Harry woke up the next morning to Mrs Figg demanding that he get started on his morning workout. Harry complied with a grumble and got to work.
When breakfast came around he'd hoped to see Remus but it looked like the man hadn't returned just yet. Harry and Luna ate and Harry told her and Mrs Figg what his visit to Azkaban has been like.
He spared no detail and Mrs Figg beamed at him when he explained how he'd convinced the guard to let him and Remus visit Sirius.
"You should follow through on your threat and contact Madam Bones," Mrs Figg said. "She'll appreciate you informing her of the situation and it never hurts to have the DMLE as an ally."
Harry agreed and saw the value in forming a positive relationship with the woman. He wanted to be careful though.
"Can you tell me anything about her that will help?" He asked.
Mrs Figg nodded and replied, "She's a model Hufflepuff. She earned her position the old fashioned way… hard work. She's held onto it by being extraordinarily fair."
Harry nodded.
"I met her once," Luna said. "My father wrote an article about corruption in the magical creatures department… She took daddy's allegations seriously and several people were fired after her investigation." Luna looked like she was trying to remember something. "Her aura was the clearest I've ever seen."
Harry digested the information. Thinking over his approach with the woman.
"Maybe she can help Sirius…" he said before trailing off.
Mrs Figg looked thoughtful and a bit concerned, "She might be able to help later on if she isn't too blunt in her approach. We don't want to tip anyone off or Pettigrew might get word."
That made sense to Harry. Without knowing where the rat was, it was risky to approach anyone for help. Maybe they should have left Dumbledore out of it too… but it was too late now.
Harry sighed. Plotting was challenging. He preferred winging it.
He shared his concerns with Mrs Figg and Luna.
Luna replied first with, "It'll all work out, Harry."
Mrs Figg was silent for a long time before replying, "Pettigrew would be insane to spy on Dumbledore. It would be safer for him to keep a good distance from both groups, but close enough to pick up on any potential change… If he's living as a rat, he'll probably be living as a pet so he'll be kept safe from predators… if I were him I'd pick…"
Mrs Figg was interrupted as Remus walked into the dining area along with an older woman with a stern expression dressed in green robes.
"Minerva…" Mrs Figg said with a look at Remus. "What are you doing here?"
Remus didn't say anything, but he looked a bit guilty to Harry.
"Arabella, I must say I was relieved when Albus told me you were taking over young Harry's care." The woman turned and faced Harry. "I don't know the details, and I won't pry, but Albus has looked exceedingly guilty any time you're brought up."
She held out her hand and he took it into his before bringing it to his lips. "I'm Professor Minerva McGonagal," she said.
"It's nice to meet you, Professor McGonagal."
Professor McGonagal chuckled and said, "I see you're being taught proper pureblood etiquette. Fleamont and Euphemia would be happy about that."
"Mrs Figg has been teaching me," he said simply.
Remus cleared his throat impatiently.
Professor McGonagal simply raised her eyebrow at Remus and then said, "Well I just happened to be there when Remus was visiting with Albus about Sirius… I never could wrap my head around Sirius betraying James. They were practically brothers…"
Harry continued to listen as the woman explained why she was here. Mrs Figg had been telling him about the people he'd meet at Hogwarts the last couple weeks so he knew she was the deputy headmistress and head of Gryffindor house. He also knew from his dad's journals and a few comments from Remus that she was extremely capable and not to be crossed. His dad and the other marauders obviously respected her and valued her opinion of them.
"When Remus told me that they'd become animagi and that Peter was a rat, I recalled that one of my lions has a pet rat that is missing a toe," Professor McGonagal said. "I noticed him during one of my classes."
Harry perked up at this information.
Professor McGonagal continued, "Normally, I wouldn't have thought anything of it but Percy is a very studious student and does well in my class. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get his rat to transfigure into a water goblet."
Harry nodded along with everyone else as they waited for her to complete her story. Harry thought he was beginning to understand that the reason the spell wasn't working was because the rat was really a man already transfigured as a rat. He assumed that complicated things to another level.
"When I went to help young Percy, the rat bit him and scampered off," she finished. "Percy ended up using an extra rat and got the spell correct instantly."
Luna chose that moment to interject, "I remember Ginny telling me that her brother had had a pet rat for as long as she could remember. I didn't think rats lived that long… I thought it must be a puca."
Harry didn't know what a puca was but he guessed it didn't matter. Everything was pointing to the rat actually being Pettigrew. It fit with their assumption that he was living as a rat with his ear to the ground.
Mrs Figg responded next, "I was just brainstorming with Harry that if I were Pettigrew I'd have tried to stay with a wizarding family so I would be safe but could be aware of anything going on in society."
Harry was thinking about how he was going to capture the rat and prove Sirius' innocence. If he could bring Pettigrew to Madam Bones then he'd for sure ensure Sirius' release.
"Remus, you were the planner in the group. How do we capture the rat without him suspecting anything?" Harry asked the old marauder.
