FicWad

Chapter 25



Let's Do It!





"This invitation list is getting out of hand, Anna," Gwen sighed, then passed the list to Harry.



"You'll have 26 people - if Fred and George bring dates. And everyone shows up," said Harry, counting down the names on the paper.



"How'd you get that many?" Remus leaned over Gwen's shoulder to take a peek.



"Well, you can't invite one Weasley and not invite the rest; they all have to come." Anna sat back with her mug of coffee and took a sip. "Even Percy, now that he's back in everyone's good graces."



"He wouldn't not show up; glad to be forgiven for being a right prat, Percy!" Harry observed wryly.



"Oh, and Winky asked if she could invite Dobby so he could see her new home and that's she's happy and doing well for herself. Wants to show off a bit, I think." Anna checked around, and then whispered, "I think she's secretly got a crush on old Dobby."



"What?" Harry looked over at Gwen and Remus. "Are you two contagious?"



"Don't be daft, Harry. But speaking of contagious, let's go downstairs so I can get a blood sample, Remus." Gwen looked up at him. He nodded.



"Blood sample...sorry, for what?" Harry wrinkled his brow, slightly alarmed. "You're not ill are you Remus?"



"No, same old complaint. Gwen takes a bit of blood every month, when she's here, to see if there are any changes in the cell composition or foreign bodies. She's looking for clues as to what makes me transform." Remus informed him.



"I'm continuing my Dad's work on Remus' lycanthropy. I believe, as he did, that it /is /treatable, beyond what the Wolfsbane Potion can do." Gwen stood up and put her arm around Remus' waist.



"You mean a cure?" Harry asked, his eyes lighting up.



"Stranger things have been cured, but I'm still in the research stage, Harry. There's a long way to go, before a cure is found. I'm optimistic that I'll at least find the /cause/. That's the first step."



Smiling at Harry, Remus and Gwen turned and left the library, heading for the office.



X # X # X



"Anna, here's a sort of dumb question." Harry had waited until Remus and Gwen were downstairs before turning round with a worried look on his face.



"No such thing as a dumb question, Harry. What's bothering you?"



"Does Gwen have any idea how truly dangerous Remus would be, if not for the Wolfsbane Potion pills? Has she ever seen him transform?"



"Yes, to both questions, Harry. She had helped Christopher, when he was alive, to obtain blood during Remus' transformation stage, for their research. And she has continued to do so, two nights ago in fact, while we were watching videos."



"What? Christmas Eve was the full moon?"



"Yes. She needed another sample of his blood when he was in full transformation."



"I had no idea. The only time I've seen Remus transform, it wasn't good." Harry shuddered at the memory. "He hadn't taken his Wolfsbane Potion and, well, he was beyond scary."



"He's not like that anymore, Harry, but he did insist on being restrained, just in case, when Gwen took the sample. Then he just curled up and waited it out. Gwen stayed with him and she and Christopher had a nice long visit.



"Remus was very reluctant to have her see him that way, the first time she was here to help. But, as Remus said last night, she's her father's daughter and the scientist in her kicked in. She told him, in no uncertain terms, that she was going to be there and do what had to be done, whether he liked it or not.



"Then, I understand, she told him she'd dated worse wolves in sheep's clothing, so it was no big deal. She knew how to defend herself. I think that's when he realized she truly cared for him and had a personal stake in doing this research. And I think they are very good for each other."



"Like you and Christopher?"



"Yes, Harry, like we were."



"Maybe it was you and Christopher who were contagious," Harry leaned over and whispered.



"Could have been, Harry, but don't tell him/. He'll start matchmaking and he's /horrible at it."



"Ok, it'll be our secret." Harry grinned at her.



X # X # X



"I'd better stop adding to this list and start planning for the party with Winky. You know, I'm beginning to believe I've created a little dictator in my own house. She runs this place like a well oiled machine, our Winky. I find myself asking her about things, not the other way round. Oh, well, as long as she's happy and wants to call this place her own, I'm pleased to let her." Anna shook her head. "I guess I passed the Mistress exam."



