HP ficlet: Invention [George, Harry, general]
Title: Invention Author: celandineb Fandom: HP Characters: George, Harry Rating: general Length: 762 words Warnings: none Summary: George has asked Harry to come see him in the shop. Note: For quill_it, 100.3, prompt 32, "one".
The bell on the door jingled as Harry went into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He was surprised at how few customers were there, but then, early afternoon on a weekday in March probably was not prime time for selling gag gifts.
"Is George here?" he asked the young witch behind the counter. "He asked me to meet him at one o'clock."
She nodded and said breathlessly, pointing, "Through that door and upstairs, in the workshop."
Harry climbed the creaking stairs with caution. He could hear a crackling sound and a few purple sparks raced past him. As he reached the large open room that served as George's laboratory and test space, George looked up and grinned.
"Glad you could make it, Harry."
Even after so many years it was still strange to see just one twin, not two. Harry wondered if he would ever get used to it, though he knew it must feel infinitely stranger and more distressing for George to be without Fred.
"So, what's this new product you wanted to talk to me about? You said it's practical, not for jokes?" Harry asked, leaning on the workbench and watching curiously as George made minute adjustments to the shapeless bundle of tweed fabric that sat there. Over in another corner a cauldron bubbled quietly to itself, occasionally emitting coloured sparks.
"Watch." George whistled, and his pet Crup leaped from its bed near the fireplace and raced up to him, its two tails wagging. "Good boy, Dodger." George fitted what Harry could now see was a tweed dog coat onto the animal. "All right, Harry, hex him. Anything you like."
"I don't want to hurt Dodger," Harry protested, scratching the Crup under its chin and eliciting a pleased wriggle and a swipe of a pink tongue.
"You won't. That's the point. The coat is spelled so that any magic will bounce right off. Good, bad, or indifferent magic, Dodger won't be affected. Go on, try something."
"If you're quite sure," said Harry doubtfully. He pulled out his wand and cast the Jelly Legs Jinx, which wouldn't do much harm, only disconcert the Crup a bit. Dodger remained unaffected, standing on his hind legs and nosing at George's pocket, which probably held some of his most recently developed joke sweets. A Crup would eat almost anything.
"The fabric is waterproof, too," George added. "I thought it would make excellent capes for the Aurors. I'm even prepared to cut a special deal with the Ministry, and agree not to make the material available to the general public, only to Magical Law Enforcement and their equivalents in other countries. Then you wouldn't have to worry about having it used against you."
Harry's eyebrows went up. "And what would induce you to make this generous offer?"
George looked slightly embarrassed. "I think perhaps you'll want to bring the Minister in for the price negotiations. I asked you here first so that you could decide whether you, as head Auror, would be interested or not. No point in talking with Kingsley if you didn't want the stuff."
"We'll want it," said Harry positively. "One thing, though. Can the person wearing it still do magic himself?"
"Yes. It's a one-way block," George said. "Protects the wearer from any magic, but doesn't prevent him from using his own spells or charms or whatever."
"That's all right then," said Harry. "Defence is all very well, but an Auror needs to be able to attack, too."
"Absolutely." George nodded.
"How did you come up with this, anyhow?" Harry asked.
George touched the spot on his head where the dark hole still gaped. "This. If I'd been wearing something like this material, I wouldn't have lost my ear. Fred was the one who first came up with the notion, back when we were developing the Shield Hats, but we never had time to work on it together. This is much more effective. It protects even against the Unforgivables, and all of your body is protected, not just the part the fabric covers, as long as it does cover at least three-quarters of you. It wasn't an easy thing to develop; there is a combination of three potions and five spells on this material." He stroked the tweed covering Dodger's back fondly, and began to unbutton the coat to free the Crup.
"Well, it's a brilliant idea," said Harry sincerely. "Thanks, George."
"Any time." George clapped him on the shoulder. "See you at Mum's for Sunday dinner?"
"Of course," Harry promised, and watched for a moment as George turned back to his work.