Remus turned to him and grinned wickedly before the group started brainstorming. Harry felt his pulse quicken in anticipation, impatient to act.
It had taken several hours to work through the details of the plan. Professor McGonagal stayed for a while before excusing herself back to Hogwarts.
Mrs Figg happily canceled her lessons for Harry and Luna. As a spy, she was a great resource and Remus and her seemed to feed off each other as they discussed strategy.
Luna mostly just listened and observed but she had been to the Weasley's home and was able to describe the layout.
Eventually, Mrs Figg had to leave as well and Luna decided to go read in the library with Hermes.
"Sorry for inviting the professor over without discussing it with you and Mrs Figg first," Remus said when it was just the two of them.
Harry shook his head, "Don't be. It was the right call and in any case I wanted to run something by you…" Harry swallowed nervously, suddenly worried that the man would reject him.
Remus looked at him curiously.
"I was wondering if you'd like to move in permanently… I like having you here and Mrs Figg will need some help with the animals and greenhouses… you can pick any of the rooms…" Harry rambled nervously.
Remus chuckled and said, "Whoa, slow down there."
Harry mumbled an apology. He hated when he lost his composure and started rambling.
"Did you just invite me to move in?" Remus checked.
"Yes," Harry said simply. Determined not to start rambling again.
"And you mentioned something about helping with animals and the greenhouses?" Remus asked.
"Yes," Harry replied, "But only if you don't mind. I could pay you…"
"No, I won't accept payment. Somewhere to live is good enough for me and I'd like to be part of your life, Harry…" Remus looked conflicted. "Are you sure? I mean… with my condition it's not exactly safe."
"Nonsense," Harry said. "I've already asked Mrs Figg to pick up the ingredients for Wolfsbane. Can you brew it?"
"No, Sirius was the potioneer, I'm afraid…" Remus trailed off.
"Good thing he'll be joining us soon then," Harry said simply.
Remus shook his head with a chuckle and then cleared his throat. "There is one other consideration…" he started before taking a sip of tea. "I kind of have a… girlfriend and she has a daughter… they are traveling with a pack but we've always talked about settling down…"
Harry cut him off with a laugh, "They can come too if they want. How old is the girl? Will she join us at Hogwarts?"
"Oh, she's a few years shy of attending Hogwarts. She's a good kid and I think you two will get along just fine." Remus answered.
Harry was musing. Maybe he would be able to pull all of this off with a little bit of help. It was kind of perfect to have people living here in the manor to help take care of things so he could focus on his goals. And it freed up Mrs Figg so she could continue her work with the Guild as well. He trusted Mrs Figg and Remus to keep things running smoothly and maybe even Sirius would want to help too when he got out.
"This is turning out perfectly," Harry said to his father's friend. "I want to start selling magical plants and animal parts to people that need them, but I've not been able to figure out how to do it while I'm away at school… Do you think you and your girlfriend are enough or are there others that you'd trust to hire and live here?"
Remus thought about it for a moment and said, "I think the two of us should be plenty but if it ever gets out of hand I'll let you know. There are other werewolves that need the work but… trust is kind of hard to come by in the werewolf world."
Harry thought about Greyback and his beliefs. "Maybe we could change that by offering shelter, food, and work to those that need it. Steer them away from Greyback and his lot…"
"Maybe," Remus said. "But that is a lot for you and Mrs Figg to take on. You can't solve all the world's problems… you're only 10 years old after all."
Harry nodded. It was probably too soon for him to make a move against the likes of Greyback. Malfoy was already too much. And Voldemort. He was simply outmatched on so many levels and needed to keep working. Eventually, he might be able to take more on after he had more allies and could defend himself better. He wasn't going to win this war overnight.
"You're right," Harry said. "Thanks for being willing to help out around here, Remus. You'll make a huge difference."
"Anything for you, Harry." Remus said with a smile as he drank the last of his tea.
The pair sat and discussed the plan to capture Pettigrew. It would be a few days before they could act. The conversations turned back towards Sirius and Harry remembered that he hadn't heard much about how Dumbledore would be helping.
"What was Dumbledore's reaction to everything?" he asked.
"Oh, much the same as Minerva. He had a hard time wrapping his head around Sirius betraying the Potters, but everything had pointed to that being the case," Remus said.
"Why hasn't anyone looked into it?" Harry asked. "It seems everyone eagerly believed he was innocent once an alternative option popped up, but…" he trailed off, realizing that Remus was included in that group of people that had simply left it alone until now.
Remus sighed with a grimace before responding, "The war was hard on everyone and plenty of people that we thought were on our side turned out to be the enemy. It wasn't completely farfetched to believe that Sirius was included in all that… as much as we didn't want to believe it.
"When evidence cropped up that he might be innocent, I barely dared to hope… had it come from someone other than you I might not have believed it."
Harry nodded. He thought he understood a little better now.
