Ch.1 The Storm

"When will it stop?" Harry asked as he plopped down on the couch next to Ron and Hermione. They had been trapped inside the burrow for weeks because of a continuous rainstorm. Fred had tried to leave once but a bolt of lightning hit just inches away from his foot. They also had contemplated using floo powder to exit but there was only enough for two people to go amd nobody wanted to make that decision.

"It's no regular storm that's for sure." Said Hermione staring, amazed out the window.

"I swear that bolt of lightning was trying to hit me!" Fred exclaimed sitting in a large armchair across from them. "There has got to be magic involved."

"As crazy as it sounds he's right." Hermione said finally looking away from the window. "A natural storm would be over and it wouldn't target lightning on its own."

"I could have turned into pile of ash," Fred blurted out obviously not listening. "I mean a boring little pile of ash!"

"I sure hope it stops before it's time to return to Hogwarts." Ron finally said. Although they never talked about it everyone had thought about that. Harry, Ron Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George were stuck in the burrow alone. Mr. and Mrs. Weasly were out of the house in a meeting with the Hogwarts staff because their children were doing either wonderful or terrible.

As Ginny and George finished the over-simple meal Harry and Ron prepared they entered the room with them. George flopped down in the remaining armchair and Ginny sat on the floor by his feet knees to her chest.

"I remember as a baby being so scared of just a little thunder" Ginny said "I'd be having a meltdown right now if I was still that way"

"I wouldn't blame you if you did anyway" Harry said mainly because he felt quite depressed himself.

"I would though" George added desperately trying to lighten the mood.

"Not helping George" Ron said. George had been trying to help make everyone be happier all week. He even went through with eating about twelve canary creams to amuse them but still didn't do much.

The sun had set about a half an hour ago. After realizing no one was speaking Fred and George left the room. Not long after that Hermione left, followed by Ron and Harry. Ginny moved to the couch and stayed there, not paying much attention to her friends leaving.

"What do you think that was about?" Ron asked Harry as they walked upstairs.

"What do you mean?" Harry responded raising an eyebrow.

"I mean Ginny's little speech. There was obviously something up"

"Just leave her be for once. You're always making a big deal about every little thing she does and it's getting old."

"Maybe you're right but that doesn't really change it. There is something up with my little sister and I want to help her."

"Then leave her be." Harry repeated as they entered their room.

As Harry fell back on his bed he didn't really feel like sleeping. No one did. He was too afraid of what might happen. He didn't know if they would ever get out. They might never leave the burrow. They might never see Hogwarts again.

Harry awoke to the sound of crying. It was faint and in the distance but since the storm started he had become a light sleeper. He slowly snuck down the stairs hoping to not wake anybody. Succeeding in stealthily making his way down to the bottom floor he peaked into the living room.

Ginny was sitting in the armchair previously used by Fred in their meeting. She was sobbing wiping her tears with her shirt and mumbling things Harry couldn't hear. Harry decided to try to step in unnoticed. He failed. Right as he made a step a floorboard creaked.

Ginny leaped up as if an explosion had gone off under her chair. Without thinking she whipped out her wand and hollered "Confingo" in his direction. Unaware that Ginny knew any curses Harry dived out of the way. The blasting curse barley missed his ear and flew back obliterating a cupboard. Harry tugged his wand out of his pajama pocket and screamed "Expelliarmus" While aiming his wand at Ginny. The spell sent Ginny's wand flying across the room. Ginny began to advance on Harry with her bare fists but just as she was about to attack from over the chair she realized who she was assaulting.

Ginny's cheeks turned bright red as she lowered her ready-to-attack fists down to her sides. "Oh, Harry" she said obviously embarrassed and stepped down from the chair. She quickly walked over to retrieve her wand and used reparo on the cupboard. Surprisingly every last splintery piece of it fit together easily.

"What is going on here?" Ron asked entering the room followed by George, Fred, and Hermione. Fred was holding a large shimmering grey cloth showing that they had "borrowed" Harries invisibility cloak to stay hidden.

"And tell me" Said George leaning over to look Ginny in the eye "Where did you learn that curse?"