Neville's Party (Part One)
Harry was quiet through out their Auror's meeting, Shacklebolt going on about some new danger that normally would have Harry's undivided attention. Normally, yes, but Harry felt like his life was spinning out of control. Hermione had said Ginny worked for Shacklebolt. That didn't make any sense. Harry and Ginny had met for lunch a few time in the beginning of her career and she worked in the Hall of Records. He felt like his head was going explode from the confusing information that seemed to spin and twirl in his mind.
"Sir, is it true that the Prime Minister of the Transylvanian Vampires really was killed shortly after he arrived home?" One of the Gamma Aurors asked. The minister looked at him warily.
"Yes, unfortunate accident, though I wasn't aware that the Transylvanian government had released any details, yet," Shacklebolt said. Harry looked at him and thought that Shacklebolt looked rather nervous.
"My cousin works for their ministry," The Gamma Auror said. "They seem to think it is an assassination."
"Really? An…an assassination," Shacklebolt said with his eyes wide. He resumed his composure quickly. "Well, I hope that the government solves the case quickly. Nasty business."
"Yes," The room agreed.
Harry glanced at Hermione as she wrote, but she seemed to be shaking, trembling ever so slightly. He was glad that she was in his line of sight and a sight better to look at than say Ron. He found that he really enjoyed watching her write; it was rhythmic and a little hypnotizing. Ron elbowed him sharply in the side and found that Shacklebolt was looking at him for a response.
"Sorry?" Harry asked. Shacklebolt raised an eyebrow at him.
"What I was saying is that at the end of the month new Aurors will be testing and I was wondering if you would be willing to take on another teammate under your wing," Shacklebolt said. "Gamma and Zeta both agreed." Shacklebolt had nodded to two other teams, who responded with enthusiastic head nodding. Harry looked to Hermione but she shrugged. Some help she was with this.
"Can I reserve my judgment until I meet the candidate?" Harry asked carefully. He had a hopeful look on his face, but Shacklebolt seemed neither amused nor swayed.
"I need an answer," Shacklebolt said.
"Sure, why not," Harry said flippantly. He added under his breath, "Otherwise I will just be modified into saying I agree."
"What was that?" Shacklebolt said loudly, looking rather alarmed.
"Oh, um," Harry stammered. "I said `otherwise I would be mothered into agreeing', you know, by Hermione?"
Shacklebolt looked at Harry a moment, but shrugged and agreed that it must have been what Harry had said. Hermione probably would have mothered Harry into wanting to help the new Aurors be as great as he was. It did make a plausible excuse, and Shacklebolt let it drop. Hermione, though, looked at Harry with a look of slight shock on her face. She had heard him, but she kept her mouth shut.
Harry was grateful for the quietness of the rest of the day. He left the ministry early and appirated to Ava's house. He threw his cloak on and hid out in her yard, undetected. He waited by the edge of her sandbox, hoping she would come and play. His wish was granted when the screen door slammed and Ava bounded out of the house, followed by the woman. Ava pulled at her romper and the woman took a seat at the stairs to the porch.
"Hi," Ava said loudly. The woman looked up but saw no one there. She shrugged and assumed Ava was just vocalizing to herself.
"Hello," Harry whispered. The girl laughed as she sat down across from Harry in the sandbox. Her little green eyes sparkled. Harry watched in amazement as the child played in the sand box, pretending that she was a monster and crushing the primitive mounds she created with sand and twigs.
"I see you," Ava squealed as she hid crouching below the rim of the sandbox and popping up. She laughed and repeated about a dozen times before moving on to the slide. She was a very happy, active child, and Harry was grateful for the time he spent watching her play.
"Ava?" A man's voice called over the yard, causing Harry and Ava to pause. Harry looked up to see a man standing there, looking much like himself, though his hair was a bit lighter and tamer, and his eyes were brown. Ava shrieked.
"Daddy!" Ava screamed at she ran full force into the waiting man's arms. He scooped her up and spun her around, much to the delight of the child. The woman stood off to the side a bit and watched them. Harry froze. She, his daughter, was calling another man her father. Harry wanted to tear his cloak from his shoulders, race down the yard, and snatch Ava from the man's arms.
"Now, Tom, please remember to give her a bath, and lay off the sugar," the woman said as she pulled an overnight bag from the porch.
