In Harry Potter as Neville Longbottom

Chapter 56: Harry and Burrow

For Harry Potter, life at the Burrow was much more fulfilling and as vastly different as possible from life on Privet Drive. If he was unwelcomed in the Dursleys' home where he felt like a house-elf; he was treated as an important guest at the Weasleys' house.

The house of wizards was truly an eye-opener for him. With strange things, from a mirror to a real ghoul and the unpredictable twins, life at Burrow was fun, strange, and bursting with happiness.

He would sometimes wonder if he can ever have such a happy family. A place where he is welcomed, fed until he can't eat anymore and friends who want to play with him. While Harry was deep in his thinking, he heard a loud commotion downstairs.

"Tell me honestly Fred and George, you are not taking advantage of this Neville boy, are you?" The threatening voice of Mrs. Weasley was clear to everyone in the room.

Harry came downstairs and found all the Weasleys sitting in the common room while the twins were somehow the focus of the discussion.

'What have they done this time?' Harry was thinking this in his mind. He knew twins loved pranks and were working on many strange but funny pranking objects secretly. 'Did they use it to prank Neville?' Harry's thoughts were swirling inside his head, but he focused on the discussion happening in the room.

"Mum, he wants us to help him make funny candies. Why are you questioning us when he sent the owl with his request?" Fred asked his mother feeling helpless.

"Besides, he is paying us for our labour. It is again his decision mum! Not something we asked or even knew!" George answered back and both twins at the same time just shrugged together in perfect sync.

"Fine, Fine ... Fine. I won't ask more. But I want to know everything about this. I don't want you guys to think about money at this stage. Look at Percy, he has already become a prefect and how focused he is on his studies.

Why can't you both do normal things? First, you used your father's car and nearly gave me a heart attack and now making candies. What do you want to do in future?

You must focus more on learning new knowledge and then pass with the best scores to get a good job in ministry. Boys, please I am getting old, please just take a leaf out of Percy's book and just. just don't do anything stupid anymore." Mrs. Weasley decided to end the conversation with the twins but made sure that the twins knew the importance of education and focus on books than galleons.

"Sure, Mum." Fred

"Love you, Mum," George

Both the twins gave their mother a tight hug and then ran upstairs. Ginny, their sister also ran after them with Ron and Harry just followed the crowd. The whole bunch of kids grouped together inside Ron's small room at the top.

They all barely fit in, but Twins were too excited to care about it. Their God of Wealth, the small lion, Neville Longbottom, has asked their help in making a bunch of different kinds of candies and he is ready to pay them.

While their mother might not know his 'generosity', the twins were already aware of it. For someone who can throw 10 galleons just to reach his class in time and spend more on trivial tasks, this was clearly well-paid work. How well? This was something the twins decided to ask secretly away from their mother's reach.

Otherwise, the galleons they earned would be spent on stupid luxuries, like books from Gilderoy or a family trip to somewhere like usual and they will never be able to focus on their future dream shop.

"Okay, this is it! Ron, Ginny and Harry; you three will be our testers. We will soon work on the candies, but you must test them out. Don't worry it will be completely safe but funny." - Fred

"We will share our galleons but remember this is a secret from our mother. Ginny, we will buy you new books and dresses and the same is for Ron. We can get it before the holidays are over. So, we all work together. Harry, we will give you a gift too." George

"Cool!" Rom exclaimed loudly and the twins hurried to close his mouth together.

In this way, a small research and experiment team was established in the Burrow and the twins started their tinkering passionately. They ignored Percy who spent most of the time in his room writing letters or something. They guessed he must have a girlfriend, but no one could guess her identity clearly.

Also, soon they received a letter from Hermione.

"`Dear Ron, and Harry if you're there,

Ron, I hope everything is all right and I am really worried about Harry. I hope that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get Harry into trouble, too. Can you please write back at once and let me know the current situation?

I am currently staying with Neville at Longbottom's manor and made a new friend. You can never guess her identity! Plus, I have started writing books that will help the new students in future. I very buy with all this, but it is fulfilling in its own manner.

Neville will open the first public library in Diagon alley two weeks later, maybe we should meet then.

Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. Love from Hermione."

Ron cried loudly "Blimey! We are on holiday! How can she write books with all the homework?"

Sometimes Ron would wonder how he can be friends with such a nerd?! Homework plus books! Maddening!

"Well, I heard the proposal to build the library is currently the hottest topic among all wizards in ministry. They are bringing books from different countries plus they will also have books from the muggle world. Many are discussing this." Mrs. Weasley who knew about the library from her husband shared her thoughts on this.

"Why? It's just a library. Isn't it?" Ginny asked innocently. But twins and adults in Burrow knew that it was not just a library. It was a public library that will provide free knowledge and that itself will shake many roots of sacred families.

After all, knowledge in the wizarding world is tightly guarded and there are many spells, charms and ancient knowledge written in scrolls that have never been shared with the outside world. Knowledge is power. The reason pureblood families have supremacy over the wizarding world is their deep pockets and huge collection of magical knowledge acquired over centuries.

"Well, it doesn't matter. We can meet Hermione and check out the new library when it is opened." Mr. Weasley ended the topic hurriedly as he didn't want his youngest child to touch the world of adults.