For the rest of the week, Harry woke early to exercise and continued with his lessons with Mrs Figg and his spell practice in the afternoon. He pushed himself harder than ever as he geared up for his role in capturing Wormtail. He wouldn't let himself be the reason that Sirius remained in prison. Remus helped him for a couple days but then left
On Thursday, after dinner, Mrs Figg handed him two letters that he'd received earlier that day. One, surprisingly, was from Madam Bones inviting him to a Winter Solstice party tomorrow evening. It was very last minute but he was willing to let any potential slight go. Most people didn't know he'd returned to the magical world afterall.
The next letter was from the Guild Leader and the mystery surrounding his invitation to the Bones' party was solved instantly. The letter outlined that he was to attend the party and start networking. He'd be contacted by another member of the Guild, who would portkey him to a secret location so he could be initiated officially into the Guild.
It was going to be a long day but he was grateful for the opportunity to meet Madam Bones before he turned Pettigrew in. He'd be able to get a better read on the woman and decide if she was the one that would be helping them or if they needed to pursue other avenues.
He wondered what the initiation ceremony would be like. He remembered a weird film he'd watched at the Dursley's one night where a group of people bled into a cup and they all drank. He shuddered at the thought. He hoped blood wouldn't be involved.
He was shaken from his thoughts when Mrs Figg said, "I'll let you sleep in tomorrow and then we'll spend some time going over the plan for the party. The Guild leader sent me a list of people attending that she expects you to cozy up to."
Harry nodded and asked, "Will you be attending as well? What about Luna?"
"Luna and I have been invited to attend the party," she said.
Harry was pleased. He'd been so busy that he'd hardly been able to spend time with his friend outside of lessons. A party would be the perfect time for them to spend quality time together.
Harry waited for Luna to finish eating and then the pair walked together to their living area. She was quiet and had a vacant expression on her face like she wasn't really there, which was pretty normal for the girl.
"How have you been, Luna?" He asked. "What did you do today after lessons?"
It took a moment for her to reply. "Good," she said simply. "Hermes and I have been exploring together and think we might have figured out where the demiguise has been staying."
Harry was pleased to hear that Luna had been able to find something to do other than read.
"Anything else going on?" He asked.
Luna hummed. "All the time, you'll have to be more specific."
Harry chuckled and then decided to get to the point. Small talk was challenging enough, but with Luna it was almost impossible.
"I'm sorry I've not been a very good friend, lately," he said.
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked. "You're a great friend."
Harry was relieved she wasn't upset with him but he knew he'd been neglecting her. "I've just been so busy and I haven't really been paying attention to you," he said.
Luna actually laughed at that. "We both know that you pay more attention than I do. I'm the aloof one, not you," she said.
Harry was surprised at the level of self awareness she was displaying. She never commented on her odd mannerisms and he figured she didn't realize she was being odd. He had to admit she had a point. Maybe he was being silly and Luna didn't mind that he'd been preoccupied since she was basically always preoccupied.
"Thanks Luna," he said.
The pair snuggled up on the couch and talked about random things until they fell asleep.
Harry had fully intended on sleeping in, but he'd woken up in the early morning and hadn't been able to fall back asleep. He still hadn't developed a love for exercise so he chose to head down to the potions lab instead. He found potion making to be relaxing and he wanted to clear his head since he was beginning to feel anxious about everything on his plate today.
He decided to brew a few vials of Exstimulo Potion, which was supposed to increase the power of a single spell cast after drinking the potion. It sounded useful and he hadn't brewed it yet but should be at his skill level.
After a couple hours, he noted the potion matched the sky blue description in his potions book. He filled five vials and labeled them before putting them away. He wondered if there was a way to enhance the recipe so it lasted more than one spell.
As he was cleaning up, Mrs Figg walked in and said, "There you are!" In a flustered voice. "We need to get started. There are a lot of profiles to go over."
"Almost done here," he replied. "I'll come to the dining room in just a moment."
Mrs Figg nodded briskly and then walked away. Harry finished cleaning and then followed after her.
He saw Remus near the floo and waved. Rebus waved back and said, "Good morning, Harry. I'm just heading out to meet with Dumbledore so he knows what our plan for Pettigrew is."
Harry nodded. They'd discussed keeping Dumbledore in the loop and even though he didn't like it, he knew it was important for their plan to succeed.
"Safe travels!" He told the old werewolf.
Remus vanished in a plume of green smoke a moment later and Harry entered the dining room.
For the next several hours, Mrs Figg instructed him on each of the guests expected at the party. The amount of information she had on each person was frightening. Each profile included names, birthdays, professions, and net worth. Some even included Hogwarts house affiliations. There was also relationship status, siblings, children, and even pets. Pretty much anything of note was in the profile.
He thought it was a little overkill but he did his best to memorize every detail. He wondered what his own profile looked like. But he suspected that maybe he didn't want to know.
"If the Guild has all this information, then what use will I be?" He asked Mrs Figg.