"Angela, I think I know just as well as anyone how to care for my daughter," Tom said firmly as he carried the small child and her bag to his car. Harry watched as Ava kissed her mother a wet, sloppy kiss and allowed to be placed in her car-seat in the back of Tom's car. Bag stored, Tom turned and looked at Angela. He didn't seem angry, just hurt.
"I will expect her back here on Sunday in one piece," Angela said as she crossed her arms.
"I wish you would reconsider this divorce, Angela. I forgave you already, really," Tom said quietly pleading with her. "I love you. I don't care that you cheated on me."
"I still say I didn't cheat Tom," Angela defended as she waved him off. Tom rolled his eyes and left in the car with Harry's daughter. Harry followed Angela on a whim as she entered the now too quiet house. Angela sat on the couch and pulled a thick album from the space under the coffee table. Harry stood behind the couch and watched as Angela looked over dozens and dozens of pictures, mainly of Ava. There was a box next to Angela and began pulling recent pictures out and pasting them into the album.
The phone rang somewhere deep in the house and Angela left the couch. Harry reached down and scooped up a picture of Ava, storing it under his cloak before Angela came back into the room. Figuring that there was nothing more that Harry wanted to see since Ava was no longer there, Harry appirated out of the house and back to his own home.
Harry glanced at his watch. It would be dinnertime soon, and Harry had promised to Neville he would come to dinner. Harry took the picture out of his pocket; glad to see he didn't wrinkle it. Ava looked much as she looked now, big green eyes and nearly untamable brown hair. She was smiling, her little pearly white teeth sparkling. She was absolutely beautiful in Harry's eyes.
He wished that the picture was a wizarding picture instead of a muggle picture. She was still in the picture and not waving and playing like others usually did. Harry reached inside of his desk drawer and pulled out a picture that his parents had sent to Sirius of him. He placed them side-by-side, amazed on the similarities between his daughter and himself. She had Hermione's chin and nose, though, and of course her hair. It was the same color.
Harry sighed and placed the picture in his wallet. He may not have his daughter, but now he could look at her whenever he desired. Harry pushed away from his desk and headed up to the showers. He was determined not to look so homeless and forlorn as he had on previous visits with Neville. Harry didn't want his few close friends to think that he was cracking up under the pressure of his job and life.
Harry stood naked in front of his mirror in bedroom; his clothes were lain out and pressed on the bed. It was Kreatcher's doing no doubt. Harry could help but look at himself critically. He hadn't been working out as much as he had once worked out, and he thought that he was getting the beginning of gut. Harry looked lower and wondered if others saw him the way that he saw himself. Shrugging, he pulled his clothes on and fought to smooth down his hair.
Standing outside of Neville's house with a bottle of wine (he didn't quite know what else to bring), Harry felt a little nervous. He could hear a lot of talking inside, and Harry knew Neville and Luna were planning to have friends over. He was curious who else would be in attendance, wracking his brains over the previous members of the DA that Neville would have still been in contact with. Harry rang the bell and waited.
"Harry! You made it," Neville said grinning as has guided Harry into his house. "Look everyone! Harry's here!"
There were cheers of welcome from the living room and Harry was glad that he saw some people he recognized. Luna threw her arms around Harry and kissed his cheeks before floating off to a refreshment table she had conjured. Harry rolled his eyes when he saw Draco and Hermione sitting off to one side, talking with Ginny. Ginny looked furious and her eyes fell right on Harry. She glanced back at them and shook her head, getting up from her seat, and walked over to Harry.
"Hi, Harry," Ginny said as she hugged him. Harry quickly patted her back and pulled away.
"Hey, Gin," Harry said. He looked at her a moment. "How's the Hall of Records treating you?"
"Ah, you know, work is work, as they say," Ginny replied. She spotted someone on the other side of the room and excused herself quickly. Harry smirked. She really was a bad liar. Harry watched Hermione for a few minutes before he headed over towards the two who seemed like they were deep in conversation. Draco looked up first, followed by Hermione who jumped up and placed herself between Harry and Draco.
"Hermione, really," Harry said as he looked at her. "I told you. If he makes you happy, I am happy. Well, no, that's a lie, I am miserable, but I am not going to hit Malfoy or anything."
"Do you promise?" Hermione asked quietly as she touched his arm, picking lint off his shirt. "Do you promise not to hit Draco ever again?"
"Mione, really," Harry grumbled. Hermione crossed her arms and looked at him with an expression of solidarity.
"Take it or leave it, Harry," Hermione said firmly. "Promise me you won't hit Draco again. Swear it, Harry."
