Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely related to Harry Potter, or Euro-trip.
Harry Doesn't Know
Chapter 4: Muggle Air Plans and Football Hooligans
...
"Ron, how are we going to get to Berlin?" Harry was confused alright, so far he had been to caught up in wondering if this was the right thing to be doing to realize that him and Ron, were currently walking down a busy muggle street in London, with just the simple necessities in a knapsack thrown over their shoulders.
"Don't worry, I got it covered."
"Is that supposed to comfort me?"
"Well remember when I told you about Charlie going to Egypt?" he asked as they waited to cross the street.
"No Ron, you never told me that story."
"Oh, well intrantional and international floo are two different things-"
"No!" Harry mocked sarcastically, as they crossed the street and climbed up on the sidewalk and entered a busy muggle building.
"Yeah, so that was out of the picture, we can't floo since we don't have anyone's grate address there, and an unauthorized portkey would take too long."
"So?"
"So, we are taking what I believe you call an air plan!" He finished stopping in front of Harry with his arms outstretched and twirling in circles. A Japanese family a few feet away were shaking their heads and giving Harry's ginger haired best mate dirty looks.
Harry laughed, "Do you mean an air plane?"
"That's what I said," continued Ron, resuming his strides to a counter that had no line. Harry looked at the display board behind the counter which had various air lines and numbers written on it in neon blue writing. Harry glanced down at the little golden plate that was sitting on the surface of the counter.
"We're going to be couriers?" he asked Ron, who had already started filling out the paper work.
"Yeah, this is what Charlie did. Since we don't have the most sufficient funding, we have to spend as little money as possible." Ron was wrestling with the airport's pen that was linked to the counter. "Bloody muggle utensils! How is anyone supposed to write if the bloody string keeps strangling their arms! Reminds me of one of those Argentinean Sticking Worms Loony used to talk about-"
"Ron, you know we don't have to do this, be couriers I mean. I had Dobby convert some of my money from Gringotts into pounds a while ago," he said pulling out a thick wad of 500 pound notes from his pocket.
"We should still save as much as possible," he said, continuing with the form.
"You really did your homework this time, huh?" asked Harry stuffing the muggle money back into his pocket. Ron cracked a grin.
"Do you think Hermione would be proud?"
"Are you kidding me!" exclaimed Harry, "If Hermione even came close to finding out you can be like this she would have you hanging from your heels until blood started pouring out of your ears." Ron laughed innocently while Harry still had his serious look on.
Ron stopped, "Dear Merlin, she would."
The two friends shared a laugh before acquitting to standing in silence with smiles on their faces.
"I need a direct flight to Berlin," Ron told the attendant, who had just came out from the back room. "Neville?" Ron asked in surprise upon seeing the bloke's face.
"Ron, Harry? What are you doing in a muggle air port?" Neville asked curiously, hopefully not to embarrassed.
"We're going to Germany, what are you doing here?" Harry interrogated back.
"Work here for the summer. Gran s'pects I should learn all aspects of adulthood, including working at a muggle airport, since you never know where your life will take you," he recited. You could tell they were his Gran's words exactly.
"I'm sorry mate," said Ron, "that sounds truly horrible." Harry nodded his head solemnly, "But we're kind of in a rush, we need two tickets to Berlin as couriers, quickest as possible."
"Okay, let me check." Neville buried his head behind the computer screen.
Harry caught Ron's eye. "We're really going to do this, huh?" he asked making himself believe it.
"Oh, we're doing this-"
"Sorry guys, but we don't have a direct flight to Berlin for another week." reported Neville, coming up from his computer.
"A week? But I need to go to Berlin now!" Ron shouted in disbelief, attracting more looks from various multi-cultured people.
"Uh," he voiced, checking his screen, "I can get you to Dublin later today which from there will get you to Berlin late tomorrow night?"
"We'll take it." Ron laid down a couple muggle notes that Harry handed him. Neville handed them the tickets then took the cash off the counter.
"Longbottom! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" an anonymous voice roared from behind the counter.
"D-d-depositing the money sir," Neville squeaked as a medium size man with a few strands of hair plastered across his scalp, wearing a blue vest with a gold pin of 'Manager' appeared behind him.
"What did I tell you specifically? Never- EVER- hand tickets out before you have the money in the register!" the manager screamed into his ear.
"I'm s-s-sorry, s-sir." Neville had his shoulders raised and his head ducked to prevent any more slobber-attacks on his ear.
"Oh, your a disgrace," huffed the manager, turning on his heel and storming through the back door. Neville was still shaking as he put the money in the register.
"Neville," reprimanded Ron, "You shouldn't take that shite from the wanker!"
"That wanker is my boss, there's nothing I can do." Neville replied, ashamed of his actions. Harry shared a look with Ron, who nodded his head.
"Come with us."
Those three words made Neville's head snap up like a lightening bolt. "What?"
"Come with us, Neville!" Harry and Ron said again excitedly.
He downcast his eyes again, "No, I really can't, my Gran would kill me if I blew this job."
"Oh come one Neville! Who better than us to teach you some self confidence, eh? In Germany no less!" Neville looked up at his friends, who both had hope mirroring in their eyes. He opened his mouth to respond-
"LONGBOTTOM! Look at the mess you've made in here you imbecile!" shrieked the manager again coming from the back office.
"Your resp- what the bloody hell do you think your doing boy?!"
