The Return of the Griffin

Chapter Six

Harry sat at the Burrow's kitchen table. Charlie had to leave, since he had to give an exam for his Care of Magical Creatures class. Harry was staring at the pad he had been using to copy down notes from his dreams. He read through them again, adding what details he missed, realizing how important it might be now. Ginny, Molly and the children would return soon.

Charlie had sent an owl to Maggie, who said she would stop by after dinner that night. She couldn't see Harry immediately, as her students were taking their finals as well. Harry twirled the quill between his fingers in frustration. He knew the name Mushussu sounded familiar, and he couldn't remember where.

He tossed his quill down, and wandered the house. It felt odd being there alone--felt weird to be in a wizard house again, but he planned on keeping that to himself. There was so much to reacquaint himself with. It was definitely easier to hide out in America.

Some things had changed since the last time he had been there. The kitchen had been redone. It was larger now, with new cupboards, a larger center table and a new wide board hard wood floor that had been waxed to a glossy shine. The clock in the corner now had many hands on it, one for each of the grandchildren and in-laws. It was then Harry noticed that there was one hand on there that had turned from gold to black. He stood there staring at it for a moment, thinking about Fred, then slowly turned into the living room.

The fireplace was framed with two large bookshelves. On the mantel, were pictures of all the Weasleys. Many were waving. Between the pictures at the center of the mantel was the pot the family always used to hold their floo powder.

Harry smiled in relief as he saw the flames turn green. He quickly moved away from the fireplace, giving them room to return.

Davey leaped at him from the flames. "Daddy! Daddy! We looked at a house with a forest!" Harry chuckled, as he wrapped his arms around his son. Davey continued to rattle off the things he learned about the houses they'd looked at. Molly and Ginny came through the flames, brushing the ash off themselves and little Tory.

"I don't know about that house, Ginny. The attic was full of puffskeins, you might think they were breeding them...Oh, hello Harry!" Molly smiled at him. "Back already? Would you like some lunch?" Harry just grinned at how quickly everything tumbled out of her mouth.

"I hadn't realized how much I miss this family," Harry said. "Lunch sounds lovely."

Molly blushed and bustled into the kitchen.

Ginny leaned over and kissed him. "I talked to Neville this morning. He is anxious to see what goodies we've brought for him. I couldn't get in touch with Ollivander before we left though." Harry nodded, and took Tory from Ginny's arms.

"Hey there, peachy girl," he cooed, then laughed when she giggled and patted his cheek. He followed everyone into the kitchen. Ginny stopped at his pad, looking at the notes.

"Harry, you never told me how detailed your dreams were," she murmured. "Maggie really needs to see these."

"More than you know. The dragon I spoke with today--I've spoken with him already in my dreams," he spoke quietly. "When I asked him why, he said I had been in theirs' for years. She's coming after dinner tonight. That's why I was working on it again."

Molly broke in, putting bowls of steaming stew on the table. "Well, lets eat up." She looked at Harry as she said it, knowing he was feeling out of sorts. "Best thing for you, dear."

Harry sighed inwardly, wondering what he did to have deserved such an incredible family.

Everyone sat down and inhaled Molly's marvelous stew. In between bites, Molly and Ginny discussed the different points of the two houses they looked at.

"Well, we can always look at others. This is just the beginning. Do you know it took Ron and Hermione six months to find a house that suited them?"

Harry moaned. "No offence mum, but I can't imagine."

"Well, I don't think it will be quite that hard for you two. Hermione needed all sorts of special charms for her job and they can only be done in certain areas. And of course, they needed to have a rather secure place for Ron's transformations as well," Molly added briskly.

The meal ended quickly amidst the discussion. "Harry will you go get Neville's chest? I'll help mum clean up."

Harry groaned as he stood up, "Wonderful as usual. You're going to make me positively rotund if we stay here, Mum," he grinned. The trunk was still up in the room, so Harry moved toward the stairs, laughing out loud when Ginny told Davey to make sure he used the bathroom before they went off again. Tory was getting cranky, so Ginny tried to calm her down.

"Don't worry, Ginny. She can stay here and take a nap. I wasn't going out anyway."

It didn't take long for them to reassemble in front of the fireplace. "We'll get more floo powder for you when we stop in Diagon Alley, Mum." Ginny tossed the floo powder on the fire with one hand, her other holding the trunk. "Longbottom's Magical Nursery."

As soon as she cleared the fire, Davey tossed his in, and followed, holding Harry's hand.

Harry stumbled out of an outdoor fireplace into a lush, verdant meadow. A largish man with a very round face stood next to the fireplace, clapping his hands with glee. A tall blonde woman with freckles and a pleasant smile stood next to him. They were both dressed in dark green robes covered with a smattering of dirt.

"Ginny! Smashing to see you!" Neville came to her and gave her a warm hug. "And Harry! I haven't seen you since...since you're wedding! You're looking very well."

