Harry Potter's revenge.

Chapter 166: CH 166



"As big as my hand."

Hermione whirled back around. "I meant the land!"

Ragnok chuckled. "Fifty acres of field and another fifty of non-magical forest which gives you good sight blocking against the muggles."

Daphne nodded "Any resources?"

"None known, just really good soil."

"Ah."

They spent the next few minutes pottering around, but there wasn't much more to see. The control tower was sort of interesting and Harry suspected they could do something with it, but it would more likely just be levelled along with any other traces of the old airbase.

Eventually, Harry once again pulled out his trunk, beckoned the girls and goblin inside—in Hermione's case, with quite some reluctance—shrunk it down, popped it in his pocket, wrapped himself in the invisibility cloak, and softly rose into the air.

By the time Harry landed at their final destination, the sun hung almost as high as it was going to get. He stood on an island hilltop, which sloped gently downwards on one side and steeply downwards on the other. The gentle slope led to a long expanse of sheep grazing land, leading further to the ice-blue water's edge, while the steep side angled down to a far more immediate side of sea. The ground was white — the snow, an inch thick. There were no trees.

He put his trunk on the ground and opened the lid.

Immediately, Hermione clambered out of the trunk and threw up on the ground.

Ragnok emerged next, followed moments later by Daphne and Luna.

"Wee. Snow." Luna stepped out from the trunk, kneeled and lay on the gentle hill, and started to awkwardly roll down with another long, "Weeeeeeee".

"It's very pretty," said Daphne.

Harry rubbed Hermione's back again before quickly vanishing all the mess.

Hermione shook herself. "Urk. I hope we can find a better way to travel, because that… really doesn't seem to sit well with me." She looked at Harry with hopeful eyes. Harry tilted his head. "Well… we are going to have to chain apparate to get back to Greengrass Manor to be in time for the hunt, but if we have more time next time we could just fly."

Hermione nodded, slowly. "I think I would appreciate that." She straightened herself and brushed down her robes before finally taking in their surroundings. "Wow."

Harry had to admit that 'wow' did sum up the view quite well. The snow covered island gave the impression of a misshapen pearl floating in a sea of sapphires.

Ragnok trudged over to where the two of them stood, using his war-axe like a staff to lean on. "Welcome to Gairsay. The ninety-ninth largest island in the Orkney Islands, just off the north-most coast of Scotland. Hogwarts is just over two hundred kilometres that way." He pointed out in the direction of another, larger island near their one. "Six hundred acres, just under one square mile. This hill is the highest point, just one hundred metres above sea level."

Daphne now joined the small circle, leaving only Luna apart who was still enthusiastically rolling down the hill. "Can we get the floo network here?"

Ragnok nodded once. "Of course. We would not have suggested it otherwise."

Daphne pointed. "And that island?" Her finger directed Harry's gaze to a smaller round island that sat very close to Gairsay. "It's very close to this one. Is that included too?"

"Yes, Heiress Greengrass. That is Sweyn Holm. It is roughly fifty acres. There is also a much smaller island out in the island's natural harbour, Millburn Bay." He swept his hand in the general direction in which Luna had now stopped rolling down the hill and was climbing back up to them.

Hermione rubbed her shoulders for warmth. "There aren't any trees here. It doesn't look like there's a tree on any of the islands." Her gaze fell on the much larger island that lay between them and Hogwarts. "Is that a problem?"

Ragnok waved it away. "Not at all. The farmland off the hill is very fertile and the correct trees will grow well."

"Any known resources?"

"The island is made of red sandstone, which is supposed to be an attractive building material, although there is no quarry on the island, so you'd have to arrange for one."

"Only red sandstone?"

"I understand a nearby island has a supply of granite, but anything else would have to be shipped from the mainland."

Harry frowned. "What about that?" He pointed towards the side of the island where a small collection of buildings huddled.

"They're the local muggles. Three of them. We'd give them compensation to move. That would be part of the land cost."

Harry nodded. "Any magicals around?"

Ragnok pointed parallel to the big, Hogwarts blocking island. "You can't see it from here, but up that way there's a colony of merpeople that live around one of the other islands."

Luna joined them, robes and hair covered in snow. "We could visit them with gillyweed and trade with them. Merpeople are excellent fishermen."

Hermione looked at Luna with a surprised expression.

Luna looked back with a warm smile on her face.

Harry stroked his chin. "Not a bad idea."

Daphne nodded.

Ragnok then took them through the deal's remaining details and by the time they were done Harry could certainly see how his plans could work on the island, despite the many difficulties in setting up home nearly nine hundred kilometres from London. Having said that, he could just as easily see those plans flourishing by the mountain lake or the abandoned airfield as well.

He waved the girls and Ragnok back into the trunk. Before he closed it up though, he climbed down himself and sat on the second to last stair. The girls and Ragnok watched him. He took a breath. "Girls, when we get back to Greengrass manor and before I start making any decisions, I'd like to ask for each of your independent council on the three properties we've just visited."

He looked between Hermione, Daphne, and Luna and got a round of slow head nods in return. "Right then. In that case, I suggest you take the time on the trip back to separately think about it and maybe make some notes."

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