Harry Potter: The Witty Wizard

At breakfast, again, Harry noticed his food intake was reducing even further. This time he only needed a little over one and a half breakfasts.

Hermione noticed and said, "Your calorie consumption is still dropping. That must mean the amount of work still to be done within you is tapering off."

He nodded, finished swallowing his latest bite of poached egg on toast with a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce, and replied, "I've noticed, too. I think it was about this same time yesterday, I first noticed that."

Interrupting during a break in their short discussion, Monica said, "As soon as you two have finished breaking your fasts we'll head out to do Christmas shopping."

That had the two teens nod back and immediately return to their breakfasts.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

The mind-healer that Harry had secretly hired for Ginny and Luna had just entered the Burrow by way of the kitchen.

Molly, annoyed, said, "She's up in her room. I'll be up to join you, shortly."

"No, you will not," the healer immediately returned.

When Molly seemed about to disagree, Arthur stepped in and said, "She's right, Molly. As I told you yesterday, you're to stay out of it."

The mind-healer gave Arthur a nod and said, "Would you mind escorting me up? I've not yet been shown her room."

Arthur immediately replied, "Of course." And led her upstairs.

Ron, who was still eating breakfast after almost an hour of sitting at the table, grumbled, "Why does Ginny get to have a healer visit? What about me?"

Molly spun on him and almost hissed, "Were you possessed by a malevolent spirit during your first year of Hogwarts?"

Ron just grumbled about it and immediately began filling his mouth with food again.

"So," she demanded. "Not only are you jealous of Lord Potter, his titles and his wealth; but, now you're jealous of the fact your sister is being paid attention by a mind-healer because she was possessed for approximately nine months."

As she took a couple steps forward, Ron immediately cringed away, expecting to get hit. However, all she did was reach forward and pulled the plate away from him. And took it back to the sink.

"You've finished breakfast," she told him. "Go out to the garden and clear it of garden gnomes again."

"No, I haven't!" he stridently disagreed.

She spun back on him and, with a glare, snapped, "Yes; you have. Now, get outside."

Recognising that tone and not wanting to push it, Ron got.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Completely opposite to the shopping trip of the day before, this time Harry and Hermione were pretty much just part of another family among the crowds - 'nobodies'. No one bothered them. Even the aurors, all wearing suitable muggle attire, blended right in.

On returning to the Granger residence, Harry told the lead auror, "Good job, you guys. You fit right in."

"That's because this entire detail for this trip was of muggleborns and -raised, Lord Potter," the senior auror replied. "All four of us have spent plenty of time in the muggle world, including dealing with the madness that is Christmas shopping."

Harry nodded, but was surprised to learn that specific background of the team.

He asked, "I take it the team was set up that way, specifically for this trip? And the one yesterday was of the magical-raised?"

"Of course," replied the auror. "This is why it is important we know of your movements as ahead of time as possible. We need that information so the teams can be accordingly built and scheduled."

"Of course," nodded Harry. He should have thought of that and cursed himself for not realising it a lot sooner. He asked, "You're aware we're visiting our peer, Neville Longbottom, and his parents at Longbottom Hall tomorrow?"

"We are," smiled the auror.

That told Harry the team that would be going with them were experienced with acting in front of and in the homes of Lords of Noble and Ancient Houses.

Taking his load of purchases upstairs to his room, he was just exiting when Hermione, coming down from her own room after dropping off her own purchases, asked, "How are you holding up?"

"Better," he sighed.

The sheer pressing of the crowds while they were out had triggered within Harry a near panic attack. He had little idea he was as agoraphobic as he discovered himself to be.

Showing concern, she said, "If I had known you were as uncomfortable in crowds as you were, I'd have recommended just you and I go shopping on a weekday, Harry."

"I had no idea how bad it's apparently gotten," he sighed. "I've never liked being in big crowds, but that's the first time I've ever had an... event like that."

"When was the last time you'd been in a crowd that big before?"

"Christmas shopping, 1990," he immediately replied. "The Dursleys would take me along on all such trips to carry all the bags."

Frowning in anger, clearly aimed at the Dursleys, she said, "Being as it's been so long since you were last in such a tight crowd, that's probably why."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After telling Andi he needed to head to Eastern Europe for late afternoon and first part of the evening, Ted made his way to the International portkey disembarkation point at the Ministry.

He had decided he would be present when the blood sample was taken from the supposed Malfoy girl.

Arriving early morning in Perth - after stop-overs in Greece, Pakistan and Malaysia due to the distances involved - Ted arrived not too long after dawn in the Australian Ministry for Magic in their offices under Garema Court in Civic, the city of Canberra, the capital of the nation.

The immigration officer took his passport, did a rudimentary comparison with his magical signature between the two and said, "Welcome to Austrailya, Mister Tonks. Business or pleasure?"

"Business," Ted immediately replied.

"How long are ya thinkin' of stayin'?"

"Just a few hours; half a day, at most," he replied. "I only need to chase up some legal issues for a client."

The immigration officer gave him a nod of understanding and handed him back his magical passport. "Then enjoy your short stay, Mister Tonks."

With his passport back in his hand Ted went up to the Portkey Office to purchase a portkey to Perth. While an average witch or wizard has the magical power to enchant a portkey that will take someone from one end of the Isles to the other in Britain, the distance from Canberra to Perth was approximately three and a quarter times longer - a hair over 3000km or 1900ml and almost exactly the same distance between Los Angeles and Cincinnati in the US, or 500km (300ml) further than from London to Moscow. [A/N: Yes, folks; Australia's actually that big.] Therefore, specialists in the Australian Portkey Office handled the making of them.

As soon as he paid for his 'fare' he was directed to a spot marked in yellow - for Perth. He joined three others also waiting.

As soon as a fifth joined them one of the portkey officers handed them a large bamboo hoop and said, "Everyone hook a finga!"

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