"Fine, if it will make you happy. I promise, I swear I won't hit Malfoy again," Harry said sighing. Hermione rushed him, throwing her arms around him unexpectedly, catching him off guard. They fell backwards onto the couch, Harry neatly underneath Hermione. She laughed light heartedly, as she hadn't laughed in a while. She placed her hand on Harry's chest and pushed herself up off him.
"You would think it would take more than a light weight to knock you off your feet," Hermione teased as she extended her hand to Harry. Harry took it but used much of his own effort to right himself so that he was leaning against Neville's sofa.
"Well, who would have thought the likes of you would be able to knock me off my feet, but there it was," Harry laughed as Neville joined them by the hearth. Neville wasn't a fan of Draco's, but Luna insisted on inviting him, since they both worked in the Hall of Records together.
"Hermione and I are thinking of vacationing in Nepal. Isn't that where you took Luna on your honeymoon?" Draco asked rather smugly. Harry felt himself clench with anger but his smile stayed plastered to his face.
"Oh, yes, it was lovely," Luna said loftily. "I especially liked the secret voodoo witches that Neville and I met. Gave me a curse of some sort, though, and I haven't been able to hiccup since. Rather interesting." Harry couldn't help but smile at Luna. She really wasn't all there, in his mind, but she was great. He would take her as a friend over Malfoy any day.
"Hey, Harry, did I show you my Sneakoscope?" Neville asked Harry. Harry made a face and shook his head. He knew what a Sneakoscope looked like; he couldn't imagine that Neville's would look much different from his own, wherever he last placed it.
"No," Harry said. Neville handed Luna his drink and gesture to Harry for him to follow him. Shrugging at Hermione and Draco, Harry followed Neville up the winding steps of the apartment to the second level. Neville looked behind Harry a moment then pulled a book off the bookshelf in the hallway; a door way appeared from behind the shelf.
"Cool, huh?" Neville said grinning. Harry nodded. Harry had to admit it was pretty cool. A hallway hidden behind a bookshelf was actually very cool. Neville lead the way into the space, and permitted Harry to follow him. It was dark, but Neville lead the way, Harry hanging onto his shirtsleeve. Harry felt a little foolish and apprehensive, but didn't say anything.
The room flooded with light and Harry blinked the lights out of his eyes, momentarily blinded. As his eyes adjusted, Harry found that he must be in Neville's personal lab. Neville had walked over to an empty cage and proceeded to drop little pieces of shredded cabbage in it.
"What is that?" Harry asked curiously as the cabbaged disappeared.
"Uh, well," Neville said carefully as he grinned. He scratched the back of his head rather nervously. "It is an invisible hamster. Happened by accident, and he is really quite sweet. I just couldn't terminate the project when the hamsters went invisible. They are crawling all over the ministry."
Harry laughed, thinking about the thing in Ron's drawer. Harry wondered if the thing that had bit Ron and stole his sandwich could be one of these rogue invisible hamsters. Neville moved away from the cage and headed to a small table where two chairs were situated. There were papers stacked neatly.
"Here are copies of the information," Neville said. Harry blinked at him and his gaze went to the stack of parchment.
"You mean?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"The information you have been looking for. Luna helped me get them. I know you said to keep it between us, but do you realize how difficult it is to get an appointment there in the Hall of Records?" Neville said rapidly. He sighed. "Anyway, Luna said she would keep it quiet, doesn't want to get into trouble, you know. Plus she is one of your biggest fans, and she considers you a dear friend."
"Thanks, Neville," Harry murmured as Neville gestured to the chair.
"I'll be downstairs. Take as long as you need," Neville said as Harry sat in the chair. Neville left Harry alone in the hidden lab to look over the documents that had been previously unattainable.
By the time Harry put the last sheet down, he felt a little sick to his stomach and really angry. The handwriting alone was enough to drive him insane. He glanced down at it again and Malfoy's face floated into Harry's conscious mind. Harry felt the old rage begin to boil. Harry folded the information up and stored in his pocket and headed downstairs to re-join the party.
`Breathe deeply, you don't know what this means,' Harry told himself as he forced a smile at Neville and wove in and out of the others toward where he last seen Hermione and Draco Malfoy.
`You're a fool and an idiot if you don't know what this means,' Harry replied to himself. Harry shook his head sharply. The last thing he needed was for his mind to become embattled when he was about to kill Draco Malfoy.
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