Date: April 8, 2005
Character(s): Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Roger Davies, Viktor Krum, Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown
Location: 33 Alpha Lane
Status: Private
Summary: Easter dinner for 'family'
Completion: Complete
(
Old winter's cold and snows have past, New life, new hopes, are here at last )
Zuzu was still wrestling with the hunk of rope and seemed reluctant to give up the fight. "Oi, you can take it with you," he said as he picked up puppy and rope alike and headed out the back door. He looked back o find Crookshanks following him, and smiled.
He stepped outside to where Harry was wrestling with Cocoa, and set Zuzu down. She forgot about the rope and set off in wild circles over the lawn.
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He waited patiently while Hermione found a good spot for the lily and then followed her to the back of the house, seeing a tall, good-looking fellow with a dog, who looked vaguely familiar. The man, that is. The dog, while gorgeous in a still-growing-into-its-paws sort of way, was not at all familiar.
He felt himself slowing down as they drew closer to the man, and straightened his shoulders in irritation at himself. He wasn't a bumbling child anymore, dammit. Pasting a somewhat confident smile on his face, Neville hurried to catch up with Hermione.
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Smiling slightly, Roger headed over a bit more quickly. "Sorry," he said. "Trying to get her to stop doing that. No, Zuzu." He glanced at Hermione with a half-grin, then offered a hand to her friend. "Er. Hullo. I'm Roger; good to meet you."
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"Hello, Roger. Neville Longbottom. Nice to meet you."
He looked back at Hermione and, seeing the way she looked at Roger, realised that there was something more than friendship between them. He smiled faintly, pleased for his friend.
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Zuzu seemed reluctant but wiggled her bum and then ran back to Roger. Hermione grinned. "Oh, good puppy," she complimented. She looked at Roger and winked. "See? She can listen, she just rarely chooses to, it seems. Or maybe she just likes me more."
Harry was tossing a ball for Cocoa, who looked at it and then continued to play with a stick instead. "Why did I buy her a ball if some old stick is all she wants?" Harry asked, summoning the ball back before trying again. He smiled at them and shook his head. "'ello, Nev."
She walked Roger and Neville over to the blankets she'd set out. There was an outdoor table and chairs for dinner, but the blankets were better for general seating. Once she sat down, she looked up at the sky and smiled. "It's a pretty day out, which is good. Feels very much like spring."
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He waved over at Harry and cocked a grin at Cocoa as they headed over to the blanket. He took a seat by Hermione and Zuzu scrambled over his legs to get to her. "Yeah, it's a great day," he said. "I like the idea of sitting out on blankets. Seems to be a good day for that. And Zuzu, no slobbering on Hermione, yeah?"
He looked over at Neville. "You sent me an owl, a while back, I think," he said. "You get things straightened out with your roof?"
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"Actually, no. I... well, I suppose it's my own fault. I get rather involved in the greenhouse and it's not until the rain comes and floods the extra bedroom that I even remember the roof is leaking." He shrugged self-consciously and gave Cocoa a pat as she trotted over to nudge against Harry.
He grabbed a glass of lemonade and walked to the blankets where everyone was settling in.
"Oh, would anyone like me to fetch a drink for them?"
He hoped he wasn't committing a faux pas, but he was rather parched. Meeting new people and having to interact with them had always affected him like that.
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"Well, if you ever want, I can drop by and take a look, see what needs done. There've been a lot of leaky roofs about town and I've been handling some of that. Harry actually works with me."
Neville offered to get drinks form everyone, and Roger shook his head and drew his wand. "I'll get them." He summoned the lemonade and glasses and poured Hermione a glass, then one for himself.
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"And I can fit you in anytime, really. You want to get that roof taken care of; rains a lot this time of year. If you want, we could meet this week, or the week after."
He took a sip of his lemonade. "How've you been otherwise -- Do you work out of your greenhouse? What sort of plants to you work with?"
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"Well, you don't need to apologise for that. I may not know much about plants, but I know how to get rambly about something I love. I'm starting a new carpentry business, and if you know what's good for you, you won't ask about my new workshop." He smiled wryly. "Hermione could vouch for that."
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He tilted his head and thought about it. "Actually, do you build using strictly Muggle construction or magic methods also? I'm wondering if, when I need it, I can get the addition so that it's capable of utilizing wizard space technology."
"And really, five hundred thirty seven isn't so much. Not considering all the different species I'll need to be considered fully stocked. Right now, I just want to make sure I have the supplies on hand to keep all the potions makers and, hopefully, the clinic stocked with everything they need for day to day operation. It's just... medicines and the like are important, especially now."
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"We actually do more with Muggle construction," he said. "With magic worked in for larger jobs -- like I'd imagine your greenhouse would be. What I would do was bring in a Charms expert to handle the enlargement charms and such, while my crew and I put up the structure, itself."
"Have you spoken with Fred and George, about possibly helping to stock the apothecary with ingredients? Also, I think the hospital's really needing potions at the moment."
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"I'm no potions maker; the only reason I didn't die in Snape's class was because Hermione basically walked me through every step in the most complicated ones. But I can certainly go 'round to the twins' shop. As for the hospital... well, I have no idea who they get their potions from. And I'm not really comfortable with interrupting them to ask, you know?"
He winced and shrugged, making a mental note to advertise for a business managery type person who could also help out with the planting and pruning and ... yeah. He needed help. Desperately.
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"I see what you mean." Roger wasn't quite as comfortable putting himself out there as he could be, himself. Most of his business was word-of-mouth, even now. "But, you know. You could have a really successful business if you make yourself known, I guess. I could ask around, see who'd know about who makes potions for the hospital."
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