"Yes, Master Harry?"
"Can you get me the first of those two books Sirius made me read, please?" he asked.
"Yes, Master Harry," replied the elf. A quick pop away and back again, he was offering the book.
As Harry took it, he said, "Thank you, Dobby."
As Dobby popped away again, he offered it to Neville and said, "Quickly, go run this back to your room. When you get a chance to read it, you'll find it very informative."
Neville, after a quick read of the cover, gave a still-blushing nod back and scurried out the door.
He was back just as all three girls came out of Hermione's room, talking to one another.
"Harry?" muttered Neville, a little worried.
"That's between you and me, Nev," he quietly replied. "No more needs be said. And I won't be questioning you on it."
With a sigh of relief, Neville breathed, "Thanks, Harry."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After breakfast, where Hannah and Susan joined them on the Gryffindor table to break their fasts, their first two morning classes were Herbology (with the Hufflepuffs) followed by CoMC (with the Slytherins). Harry thought Neville had the right of it when he mentioned how it saved so much effort that those two singles were together. Then History and a free period for Harry, but Arithmancy for Hermione, between morning tea and Lunch.
When there were some Gryff's who looked about to jack up about there being two 'Puffs sitting at their table and eating, Harry quite clearly said, "You don't know just how happy I am that at least two Hufflepuffs realise that the school rules... not just allows Houses to sit at other tables for their meals... but encourages it. I despaired for wizarding Britain's youth they hadn't learned anything since the first task."
Professor Babbling, bless her soul, piped up and said, "Quite right, Lord Potter. Five points, each, to Hufflepuff... Miss Abbott and Miss Bones... for recognising you're allowed to sit at other tables for meals other than official feasts."
That had quiet exclamations of surprise ripple through the student body. And also stopped the Gryff's, who were getting upset about it, from arcing up about it.
Harry turned a grin on his now favourite Professor after Marchbanks. She winked back.
As they were heading down to the greenhouses together, Harry asked Neville, "As he'll very likely be sitting with you again, can you suss out Finch-Fletchley for me? I'm looking to see if he can make a good ally for the Alliance."
Apparently only a little surprised, Neville replied, "Sure! And I think you're right."
Harry gave a pleased nod back and said, "Alliance Secret. I have commissioned an investigation into the muggle nobility of the Finch-Fletchley family. And also on how an existing, muggle, noble family can have that nobility officially recognised in the magical world."
Neville gave a slow whistle and said, "I know it was done in the past. That is how the nobility entered our world, after all. But I've no direct idea, myself."
"Hence the research," he smiled.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Going from Herbology to CoMC an hour later was a mere short walk across the lawns. And Harry could see why Neville was so happy about it. If you got dirty in Herbology there was no need to get overly cleaned up, just a wash of hands, before going to CoMC; as there would be a need if going to any other class. Then you just cleaned up before going to, in this case, morning tea.
On the walk, Neville quietly said to Harry, "Finch-Fletchley puts on a brave front, but he really just wants to fit in. He also finds it hard to trust anyone because of who his grandfather is. Oh, by the way, his grandfather is some sort of... 'Dook'?"
Unexpectedly to the other two, Harry suddenly stopped dead where he stood and stared at Neville in shock. That caused their trio to separate a little. Hermione, who hadn't heard Neville try to explain who Finch-Fletchley's grandfather was, had also taken an extra step, but stopped quicker.
Turning back after taking another couple of steps himself, a confused Neville looked at Harry and asked, "Harry; mate. What's wrong?"
Harry quickly looked around and saw it was only he, Neville and Hermione.
Stepping a little closer to Neville he asked, "Did Finch-Fletchley tell you which Duke?"
"Ummm..." uttered Neville as he tried to think. "Dook... Duke? Duke of... Ken-doll?"
"Kendal?!" Harry quietly exclaimed.
As Hermione gasped in shock Neville replied, "Yeah, that's it."
"Holy bloody hell!" gasped Harry.
Hermione, in shock herself, didn't berate him for his language.
Neville, concerned now, asked, "I... take it that's a big thing?"
Calming down a little, Harry replied, "Neville, that's a very big thing. It means, effectively, Finch-Fletchley is probably related to the royal family in some way."
"Oh," said a now surprised Neville.
"Yeah," said Harry. "I expected an Earldom, at an outside a Marquessate, but a Dukedom? I should have realised as soon as we found out it's his grandfather who holds the main title. I was an idiot that I didn't realise that."
"So, what do we do with that knowledge?"
Harry sighed and said, "At the moment? Nothing. I'll pass that information on to Ted Tonks and see if he can discover more. Now that we know it's the Dukedom of Kendal, that's not going to be too hard for him to do.
"And, if I'm right, the young Viscount of Lonsdale, Justin Finch-Fletchley, is going to find himself invited to join the Alliance. His so-called muggleborn status just got tossed out the window. His muggle House is at least on a par with a Noble and Most Ancient House. In the muggle world, his House outranks even the Seven... by a wide margin."
"Wow!" said Neville.
Hermione hadn't said a word until then.
As they hadn't moved for a little while, other Gryffindors also walking their way were starting to look at them funny.
"Come on," said Harry, indicating they really should get moving again. "We need to hurry up."
"Harry," called Hermione. "Do you know what this means?"
"Yeah!" he said. "If I'm right, Finch-Fletchley is due for a seat on the Wizengamot; muggleborn or not."
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