Mrs Figg laughed and said, "Information is one thing. Being friends and allies so they'll back you up and improve your influence is another."
Harry nodded, understanding. He was making allies so that the Guild could use him to push their agenda. He could only hope that it never conflicted with his own desires.
Mrs Figg added, "Besides, their children will be there and the information you gather will be used to create their profiles too."
"Ok, that makes sense I guess," he said. Harry was reminded why he liked thieving more than spying and politicking. Thieving was so much simpler. "Did my mom do all this?" He asked.
"Of course," Mrs Figg said. "Your mother thrived in the Guild. She was a natural at gathering intelligence and she was so likable that it was easy for her to get in close with the people she was assigned."
Harry sighed. Maybe he'd like it more after a bit of success.
Mrs Figg left to go get their host a gift.
Luna quizzed him on everything until he felt like his brain would explode. He felt better after Luna reminded him that she'd be there. "I'll just bring up a strange creature if it looks like you're about to embarrass yourself," she said.
Harry practically mauled her with his hug. "You're a lifesaver, Luna," he said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Grr-off!" She squealed as she tried to push him off of her. He'd put on a bit of weight and she wasn't very successful, but he complied with a grin.
Luna huffed and puffed as she regained her breath. "That's not fair, you're a lot bigger than me now," she said with a mock glare.
Harry just laughed in return and the pair went to try and relax before the party.
Harry was dressed in smart jet black robes that he'd been told were in style. He'd used a bit of sleek-easy to tame his hair and it was as controlled as it was going to get without gluing it down to his head. He was leaving his wand behind with a bit of trepidation. He'd gotten used to having it but it wasn't a good idea to walk into the head of DMLE with an unregistered was his first open foray into wizarding society and he wanted to make a good impression.
He did have a couple potions in case anything happened, not that he thought anything would. He just wanted to be prepared if something did. There was nothing illegal about that. He'd even grabbed a few empty bottles and his knife in case the opportunity to harvest something presented itself.
Mrs Figg had jokingly started calling him a Boy Scout, but he knew she approved.
Luna was dressed just as smartly as Harry in a new type of woman's robe that was apparently in style, but she was wearing robes that were light blue. Harry thought she looked very pretty.
Mrs Figg dressed more traditionally than Harry and Luna, but Harry thought she looked really nice too.
The trio were gathered around the floo, waiting to make their entrance. Harry wanted to be on time but Mrs Figg said it was better to be a bit late. He didn't get it, but knew Mrs Figg knew best.
Harry asked Luna to quiz him a few more times to help pass the time. He answered the majority of her questions correctly, but forgot a few key points. It seemed at least Luna had been able to remember everything.
Eventually, they threw in some floo powder and traveled to their destination. Harry tumbled out of the fireplace and right into a pretty red headed girl, who caught him.
Harry was mortified and blushed furiously as he met the pretty girl's blue eyes. She was gorgeously dressed in green robes similarly styled to Luna's. Harry noticed she had a few freckles on her cheeks.
He offered his hand so she could take it, and said "I'm so sorry. I haven't quite gotten the hang of the floo, miss…"
He kissed her knuckles as she curtsied and said, "Susan, Susan Bones." Harry noticed she was blushing a bit as well, though he didn't know why.
She cleared her throat and said, "it's quite alright, no trouble at all actually Mr…"
"Oh, right," Harry fumbled. "I'm Harry Potter. It's nice to meet you." He couldn't believe he'd forgotten to introduce himself properly. He quickly glanced around and found Mrs Figg looking at him with a knowing smile.
He looked back at the girl, Susan, and noticed she was looking at him with wide eyes. When she noticed him looking at her, she said, "Sorry, you probably hate when people react that way."
Harry did hate it but he had just bombed his introduction, so he just said, "No big deal," with a shrug.
Luna walked over just then and introduced herself. Susan was looking a little disappointed, but he wasn't sure why. Luna noticed and said, "Oh, don't worry, Harry is like a brother to me. He's completely available."
Susan blushed and Harry was confused. "Luna, what are you-"
Mrs Figg came by just then and interrupted him. "Harry, come greet our host," she said as she guided him around to stand in front of a tall woman with gray hair. He'd seen her picture in her profile, but it didn't really do her justice. She was much more intimidating in person.
Harry quickly performed the rituals that Mrs Figg had been cramming into his brain. He was pleased that he'd been able to do it all flawlessly, unlike with Susan.
He offered her a nice bottle of wine that Mrs Figg had picked out and thanked her for inviting them.
Madam Bones looked impressed and said, "It's very kind of you to not mention how last minute my invitation was, Mr Potter. I must beg for your forgiveness… I hadn't realized you'd returned to us from the mundane world until very recently."
Before he could respond, she continued with "I must commend you for your efforts to perform the proper niceties as if it's not new to you. It was very well done, but I must admit I'd prefer if we could do away with them for the rest of the evening."