Harry shook the hand Neville offered, then pulled him in for a hug. "What can I say, I've had to keep busy in the garden to keep you in American stock." Neville laughed, and turned to the woman.

"This is my wife, Gregoria," Neville said proudly.

"Please, everyone calls me Gigi. Gregoria sounds so gothic," she told them in a voice only slightly tinged with an eastern European accent. "I've heard so much about you. I wish I could have known you before." She shook their hands.

Just then, Harry saw a little girl peek from behind her mother. She had her mother's white gold hair, and Neville's round face.

"Hello, you must be Fern," Ginny said, coming down on one knee to look the girl in the eye.

"Yes, ma'am," her high voice trilled, her wide eyes still peeking around her mother's leg.

"Davey, you and Fern are the same age, did you know that? Come and say hello," Ginny insisted.

Davey moved forward, and stood next to his mother. He looked shyly at Fern. "I like your name," he said, looking quickly down at the ground.

"Can you say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom, Davey?" Ginny prompted.

"Hi."

Neville chuckled, then remarked, "Hi yourself, Davey!" He looked to Ginny and Harry, "isn't one missing?"

"Tory was worn out from house hunting. She's napping with mum right now."

"That's where Nicolas is right now--sleeping." Gigi smiled.

"You're house hunting? Why didn't you say? I keep a list of wizard houses that are currently up for sale. Helps when it comes to selling new plants and such. I'll owl you a copy," Neville offered.

The children were rather fidgety during this conversation. "Would you like to look at the new hazel tree daddy got? It's really nice. Its all twisty."

Davey's eyes brightened. "You like trees? Mum, can I go with her?"

Ginny looked to Neville. "He'll be safe with her. And everyone here keeps an eye on Fern anyway," Neville replied.

"Well, all right then. But you come when I use my big voice to call you," she told him.

"Yes, mum." Davey rolled his eyes in such a grown up manner that all the adults laughed. They watched the two children scamper to the edge of the meadow.

"Well, I've been patient and polite. Let me see what you've got!" Neville cried like a child who couldn't wait to open his Christmas gift. Gigi took out her wand, and conjured a table to set the trunk on.

Ginny flipped open the trunk. "Oh, my! You two are trying to spoil us!" Gigi gasped.

"Ginny, this trunk is amazing! You have to tell me how you made these...It would be great for my transporting plants long distances."

Gigi nudged him, "Plants, dear. Look at the plants."

"Oh, yes, of course!" he answered.

"Well, I see you brought me plenty of bee balm. How do you expect it to take here?"

"I don't think there will be any problems with it at all, Neville. It's part of the mint family, and it spreads like mad, so getting it to propagate should be a breeze. Once you have it, you might want to see about ordering the other colors," Harry suggested.

"Colors? Whatever do you mean?"

"Well, this here is the original beebalm. The natives used to use it for all sorts of things. It was considered to help with blood problems since the flower was blood red. But there are new cultivars that are white, pink, and lavender. I don't know, but perhaps they will be useful for other things?"

"Very good then, very good. Mint you say? That can go in the testing meadow three, don't you think, Gigi?" She nodded in agreement.

"What's in the parchment?"

Ginny turned to Harry. "Harry packed the trunk, so I'm not sure."

"That is the columbine seeds you asked for that I was going to owl you. Hope you don't get another fairy infestation!"

"You and me both! The charms I've put on that greenhouse to keep the blighters out. Enough to drive a wizard to Ogden's." Neville shook his head. "Haven't had that big of a problem since we had a major infestation of garden gnomes in meadow number four three years ago."

Gigi pulled out the parchments full of seed, until she came to one with a red X on it. "Harry, is this something different?"

"Yeah. I harvested those last fall. Came off a plant called Cleome, or Spider Fingers. The potions master at Ginny's school used them, so we brought them back. They are supposed to grow fairly easily. Like drained soil and full sun."

"How are they on water, and how big do they grow?" Gigi asked.

"Without rain? I'd water them maybe every third day once they're established. And they get about three to four feet high, and about that around, but you can plant them close together."

"Harry, you are brilliant. No one has these things," Neville enthused. "How can I thank you?"

"Nah. Just helping a mate out. Anyway, who knows when these will come in handy?"

"Now this plant I know," Ginny laughed as she pulled it out and set it on the table.

"Ugh! What is it?" Gigi sniffed, grimacing.

"That is skunk cabbage," Ginny laughed.

Harry smiled, "And if you can get it to grow, George wants it. He thinks he can use it to outsell dung bombs."

"So not only do you bring me the plant, you create a market as well?" Neville just shook his head. "I should've made you take the job with me when I asked you before you left for America. Imagine where we'd be now, Gigi."

