looked over to where Aang was staring and saw what he was confused about. "Oh, that's a gnome. Kind of like a pest, eats your crops and such."
Aang looked at him confusedly, "What?"
"Yea, you just spin 'em around really fast and toss em." Harry said nonchalantly.
"WHAT?" Aang said.
"Harry, we should change before the Weasley's get home. I don't think Molly would appreciate these jeans." Hermione said.
Harry shrugged and they walked off towards the Burrow. Leaving Aang screaming "WHAT DO YOU DO TO THE GNOMES!" in their wake.
It was good to be home.
…
Ron walked off the Hogwarts express looking like Ron. Having, somewhat manically, changed his clothes on the train ride and charmed his head back to normal. Neville separated from the Gang heading towards his awesome grandmother and her fantastic vulture hat. Liddry left quietly, heading toward the Floo terminals of platform 9 ¾. Sokka briefly looked around for him before turning to see a sudden sea of red headed giants.
"Gee…I wonder which family is yours." Sokka said in an astonished monotone.
Molly waved enthusiastically as she watched her son and daughter exit the Express and then looked less certain as she saw who was with them. She had been told, of course, that they would be bringing guests to stay, she had made room for them as best she could. But upon seeing them…she had some concerns.
Molly immediately rushed up to the children and went straight for Toph. "Goodness dear! Haven't they been feeding you at that school? Look at them Arthur! They come as guests and we STARVE them!" Molly announced, pinching Toph's cheeks as she gave her a once over.
"um…what's happening?" Toph whispered as Molly inspected her a bit too closely. She took half a stance.
"Well, that settles it; dinner will have to be served a bit earlier than usual. Poor thing is absolutely pale!" Molly said, more talking to herself than anyone else.
Sokka kneeled into Ron. "Psst. Ron…your mom's awesome." He whispered as a smile slithered across his face.
"Molly dear. Maybe we should introduce ourselves?" Arthur Weasley said, his face slightly red.
"Of course, of course. Well, Ron said you were coming! Where is Harry?" Molly said, looking around enthusiastically before shooting Ron a tiny glare, an obvious reminder that she hadn't forgotten his letter. Ron blushed.
"Uhhhh…" Ron said.
"He had to run off to Grimmauld place. He said he was terribly sorry and would see you when we got back to the Burrow." Ginny said automatically. "The rest of our guests are with him."
Molly arched an eyebrow. "He…Grimmald Place? Why?" And, again, she shot a glare at Ron.
"He said he wanted to…show our guests the home of his Godfather. He was rather excited about it. You know how it is mum, new people from a different place, you want to show them everything!"
"Immediately!" Ron chimed in.
Molly did not look convinced. Luckily, Arthur stepped in. "Well! We'll see them when they get to the Burrow. My name is Arthur, this is my wife Molly, our sons Bill and Charlie, Bill's wife Fleur, mummy to be. We'll all be having dinner at the burrow tonight, our other son George will be joining us later." Arthur became oddly silent after that last statement and the family looked around uncomfortably.
As always in these situations, Sokka spoke, "How ya doin! Wang Fire. Nice to meet you. Thanks for putting us up! And feeding us…just to be clear, THANKS FOR FEEDING US-" Sokka was abruptly elbowed in the ribs by Ron.
Molly seemed not to notice, she was already in hospitality mode. "Not a problem at all dear, any friend of Ron is more than welcome! Come on then, Arthur has procured us a car. Off we go!"
Somewhere across the platform, Draco and Zuko were pulling their bags off the Hogwarts Express.
"What could you possibly be carrying in that bag?" Draco said. "You have one set of clothes."
"Mostly swords and tea." Zuko said.
Draco reeled back a bit. "Erm…bloody hell I miss house elves. Bags are heavy."
"Right servants. Yea, I get that. I have droves of them back home. I PAY them of course." Zuko said, smirking at Draco.
Draco ignored him. "Mum says we'll be taking the Floo." Draco's face fell, she or his father usually met him or at least sent an elf. This was demeaning, at least to him. "Come on then."