Harry decided he liked her at that very instant. He smiled brightly, relieved that Madam Bones seemed as tired of the pureblood niceties as he was. "Oh, thank goodness," he said. "Mrs Figg has been teaching me."
Madam Bones smiled at Mrs Figg and said, "You're very lucky to have someone like her looking out for you. Mrs Figg, I don't think I've seen you since before…"
Mrs Figg interrupted, but not rudely, "I believe it was around the spring equinox at the Potter home just before they died, yes."
"Such a loss, that was. Have you been looking after young Mr Potter all this time?" Madam Bones asked.
Harry listened as Mrs Figg explained how he'd come into her care. She didn't go into details but offered just enough truth. He looked around the room at the rest of the guests that were chatting in little groups all around the ballroom in the next room.
He recognized most of them from their profiles but there were a few he didn't remember learning about. He saw Scrimagaur and Kingsley from the DMLE. He also saw a man in a bowler hat that must be Minister Fudge talking with Malfoy Senior and his wife, Narcissa. He saw Draco with two large boys by the punch bowl. He saw Luna and Susan talking with a chubby boy that he didn't recognize and was relieved to see them smiling as Luna said something.
He returned his attention to Madam Bones and Mrs Figg just as Mrs Figg finished her story.
"I'm very grateful for all Mrs Figg has been doing for me," he said truthfully. "She's been a great friend."
Mrs Figg blushed and waved him off playfully.
Madam Bones smiled a real smile at that. "I hope Susan feels that way about me," she said.
Harry knew from the profile that Madam Bones was Susan's Father's sister and that most of the family had been killed in the last war. The Bones family was hit almost as hard as his own. He found that he didn't know what to say but didn't want to be rude. He settled for a compliment and said, "Susan is lucky to have someone like you to care for her. Family is important."
"It truly is," she said, impressed.
"I've been learning about my family. There are plenty of journals around the house and Mrs Figg has been kind enough to tell me some stories," Harry said, seeing his opening. "I don't mean to be rude by bringing up work, but I came across something that might interest you…"
"Oh? Please, feel free," she said.
Harry then told her about Sirius' journal and his trip to Azkaban with Remus. She seemed shocked that he'd made the trip to the prison and gave a judgmental look to Mrs Figg, which Mrs Figg ignored.
She was furious when Harry told her about Crouch's interference at the prison and he watched as she scanned the room and made note of the man's location.
She listened intently as Harry finished explaining Sirius' side of the story and his admission to being an illegal animagus along with Peter Pettigrew. He told her how Peter was the actual secret keeper and that he'd been the one to blow up the muggles before transforming into a rat and escaping.
"We think we know where the rat is and we'll be moving on him soon. I was hoping I could count on your help, if it turns out the man is alive?" Harry asked.
"Of course," she said. "I'd prefer my department be the ones to confront him, though."
Harry nodded. "It's not anything against your department of course, but we don't want word to get out and the rat to run off…"
Madam Bones nodded grimly. "I know not everyone in my department can be relied on to keep their mouth shut… but I insist you accept the help of someone I trust implicitly."
Harry wasn't surprised at her demand. From what he'd heard about the woman he was surprised that she wasn't taking over completely. It was her right to do so. She must be shaken that Crouch had been able to interfere right under her nose without her knowing. There might be others working against her and that must be why she was so willing to give up her right to interfere.
His respect for the woman was rising as he began to understand what she was doing by offering help without risking ruining everything by including the wrong people.
Harry agreed to her offer of help. "Who is it, may I ask?"
She got the attention of the tall man with dark skin in purple robes that he'd identified as Auror Kingsley earlier. He started walking over and Harry soon realized just how tall the man was. His neck nearly hurt as he looked up.
"This is Kingsley. He's an auror that actually worked with your dad and… Sirius back in the day," Madam Bones said.
Kingsley raised one eyebrow at the mention of Sirius, but chose to keep his thoughts to himself. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr Potter," Kingsley said in a deep voice.
Madam Bones updated Kingsley on the situation and Kingsley agreed to join the team. "I'd be honored to work with you and your friends," he said.
"Thanks, I'll ask Remus to reach out with the details tomorrow if that's alright?" Harry asked.
Kingsley accepted and then went to leave.
Madam Bones hurried and said, "Don't let Crouch leave before I can talk to him," she ordered. Kingsley nodded and returned to the party.
"I'm glad that's settled. Thanks for keeping me and the DMLE involved," Madam Bones said. "I'm afraid I should probably go mingle with more of the guests, but let me introduce you to the Longbottom boy."
She scanned the room until she spotted him and then led Harry and Mrs Figg over. Harry noticed that Luna and Susan were still there with the Longbottom boy.
Harry noticed the boy who must be the Longbottom heir, he thought maybe his name was Ned or something, tense as Madam Bones approached. He looked nervous, though Harry couldn't guess why.
"M-Madam Bones, it's g-good to see you. Thanks again for inviting me and gran," he managed to say.