Gigi smiled, "You have been a very good friend to Neville. We both appreciate it. These are lovely," she paused then remembered. "What are the skunk cabbage's growing requirements?"

Harry grinned, and told the Longbottoms about the specific growing conditions for the skunk cabbage.

"Do you have time for a tour, guys?" Neville smiled once the plants had all been taken care of.

"Well, we have to stop at Diagon Alley before going home. We need to stop and visit Ollivander, and we need to pick up some more floo powder for mum. She doesn't keep as much as she used to and with all the little ones around, we have to travel by floo again."

"Maybe another time then. It would take too long," Neville blushed.

Gigi laughed. "What he means to say is he would want to show you every plant in the nursery."

Everyone laughed. Ginny pulled her wand out and sighed, "I guess I should call the children. Sonorus. DAVEY IT'S TIME TO GO! Quietus."

"The workers will have heard that too, so they'll hurry them to the floo. Maybe you two could come over for dinner some night after you get settled in," Gigi offered.

"That would be lovely, wouldn't it Harry?" Ginny smiled at him.

"Absolutely. Look forward to it. Oh, blimey, we nearly forgot. Gin, did you take the branch out of the chest?"

"My goodness. So much to remember. No, I didn't." She reached in and took the birch branch. "You don't mind keeping this trunk for us for a bit do you? It's just one more thing to trip over at Mum's right now."

Neville focused on the branch, but answered Ginny. "Of course you can. Is that what I think it is? Wand wood?"

Startled, Ginny replied, "Yes. But how did you know?"

"Couldn't tell you. It's just a feeling I get. Who's getting a new wand then?" Neville asked as he watched the children return.

"It's a long story, Neville. It was given to us for Davey's wand. Speaking of...Hello, Davey, did you have fun?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" he cried. "When can I come back? Can Fern come and visit me?"

Ginny and Gigi both started to giggle. Ginny answered, "Of course, sweetheart. We'll figure out a time soon, okay?"

"Okay, I guess," he replied much quieter.

"Bye Davey!" Fern called out, and threw her arms around him. Harry hid his smile behind a cough.

"We'll send that owl tonight, and you get back to us when you get settled, okay?" Neville reminded as he walked them back toward the outdoor fireplace.

"Absolutely. I wish we had more time to visit today, but there is still so much to do. Maggie is coming over tonight to discuss some things with Harry about the dragons," Ginny added.

"How DID that go, Harry?"

"Well, they answered a few questions, but brought up about a dozen new ones. Maggie has some background that might help us with the new riddles. But they don't look good."

Neville and Gigi both looked aghast. "We wish there was something we could do..." Neville said.

"We appreciate the thought. And we might just need some plants...but we won't know until we figure this all out."

"Anything I have, it's yours if you need it," Neville said, and Gigi nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys. We'll see you soon," Ginny said.

They gave one another hugs and made promises to see each other soon.

The three of them stepped into the green flames, "Diagon Alley!"

They felt the whoosh of overheated air and stumbled out into the murky light of the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny and Harry hustled Davey into the alley before they could be seen by any of the patrons. Ginny took out her wand, and tapped the appropriate bricks.

The clanked and ground as they shifted to make the archway. Davey watched in awe and Harry smiled. Watching him reminded Harry of how amazed he had been the first time Hagrid had opened the archway for him.

"Where to first?" Ginny asked Harry.

Harry stopped momentarily. The alley in front of the archway was as wide as usual before it narrowed out, but there was now a small planting of flowers and rosemary before a memorial obelisk of what looked to be black onyx. Standing six feet tall, the monument had the legend glowing in silver:

This stone stands to bear witness

to the atrocities committed by the followers

of the dark wizard, Voldemort

and to the lives of innocent wizards and witches

lost on August12, 1997.

Let evil not into your heart or take over your soul.

Beneath this was a list of the names of the twenty-three people who had died in the attack.

Harry hand gripped Davey's shoulder tighter. Bloody reminders everywhere. Why did he come back? That wasn't who he was anymore. He didn't want to be that person anymore. Too much worry. Too much grief.

Mentally, he shook himself when he felt Ginny's sympathetic gaze on him. "Why don't we go where we have to go first? You want to stop and pick up the floo powder, and meet us at Ollivander's?" he asked.

"Sure. The floo powder won't take long." Ginny said and walked quickly across the street to the apothecary.

Harry led Davey down the crooked alley, past Fortescue's ice cream, and Flourish and Blott's. So much looked the same, yet there were differences here and there, mostly buildings that had to be rebuilt after the death eater attack.

"Daddy, look! There's Uncle George's shop!" Davey pointed out.

Indeed, next door to Flourish and Blott's was a shop in one of the rebuilt buildings. Weasley Wizarding Wheezes was written above the door in colors that flashed and changed. Harry was reminded for a moment of the banner Dean had painted and Hermione charmed for his very first quidditch match. The windows were full of all sorts of goodies, and even from here, he could see the original design that the twins had created for their products. The design had two bludger balls crashing into each other, with WWW written fancifully in red over the top.