"Quitting," Neville muttered as he threw the company vest he wore to the floor and hopped over the counter to join the beaming pair of Gryffindors. "I'm going to Germany," Harry nudged Neville in the side and whispered something into his ear, "We're going to Germany, a-asshole." Harry and Ron cheered, both clapping Neville on the shoulder and dragging him away with them, jeering at the fumbled manager as they left.
"Well I'm proud of you, Nev," said Harry as they broke out into the crowded street, "I honestly didn't know if you had it in you."
"Yeah well I think I'm going to be doing a lot of adjusting this summer." he said quietly, still not believing what he had just done.
"Says here we don't depart till 7 tonight," reported Ron, reading off the tickets, "that'll give you enough time to go pack some things Neville," he finished putting the tickets back in the envelope.
"Uh-oh business Ronnie is back," Harry teased pinching the side of his cheek.
"Shove off, prat."
...
"Has it ever occurred to you, that we've lived here our whole life, yet we've never actually seen what this city has to offer?" asked Neville walking down the mouth of the alley to meet Ron and Harry.
"What the hell is that?" Ron asked referencing to the book in his hands.
"This is Robert Krammer's A Guide To Europe, it's quite an interesting read."
"I'll bet," Harry commented stifling a laugh.
"Your taking a guide book with you? What happened to packing the bare necessities?"
Ignoring Harry's comment and Ron's question, Neville continued on with his charade, "Er, right. Well what do you want to do? There's the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace..."
"Ehh," Ron was obviously uninterested in Neville's options.
"There's no drinking age," added Harry with a sly grin.
"There we go," Ron said, leading the other two to a bar across the street entitled, 'The Feisty Goat.'
The three joked at the name as they entered the bar, Ron walking up to the counter and looking around. There was a group of large men, all wearing red, huddled in a corner. The group quieted and slowly looked up at the intruders with dangerous glints in their eyes. The three boys gulped in fear.
"Football hooligans," Harry observed, his eyes wondering over the men's various tattoos and eye patches.
"Hey, this isn't Buckingham Palace!" Ron tried, nudging Harry and Neville and starting for the door.
"Oi!" an intimidating voice said loudly in front of the trio, stopping them from their escape. "Who the bloody hell are you?" The towering man was muscular, wearing a black tailored jacket over a red collared polo, with a shaved head and a solid stare, sure to make any little girl quiver.
Neville quivered.
"This is a private members bar," the man continued, stepping forward which lead the three boys shuffling backwards, "exclusively for the supporters of the greatest football team in the world; Manchester United." he said the last part, pulling his jacket forward in a sophisticated manor, "Now please, enlighten me, who the fuck are ya?" he screamed, spit flying from his mouth.
"Th-that is a good question, and... Neville?" Harry supplied, him and Ron taking a step backward so Neville was alone in front of the glaring man.
"Er, we're the Manchester United fan club- from Scotland," Harry passed a disbelieving look at Neville.
"If your Manchester United supporters, sing the Manchester United song." the boss demanded fiercely. A supporter behind the boss gave Neville a toothy grin.
Neville winced, "Uh, I'm sorry- I-I'm not much of a singer." The boss smashed a bottle of liquor someone from behind handed him and emitted a war cry.
"Ahh!! Sing!"
"My baby takes the morning train," Ron looked to Neville in shock, 'We're done for' he thought miserable as Neville continued, "he works from nine to five and then," the hooligans began taking out their various choices of weaponry, including all but not limited to knives, batons, beer bottles, chains, spiked brass knuckles..., "he takes another home again," Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, 'Goodbye Hermione Ms. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Remus, Tonks,', Neville winced as he seen a ferocious man crack his knuckles, "T-to find me... watching the Manchester United football team! Eh?" he finished triumphantly looking around at the hooligans, "the best freaking team in all the land, whoo-hoo!" he shouted pumping his fist in the air.
The look on the man's face looked all sorts of insulted. Neville gulped, letting his adam's apple bob up and down a few times. Harry and Ron just looked at each other with unreadable expressions.
"Pretty good," nodded the head hooligan, "pretty damn good lads!" he finally yelled pumping both brick sized fists into the air. The men around him also cheered, raising their weapons in the air. The three were both just standing there in utter surprise, not daring to move before the head hooligan ordered, " A round of beer for the Scottish boys!"
"Where the bloody hell did you come up with that song?" Ron asked, gratefulness and confusion mixed in his tone.
"I-I, its Gran's favorite." he stuttered taking the beer given to him from the head hooligan, Bernie, (who had cracked them open using his eyes...). Ron and Harry also took the proffered drinks as the crowd started singing in the tune of Scotland's song in a drunken chant.
"My baby takes the morning train,
He works from 9 to 5 and then,
He takes another home again,
To find me waiting for him."
Sheena Easton- Morning Train (9 to 5)
...
Boy that's a great song. Ha-ha, anyway I really wanted to fit poor Neville into the picture because I love that little tyke. The bar scene was taken directly from Euro-trip, so if I've written it poorly you may reference there. I want to make it clear that not a whole lot of magic is planned to be in this fic. I just haven't decided yet because, I mean this is Harry Potter. Also Ron was really OOC in this chapter because he's serious about being in love with Leigh, so he's going to do whatever it takes to get to her. Thanks for reading! I respond to all reviews and really appreciate them. They really make me smile (which isn't something I've been doing a lot lately with my brother and my girlfriend both residing in the hospital for the holidays..)
Anywhoo~Cheers!
XOXO