…
The Weasley gang plus Team Avatar walked out to the front of King's Cross.
"Ah! Here we are." Molly said pointing at the ONE black town car provided by the ministry.
"What…" Sokka started when he was interrupted by Ron.
"Magic. Watch." Ron said quietly and one by one each Weasley got into the car, leaving Sokka, Ron, and Toph standing outside of it.
But it would seem that Ron had partially misunderstood Sokka's confusion. Sokka and Toph had never seen a car before.
"Trust me!" Ron said, grabbing Sokka's arm, who in turn grabbed Toph's arm and they all toppled into the car. Sokka looked up, it was HUGE. The THING he was riding in was HUGE. But the outside wasn't huge. He wasn't sure why he was surprised, he had JUST SEEN this happen on the express, another piece of technology he was only vaguely familiar with. And yet he was astonished, as if walking through that WALL on the platform wasn't enough, he was now riding in some kind of super contraption. If the mechanist could see this thing he'd probably shit his pants.
And then they were off and Sokka found himself gripping onto the seat for dear life.
"Marvelous, isn't it? I love cars!" Arthur said excitedly. "Muggles are so brilliant."
But Sokka wasn't paying attention to Arthur, he was paying attention to the front window and what seemed to be another contraption straight ahead of them that their contraption was about to barrel into. But just as Sokka was about to yell, the car narrowed, easily squeezing past the contraption and several more contraptions. The street was full of contraptions and yet their contraption seemed just squeezing between them. But they were all still alive, not crushed. They should be crushed. Sokka slowly turned his head to Ron, who shrugged and mouthed 'magic'.
Now Sokka had been seeing magic for months, in the controlled confounds of a classroom, at a secluded castle, but seeing it out in the real world, squeezing by 'cars' whose occupants seemed to not notice this anomaly in the slightest, he finally realized how truly powerful magic really was. He slowly turned his head to Toph, who was lounging in her seat staring up at the ceiling. Damn that Toph.
"Damn you Toph." Sokka whispered and Toph looked at him bemusedly.
"I'm sorry dear I didn't catch your name." Molly said kindly to Toph.
She didn't notice and Sokka nudged her slightly.
"What!" Toph said to Sokka, glaring at him.
"The nice lady asked what your name is," Sokka said in an uncomfortably sweet voice. "Aren't you going to answer her."
Toph blinked and looked over to Molly. She blanked. She hated these on the spot conversational moments, it was always hit or miss with her. "Er…"
"Melone!" Ginny said, coming to her rescue.
"Right…" Toph said quietly. "Melone Lordaye."
"Where abouts are you from?" Charlie asked casually.
"France! Melone is from France!" Sokka said excitedly, pleased with himself for remembering the backstory.
The Weasleys looked at him confusedly.
"Oh…France…well that sound lovely!" Molly said, recovering quickly from Sokka sudden excited proclamation. "And you dear? Where are you from?
"He's an Eskimo." Ron said with a smirk on his face.
"Oh…" Molly said, unsure what to say next. She soldiered on, "Well…that must be fascinating. Is it cold…up there?" Molly rolled her eyes at herself.
"What?" Sokka said.
"Is it cold where you're from? The North Pole." Ron continued smirking.
"Yea…I suppose The North Pole is a pretty cold place…"
"The North Pole? I never knew people LIVED up there…" Arthur said, fascinated.
Ginny cut in. "Well, magic helps. Wang comes from an all magic tribe at the…North Pole…"
Sokka looked around quickly. There was a North Pole in this world?
Molly continued. "Melone, you must tell us about your family, living in France, you must be so cultured!"
Toph looked down at the floor. Cultured…Her family. "Yea, you could say that. High society…"
"Oh!" Molly said and she unconsciously found herself straightening out her clothes. "That must be lovely!"
Toph exhaled, then chuckled. "I dunno, I'd say those people are about as cold as the North Pole…"
The Weasleys smiled.
"Can't say we're much of the high society types either," Bill said smirking, he looked over at Ron, "Word around town is your hanging out with Draco "High Society" Malfoy."
