Harry Potter smiled as the Elves bent their will to making the Townhouse liveable. He decided to let them do what they do best, and went for take out.
Crookshanks decided to join him.
As he stepped out, he threw his mind over his to do list. 'Make contact with the Goblins. Check. Take Possession of the Black Townhouse. Check. Recall The Marauders. Check. Make Dursleys an offer they can't refuse. Check. Find Dinner…'
Harry stepped out on the stoop. With his Holly wand in hand, he cast a point me 'pizza'. He quickly found what he was looking for.
He enjoyed the walk to the pizza parlor. He watched Crookshanks strut along marking more territory. He mapped the layout of the surrounding streets and alleys. Once he arrived, he sat at an outdoor table and waited.
Shortly a late teen waitress approached. "Wotcher. What can I get you?"
"A large Margarita and a large pepperoni and bacon. To go."
Meow.
Both Humans looked at the Cat. Harry blinked. "How big? Remember that you have to eat the whole thing."
The cat gave him 'puppy' eyes.
"That doesn't work for you on her or for her on me. What makes you think you can get that to work on me?" Harry crossed his arms.
Meow. The ears lowered in defeat.
"Shall I get double anchovy?"
The cat perked up and purred.
"And the smallest of your pizzas with double anchovy."
"You can understand him?"
"What can I say? He has his Human well trained and she has me trained even better." Harry shrugged.
"And how did she do that?"
"Carrot and stick." Harry grinned at her. "Seven years of hard work on an almost daily basis. Only because I am a bit of a berk, did I almost lose her before I figured it out."
"And what does not work on you?"
"Puppy eyes." Harry huffed, "But she has learned other ways of handling me."
"One last question. Why the harness?"
"To keep a hold on him. He has a bad habit of hunting and eating dogs larger than he is."
"To keep him safe." She nodded.
"No. Dog meat gives him the runs." Harry answered with a straight face.
The Lass just looked at him. "I can almost believe that. Your order will be a few minutes. I will Ring you right up."
She hurried into the shop to do just that and brought him the bill. He passed her three twenty pound notes. "Keep the change."
Twentyminutes later he was handed two large square boxes with a small one on top. At a word Crookshanks jumped on to his shoulders and he stepped into the alley, and picturing the stoop in his mind, stepped into the night.
POMP.
He stepped out into the gloom of number twelve, the Wards washing over him.
Crookshanks sneezed and hissed at being taken by Apperstion.
"Sorry. Could not leave you behind. And I needed to return before Dobby hurt himself in his War with infestation within."
Crookshanks spit, but grumbled and accepted the words.
Popping the latch and hip-checking the door open, he turned and presented his shoulders for Crookshanks to jump down. The cat dropped down and trotted off into the dark.
He could hear Dobby sharp cackling as the Elf waged war on the pests in the house. The Harsh, evil laughter of Kreature echoed throughout the House.
Harry expected Winky was still sleeping off her butterbeer inebriation.
Harry followed as he made his way down into the kitchen, stepping around the troll foot 'brolly' stand, and the bare spot on the wall.
In the kitchen a single candle burned low, but the hearth was prepared for a fire. Setting the boxes on the table, he drew his wand a with a flick, lit the logs, and banished the dust from the room.
"Dobby. Kreature. Attend me, please." Harry called out. Almost instantly the cackling and laughter cut out. "How goes the cleaning?"
"Dobby has cleared the Parlor, the Dining Room, and the BallRoom of the Doxie infestation."
"Kreature has crushed the Spiders in the upstairs hallways."
"Box me up a hat box each of, both Doxies, and spiders." Harry grinned evilly at the Elves. "My business partners need the doxies for their work. The spiders are for a mate that has annoyed me. He has a fear of all things spiders. If could heal the damage and enchant the bodies to act alive when he opened them…"
Kreature crackled and popped away.
"Dobby." Harry called before the Elf could follow. "Report on Winky."
"She will be awake in two three hours." the Elf bounced.
"Once you finish boxing the Doxies, bring Kreature here. I always eat at least one meal every day with the family. That includes you Elves. You two will be eating with me now."
"As Equals?"
"As Family." There was steel in his voice.
Dobby frowned before he went to scrape dead doxies into a hat box.
POMP
Buckbeak, disillusioned and carrying two, touched down on the sands of Dover. As the two wizards slipped off, he pranced a bit before he jumped on top of a rock outcropping, and settled down to nap in the light of the setting sun.
"Well, we know what he is going to do." Sirius, also disillusioned, turned to where he smelled his friend. "I almost wish we could join him, but it is better to jump to number twelve Grimmauld Place. Race you." He focused his thoughts and jumped.
"And I worry about when he will grow up." Remus spoke to the setting sun, before he embraced the void.
POMP
Hermione was packing her suitcase as she looked longingly at the books on the nightstand. One already packed in the suitcase and another was in her jacket pocket. She was only allowed to bring two on the vacation.
