Dear Ginny,
How are you? I hope you're okay after everything that's happened. Ron, Hermione, and I will be there soon. I think Uncle Vernon is getting uneasy having two wizards and a witch in the house. How are your mom and dad? Fred and George? Bill and Fleur? Tonks and Remus? I hope they're okay too. I really miss you. I'm sorry about having to do that. I know that you understand, but I just can't seem to apologize enough. Well, I'll make this letter short since it's so early in the morning. I'll see you all soon.
Sincerely,
Harry
Harry rolled the letter up and moved towards Hedwig. She hooted softly and held out her leg. He pulled out a small string and tied the letter to her foot.
"Be careful, Hedwig," he said softly, "With everything that's been going on I don't want anything happening to you as well." She hooted softly once more, nudged him, and then flew out of the open window. He watched her fly away before moving away from the window. He looked around, light poured into the room as the sun began to rise slowly. He walked over to his trunk and opened it. He moved around the room, collecting the things that he was going to take with him to the Burrow.
He heard a loud yawn and turned around to see Ron struggling to sit up straight. But Hermione wasn't making it too easy.
"Morning," Harry said, still collecting his things.
"Mmmfphlif," was Ron's reply as he attempted to stifle another yawn, "Are we leaving today?" Harry nodded and then said "yes" when he realized Ron couldn't see him from his point of view.
"Guess I'd better get moving then," Ron said slowly and gently shook Hermione awake.
"Wha…?" she said sleepily.
"We need to get ready to go," Ron said softly and Hermione nodded her reply. They both stood up and began to gather their things slowly. After they all were done, Hermione went to the bathroom to take a shower.
Harry looked at Ron.
"What?" Ron asked noticing that Harry was staring at him.
"Hm? Oh nothing. I was just thinking…" Harry replied, his voice ending in a whisper. He was still tired but good at hiding it. He hadn't told Ron and Hermione about the dreams.
"Okay," Ron said and began to change clothes. Harry did the same. Hermione came into the room once they had finished getting changed.
"Are you guys ready to go?" she asked still yawning. Harry nodded. Ron walked over to her and giving her a kiss replied, "I'm ready when you are." She smiled and playfully shoved him away. They all made their way down to the living room with their trunks. Hermione produced a small, black, leather pouch with floo powder in it. She reached in quickly, taking out a small handful and threw it into the dying fire. It instantly woke up and turned a bright green.
"Ron, you go first since it's your house we're going to," Harry said his mind else where at the moment. Ron nodded and stepped in, pulling his trunk behind him.
"The Burrow," he shouted and disappeared behind the flames. Hermione went next and she too disappeared. Harry turned around for one last look at the place he had called home for the sixteen years of his life. In a way, he would almost miss it. Almost.
Mrs. Weasley smiled as they each came crashing into the fireplace and then the living room. One after the other. As Harry stepped out of the fireplace, he looked around. Hedwig hooted at him. He smiled softly to himself. Good, he thought. She made it here before we did.
"Come," Mrs. Weasley, said embracing each of them, "I'm sure that none of you has eaten anything this morning, what with you coming so early and all." They all nodded in unison.
"Fred? George? Could the two of you be of some use and take their trunks up to their rooms?" Mrs. Weasley said, eyeing them. They mumbled and nodded. They had both only gotten there a short time before Harry, Ron, Hermione.
The trio followed Mrs. Weasley into the kitchen where food was already being cooked on the stove. Dishes and silverware flew around their heads as they settled down at the table. A small plate flew at Ron's head. He ducked just in time and shouted, "Oy! Watch it!" Harry smiled and Hermione laughed.
"Stop playing around. Geez. Sometimes you guys act like children," Fred said following George into the room. George smiled and turned around to ask his twin a question.
"Fred?" he said yawning loudly.
"Yeah?" Fred replied also yawning.
"Um…I forgot. Never mind," George said numbly and sat down at the table next to his brother, "Hey mum, do you know what's going on today?"
Mrs. Weasley looked away from the stove and replied, "As a matter of fact I do. We're going to collect Alice." Fred and George looked at each other, then at Ginny who had just come downstairs. She smiled, the grin almost reaching her eyes.
"Really, mum? You mean it? But you do realize that she doesn't like being called Alice, don't you?"
"Yes, Ginny. We're really going to get her. Your father and other members of the phoenix believe that she could be in danger," her mother said matter-of-factly.
"Did I hear that correctly, mum? About Tor?" said Bill oddly. He was still having trouble with the scars on his face. Mrs. Weasley glared.
"Yes," she hissed, "Now make sure to pass that on to everyone else so I don't have to repeat myself constantly."
"Who's Alice? I mean Tori?" Harry asked nonchalantly. Ron looked at him horrified. The look of horror quickly faded.
"Sorry Harry. We've been friends for so long that I forget we weren't friends when Tor was around," he said quickly.
"Okay. So who is she?"
"She is my best friend," Ginny said softly, "And I haven't seen her since she went off to the Salem Academy in the United States. "
"Ginny and Tor were pretty close," Fred said softly.
"Yeah," George chimed in, "It also helped that she was really pretty. Hey, Fred, can you imagine what she must look like now?" A dreamy look passed over their faces before their mother had a pot smack the both of them on the back of their heads.
"Mum!" they yelled in unison.
"You boys shouldn't be thinking about Tori as such," she said with motherly pride, "She's like your younger sister. You both told me that once yourself."
Fred, who was sitting next to Harry, nudged him sharply in the ribs and whispered, "Doesn't mean we didn't think "things" then." He flashed a toothy grin and the pot came towards his head menacingly.
"Oy mum! I'm sorry!" She smiled softly and went into the living room to fetch her clock.