Moments in Love

The 422nd

It was another blistering day in London. Harry and Hermione had to squint as the sun reflected from the gleaming black limousine which pulled up alongside the pavement outside Number Ten Grimmauld Place. Like everyone else who passed through this part of London, the chauffeur remarked on the oddity of the numbering of the townhouses, and the missing Number 12. The chauffeur opened the boot, but Lupin and Sirius insisted on stowing Harry and Hermione's trunks, the tent, and their own luggage without his assistance.

The chauffeur didn't even bat an eye when an orange cat and a snowy owl entered the rear of the vehicle along with the four passengers. He had seen much stranger things going on in the back of the limo in his time as a driver - some of them not entirely legal - and he was paid very well to look the other way.

Neither Harry nor Hermione had ever ridden in a limousine before, and both were very impressed by the luxurious ride, not to mention being quite pleased with the air-conditioning. But neither of them were more amazed than Neville when they picked him up at the Leaky Cauldron, as the Hogwarts Express was the closest he had ever come to muggle forms of transportation.

"Wow!" Neville gasped, "This is really cool! I've never been in a car before."

"What about the Knight Bus?" asked Harry. "Ever been on that?"

"No!" Neville shook his head and peered through the tinted window at all of the other vehicles whizzing along the motorway. "Gran and I usually travel by floo to get most places - and going from the Leaky Cauldron to King's Cross is the only time I'm ever in the Muggle world."

Several hours later, after stopping for lunch along the way, the limo pulled into a carpark near a campsite in the middle of a heath by the coast in Norfolk. Neville was so cheerful that he practically skipped out of the vehicle when they arrived. Harry and Hermione chortled as Lupin and Sirius regarded the happy lad in amusement.

"Thanks for the burgers and chips Mr Black!" said Neville, grinning at Sirius. "I've never had that before. And thanks for bringing me to the World Cup... Gran's not really into quidditch."

"It's my pleasure Neville!" Sirius responded. "And in any case, it's all down to Harry really..."

"Yeah... yeah it is!" Neville was still feeling a bit surprised, but thrilled that Harry had considered him a close enough friend to bring him along. "Thanks for inviting me Harry!"

"You're welcome Neville!" said Harry, returning Neville's grin.

"Oh... look, it's Luna!" Hermione waved as Luna approached them with someone who had wild looking silver hair and a spangly lemon-yellow suit which sparkled in the sun.

"Hi Hermione... Hello Harry and Neville!" shouted Luna, waving back and smiling beatifically.

"Ah... Mr Black I presume! Xenophilius Lovegood... but Xeno will do..." beamed the wizard with silver candy-floss hair as he shook Sirius's hand.

"Xeno it is then! Please... call me Sirius, and this is my good friend Remus..."

"A pleasure to meet you Xeno," smiled Lupin, shaking Mr Lovegood's hand as well.

"And you too Remus..." Mr Lovegood turned to address Sirius again. "Very kind of you to spring for ticket upgrades for myself and my daughter, Sirius! We would have had to arrive a week ago if not... By the way, has anyone ever mentioned that you look remarkably like Stubby Boardman, the lead singer of the Hobgoblins?"

Seeing Harry's bemused expression, Neville chortled and whispered in his ear, "It's true actually! Your godfather does look a bit like Stubby..."

Neville trailed off as he and Harry and Hermione goggled at a pair of weary, grumpy looking men approaching them from just over a rise. Judging by the odd clothing ensembles, Harry and Hermione presumed that they were both wizards who hadn't had much experience dressing like muggles. The one wearing a tweed suit with galoshes could have nearly passed for a muggle, but Neville palmed his face as he peered at the one wearing a kilt and a poncho.