"You're very welcome, Neville," Madam Bones said. "I'm just here to introduce you to Harry, here. Mrs Figg, would you like to join me?"
Ah it was Neville, not Ned. At least he'd been close.
She gave a small bow and then her and Mrs Figg walked over to a group of adults not too far away. Harry admired the way she positioned herself so she could keep an eye on Crouch.
He turned his attention back to Neville, Susan, and Luna.
Neville had the same look that Susan had when she realized she was talking to the boy who lived. She blushed a little bit, seemingly remembering that herself and then gently elbowed Neville in his side.
Neville jumped and then shook his head as he realized his faux pa. "Sorry, I'm Neville Longbottom and this is Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood," Neville said.
Harry was relieved that Susan hadn't been bragging that she'd met him.
"Thanks, I'm Harry Potter," he replied unnecessarily but still adhering to the proper social rituals. He held out his hand and Neville shook it nervously.
"I met Susan earlier, didn't she say? And Luna and I actually live together at my family home," he added.
Susan interjected, "I didn't want to come across as braggy…" she said.
"We were busy talking about the infestation of wrackspurts around the Malfoys, we didn't have time to talk about you."
Neville simply nodded. Susan smiled fondly at Luna.
"Oh of course," Harry said. "Is it worse than before?" He checked.
"Not really, but it seems worse when they're grouped together," Luna said.
Harry nodded.
He looked back at Neville who seemed confused. Neville said, "Wait, Luna… everyone thought… I mean your parents… No one really knew where you went… are you ok?"
"I am. I miss mom and dad, but I've got Harry and Mrs Figg now and they've been great!" Luna said.
"I keep forgetting you probably know everybody already," Harry said to Luna.
"Not everyone, but I've met Neville and Susan before," she replied.
"What about you, Harry?" Neville asked. "Word around here has been that you're living in the mundane world with some relatives… but no one really knows where.
Harry explained that he had in fact grown up in the muggle world, but had been rescued by Mrs Figg a few months ago.
Neville and Susan both looked impressed. Susan said, "But you fit right in, I was watching as you greeted my aunt and you did everything perfectly…"
Harry smiled, "I had a good teacher. Mrs Figg has been helping me. She used to tutor my dad."
"Isn't she a squib?" Susan asked.
"Oh, yeah but she's still taught me loads about the magical world and about my family. It's been great!" He said.
Harry had copied Madam Bones and had positioned himself so his back was to the wall and he could see everyone else. He saw Draco and his two friends walking over to him and said, "Looks like Draco is on his way over here, just a heads up." Harry wasn't too worried about anything Draco might do at the party. It would be considered bad form to make a scene or insult the host or other guests.
When he finally made it to the group of kids, he said "Potter, nice to see you again. Neville, Susan, always a pleasure," in a polite tone. "Who invited Looney?" he asked with a sneer, his nose turned upwards.
Harry held back a snarl. He walked forward and shook Draco's hand, reminding the boy of what manners looked like. "Hi Draco, it's nice to see you too. Luna," he said emphasizing her name and was still holding Draco's hand firmly, "was invited just like the rest of us actually, but it so happens that she's a close friend of mine. She's practically family."
Harry wanted to make sure Draco knew that any further insults thrown at the girl would be taken seriously by him. He'd gone out of his way to be polite to Draco and was choosing to ignore the slight, but that would all change if Draco misbehaved again.
Draco looked away from Harry, uncomfortable and the boys that had been to either side of him walked forward as if to protect Draco. Harry didn't budge, he simply looked at both boys and asked, "And what are your names? I'm Harry Potter, by the way, I don't think we've met." He finally released Draco's hand, and Draco held his hand as if nursing it. Harry offered his hand to each of the boys but they didn't shake it.
"Looks like someone has been neglecting their etiquette lessons… it's rude to refuse a handshake, you know." Harry said.
Both boys grumbled and then offered their hand in turn for Harry to shake.
The first boy said, "I'm Vincent Crabbe." He was squeezing Harry's hand roughly, but Harry simply smiled and the boy let go.
"I'm Gregory Goyle," the second boy said, taking Harry's offered hand. Goyle had a stronger grip, but Harry didn't let any discomfort show. It looked like all the bullying he'd been the victim of was finally paying off somehow.
"That's better," Harry said. "It's nice to meet you both. I was just telling Neville here how excited I am to attend Hogwarts next fall. What about all you," he said gesturing to the group at large, "What house do you think you'll be in?"
Susan, as the host, wanted to make sure the interactions went smoothly so she answered first to put everyone else at ease. "I think I'll be in Hufflepuff, like my aunt," she said. "Most of my family have been in Hufflepuff."
Malfoy snorted, "I'll be in Slytherin of course, just like my parents." He folded his arms proudly and said, "Slytherin is the greatest Hogwarts house, afterall."
Crabbe and Goyle both nodded their agreement.
"What about you Neville, is there a house you're hoping to get into?" Susan asked, still taking the lead.
