It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 12

"Well, I'm heading to Madam Malkin's to pick up a new gown and a few odds and ends, so why don't we meet at the Leaky Cauldron, in an hour, for dinner and then we'll head home,"  suggested Mrs. Longbottom.

"Excellent!  See you there, Gran."  Neville smiled, waved and then headed down the cobbled street to the Wizarding bookstore.

Ten minutes later, he was deep in the rows of books in the Herbology section, Professor Sprout's suggested book firmly in hand, perusing the other titles, when he heard a soft 'Pop' behind him.  Turning, he saw Dobby standing there, looking up at him with a smile.

"Hello Dobby! What brings you here?"

"I is being sent by Mr. Dan to fetch you to visit Master Harry, Master Neville."

"Mr. Dan? Do I know him, Dobby?"

"No, Master Neville, but you is going to like him, you is."

"Well, I'm supposed to meet Gran for dinner in about three quarters of an hour or so, but I suppose I could pop in with you and say Hello.  Just let me pay for this book."

"Yes, Master Neville, Dobby will wait right here."

Returning in just a few moments, his purchased book wrapped in brown paper, Neville approached Dobby with a smile. 

"Where are we heading, the Burrow?" he asked, as he held out his hand to the House-Elf.

"Not the Burrow, Master Neville, we is going to go and get Missy Luna first, then to where my Harry Potter be staying," replied Dobby, as he grasped Neville's hand  and the two of them disappeared with a small 'Pop'.

 * * * *

"Dan, can we ask you a few questions while we're waiting for Dobby to get back?"  asked Fred, as George and he, looking as innocent as they could manage, drew Dan into a corner of the room.

"Oh . . . well, I suppose you can.  I can always put off answering you two, if it's too involved in the plot of the story," he answered.  "What do you need to know?"

"Are we really going to set off fireworks . . " 

"In the school?"

"And take off . . "

"Permanently?"

"Yes, but the movie doesn't show half the mayhem you two cause!  You retrieve your brooms from Umbridge's office, after getting caught using the fireworks as a diversion for Harry to use the Floo in Umbridge's office, you put a swamp in one of the corridors, and take off from the front hall after telling Peeves to make Umbridge's life a living hell.  And that's just a brief description . . . you should maybe read that part in the book . . . later, after you've seen the movie,"  Dan advised them.

"Right, we'll do that."  Fred nodded.

"Do we open a joke shop?" George asked.

"Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes . . . and it's a bloody marvel!  One of the only shops to stay open, once Voldemort comes back . . . Diagon Alley gets a bit run down, except for your shop, biggest, brightest thing on the Alley."  Dan laughed at their open mouthed surprise and then they shared grins and high fives.

"Yes!"

"Splendid!"

"And you open a branch in Hogsmeade in the future, which Ron manages after you die, Fred."

Suddenly sobered, the twins seemed to totally deflate.

"Remember, guys, we're going to stop that from happening.  So, Ron's going to have to find something else to do, besides make more money for you two!"  Dan teased, to shake them out of their sudden mood shift.  Smiles lit up their faces as they realized the truth in his words.