The family looked at Ron and Ginny, scrutinizing them. Sokka smiled obliviously.
Ron nor Ginny had no idea what to say. Luckily Molly stepped in. "Draco's just a boy." She whispered. "Imagine what he's been through.
"Are you kidding Mum?" Charlie said indignantly. "You do realize you killed his insane Aunt, who tried to kill YOUR daughter!"
"Honestly, Mum, how can you stick up for Malfoy!" Bill continued.
Molly turned red, her eyes watery.
Arthur turned red as well, but for a different reason.
"You mind your tongue when you speak to your mother!" Arthur said.
"But Dad…" Bill started.
"You heard what I said Bill!" Arthur interrupted. "I think your mother knows a little more about what children go through than either of you! Narcissa Malfoy saved Harry's life! You all know what Lucius just did for the Ministry! Imagine living with Voldemort, imagine what it's like to betray him in that situation! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT'S LIKE FOR A TEENAGE BOY! YOU HAVE NO IDEA!"
Ron cocked his head in confusion. What had Lucius done?
"So we should just forget what that family has done? We didn't bow down to Voldemort, we didn't do his bidding! Are we just supposed to say, oh poor Draco, how very HARD IT MUST HAVE BEEN! POOR NARCISSA, POOR LUCIUS? LUCIUS! " Charlie yelled.
"Why can't you understand that the situation is intricate? Why can't you understand that there is more to this situation than the events of last year?"
"Events… Is that what they were?" Charlies said bitterly.
Arthur groaned. "I don't ask you to forget. Your mother and I just ask you to try and understand. Bill, Charlie, we have already had this argument and I tolerate it but If I ever hear you raise your voice to your mother again, you WILL answer to me." Arthur concluded authoritatively and his older sons looked away from him bitterly.
Sokka looked around uncomfortably. "I have no idea what's happening." He whispered to Ron. Funny thing was, neither did Ron.
Actions had transpired and Ron, who was instrumental in bringing down the greatest threat to the wizarding world, wasn't aware of them.
Molly coughed uncomfortably. "I apologize, just a little family scuffle."
"What did Lucius do for the Ministry?" Ron asked in a deadpan voice.
"You haven't heard? It's been all over the Prophet." Arthur said.
The Prophet…Ron hadn't read the paper in ages, indeed, none of them had. Too wrapped up in their own problems to pay attention to the mundane happenings of the Wizarding world.
"Well…" Arthur launched into the happenings at the ministry and Ron's jaw dropped. It would seem that Draco and Zuko were about to have a very interesting Christmas.
Very interesting.
Author's Note. Hey Kids. So, new year, new chapter. I see alot of you asking me to update this sooner. I understand your frustration but frankly I'm goin through some difficult stuff right now and I just can't get the motivation to want to write. I'm tryin to shake myself out of it but it's not goin so great. Hopefully, the next chapter will be up sooner. A couple things: 1) Yes, this is a filler chapter, people want me to show Team Avapotter bumbling around in situations they don't understand, so thats just what the next 2 or so chapters will do. 2) Liddry, is a character that I inserted into my story at the request of fanfiction user "Liddry" (Check out his page and yes the user and the character have the same name so this next little bit will be confusing lol), Liddry is an OC from User "Liddry's" stories which are mostly crossovers of Avatar and Lord of the Rings. He will be an interesting minor character I think. 3) My fanboy Grifhulhu has returned and I couldn't be happier with his ever inspiring reviews, also big BIG shoutouts to Dark Lord Morthanian for the thorough, thoughtful review and the ensuing PM convo, stuff like that keeps me writing this. As always, thanks to my beta Kate, for being Beta-tastic. Anywhoozles, thoughts? Concerns? Puppies? Leave a little review, I see alot of you favoriting and following, which is cool, but maybe just a little bitty review? Haha, no pressure though, do whatever you want. Ok, enough messing around, I'm supposed to be working right now. I'll prolly get started on the next chapter today, lotta down time at work currently. Alright, Later kids.