A dash of floo powder into the fireplace, a call of 'Doghouse', a pause of a few moments and a call of 'Woof Woof' and Harry was gone.
Neville had just given a snort of amusement at the password used when he heard his father behind him. "You looked like you were starting to get over your fear of brooms out there."
Spinning about and looking at his Dad, Neville replied, "Yeah; I was, wasn't I?" And smiled.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Harry had just walked in through the back door at the Grangers' when he heard Hermione call, "We're in the dinette!"
Making his way up the stairs and heading for the kitchen he discovered the Grangers had obviously not long sat down.
Hermione looked to him and said, "I was just about to send Dobby to Neville's to let you know tea was ready."
"Thank you," he smiled. "But, as you can see, I figured it to be ready about now."
Monica piped up and asked, "Just where is Longbottom Hall, anyway?"
Harry thought about it and replied, "Ummm... It's near the seaside town of Skegness in Lincolnshire. You know the Longbottoms are of Viking stock, right? Or, haven't I mentioned that?"
"You haven't mentioned that, no," said Hermione. "But I figured they must be, considering their manor is named a Hall."
Wendell gave a snort and said, "That's about a five to six hour drive from here. And you can step in one floo and out the other in a few moments."
As he sat alongside Hermione, Harry gave one of his little knowing smirks and shrugged. A moment later there was a bowl of thick beef stew before him with a crusty bread roll alongside. Just the sort of stew to stick to your insides and the right type of bread to soak the juices of the stew up.
With a glance at Hermione he said, Neville's sending over a list of the floo addresses for the other junior members of the Alliance in about an hour. Then I'll floo call them all this afternoon and see about organising a visit with each of them for the two of us.
"Why visit them?" she asked. "Why not just write them?"
"Because, my dear sweet Lady Presumptive, I need to introduce you to them," he replied.
With a frown of confusion she said, "I already know them all, Harry―"
"No," he cut in. "Miss Hermione Granger knows them; Lady Presumptive Hermione Granger does not. As I said to Neville, I've actually been a little remiss in not taking you to visit them before now, as I really should have. But, I hope they'll forgive me considering a lot of that time was organising and accomplishing the waking of Lord and Lady Longbottom from their cursed states."
Monica smirked and said, "That... actually... makes a kind of sense."
Wendell, frowning, asked, "You actually have to introduce her?"
"To other Houses of the Alliance? Yes," he replied. "It's the way things are done."
Hermione sighed and said, "I'm going to have to get dressed up in wizarding garb again, aren't I?"
"Yes," he replied. "But, not formal, or even semi-formal. They're of allied Houses so, like the Longbottoms, we go in upmarket casual."
"This is one of those reasons you purchased that clothing for me, wasn't it?" she almost scowled.
He shrugged, "One of the reasons, yes."
Wendell asked, "You bought her clothes?"
Monica hadn't even batted an eye, so Harry knew she already knew about the clothes.
"Yes," he simply replied. "As was explained to Hermione at the time... and confirmed by the aurors who were with us and the sales assistant at Madam Malkins... Hermione is now a representative of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Black and Potter. She needs to dress the part.
"That's why Sirius and I will be buying her suitable clothing for her role as Lady Presumptive. Neither of us believe it's something you should be paying for." With a grin he said, "Don't sweat it. We'll leave the purchase of her muggle wardrobe to you, still."
Wendell gave a grunt of amusement and clearly accepted the decision while Monica just grinned back at Harry.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Longbottom Hall, Neville was sitting down with his parents to their own afternoon tea.
After discussing a bit about Harry's visit, Alice asked Neville, "Feel more comfortable on a broom now?"
"Yeah," said Neville. "I'm surprised, really. Harry was right about those school brooms. I guess they're the real reason why I developed a fear of them."
"Your grandmother never allowed you to ride one before you went to school?" asked his father.
"No," he sighed. "She said it was too dangerous and I should wait until I was taught properly at school."
His father said, "Normally, I might have even agreed with her on that. However, it sounds as if the brooms at school are in poor condition."
"They're ancient," Neville replied. "I really don't see why they still use them."
Frank and Alice glanced to one another before Alice said, "That's something we'll be discussing with Headmistress Marchbanks, Albus Dumbledore and Madam Hooch when we see them."
Frank thought for a bit before he said, "When you send your letter to Harry with the floo addresses of the other Heirs of the Alliance who are still at Hogwarts, I want you to suggest to him you join him when he goes."
"He's already asked and I've already said I would," replied Neville.
Then he thought through why his father was suggesting it and realised why. "You want me and Harry to show a unified front of the two named Houses. Harry did exactly the same thing while we were at Hogwarts, before Gran picked me up to bring me back here after the First Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
Frank nodded and said, "Precisely. Then, once you two... or, rather, three... pay your respects, I'll be following up to call the Alliance together for a meeting a couple of days after Christmas."
Neville thought a bit and asked, "Do you want me to hint at that?"
Frank smiled and glanced at his wife before looking back, "That would be helpful, yes."
Neville felt good knowing he'd correctly guessed his Dad's intentions.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
About half an hour after they'd finished tea, the Longbottom's inside house elf, Fluxy, popped in before Harry with a note. "From Master Neville, Lord Potter, Sir," she said.
As he was standing next to the kitchen counter at the time, Harry gestured to it and said, "On the counter, please, Fluxy. And, thank you."
With a snap of her fingers Fluxy magicked the note to the counter and popped away again.
Harry immediately drew his wand and cast detection charms over the note, finding it clear.
Opening it, he saw that Neville had come through for him. He now had the floo addresses for the Abbotts, Boneses, Davises, and Greengrasses.
.
.
.
.
🎉The novel is available in PDF with more than 400 chapters, visit us in our Ko-Fi store🎉
🎉ko-fi.com/sosukeaizen123🎉