CH 12

"He is correct, Neville," said Madam Longbottom. "Both your parents were close and became even closer when Dear Alice and Lily both fell pregnant at the same time." Turning back to Harry she said, "And I'm very sorry for your loss Harry. I loved your parents as if they were my own children." "Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry with a little sorrow. "I appreciate your sentiments."

Giving only a nod in response, and with a slight hesitation before continuing, Madam Longbottom then said, "And, as you are Neville's 'godbrother' as you put it, perhaps you might find it within yourself to refer to me as Neville does, as Gran."

A little startled, Harry was a little hesitant before replying, "Thank you - I think I'd like that - Gran." And gave a small smile.

"Good," she replied. "Now, perhaps you can tell us where you've been for the past ten years?"

With a small sigh, and not a little weariness, Harry decided to tell them both a rough abridged version of his life. He kept secrets, of course, but he gave them some detail. He just didn't know how much to tell them yet so decided to withhold some information.

Halfway through the telling of his biography a house elf popped in and reported dinner was ready. Harry continued his story after it was finished and they were once more sitting in the Sitting Room. Madam Longbottom was drinking a sherry while Neville and Harry were drinking butterbeers.

While he was reticent to do so, Harry felt it would be an overt sign of trust to show the letter from his father to the Dowager Lady. So, he offered it and allowed her to read it. He was surprised to hear the prim and proper witch muttering quite sulphurously about what she had read.

"It appears, Mister Potter," she said returning the letter, once she'd calmed down a bit, "that you should have been raised here at Longbottom Hall." Surprised, Harry asked, "Pardon? I was led to believe Uncle Frank and Aunt Alice are - currently incapable of caring for me."

Realising what he'd said he apologised, "Sorry, that was rather - abrupt - of me."

With an expression of slight pain she said, "Not your fault, dear. But I think I should explain."

Harry gave a small nod and gesture for her to continue.

"You see, your parents and you were attacked on 31st October," she explained. "Frank and dear Alice were not attacked until almost a week later on 5th November."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"However," she went on, "according to what you've told me, you were placed with those muggle relatives of yours on the evening of 1st November by Albus Dumbledore. That was four days before Frank and Alice were attacked."

With comprehension dawning, Harry said, "That means I should have been here, at Longbottom Hall, instead of with the Dursleys, when Uncle Frank and Aunt Alice were attacked!"

"Yes, dear," she replied.

"Please forgive me for asking; but, could it have been that Uncle Frank and Aunt Alice rejected me because they, too, were at risk of being attacked? Maybe they thought I'd be safer if I wasn't with them?"

Shaking her head, she replied with a frown, "No, they'd have never done that. If, as this letter suggests, Frank and Dear Alice were listed as the first option for your care when - if - something untoward happened to your parents, then they would not have turned you away."

With a sigh Harry growled, "Dumbledore. He completely ignored my parents' wishes. That - man - I find more and more to blame for what happened to me under the oh so tender mercies of the Dursleys. What I cannot figure out is why he did it."

"That, I cannot tell you," she replied.

Straightening himself up a bit Harry said, "Anyway, that's something I intend to ask him directly when I finally meet him. In the meantime, I wonder if you can offer any advice about how to deal with the Greengrasses and the betrothal contract between myself and Lady Daphne."

After a short discussion on how to handle the situation, she offered Longbottom Hall as a neutral venue. However, he declined the offer but accepted her advice. Her advice, thankfully, matched his already recently established views.

At the end of the night Harry was pleased he had met one of his father's requests, to re-establish the alliance with House Longbottom. And he had answers to some of the questions of which he'd been plagued over the past month. He also agreed to meet up with Neville on the train to Hogwarts the next Sunday morning.

"I will, of course, probably be sitting with Lady Daphne, at least," said Harry. "She is, after all, my betrothed. I hope this will not be of concern to you?"

"Nope," said Neville. "I've met Daphne. I like her. She'll also probably want to be with her friend Tracy. And, I have no problem with her, either."

The next evening - again, at precisely 6.00pm - the fireplace flashed to light with green flames. Stumbling out and again landing on his butt in the parlour of Bones Manor was Harry Potter. Again he wore formal robes without crest. The colour this time was plain black. His under-robe shirt was of a light green. Susan Bones awaited him just as Neville had done the previous day.

A quick run through the same greetings and responses - after she'd stopped giggling at him - and she was escorting him through to a formal lounge to meet her aunt, Madam Amelia Bones, current Regent for House Bones.

Harry found Madam Bones to be a no-nonsense kind of woman, very similar to Madam Longbottom. However, where Madam Longbottom was more a regal grand lady, Madam Bones was more down to earth; more of a 'beer and pretzels' rather than 'tea and scones' kind of woman.

Harry was surprised just how similar the two meetings were. Though, what he had read did not go into too great a detail about the intricacies of such meetings, he felt he shouldn't have been surprised.

The biggest difference, though, was the penetrating questions Madam Bones asked him about his past. Whenever he was reticent to reveal too much, he knew the older witch, the Head of the DMLE, knew he was withholding the information. At such times, she approached the matter from a slightly different angle; a slightly different perspective. By the end of the meeting Harry was surprised about just how much he had divulged.

He could also tell the older witch was trying not to give off the impression of great anger. Clearly, she was not happy with what she had learned from what Harry told her. However, on such occasions, she kept her own counsel.

As he did with Madam Longbottom, Harry offered the letter from his father to the witch and asked her for advice on how to proceed with his meeting with the Greengrasses. Her advice matched Madam Longbottom's.

As with the Longbottoms, at the end of the night he was pleased to have re-established the second of the alliances with which his father had charged him. And, also agreed to meet with young Susan on the train to Hogwarts. He also mentioned sitting with Neville and likely Daphne and her friend, Tracey. And Susan mentioned her friend Hannah would also likely join them.

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