(Still, Still Five Years Ago...)

  George led them around the shop, but didn’t have to do much talking. James, and to a lesser extent, Al, were excitedly describing everything to Iris. Her head swiveled back and forth, trying to take it all in.

  George spoke, “So, Dudley, what do you do out in the wide world?”

  “Call me Dud. Work in a warehouse for a drill-making company.”

  “How is that for you?”

  “It’s a job,” Dudley shrugged. “At least usually. Lately there’s been some problems.”

  “Like what?” George seemed genuinely interested.

  “Ah, just stuff. Talk of lawsuits, people too thick to know how to use a drill without putting holes in themselves. And we’re having deliveries go wrong from the warehouse. We drop off a shipment, get a signature, and then the receiving company swears that nobody by that name works there, and we’re out a fair amount. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s always when they’ve got us rushing around and we don’t have time to ask for identifications.”

  George brightened. “Now that I can help you with! If, of course, you don’t mind a little magic.”

  Dudley frowned and said, “I’m not, you know, like that. How could I use magic?”

  “Right over here,” said George. “Latest thing! VeritaBiros! You don’t do any magic, no. But the ink in here contains just a trace of a truth potion called Veritaserum. You just make sure they use your pen to sign, and if they try to lie to you, the ink turns RED! And stinks, for some reason we haven’t quite figured out yet. So, as I always say, if you can’t fix it, just call it a feature.”

  Dudley eyed him quizzically. “People like me, using magic stuff? Isn’t that... kind of against your rules?”

  George shrugged. “As Harry may or may not have mentioned, rules are not exactly my strong suit. AND my father oversees the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department, among others. Oh, pardon me, now known as the Department for Regulation and Control of Muggle Artefacts.”

  “Huh?” Harry boggled. “That’s..., right, isn’t it? How’d he manage that? I mean, I work there, and I didn’t notice the change until you mentioned it just now.”

  “Oh, when he moved Perkins out of that broom closet after the War, he just put up new signs and changed the stationery. With a mild Confundus Charm on them, of course. He had to, you know, sooner or later he was going to have to arrest himself.”

  Dudley looked around with a new light in his eyes. “So there are things in here anybody could use, not just wizards?”

  George nodded. “It’s always been possible. If the item itself is innately magical or bespelled, then it doesn’t care whether the user is or not.” He coughed, then amended, “Well, not usually, anyway.” He glanced at the Potters. “I’m sure you’ve all heard Dad’s Bewitched Tea Service story. Over and over, no doubt. But that’s something that can be handled, with a little attention to detail.”

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  He gestured at a small display. “Here’s something you might like, miss. Even comes with a wand.” The toy he was showing Iris was simple, just a long block of wood, with painted wooden balls resting in hemispherical holes.

  “It’s called a Levi-Sphere. See how all the holes but one are painted as well, Miss Iris?” She nodded, intent on the toy. “Just take the wand, and point it at one of the balls that doesn’t match the color hole it’s in.”

  Iris shot her mother a doubtful look. Emily gave a weak smile, and nodded at her to go on. Iris took the wand, George gently guiding her hand.

  “Now, think UP..., and OVER to the blank, whoops, a little too far! BACK and DOWN! And there you have it! Now find the right color ball for the open hole..., and just keep on ‘til you’re got them all matched up. There’s a little pamphlet with a variety of games you can play.”

  Iris looked down at the wand with awe, then started on another ball. James looked on, a little condescendingly, but had the wit not to spoil her fun.

  Harry asked, “That’s not a real wand, is it?”

  “Of course not!” said George. “Just a one-trick pony. We sell a lot of these kinds of toys to mixed families. You know, Muggle and Magical, or Wizard families with a Squib. It makes the kiddies feel better about their differences. We found that Pygmy Puff fur is mildly magical, had a couple of, ah, incidents while cleaning the enclosure where they had shed. So we got Mr. Ollivander to make us these toy wands. ”

  “Seems it would be a bit beneath his dignity.”

  “Oh, it is!” George chuckled. “But it’s not beneath his new apprentice’s dignity. In fact, Mr. Ollivander considers it good practice for the lad, he gets a little above himself.”

  “Anybody I know?”

  “Dennis Creavey. Full-grown, but still just a mite. Went back after the War and got his O.W.L.s, but couldn’t settle to anything. Mr. Ollivander saw some sort of potential in him, and offered him the apprenticeship.”

  Harry smiled a little sadly. He figured he knew why Dennis had trouble settling. His brother Colin had died a hero during the Battle of Hogwarts, and Dennis probably blamed himself to some extent. Well, so did Harry, for that matter.

  “He drops by at least once a week. Brings us new wands and Muggle milk from his dad, have you tried it? Oh, of course you have, I was forgetting. I think it just tastes better, don’t you?”

  Harry had really never noticed a difference, but nodded anyway. People believed what they wanted to believe. “Say, where’s Ron?”

  “Cannons are playing today. Somewhere away.” He smirked. “Little brother really has his hopes up that they’re not going to finish dead last in the league this year.” Dudley came up just then.

  “George, she loves it! She’ll have to be careful around the folks, but that’s all right. How much do you want? I can go up to the bank and exchange money, can’t I?”

  “Dud, that’s not a problem. Verity comes from a Muggle family, and she understands your money just fine. But this is on me, no, I insist! I haven’t had that good a laugh in years! And the pen as well!” He lowered his voice and looked around. “There is something you could do for me, though, if you don’t mind my asking?” Dudley nodded.

  “I’m looking to go into some more cross-over products, things like these. Since the War, it seems things are loosening up all over, and I figure the day is coming where we’ll be able to market to anybody, magic or not. It would really help if I could bounce ideas off a real, well, Muggle, sorry. See what you all need out there. You’ve already tossed off one idea I can use. It shouldn’t be impossible to make a magic drill that’s really safe, and, you know, idiot-proof.”

  Dudley nodded again. “Yeah, but you’d have to know what it can and can’t be expected to do, and how to market to us...”

  “Yes! Exactly, things like that! What do you say, Dud?”

  Dudley beamed and stuck out his hand. George ostentatiously checked to make sure it was empty, then shook vigorously.

  (Present Day. Whew...)

  The memories had flashed through Harry’s mind in seconds. He hesitated, took out Fabian Prewett’s old watch and checked it. The business with James had shot his schedule all to hell anyway. A few more minutes wouldn’t matter. He looked for traffic and crossed the street.

  Author's Note: The Levi-Sphere toy is not original to me. It actually comes from a book by Randall Garrett, "Too Many Magicians" in his 'Lord Darcy Investigates' fantasy/mystery series, The stories are set in a world where Magick works, and has been codified, explored, and exploited for centuries. As a result, technology is at about an 18th Century level, and medical science is even worse off. Your local healer can take care of almost any problem with a simple Laying On Of Hands. As a result, people who recommend, say, an infusion of willow bark for a headache? Those people are dangerous Hedge Witches, and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law!

  buying the damn things. No Comic Cons, just an occasional get together of die-hards to give out awards, e.g., The Hugo, The Nebula, etc. Cheesy Monster From Outer Space movies, and as for TV... Well, the BBC had been running Dr. Who since the 50's, but the production values, ick. And even that didn't help the Yanks, because the Good Doctor was not running on any of the three network channels, (the only channels at the time, and you were lucky if you got all of them). Star Trek finally came along at the end of the decade, and it was a running joke that only lasted two seasons.