Sunday morning came at last. It had only been a few days since he had started his new life and it seemed like months. Leo’s mirror-phone chimed. It was a text message from Harry, he would be waiting in the mews lane at 8. Harry had arranged for a riding gear outfitter to visit Leo on Saturday. Leo expected any new gear to take weeks to be made for him. Magic made it happen in a few hours. Leo had a new dragon hide jacket, dragon hide gloves, dragon hide boots, fire and waterproof pants (toughened to the same strength as dragon hide), a set of full length under garments that looked like lycra, but was something hex proof. There were also knee and elbow pads and his old helmet was given a hex proof lining and a communication set linked to his mirror-phone which could be linked with ‘hands free’ talkback to other mirror-phones. The whole outfit was adjusted on the spot to fit without chafing and could be used without ‘wearing in’. The merchant told Leo that his main customers were quidditch players and law enforcement officers who needed hex proof outfits while riding brooms. He really had to find out more about quidditch.
Leo rolled his Vincent out of the garage. He had checked the oil, brakes and lights and was turning over the motor before starting when the Triumph came into the mews and stopped beside him. Harry had a pillion rider. They both got off and removed their helmets. Harry’s passenger was slim and pretty with vibrant red hair in a long plait. “Leo, this is my wife Ginny.”
Ginny smiled warmly at Leo, and then gave him a hug. “Great to meet you Leo. Harry has talked about you a lot. He usually doesn’t talk about people much, but you are special to us all.”
Leo blushed freely, “Oh! Ah, nice to meet you Ginny.” Leo wondered what the rest of the lunch guests would do.
Harry laughed at Leo’s awkwardness. “Just so that you know, Ginny is Ron Weasleys younger sister. There will be other Weasleys there today as well.”
Harry arranged the mirror-phones into a hands-free chat group. Helmets were donned, the bikes were started. The rumbling sounds got some attention from neighbours. They progressed down the mews and out into the street; free at last. Leo noticed that there was one dark Range Rover right behind them. Then he noticed two other motorcycles that looked like street legal Grand Prix machines that alternately shadowed them or took the lead. Security was always there. He didn’t ask for them. Harry assured him that he couldn’t make them go away, no matter what.
It was the best ride ever. No trucks changed lanes on top of them. No boy racers threatened them. They made the trip easily with one stop for a cup of tea. Approaching the destination was odd. Harry warned Leo of the hidden lane to turn into. The security passed the lane and kept going. Harry stopped at a farm gate, Ginny got off and opened the gate, they rode through. Harry slowly started again once Ginny had closed the gate and climbed on. Around a bend was the house, ‘The Burrow’. Now that was odd!
The Burrow looked to Leo to be exactly what it was. Purely magical, magically adjusted to provide exactly what the family needed and nothing more. Leo grew up in welfare housing in Surbiton, he felt far more comfortable at The Burrow than at 15 Purbeck Square. At first, the Weasleys in bulk were a bit overwhelming. He surprised himself with the freedom he had when he talked to the group and individually. He also surprised himself in the way he didn’t identify his tutors. Harry didn’t say who they were either.
Sunday lunch came and went. After lunch he realized that he was being pushed by legilimency. Leo resisted the push. They were Harry’s in-laws. Who was doing this? Leo looked around and saw in his mind one person, George, the surviving twin, and owner of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. Leo looked steadily at George. George looked away and the push went away as well. Leo walked up to George in what he hoped was a friendly manner. “George, tell me how you got started in your business?”
George gave a half smile, “Well, it really started when Fred and I proved to ourselves that we weren’t meant to be students or Ministry officials. We started to get serious about what we really wanted to do, give people messy, unofficial ways of having fun. We left Hogwarts without our NEWTS, a close friend bankrolled us, and the shop took off.”
“Is there anything you want to know about me?” Leo was not quite smiling.
“Well, actually there is. I heard, from an unreliable source, that you were being tutored by Daphne Greengrass. She has got a history of being on the wrong side.” George stopped talking, his eyes moved to where Harry was listening to a long discussion of quidditch tactics.
Leo thought for a few seconds. “Well, Harry has asked a couple of people to help me get ready to be let out on my own in wizard society. I think he is happy with them, why don’t you ask him?”
George looked back at Leo. “That’s OK, Leo. Forget that I mentioned it.”
George was shoved aside by Ron’s wife, Hermione. “Leo, sorry to push in, I don’t know what you know about the wizarding world in general. I just wanted to say that if you wanted to find out about the Ministry of Magic and what we do there I would love to help.”
“Certainly, Hermione, I would love to find out more. I keep hearing about the Ministry without knowing what it is and who is involved. I know Harry of course. There is one thing I wanted to say to someone without Harry listening. It looks like Harry casually mentions something, he suggests something, and all sorts of people nearly salute and say, ‘Yes sir’. Does he have a lot of authority?”
“He has an important job, but what you are seeing is a lot more than his job. Harry doesn’t talk about his history if he can avoid it. Do you read a lot? Perhaps I can give you a book or two which will help to explain it. When Harry, Ron and I were in Hogwarts together we became known as the Golden Trio. I didn’t like that for a long time, but it helps to show what people today feel about those times.”
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