Harry laughed. "Hard not to; you treat her like family, which, from what I've heard, instills a fierce loyalty in house elves."



"I wasn't doing it to win her over; I just was raised that way. House elves are a special gift to the Wizarding world and we'd better not lose sight of that," Anna explained. "Let's get these invitations done and give Wally and Hedwig a good excuse for some exercise."



"Right."



Heads bent over the invitations and envelopes, the next twenty minutes were quiet except for the scratching of quill on parchment. Winky padded around the table, refilling Anna's coffee mug and Harry's hot chocolate cup.



"Let's see, we've got three or four groups of invites here; one bundle to The Burrow, with a note to Ginny to deliver Luna's, and one bunch for Hogwarts and Neville and his Grandmother on the way. Then we can divide the London pile into the Weasleys who live here in town and Tonks, Mad-Eye and Hermione," Anna reasoned as she stacked the envelopes into four neat piles.



"Sounds like a plan to me," Harry agreed.



Anna got up, went to the desk and rummaging around in the drawers, emerged with tags and some string. Returning to the table, she and Harry tied each stack into a tight little package and attached an address tag.



"Ready? Let's go and roust the troops, shall we?"



X # X # X



Up in the attic, Wally and Hedwig accepted their assignments with good humor, Hedwig heading to The Burrow and Wally for Hogwarts and the Longbottom's house.



"When you two get back, there are a couple of quick deliveries here in London. Here's a treat. Now, take care and rest a little before you start back; we've got plenty of time for the local deliveries, so don't rush."



Hooting softly, and nibbling Harry's and Anna's fingers, the two owls took wing and split apart, heading in different directions.



"Well, that's done. Now I have to meet with Winky. Have you anything planned for today, Harry?"



"Yeah, actually; Remus and I promised Gwen we'd help a friend of her's move some furniture today. Lots of hands, quicker job. And we have to be there by ten," Harry said as he glanced at his watch. "So I'd better get downstairs and get those two moving. We'll just make it. How about you?"



"I'm off to St. Mungo's to see Alice and Frank. I guess we'll see each other tonight."



"Right. See 'ya." Giving Anna a kiss on the cheek, Harry pounded down the stairs, calling Remus and Gwen's names.



X # X # X



Knock...knock.



"Enter."



Severus Snape looked up from his desk, wondering who had ventured down into the dungeons to see him. None of the students had stayed at Hogwarts for the holiday, or any of the staff members, except himself, Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster. Even Argus Filtch was off visiting his sister. Dobby peeked cautiously around the edge of the door.



"Professor Snape, sir, you is getting mail, sir. Professor Dumbledore is asking Dobby to bring it to you. It is an invitation, sir," Dobby informed the Potions Master as he walked into the office and approached Severus' desk.



"An invitation?" Severus, puzzled, held out his hand. "And how do you know the contents of my mail, might I inquire?" Taking the sealed note, he flipped it over and read the return address.



"I is getting one, too, and Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, sir," answered the house elf as he pulled his invitation out of his pocket and held it up to show Severus.



"I see."



"Winky is inviting me to come visit her and see her new Mistress' house," Dobby informed Snape with a grin.



"How delightful," drawled Severus. "Very well, you may go."



"Yes, Professor. We is going to London!" Dobby smiled and ran out of the room, clutching his own invitation to his chest.



As soon as the door closed, Severus broke the seal and opened the parchment.



Dear Severus,

I came up with that plausible excuse you were in need of. So you WILL be able to stop in and see me! Along with about two dozen other people, but at least they're all friends and family; mine, not necessarily yours. HA! HA! Please don't let that stop you from coming, though!

New Year's Eve, //7PM/ until 1 or 2 AM. I suggested to Albus and Minerva that the three of you stay at The Leaky Cauldron, rather than traveling back that late at night. I'd ask ALL of you to stay HERE, but I don't have room for EVERYONE who'll be coming from out of town (an even dozen, actually)./

Please say you'll come. I DO miss you.

