HP and the Parseltongue Chronicles - Chapter - 3

Harry, Neville, and the Weasley twins stood on the quiet street of a high-end Muggle neighborhood, their attention drawn to the house with the elegant "No. 8 Heathgate" plaque on the front gate. The area was unlike anything Neville or the twins had ever seen before, with manicured lawns, towering trees, and luxury cars parked in driveways.

"Are you sure we're at the right address?" Neville asked nervously, his gaze darting from the modern architecture of the houses to the sleek black car that just rolled past them.

"I'm sure," Harry said with quiet confidence, stepping forward toward the front door. "This is the place."

Fred and George exchanged glances, their wide eyes betraying their curiosity. "Merlin's beard, these Muggles sure know how to live," George muttered, nudging Fred, who nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, who needs a flying carpet when you've got one of those?" Fred said, pointing discreetly at a bright red sports car parked across the street.

Harry knocked firmly on the polished wooden door, the sound echoing faintly in the quiet neighborhood. He could hear footsteps inside the house approaching the door.

The door opened to reveal a kind-looking middle-aged woman with curly brown hair and warm eyes. As soon as she saw Harry, her face lit up with recognition.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, stepping forward and pulling him into a tight hug.

Harry returned the hug briefly before stepping back, a polite smile on his face. "How do you do, Mrs. Granger?" he asked with genuine politeness.

The woman playfully wagged a finger at him. "Didn't I tell you to call me Emma?" she said with mock sternness, her eyes twinkling.

Harry chuckled. "Of course, Emma."

Her gaze shifted to the trio standing behind Harry, and curiosity replaced her smile. "And who are these fine young gentlemen?" she asked.

"This is Neville Longbottom, and these two are Fred and George Weasley," Harry introduced them, gesturing to each of his friends in turn.

Emma's eyes lit up further with recognition. "Ah, from Hermione's club, right? She’s mentioned you all quite a bit. Always has wonderful things to say about you," she added with a knowing smile.

Fred and George exchanged pleased glances, while Neville turned slightly pink but managed a polite nod.

"Come on in," Emma said, stepping aside to let them enter. "Hermione’s upstairs reading—where else would she be?" She shook her head fondly.

As they entered the house, the warm and inviting atmosphere hit them immediately. The living room was cozy, filled with bookshelves, family photos, and an unmistakable scent of freshly brewed tea. It felt like the Grangers’ home had an air of intellectual curiosity and comfort.

"Would you like me to call her down, or would you like to go up?" Emma asked as she led them toward the sitting room.

"That’s all right," Harry said, glancing toward the staircase. "We’ll go up. It’s been a while since I surprised her."

Emma laughed softly. "You’ll make her day, Harry. Go on, then." She turned to the others. "And if you boys get thirsty or hungry, just let me know. I’ll fix you something in no time."

"Thank you, Mrs.—I mean, Emma," Neville said, still a bit overwhelmed by the friendliness.

As Harry led the way up the stairs, Fred leaned over to George and whispered, "Hermione's club, huh? I wonder what exactly she's been telling her mum about us."

"Probably all the heroic bits," George whispered back with a grin.

"Hopefully not the pranks," Fred replied with a mock wince.

Harry shook his head in amusement as they reached the top of the stairs. The door to Hermione’s room was slightly ajar, and they could hear the faint sound of pages turning. Harry knocked gently before pushing the door open.

Hermione was sitting cross-legged on her bed, surrounded by stacks of books. She looked up, startled at first, but her expression quickly turned into one of pure delight.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, jumping off the bed and rushing toward him.

"Hermione," Harry greeted with a smile as she hugged him tightly. "Surprise."

Pulling back, she looked over his shoulder at the others. "Fred, George, Neville!" she said, beaming. "What are you all doing here?"

"We heard rumors about the legendary Hermione Granger’s book collection and decided we had to see it for ourselves," George quipped, earning a laugh from her.

"Well, you’re in the right place," Hermione replied, gesturing to the piles of books in her room. "Come in! I wasn’t expecting company, but this is a wonderful surprise."

They all filed into the room, and Hermione quickly began rearranging books to make space for her friends to sit. "So," she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, "what brings you all here?"

"We are here to see your father," Harry replied simply, his tone calm yet purposeful.

