It was still early when they made it to Hagrid's. The chill was still in the air. Sunlight though, was warming the day rapidly.
"Good mornin' to yeh. It's about time yeh made it back down here," Hagrid said as he opened the door and saw who was standing there. "I mean outside o' class I haven' had a chance to say congratulations," He pulled the two teens into a hug. "Always did think yeh two would make a good pair."
"Thanks Hagrid."
"So what's this I am'a hearin about'a marriage?" Hagrid asked with a twinkle in his eye. "And me not gett'n an invitation?"
They spent a few minutes taking about Grawp and how much better he was doing. They also discussed the wizarding world and how they now believed Harry. Finally they knew they needed to go meet Neville and Luna so Harry broached the subject about what they had wanted to know. "Hagrid, Hermione was reading about something called a Mokeskin pouch and it sounded really useful. Do you know where I can buy one?"
"Mokeskin hey, they rare them," Hagrid said. "You know you can hide anythin'..." He stopped and looked at the two of them. "Plan'n on taking after your father are yeh?"
"Not that, but…" Harry replied as he pulled out the mirror. "I wanted something to keep this and a few other things in so I don't lose it."
"Well now, seeing that brings back sum old memories..." Hagrid said as he looked at the mirror in Harry's hand. "I remember seeing your father and Sirius..." He paused and frowned thoughtfully before continuing, "wait a minute," He got up and walked over to a cabinet. When he had it opened he started rummaging into it. He pulled out piles of odds and ends until finally he found what he was looking for. "Thought so," He muttered. He turned back to Harry and Hermione. "Bloke gave me these a few years back," He said and help up two identical pouches like the one he'd given Harry on his seventeenth birthday. The sight of them made Harry blink as tears threatened to appear. "You two can have'm."
"We can pay you for them," Harry suggested as he reached into his pocket.
Hagrid waved his hand dismissively. "Not like I'm ah using 'em," He smiled at them. "We'll call them a weddin' present, how's that?"
"As long as you don't bring one when we have our real wedding."
"Can't be promisin' things like that can I now?" He winked as he handed the bags to them. "Go'on take 'm."
"Thanks Hagrid," Harry replied and gave his first friend a hug. Hermione joined them.
....
"Did you get your stuff back, Luna?" Harry asked. Neville and Luna had been waiting for them in the Room of Requirements. He knew she had since Dobby had already told them earlier that morning as well as given them the list of people who had it.
"Yes," Luna replied. "Thank you. They even found things I'd lost last year."
"Thank Dobby and Winky."
Harry and Hermione explained what they had retrieved from the Chamber and their plan to test the weapons. Neville and Luna readily agreed to help. They all put on Dragon hide gloves before they laid out the weapons that had the most potential to be Goblin made. The testing went quickly as the put a single drop of venom on a weapon. If it didn't disappear into the blade they allowed it to run off of it onto another blade. It became a game of balancing the dangerous liquid drop on the blade and ensuring it moved in the right direction. By seven-thirty they had found a small axe and weapon that was the half the size of a sword but much bigger than a dagger proven to be goblin made.
"Well neither of these will work for us," Harry said in disappointment. "But they're probably worth something."
"True. We can put them in the vault with the jewels."
Hermione pulled out her wand and put a protection spell on the blades so they wouldn't accidentally cut anyone. They then started putting some of the books Hermione wanted to study over the summer into the cabinet as well. Sirius was roused and started unloading on his end.
"So did you have any trouble placing those bets yesterday?" Harry asked Sirius.
"Nope...hey the odds were thirty to one for that guy, did you know that?"
"No."
"Not as good as the streaker odds though," Sirius said mirthfully.
"Streaker?" Hermione asked. "They allowed bets for..."
"Yep," Sirius replied grinning. "I put a thousand Galleons on that just so the Goblin would have to write it down," He laughed. "You should have seen the distaste," He mimicked writing. "Non magical human appearing nude or..."
Hermione had stopped handing Harry books as her eyes grew wide. "It happened," She said. "Mother said a woman did it right before the final match. I remember because she said in the following interview the winner had said the streaker had relaxed him while the loser said it had distracted him."
"Really?" Sirius said as his eyes twinkled. "Not sure if I should bet more or get tickets to the event. Do you remember if she was cute?"
"Sirius!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I was just asking," He said still smiling. "Sixty-six to one for her showing up. That'll pay for a something nice for your birthday Harry."
Before Harry could respond they heard the door to the Room of Requirements open and after quickly extinguishing the mirror they turned.
"The very people I wished to see," A Scottish burr informed them.
"We were coming to see you soon, Professor McGonagall," Harry replied.
"I was searching for you to let you know the Headmaster wishes to speak to you this morning," McGonagall said. She looked over at Neville and Luna before looking back at Harry and Hermione. "I also need to speak to you two privately. Please come to my office later."
"Neville and Luna already know we're married," Hermione said correctly interpreting her favorite professor. "That's why they did that thing in the Great Hall. You can say whatever you need in front of them. We trust them completely."
"Very well if you're sure."
"Oh here," Harry said. "Before I forget to give this back," He unpinned the prefect's badge and held it out to her.
"That's one of the things I wanted to speak to you about," The professor replied. "With Mr. Malfoy away, you'll stay a prefect for the duration of the return trip."
"Yes Ma'am," Harry replied as he pinned the badge back on his robes.
....
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