Harry Potter: The Witty Wizard

After breakfast the next morning, Harry and Hermione dressed in wizarding wear to visit Neville. Because of the aurors' determination to accompany them, he'd had to send a letter to Frank by 'house elf express' to let him know he and Hermione would be accompanied by aurors. And went ahead and used the opportunity to inform the Longbottoms he and his betrothed now had access to a floo.

Frank immediately sent a message back using the same method to let them know both the floo address and the current password.

So, Harry was a bit excited to travel once more via the floo, rather than via portkey. He'd not been able to practice his landings and hoped the Longbottoms were not averse to him asking for their help in getting a handle on it.

At 9.00am the two teens, plus two of their auror detail, plus the two Granger adults, trooped down to the Doghouse to use the floo.

First went one of the two aurors, then went Harry. "Longbottom Hall!" he called. As soon as the flames turned green he called the password, "The Nine Virtues"

After the rapid spinning feeling Harry missed the timing for his exit and shot out of fireplace to, first, land on his side before rolling onto his back as he slid across the floor. His slide was brought to a halt by the legs of the auror who had used the floo immediately before him and had only moved forward about ten feet. With a cry of surprise, the auror immediately fell back as he felt his ankles being knocked out from under him; and landed somewhat on top of Harry.

"Oof!" Harry exclaimed, as the auror landed on him.

"What the bloody hell?" the auror muttered as he scrambled back to his feet.

From where he still lay on the floor, Harry called, "Sorry! My bad!"

That was it for Neville. Where the boy was waiting off to one side and a pace back from his father, he suddenly burst out in rich laughter.

"Oi! Nev!" Harry called. "Pack up laughing, get over here and help me up."

That was when Hermione stepped out of the floo with an almost dainty grace. She was followed by her parents, who also had no trouble.

As Frank and Alice just stood there, clearly bemused, Neville ducked forward and took Harry's hand with his own offered in return; as the auror did the same. As he braced himself against the pull, he and the auror helped Harry back to his feet.

"Harrison James Potter!" exclaimed Hermione. "What is it with you and floo travel?"

Grinning, Frank said, "I see he's inherited the Potter grace."

Alice gave a little snort and said, "I don't think even James was quite that bad."

Finally getting himself straightened out, with the auror almost negligently banishing him clean of soot while the other, who stepped out last, did the same for the Grangers, Harry stood up straight, adopted an aristocratic air and drawled, "Lady Longbottom. Thank you for the invitation―"

Alice laughed and said, "Shut up, Harry. And come over here and given me a hug."

He immediately adopted a massive pout, but did as he was told.

Wrapping the small woman in his arms with her head coming up to his chin, he said, "I even practiced being a poncy git for that moment."

While Frank was hugging Hermione he chuckled and said, "Don't worry about it, Harry. I think it was ruined by your entrance, anyway."

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―==(oIo)==―

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After the aurors spread out to check the wards and throw up their own alert ones, Neville was quick to give the two teens a tour of the Hall before taking them out the back to the greenhouses. After being introduced, Wendell and Monica stayed to talk with Frank and Alice.

As soon as he saw the greenhouses, Harry gave a low whistle of surprise. "Damn, Nev! When you have a hobby you don't muck about, do you?"

The other boy blushed and quietly said, "Actually, it's also a bit of a gold earner for me. The plants I grow and harvest I sell to the apothecaries in the Alley. Because of the soil I developed and use those plants turn out to have a better potency, so I get a better price for those ingredients."

That surprised both teens.

As they were led into the first greenhouse, Hermione asked, "Have you given Professor Sprout your soil... recipe?"

"No," smirked Neville. "However, I've sold her some to use on certain plants in one of the school's greenhouses that really love it. She also sent me a letter a week ago asking me to send her more."

Harry said, "I certainly hope she's paying for it."

Neville shrugged and replied, "She is. Or, rather, the school is."

Harry noticed Hermione struggling to come to grips with something in her mind and he had a pretty fair idea what it was.

"Hermione," he said, getting her attention. "Neville's soil recipe is proprietary information. I know what you feel about information and sharing it, but Neville has the right to make money from his profitable research; does he not?"

With a pained expression of acceptance, she nodded. "Of course, he does."

Neville smirked at her and said, "Don't worry, Hermione. I sell it to the school at what is pretty much 'cost'. However, the commercial nurseries will be paying full price to make up for it."

Wanting to change the subject, Harry looked around and asked, "So, what do you grow in here?"

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―==(oIo)==―

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After a long day at Longbottom Hall, where the Longbottom house elves outdid even Dobby for a delicious lunch, the two teens returned via the floo in the Doghouse to the Granger Residence just in time for afternoon tea. The Granger adults had returned earlier.

With Harry's blessing, Hermione also insisted on giving the Longbottoms the address and password to the Doghouse, so that any of the three could visit without first having to ask.

When he heard the address and password, Frank let forth a great belly laugh. "That has to be the work of Sirius Black," he declared.

Harry grinned and nodded. "I think he's actually thinking about using the floo system in his animagus form."

Frank laughed again. "It'll be interesting to see if it works."

Back at the Granger residence Dobby immediately had a plate of cut sandwiches before Harry as soon as he sat at the dinette.

Almost whining Harry said, "Dobby; I've got work to do!"

"Master Harry, Sir, needs to eat," the elf firmly stated.

As Hermione snickered at him, Harry sighed and was already picking up the first quarter cut. Just before he shoved a corner of the sandwich into his mouth, he muttered, "Uppity damned elf."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

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Earlier that afternoon at the Tonkses' place, Sirius received an owl from Remus asking for another meeting at the Leaky Cauldron for 5.00pm that day. At the time, Sirius had mentally shrugged and decided it wouldn't hurt to go to find out what the man wanted.

At a few minutes to the appointed time, he stepped through the floo into the Leaky Cauldron. Remus was already there and waiting. He had a small stack of Daily Prophets with him and on the table before him in one of the booths. The man did not look happy.

After first drawing his wand and sitting down, Sirius immediately erected a set of privacy wards. He knew the chance of Dumbledore not still being under a form of house arrest at Hogwarts was slight, but that was still too much of a risk for him to take. He would take none that he couldn't counter, just to keep Harry safe.

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