Hermione frowned, her curiosity immediately piqued. "What do you need to see my dad for? How do you even know he’s here?"

Harry smiled faintly, leaning casually against the doorframe. "I contacted him. He told me he’d be here today. Isn’t he?"

Hermione blinked in surprise. "He is, but he went to the supermarket. He’ll be back soon." She crossed her arms, her expression equal parts confusion and suspicion. "But why do you want to see him?"

Fred and George exchanged amused looks, clearly enjoying the rare sight of Hermione being out of the loop.

Neville, sensing her unease, hesitated before saying, "It’s nothing bad, Hermione. We just need to talk to him about something important."

"Important?" Hermione repeated, her tone sharper now. "What’s so important that all four of you had to come here unannounced?"

Harry met her gaze, his expression softening. "It’s nothing to worry about, Hermione. I promise we’ll explain everything after your father get here. For now, can you trust me on this?"

Hermione studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to read his mind. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing just a little. "Fine. I trust you, Harry. But this better not involve anything illegal or dangerous."

Fred snorted. "Define 'dangerous,' because that’s kind of subjective, don’t you think?"

Hermione shot him a withering glare. "Not helping, Fred."

Harry chuckled lightly. "Thank you, Hermione. And I assure you, it’s neither illegal nor dangerous—for your dad, at least."

Hermione huffed but didn’t press further. "Well, since you’re here, you might as well make yourselves comfortable. Dad should be back in about twenty minutes."

"Brilliant," George said, plopping down onto an armchair near her desk. "So, Hermione, what riveting piece of literature were you buried in before we rudely interrupted?"

Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "Just some light reading," she said, gesturing to a thick tome titled Advanced Theories in Arithmancy.

Fred feigned horror. "Light reading? That book looks like it could double as a weapon!"

Hermione smirked. "It’s not my fault you two don’t appreciate intellectual pursuits."

George grinned. "Oh, we appreciate intellectual pursuits. Just... not ones that require us to risk spinal injury lifting a book."

As they chatted, the sound of footsteps approached. Emma entered the room carrying a tray laden with glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice. She smiled warmly at the group, offering the drinks to everyone.

"Here you go," she said, handing a glass to Harry first. "Harry, it’s good to see you again. You made quite the impression when you joined us for the Christmas party."

Harry took the glass with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Mrs.—I mean, Emma. You were all so welcoming; it was a wonderful evening."

Fred nudged George and whispered loudly, "Look at Harry, always the gentleman."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Unlike some people I know," she muttered.

Before anyone could retort, the sound of a door opening and footsteps echoed through the house. Moments later, Daniel Granger appeared, carrying bags of groceries. Spotting the group, he set the bags down in the kitchen and walked into the living room, his face lighting up when he saw Harry.

"Harry!" he greeted warmly, extending his hand. "It’s good to see you again. And you’ve brought friends this time."

Harry stood, shaking his hand. "Good to see you too, Mr. Granger. These are my friends Neville Longbottom and Fred and George Weasley."

"Pleasure to meet you all," Daniel said, shaking hands with each of them.

"So, Harry, where are the goods? You told me you were bringing them with you to show me," Daniel asked, his brow furrowed.

Harry placed a small box carefully on the floor with a small, knowing smile. "I am, Mr. Granger. This is it," he said, taking a step back and pulling his wand from his coat.

Emma Granger and Hermione, standing nearby, leaned forward in curiosity. As Muggles, the Grangers had seen little of what magic could do, and their intrigue was palpable. The Weasley twins, by contrast, looked on with casual amusement, already knowing what was about to happen.

Harry pointed his wand at the box, his voice steady. "Engorgio."

The box began to transform almost immediately. It shimmered faintly as it expanded, the wooden panels creaking and groaning as they grew. In mere moments, the tiny container had become a massive trunk, large enough to take up a significant portion of the room. Its polished surface gleamed in the light, and ornate carvings along the edges gave it an air of mystique.

Emma gasped audibly, her hands flying to her mouth. "That’s... incredible!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with amazement.

Daniel stared in disbelief. "It was so small. How is this even possible?"

"Magic, Dad," Hermione replied, her tone slightly teasing.

Harry smiled at their reactions and stepped forward to open the trunk. As he lifted the lid, a faint shimmer of light escaped, revealing a ladder descending into the depths of the trunk. It seemed impossibly deep, with no visible bottom from where they stood.