"Oh. I don't know…" Neville said. "Both my parents were in Gryffindor but I don't think I'm brave like them so I'll probably go to Hufflepuff."
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle shared a look, but didn't say anything. Their body language was speaking volumes about their opinion of Neville and Hufflepuff house.
Luna spoke up then, "I think I'll be in Ravenclaw," she said. "What about you, Harry?"
Harry wasn't sure which house he thought he belonged in. Both his parents had been in Gryffendor, but he thought he might have more Slytherin tendencies than Gryffindor ones. He didn't fancy being in a house with Draco and his goons though. He chose to stay neutral and said, "Both my parents were in Gryffindor so I will probably end up there, but all of the houses sound good to me. I'm hoping to have friends in all the houses so it doesn't matter much where I sleep."
Draco looked curious at that, "But the houses are more than where you sleep, Potter," he said. "Who you make friends with in school will impact the rest of your life and that is why Slytherin house is the greatest house. We turn out the best witches and wizards than all the other houses."
Susan sniffed angrily at that, but chose not to say anything.
Harry didn't want to continue arguing. He didn't want to ruin everyone else's night just to prove a point so he just nodded as if he understood, and was even considering what the boy had said, but chose to also not say anything.
Just then, Harry noticed there were three girls and a boy heading their way.
Susan absolutely beamed and ran over to greet one of them. Harry reckoned they must be close. The remaining group approached Harry and he displayed the proper niceties with each of them.
One of the girls, Daphne Greengrass, was quite pretty. She had wavy black hair and green eyes. They reminded him of the woods back home. She was the one that Feona had asked him to befriend and had been nice enough, if a bit quiet when Harry greeted her. He didn't see any problems being her friend, if Daphne wanted it.
The other girl was named Tracy Davis and she was a lot more bubbly than her companion had been. Tracy had plain brown hair and brown eyes.
The boy that was with them was named Theodore Nott, which put Harry on edge because he knew at least one Nott had been a death eater. Theodore was polite and quiet. He had not responded the way that Neville and Susan had when Harry introduced himself and Harry was grateful for that. He was willing to give the boy a chance for now.
The girl that Susan had run to was Hannah Abbot and she was apparently Susan's closest friend. She was pretty in a plain way, but he noticed that Neville stood up straighter when she'd arrived. Harry reckoned that maybe Neville would disagree in Harry's assessment of her appearance. The addition of the group had helped immensely with lowering the tension that had been present when Draco and his friends had arrived. Harry noticed that Susan's posture had relaxed so she must have noticed too.
They continued talking about Hogwarts and what classes they were looking forward to. Harry soon found himself having a pleasant time and he was able to relax as well. Luna rarely left his side, however. She must not have been enjoying the larger group and preferred more one on one interaction.
Harry made an attempt to get to know Daphne better, but stumbled a bit because she was so pretty. He succeeded in learning that the young witch expected to go to Slytherin like her family and that she enjoyed brewing potions just like Harry. They bonded a bit over their shared interest and he was hopeful that they'd be able to continue to be friends.
Susan made her way over to Harry at some point and Harry's heart began to race at her close proximity. He wasn't used to talking to pretty girls. He thought he could get used to it, though.
Theo remained mostly aloof to the others, like Luna, and was content to be present but didn't offer a whole lot to the conversation. When he noticed Harry looking at him, he raised an eyebrow, but didn't make a move. Harry decided that he'd be the one to break the ice and walked over to him.
"What subjects are you looking forward to at school?" he asked.
Theodore just shrugged and said, "Care of Magical Creatures and Potions, probably."
"Oh cool. I like brewing potions and I'm trying to convince Mrs Figg to let me get a few creatures, maybe moon calves, thestrals, and griffins," Harry replied.
Theodore came out of his shell a bit at that. Having something in common helped.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" Harry asked.
"Probably Slytherin, but I'd be okay with Ravenclaw or even Hufflepuff," Theo answered.
Harry nodded. "I don't think I'm quite academically inclined enough for Ravenclaw and I'm not sure I can put up rooming with Malfoy in Slytherin… but Daphne might change my mind if she ends up there." he added the last part without thinking and blushed a bit.
Theo just laughed and Harry was relieved it was a genuine laugh and not a mocking one. "Aye, Daphne is quite pretty, but she's just as dangerous as Malfoy so be careful."
"So you know Daphne pretty well then?" Harry asked.
"Our families run in similar political circles," was all that Theo said to that.
Harry wasn't sure what to say to that. He didn't want to offend Theo by saying something negative about the traditional purebloods. He opted to take a drink of the punch that Luna had brought him instead.
Luckily, he saw Mrs Figg gesturing for him to join her. "Apparently Mrs Figg wants to introduce me to some friends of hers. I better go, but it was nice getting to know you Theo," he said.
Theo nodded and said, "It was, in fact, nice to get to know you too."
Harry thought he was even being genuine, though it was a bit hard to tell.
