When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 18

A Family Christmas

As ever, the Great Hall had been decorated with festive adornments. A dozen of the largest trees that could be found lined the walls, each trimmed with tinsel, baubles, and housing a family of fairies.

Harry suspected there were other creatures living within the branches, but he hadn't glimpsed them yet.

'Maybe they're nargles?' he thought to himself amusedly, memories of the eccentric, silvery-haired girl coming to the forefront of his mind.

He didn't know about nargles or crumpled horn snorkacks but aside from the loyalty she had shown him the night the teens had ventured to the Ministry, Luna had never failed to amuse him with her odd but endearing ways.

"What are you smiling about, Evans?" Charlus broke in. "We've got potions first."

Harry grimaced at the thought.

Even the absence of Snape had not made him enjoy the subject anymore, and Charlus was in the same boat, though he'd never had to endure the sallow-skinned and hooked-nosed man.

Perhaps being bad at potions really was an inherited curse of sorts?

"But we only have a few days left of term," Harry reminded the boy. "Then no potions for a couple of weeks."

Charlus nodded appreciatively, his demeanour brightening.

"What're you reading there anyway?" Ogden interjected. "You only ever look at the investment pages."

Harry said nothing but slid the morning edition of The Daily Prophet towards the boy.

"Drooble's Best Blowing Gum?"

Harry nodded simply, the advert in the middle of the tabloid a stroke of genius on the part of Mr Gladding.

The man had evidently been busy and had managed to secure a deal with Honeyduke's to sell the product. He'd suggested the advertisement to Harry who had readily agreed, and even paid for the space in the newspaper.

"Wait, isn't that one of the products you invested in?" Charlus questioned.

"It is," Harry confirmed.

"Bloody hell," Tiberius said appreciatively. "It says here that its for sale in Honeyduke's. You're going to be rich!"

"Not rich," Harry disagreed.

The gum would grant him a steady stream of income through sales, but it was not as though he could retire at the tender age of seventeen.

"But it's a start," Charlus pointed out.

Harry nodded.

It was, and though it would be some time before Dr Filibuster's would reach the shelves, that investment too would provide him with a regular income.

As things were, the products were under heavy scrutiny by the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office, but Harry was hopeful that snag would not cause a lengthy delay.