She closed the case and looked around for Crookshanks… before remembering that Harry was cat-sitting.
She collected the case and headed down to the front room, where she could read her book while waiting for the 'Rents'.
POMP
Ronald Weasley frowned at Albus Dumbledore. "Could you repeat that, Sir?"
The old man sat in Arthur's seat at the table, sipping a cup of tea. "I said that Harry needs time with his Family this summer. They are in a good place and need to reforge the bonds of family.I'm going to tell Hermione after this."
Ginny snorted into her cuppa to muffle the sound.
The Twins didn't even bother to muffle their snort.
"We will agree, until Potter contacts us." Fred smiled.
"Until then, we are working on our NEWTs projects."
"Good Day, Albus." They chorused as they stood and excited the kitchen.
"Speaking of studying." Ginny stood as she drained her cuppa, "If I am going to beat Harry as Seeker, I am going to need a head start in my classes. Good Day, Professor." She nodded to the old man before following her brothers.
On the stars the twins motioned for silence.
"Please excuse the boys. They are just trying to make a play for a position in the Ministry, only they haven't decided on a Department where their skills would be an asset."
"It's okay Molly, Lads will be Lads." Then the old man turned the topic to her homemade jams, jellies, and canned fruit products.
The twins beckoned her to their Room. Once the door was closed they turned to their sister.
"You think you can beat Harry in the air." Fred smirked.
"Maybe, if we're on the same broom." Ginny raised her chin.
The twins exchanged a look, before nodding. "Okay." George sighed. "We will concede that you will beat everyone else."
"And with his record, we will need a backup Seeker for at least one game." They chorused.
Ginny blew them a raspberry.
Frowning at the girl, Fred reached up, and pulled three books from the bookshelf over the workbench under the window.
"These are the Transfiguration, Charms, and DADA books that you will need for next year. They were Charlie's. There are a few notes in the margins. Heed them."
George shook his head sadly. "We are using the Potion texts and the History books are useless. The Muggle Studies, according to Granger, are over one hundred years behind the times. It is better to just talk to Harry and Granger. "
Ginny tucked the books under her arm, opened the door and scurried to her room.
A set of eyes watched the girl descend to her room and close the door.
Peep.
POMP
The two Elves arrived at the kitchen table, each had a hat box, bigger than they were.
Harry facepalmed. "I forgot that these are the same people who think a stuffed vulture is the height of fashion." He looked at the Elves. "And what, dare I ask, happened to the hats that those boxes are for."
"Mistress was buried in his." Kreature pointed at Dobby. "Her Mother in mine. They were saved to be Elf beds, but only Kreature has served House Black this century."
"Then I will have to change that." Harry nodded to himself. "Dobby and Winky are of age to breed if they wish to. I doubt Kreature is of Age, so he will just have to teach the young the ways of House Black Elves… be they Black Elves or Potter Elves."
"Kreature be Gampy?"
Harry smiled at the old Elf. "I name thee Gampy Kreature."
Kreature staggered. "Kreature Gampy?"
"Kreature Gampy." Dobby stared at the older Elf in awe.
"Gampy Kreature." Harry lifted his head. "After Dinner, which we eat together as a Family, unless we are Hosting, You will go to Hogwarts and deliver the opportunity for up to three females and three males to join House Potter and House Black. Both Houses are acquiring Witches and the Master will be working to breed to renew the bloodlines." Harry buried his head in his hands again. "Last count was five witches."
"The Pup does this old Dog proud."
POMP
The three Grangers had loaded up the Black Can, and were off to Heathrow Airport with two hours to ETD.
Emma had taken a travel Tumblr filled with wine, and was sipping on it as the cab pulled out.
No sooner than the cab had turned off the street, a cracky pop filled the air as a gray bearded old man appeared on the walkway leading to the door.
Albus Dumbledore knocked on the door, and waited.
"Ah, Sir." An older woman than who he was expecting peered over the hedge of the house next door. "You just missed them. They are away for the next two weeks."
"Thank you, I will return at that time." Albus smiled at the woman. 'That puts the Bint out of reach of the boy. I will just have the Weasleys pick her up before he can contact her.' Albus smoothed his Beard, nodded to the woman and returned to the street.
Once he was out of sight, he popped back to the school…
Sirius Black stepped out of the void into a dark alley three doors from number twelve.
Three seconds later Remus Lupin appeared on his heels..
Sirius inhaled to gather his wits and courage, and led the way to the Black Townhouse.
A little surprised at how clean and bright everything was, Padfoot led the way to the Kitchen, following the smell of his Pup…
"...Both Houses are acquiring Witches and the Master will be working to breed to renew the Bloodlines." Harry buried his head in his hands again. "Last count was five witches."
"The Pup does this old Dog proud." Padfoot preened…
And took a stunning hex to the face.
TBC