Harry vaguely remembered wanting to buy something there too, but for the life of him he couldn't remember what it was. He didn't think it was a book; was it a broomstick or something? Harry knew Hermione was smarter than him, but he had never considered the possibility that if they were already officially going out that she might be doing the opposite of what Fred and George suggested in case everything went badly and they had to go back to being just friends. Maybe Hermione would've been a better Slytherin than he would have, regardless of whether his grandparents were in the house or not.
His attention was diverted by a gout of green flame from the fireplace. If the elder Weasley brothers had been unsuccessful at breaking into the bank this would certainly make their mother's day. Oddly, it turned out to be Luna, who he hadn't expected here for hours yet, though Mrs. Weasley didn't seem to mind at all.
"Oh, there you are, dear," Molly said warmly, crossing over to the small blonde and giving her a hug. "It's lovely to see you again, you've gotten so big."
The girl looked at her a bit bewilderedly.
"Did the gnomes bite you?" Luna asked. "Their saliva's supposed to be enormously beneficial."
"Of course, dear, that's why they're there," Molly replied without a hint of hesitation. "You've met Harry, of course," she said, gesturing to him.
"Hello," Luna said with a wan smile.
"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley called. "Oh, I forgot," she said before taking out her wand and giving it a flick at the stairs. "Why don't you go ahead and go on up? I'm sure she'd like to see you," she patted Luna on the back and went back to whatever she was making.
Luna paused as she was about to pass by him and dug in the pocket of her dress for a moment.
"Here you go," she said setting a small pile of river-worn pebbles on the table next to him. "I thought you could use them."
"Er- thanks," Harry said, not knowing what else to say.
"I think you'll be interesting," she replied. And with no attempt to explain what she meant Luna left for Ginny's room.
Strange as they were, Harry took the pebbles anyway. If he left them there then Fred and George might have them make their way into his food when he wasn't looking. But then again, if she was able to brighten things up just by being here who was to say they wouldn't come in handy after all?
Feeling better about getting her here, Harry went out to see what the guys had been up to.
...
He'd heard things at the home office in Britain had become a bit odd - why else would they have called people back from overseas? - but he thought it would've been some nonsensical regulatory regime the Ministry had just pushed through, like making everyone working overseas provide regular toenail samples or something. What Bill hadn't expected was for the bank doors to be closed or prepared for the sheer number of people recalled. If he hadn't run into Charlie last night he wouldn't have had a room to sleep in unless he went back home.
Even the normal leeway they gave employees seemed to have been curtailed, which is how the two Weasleys found themselves standing in a small side alley next to a nondescript door while slightly darker clouds threatened to drizzle on them. And to top it off, they were waiting for a goblin he was pretty sure was just going to say no, whether he seemed to have taken a liking to him or not. Still, if you didn't put up with a bit of annoyance for your brother then who would you do it for?
The door in front of them opened slowly, and Bill could tell from the voice behind it that this was the goblin they were waiting on.
"Ah! I am thanking you," a goblin voice said to someone, "I did not be knowing this door was here."
Charlie gave him an odd look he only had time to squelch with one of his own before the mustachioed Overseer Alkrat appeared before them.
"Is it the raining?" the goblin asked, looking up. "Better the wet storm than the stand storm, yes? And it is the Weasley!" the excitable Overseer exclaimed. "This is the luckydo. You be getting inside, yes?" the goblin beckoned.
"Uh, yes, sir," Bill said in hopes of keeping his boss happy. "I was hoping to bring someone in with me though, so I could give him a tour and he could entertain some professional curiosity," he explained.
Overseer Alkrat's face fell.
"Oh, I be so sorry for you," the goblin said. "We-we-we cannot be having anyone in the inside now. The others, they not be allowing this. He come back later maybe, yes?"
"We understand, sir. I just thought I'd check," he replied. "Sorry, Charlie. Maybe next time," Bill said to his brother.
"That's alright," Charlie said with a wave. "It gives me a chance to see Ron and the twins, not to mention Mum."
"Mum?" Alkrat asked curiously. "What is the mum? This is the fleur-flower, yes?"
"He's just talking about our mother, sir," Bill explained, thinking that if he gave a mum to his mum she'd probably keep it forever.
"Yes, and I still working with dragons is easier to deal with than her," Charlie joked.
"Ah!" Alkrat cheered. "It is another Weasley! And he be working with dragons, yes?" the Overseer asked, his eyes bright.
"Yes, sir," Bill answered quickly, sensing an opening here. "He's worked with them on a preserve in Romania for the last year, and had a summer internship there before that," he said with glowing tones as if to imply that his brother had run everything himself.
"This-this-this is wonderful!" Alkrat smiled. "You come," the goblin said as he grabbed Charlie's hand to pull him towards the door. "We need the consultant."
As Charlie disappeared inside he shot him a look wondering what he'd gotten him into. Bill tried not to laugh at the hyperactive Overseer but he was wondering the same thing. He had promised to get his brother a look at the dragons one day but he had never made any promises about them letting him leave again.
As he entered and closed the door behind him, Bill wondered if he could get Charlie probed.
.....
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