#42 Harley St.//, Marylebourne./ (6 blocks south of /Regents/ //Park//.)/

Love, Anastasia



Severus leaned back in his chair, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.



"Any excuse for a party, little girl."



After a moment he sat up, tossed the invitation onto his desk and continued with his paperwork.



X # X # X



By Friday night the R.S.V.P.s had arrived. Shopping lists for forays to the various grocery and specialty food stores were written and divided between Anna, Gwen, Remus and Harry. They spent most of Saturday seeking out the items on their lists and returning with bulging bags and boxes.



Winky was busy deciding which linens, china, cutlery and crystal were to be used and how to arrange the dining room. There were too many people coming to fit comfortably around the dining room table, big as it was, so Anna and Winky had decided on a buffet, with three smaller tables instead.



Fairy lights had been strung in the green house and noise makers and blow ticklers had been added to the Christmas greenery.



Sunday morning found Anna and Winky in the upstairs hallway.



"Are you sure you wouldn't want me to ask Dobby to come down early and lend a hand?" Anna ventured, as Winky emerged from the linen closet, laden down with napkins and table cloths.



"/NO/, Missy Anna. I is already telling you; Dobby is Winky's guest. I is able to do this myself and is not needing his help. I is wanting to show him I is a proper house elf again!"



"Ok. If that's your final word."



"Yes, Miss."



"However, if any of us can help, you just tell us what we can do. Is that understood?"



"Yes, Miss." Winky disappeared into the closet again.



"Fine. As long as that's settled."



"Yes, Miss," came from the depths of the closet.



Anna descended the stairs, shaking her head, to find Remus, Gwen and Harry waiting.



X # X # X



"Alright, you lot, Winky wants us to clear out so she can re-arrange everything and get the dining room set up. So, why don't we go for a nice Sunday drive?" Glancing at Harry, she spotted a gleam in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. "What are you thinking, young man?"



"I'm being really wicked." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "I was just imagining the look on Uncle Vernon's face if we were to pull into his driveway in Doctor Jones' Rolls. Aunt Petunia would have a stroke and Dudley would start yelling he had to have one, as a late Christmas present. That would be priceless." Harry gazed heavenward, and sighed.



"Oh, you are a very wicked boy, Harry" Remus admonished, shaking his head, barely suppressing a smile.



"Aren't I, just?" Harry shot him a sideways glance.



"Let's do it!" Anna exclaimed, rubbing her hands together, ready to start.



"NO! I was just /joking/!" gasped Harry. "No...way!"



"I'm not joking; time for some nonsense. Just to see the looks on their faces," Anna pleaded with him.



"We can't just show up, unannounced. I wasn't /serious/."



"But I am...perfectly serious. Time we did something outrageously /unexpected. Come /on/, Harry, think of the stories you'll be able to tell everyone back at Hogwarts. Let's give them something to talk about. Give their /neighbors something to talk about!"



Harry stood there shaking his head, looking over to Remus, who just smiled and winked, then to Gwen who shrugged her shoulders. Anna crossed her arms and waited.



Harry heaved a sigh. "Oh, sod it! Let's go!" Harry gave in, throwing up his hands. Turning to Gwen and Remus he asked, "Are you two coming?"



"Remus, you and Gwen can have the back seat. Very cozy," Anna offered.



"You're always so subtle, Anna," Gwen replied, shaking her head.



"We /won't /peek," Harry added, with a wildly inadequate look of innocence on his face.



Remus grabbed him around the neck and ruffled his hair. "Cheeky blighter," he hissed in his ear. Then turning to Gwen. "You've got to meet these relatives of Harry's."



"Should we take anything? Fruit basket? Cookies? Wine?" inquired Gwen.



They all looked back and forth at each other, and then as one, shouted "Fruitcake!" Dissolving into peals of laughter, they headed for the garage.