Harry excused himself from the group of kids and told them he'd try and come back if he could, even if it was only to say a proper goodbye.
Mrs Figg met him halfway so she could talk to him before introducing him to a few people.
"You seem to be doing well over there, lad," she said.
Harry nodded. "It was rough for a minute with Malfoy, but when the others joined things lightened up."
Mrs Figg hummed. "Malfoy Senior and his wife were quite rude, but Madam Bones was able to diffuse the situation. She called them right out for their rudeness and the pair quickly apologized before sneaking off somewhere else."
"They don't seem to mind abandoning etiquette, the Malfoys…" he said in response.
"Their money makes it easy to overlook most of the time, I reckon," Mrs Figg said.
Not for long if Harry had his way. He'd see them bankrupt and destitute eventually, he vowed to himself.
Mrs Figg introduced him to several people that seemed interested in meeting the boy who lived. Harry, for his part, was polite and didn't let the hero worship bother him. He'd use it if he could, even if he hated it. Everything has its purpose and it seemed foolish to give it up when it was readily available to him.
Mrs Figg smiled and seemed proud that he'd managed to remember all her lessons in etiquette. He managed to introduce himself and help carry the conversation without any further faux pas. He even liked several of the people he'd been introduced to, including Madam Longbottom who was loud and overbearing. She at least seemed to treat him like a human being and not just a piece of meat.
Minister Fudge was very obvious in his machinations. How the man managed to become minister while being so obvious was a mystery to him. Barty Crouch was a bit intimidating, Harry thought. He didn't seem swayed by Harry's fame in the slightest. Harry's opinion of the man was that he was very 'by the book' like Madam Bones, except for his interference at the prison at least.
Harry noticed Madam Bones watching him periodically, as if she were inspecting him. He barely managed to contain the shiver that ran down his spine each time he caught her watching. He didn't want her for an enemy, that was for sure. He'd have to be careful around her. He was suddenly very glad he hadn't brought his wand with him. She surely would not have let him get away with that.
Luckily, he managed to avoid meeting Malfoy Senior and his wife. He had no desire to meet them and would prefer to stay off their radar for as long as possible.
At some point while he was being led around by Mrs Figg, he felt someone place something in the pocket of his robes. He'd been unable to tell who it had been because of how crowded everything was becoming. He thought he caught a glimpse of curly black hair, but they vanished in an instant. He wanted to check his pockets, but didn't dare do it in front of all these people. He excused himself to the restroom and once he was alone, he reached in and withdrew a black envelope. He flipped it over but it was completely blank.
He opened it and found a small piece of rope and a note with the activation phase and '9:00 PM'
The note soon disintegrated into nothing. Harry left the restroom and found Mrs Figg. He gave her the signal that he'd been contacted and she nodded her understanding. He tapped her elbow nine times in order to convey the time they needed to leave. She nodded again that she understood.
It was still only just before 7:00 PM and he knew they'd be eating soon. He went over to find Luna and his new friends so they could eat together. It turned out that most of the group was expected to eat with their families. Purebloods loved to brag about their kids and dinner was the perfect time to do just that. Only Harry, Luna, Susan, and Theo would be allowed to eat together.
When dinner was announced, they each made their way to their place at the table. Harry enjoyed the meal and the company. He was relieved that everything was going so smoothly. He felt like he'd succeeded in his task tonight and was happy to have made a few potential friends.
After Dinner, he found Luna and Mrs Figg so they could portkey to their destination on time. He said his goodbyes to everyone and thanked Madam Bones for her hospitality a final time.
"Don't be a stranger, Harry," she said. "I hope you'll keep in touch."
Harry nodded and said he would.
Susan came over to him and offered her hand to him. He took it and bowed so he could kiss her hand.
"I hope you'll come by again before school starts at least, Harry." she said with a blush.
Harry blushed in return and he heard Mrs Figg stifle a giggle behind him. He looked and saw an amused look on Madam Bones face as well.
"I'd like that," Harry said to Susan.
He flooed back home with Mrs Figg and Luna and even managed not to stumble out of the fireplace this time. Why couldn't he have flooed properly like this when he'd arrived at the Bones' home, he wondered in frustration.
Harry ran and grabbed his wand. Luna changed into some black robes so she wouldn't stand out so much and they arrived together in the hall so they could portkey to their destination.
Harry was excited to finally be initiated into the guild. He held onto the small piece of rope and offered the ends to Mrs Figg and Luna. They grabbed hold and he said the activation phrase. A millisecond later, he felt himself fold into space with a pop.
A/N: Thanks for your support so far. I'm kind of dying for some reviews if I'm being honest but I won't hold the story hostage, I promise. In case it wasn't clear, Luna, in this story, is the same age as Harry. I know she's a year younger in the books and movies, but I took some liberties. I hadn't originally planned on writing her into the story so early but it just kind of happened :)
Anyways, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Thanks for reading!
WayfinderWolf