"Follow me," Harry said simply, swinging his legs over the edge and beginning his descent.

The Weasley twins were next, exchanging excited grins as they climbed down. "This never gets old," Fred muttered to George as they disappeared into the trunk.

Daniel and Emma hesitated for a moment, glancing at each other, before their curiosity got the better of them. "Well, we’ve come this far," Daniel said, taking hold of the ladder.

Emma nodded eagerly. "I want to see more of this magic world," she said, following close behind.

When everyone was inside, they found themselves standing in an impossibly large space. The interior of the trunk was nothing short of breathtaking. The space was filled with an astonishing array of treasures. Shelves and cabinets overflowed with rare coins, sparkling jewelry, ancient weapons, intricate toys, dusty tomes, and bottles of wine that seemed centuries old.

Emma Granger stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide. "This... this is a treasure trove," she murmured.

Hermione, equally astonished, turned to Harry. "Where did you get all this?" she asked, her voice tinged with both curiosity and disbelief.

Before Harry could respond, Fred and George exchanged mischievous grins. "That," Fred began, "is a secret."

"A big secret," George added, wagging a finger playfully at Hermione.

Hermione frowned, clearly unimpressed by their teasing, but her curiosity remained undiminished.

Daniel Granger, meanwhile, had wandered over to one of the wine racks, his fingers tracing the edges of the bottles. "This... is remarkable," he said, picking up a bottle with a label written in an elegant, unfamiliar script. "Some of these bottles look like they’ve been preserved for centuries. Where did you even find such a collection?"

Harry gave a small smile. "Most of these were collected by the Black family over generations. Sirius and I organized them after his return. Some came from estates I acquired through magical means, and others were found during explorations of old wizarding properties. It’s a mix of history and magic."

Daniel nodded appreciatively, setting the bottle back in its place and moving to examine a nearby display of jewelry. "This is impressive. If these items are as rare as they appear, you’re sitting on an absolute fortune."

Harry’s smile widened. "That’s why I reached out to you, Mr. Granger. I trust you to help me organize a proper auction for these items. They deserve to be appreciated, and I’d rather avoid the magical market for this—it’s too risky with items like these. A Muggle event would be safer and potentially more profitable."

Daniel straightened, his interest fully piqued. "You’re thinking of selling these through a Muggle auction?"

"Exactly," Harry confirmed. "You mentioned having contacts in the auction world, and I trust you to handle this discreetly and professionally."

Daniel looked around the room again, his expression thoughtful. "This is a huge collection. Organizing an event big enough to showcase all of this will take time. I’ll need to consult with a few people to set things up properly."

Harry nodded. "Take as much time as you need. We’ve got a few weeks before I have to head back to Hogwarts. And don’t worry, I’ll make it worth your while. I’m offering a 15 percent commission for handling the event."

Daniel’s brows rose slightly, but then he smiled. "That’s a generous offer, Harry. I’ll do my best to ensure the auction is a success."

Emma, still marveling at the artifacts around her, interjected. "You’ll need a secure venue for this, Dan. Something that can accommodate both the items and the kind of buyers who’d be interested in them."

"Good point," Daniel agreed. "And we’ll need proper documentation for everything—provenance, descriptions, all that. It’ll take some work, but it’s doable."

"Perfect," Harry said, his tone confident. "I trust you, Mr. Granger. Let me know what you need from me."

Hermione looked between her parents and Harry, still processing the sheer scale of what was happening. "You’re really selling all this?" she asked.

"Not all of it," Harry said, glancing around the trunk. "Some of these items are too significant to part with. But the rest? They’ll do more good out in the world than collecting dust here."

Fred clapped Harry on the back. "And when this auction’s done, we’ll be rolling in Galleons."

"Or Muggle pounds," George added with a grin.

Emma laughed lightly at the twins’ enthusiasm. "Well, Harry, you’ve certainly impressed us today."

"Thank you, Mrs. Granger," Harry said politely. "And don’t worry, you’ll all have invitations to the auction. It’ll be an event to remember."

With that, the group began exploring the trunk further, each person marveling at the magical wonders within. The Grangers were already imagining the possibilities, while the Weasley twins whispered excitedly about their own ideas for the future.