Chapter 6
Harry got word back from Hermione and Ron that they would be outside the gates by 3:15. And by the end of his last class of the day, he was rushing to the Headmistress’s office, where he found Ginny and Minerva absolutely beaming over little James.
“What happened? Did he do something special? Did I miss it?” Harry asked, sorta frantic.
“It’s nothing too special Harry, but when we got here I told him to wave at his auntie Minerva and it sort of looked like he did,” Ginny rambled excitedly, miming a wave.
“Oh he absolutely did, and it was precious,” Minerva added, a hand over her heart.
“Awww, I can’t believe I missed that. Minerva, I’m gonna have to quit, I can’t stand to be away from this little guy.” Harry said, taking him from Ginny’s arms.
“Oh, no Harry, you cannot leave me short-handed, I already can’t staff the school properly. That’s why I have you in the first place.” She said with a bit of a laugh.
“Yeah, and as much as I love you, Harry, we cannot be in the same house all day every day. I won’t have it.”
“Fine, so I’ll keep my job. At least my students seem to like me.” Harry said, with a sarcastic lilt and a look to Ginny.
“I like you just fine, but not 24/7” Ginny responded.
“Yeah yeah, let’s go down to the front doors, Hermione and Ron should be getting here.”
Hermione and Ron had just reached the front steps when Minerva opened the front doors.
“Oh, hello,” Hermione said, her usually frizzy hair swept back smooth. When she caught sight of James her face split into a smile. “Jamesy!!” She rushed up the last few stairs to take him right out of Harry’s arms. Harry let her.
“Hi to you too ‘Mione.” He said with false indignation.
“Hey Harry, ginny, professor,” Hermione said, glancing at each one of them in turn, then directing all her attention back to the baby.
“Hey mate,” Ron said when Harry stepped down even to him.
“Hey Ron, did you bring it?”
“Black crepe paper, and a few cheering chocolates, compliments of George.” He said with a smile, holding out a box with the WWW trademark emblazoned across the front and a roll of crepe paper on top.
“Perfect.”
Hagrid joined them as they walked across the lawn to the greenhouse. “Well ello all,” he said, looking surprised by the size of the group. “Didn’t know ye’d all be ere.”
They arrived at Greenhouse six to Neville already there. Neville turned around and his eyes grew wide when he saw the group of seven walking towards him. “I… I thought it was just you Harry.”
“I thought we could all be here for ya, Nev.”
Neville’s smile grew as he took them all in. “You guys are the best,” he said, brushing away a stray tear.
Ginny walked up and handed him a handkerchief. “That’s what friends are for Nev.”
Through sniffs, he answered. “I... I know. But it’s … it’s just a plant.”
“Not to you, mate. Plants are important to you and we care about what you care about.” Ron said, setting the Cheering Chocolates on the work table outside the greenhouse door. “Those are from George by the way.”
“This is... you guys are… Awesome.”
Minerva took out her wand. “Are you ready, Neville?”
“Yeah. Yeah, the compost bin is just over there and I just need another wand to get it out of the greenhouse.”
Harry, Hermione(who had given James back to Ginny), Ron, and Minerva all stepped forward to help. Hermione saw she wasn’t needed and stepped back, taking the black crepe paper over to the compost bin with ginny.
Neville opened the greenhouse door. The stench that burst forth was enough to knock the rest of them back a few steps.