Harry felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me, but aren't you Harry Potter?" a tall dark haired boy asked.

"You know my daddy?" Davey asked incredulously.

"Merlin's beard, it is you! It's such an honor! I read all about you in Life Lessons by Draco Malfoy." The boy put his hand out to shake Harry's. Harry took it reluctantly. He could feel the eyes of the other shoppers on him, making him feel decidedly uncomfortable. After the boy left, he hustled Davey down the street to Ollivander's amongst stares and whispers.

Ollivander's was just past the Magical Menagerie and looked the same as when Harry first came to get his wand. The same peeled gold lettering in the window proclaimed "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.". Harry wondered if it was the same wand sitting on the dusty purple cushion. Davey pulled open the door, and a quiet tinkling sound echoed through the otherwise silent store. Harry followed, and walked up to the counter.

Just as he was beginning to feel out of sorts, Ollivander glided up to the counter. He had not changed much in the intervening years. He was still tall and lank like the wands he created with the eerie silver eyes that made Davey slip behind Harry.

"Mr. Potter. I did not expect to see you so soon. Eleven inch holly and phoenix feather. Do you still have it?" he asked curiously.

"Yes. It's kept in my old school trunk. Not much use for it now though." Harry answered. Mr. Ollivander nodded slightly, then noticed the branch Harry had placed on the counter. He looked at it carefully, holding it so close to his eyes, that he poked his cheek with a twig. The branch itself began to glow.

"How curious. Birch. You don't often find wand wood in birch. How did you find it?" He asked, giving Harry a quick glance.

"Seirah gave it to me special." Davey piped up before Harry could answer.

"Well hello, David Potter. I did not expect to see you for a few years yet. Bit young for a wand, aren't you?" He looked back to Harry. "Wand wood should not show magical properties until it has a magical core. Very curious. You say someone gave it to you?"

The bell above the door tinkled in the silence that followed. Ginny walked up behind Harry.

"Hello, Mrs. Potter. Still have that lovely willow wand? 9 inches, unicorn hair. Lovely wand, if I do say so."

"Hello, Mr. Ollivander. Indeed I do. What do you make of the branch?" Ginny asked as she picked Davey up so he could see above the counter.

"Yes, very unusual. You did not insert a core yet it shows magical properties."

"I think I can answer that for you. Seirah, Davey's friend, is a dryad. She took him to her tree, and shed it for him," Harry explained.

"A coreless wand?" Ollivander's eyes bulged and he took a closer look at Davey.

"We were hoping you would make the wand for him," Ginny asked quietly.

"Certainly, certainly. It would be quite the honor. It is not every wand maker that gets to work with dryad wood." He moved his hands over the wood lovingly, seeming to search out the true pattern of the wand hiding in the wood itself.

"Ginny, why don't you take Davey to Fortescue's? I'm sure he would enjoy some ice cream now," Harry suggested. Ginny looked at him, then saw he meant to speak to Ollivander privately.

"Sure. Do you want us to order you anything?" She smiled.

"No," he answered, thinking of how people would stare. " I'll be along in bit," he answered, kissing her cheek.

"Goodbye, Mr. Ollivander, it was lovely to see you again."

"Thank you Mrs. Potter. The pleasure was mine." Ollivander replied graciously.

Ginny and Davey left the store, as Ginny described all the wonderful flavors Fortescue had to offer.

Ollivander continued to study the branch. "Do you have plans for the pieces left over?" he asked finally.

"We don't. They are best left to your hands. If you have a use for them, please feel free."

"Very well, then. I will not charge you for the wand. The pieces are more than enough payment. Very curious though. A dryad for a friend?"

"Well, that is why I stayed behind, to be honest. When you were a child, did you ever attract certain creatures? Like Bowtruckles?"

"Goodness, no. Would've made my work a bit easier. What makes you ask?"

Harry told him about the incident with the bowtruckle at the quidditch game.

Ollivander's silver eyes looked sharply at Harry. "I will keep that in mind. Such a talent could be quite useful. Is anyone else aware of this?"

"Ginny, Ruth Pelta, and the Headmistress of Cresheim Hall," Harry answered, confused.

"You need to tell...goodness who would be the best person?" Ollivander looked thoughtfully at the branch. "I'm not sure. But I am sure Dumbledore would know the appropriate one to share this with."

Harry nodded. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Ollivander. It's been most...educational."

Ollivander nodded distracted, still studying the branch. "Oh, yes. I will owl you when it is complete."

"Thank you," Harry answered, quietly leaving the shop. He wandered thoughtfully down the street back to Ginny and Davey, still aware of the whispers and the odd looks his way.