It felt as if Aisling had barely settled into bed when she was being shaken awake by Mrs. Weasley.
"Come on, time for breakfast. No laying about, there's a lot to get done before you all go to fetch Harry." She said before giving Aisling a kind smile and pushing her hair back from her face. "I really am glad you're back with us, dear." She added warmly, patting her cheek then she was off into the other two rooms.
Groggily Aisling sat up to see Ginny blinking sleep from her eyes as Hermione swung her legs over the side of her own bed. Groans sounded from a nearby room and Aisling laughed lightly, recognizing the voices of Ron, Fred, and George as they grumbled about.
Soon enough, everyone was dressed and seated at the kitchen table except for Mr. Weasley. Aisling looked around for him, wondering if he simply sat somewhere else but then Bill caught her eye. "He went to the Ministry." He informed her. "He's calling in a favor from a friend in Transportations to get Harry's house hooked up to the Floo Network for this afternoon."
Aisling nodded in response before settling back into seat and finishing her breakfast just before Mrs. Weasley re-entered the room.
"Alright, alright. Everyone fed? Good. Now, Fred and George I'll need you two to clean out the broomshed." She listed off ignoring the simultaneous groans from the boys. "Bill and Charlie, go into town and fetch us a few things." She continued, offering the older boys a piece of parchment. "Ron, chicken coop. Ginny and Hermione, be dears and hang out the laundry..." She trailed off, looking at Aisling she realized she had forgotten to add her into her list of chores. She stood quiet for a moment until the twins began to offer to take her along with them before Bill cut them off. "She can come into town with us, Mum. Ash is loads better with muggle money than we are." He said, ignoring the identical glares being shot at him.
"Very well. Do you mind Aisling?" She asked, turning to the red-haired girl with a worried look.
"Not at all, Mrs. Weasley. I'd love to see the town again." She smiled widely before grabbing her over-the-shoulder bag from its place on the table and joining Bill and Charlie by the door.
"Later, Fred. Bye, George!" She called over her shoulder as she left through the back door with the two older boys.
"Now, what's on that list?" She asked them, reaching for the piece of parchment as they walked. Bill handed her the sheet and she scanned over it quickly. "Easy enough. You two go and grab the stuff for the trip and I'll get the groceries." She began but paused when she saw Charlie shaking his head.
"No, sorry. We're staying with you."
"Yeah, Ash. I don't want you getting lost then us getting blamed." Bill added teasingly.
Aisling rolled her eyes at the pair of them. "I would not get lost, but fine. Have it your way." She replied, turning up her nose at them as they entered the small town.
Immediately, Aisling smiled at the sight of the older building and random muggles going about their business as usual. She loved muggle towns. They were always so interesting with their random contraptions in the store windows, as well as their odd paper money being exchanged. She abruptly forgot her irritation at her two companions and instead focused at the task at hand.
"First, the supplies for tomorrow then the groceries." She told the two who nodded in agreement.
Not much later they were in the grocery shop, strolling down the aisles and grabbing what they needed for the final week before school. Aisling paused at the bread tilting her head slightly, trying to decide exactly which brand Mrs. Weasley usually used.
"Need any help?" A voice sounded from behind her.
She whipped around to see a taller boy with raven hair and dark brown eyes watching her curiously.
"Oh, no. I was just trying to figure out which brand my friend's mum usually buys. I'm shopping for her, you see." She explained herself, giving him a kind smile.
"Well, I don't know much about her preferences but this here.." He said, reaching across Aisling to pick up a bag. "Is the kind my family gets." He smiled crookedly and Aisling found a blush rising to her cheeks.
"Well, thank you. I'm glad to have your exper-" She was cut off by a certain redhead taking the loaf of bread from her hand and turning to face the new boy talking to Aisling.
"Yes, thank you for your advice on bread. You're a wealth of knowledge, now if you could refrain from flirting with her for a moment longer and get lost, that would be splendid." Charlie said flatly, looking at the boy with irritation until Bill walked up holding a carton of milk and looking confused.
"Stop that, Char." Aisling said with a sigh, swatting her friend's arm before turning to the boy. "Thank you for the help really. My brother is just protective." She covered smoothly. "Maybe I'll see you around, yeah?" She added before dragging the two boys away.
"Honestly, I can't take you two anywhere." She huffed and Bill held a hand to his heart in indignation.
"I didn't even do anything."
"Brother?" Charlie added curiously.
"Yeah, yeah." Aisling dismissed him, heading to the cash registers.
Once back at the Burrow, Bill and Charlie put the groceries away with a wave of their wands as Aisling sat next to the now present Mr. Weasley at the table.
"Everything ready to fetch Harry?" She asked him.
"Yes, everything is all set. Now we just have to wait for the boys to finish up their chores. Fred and George are upstairs changing and Ron is just about done." He informed her.
Aisling nodded in response before looking to the stairs at the sound of someone descending them. Soon enough the twins appeared with mischievous smiles in place.
"Hey, Ash. Have fun in town?" Fred asked as he sat down beside her.
"No, she did not." Charlie called from the kitchen causing her to roll her eyes.
"Don't listen to him. He's a git." She told the twins simply and heard Charlie's laughter in reply. She shook her head at his antics and returned her attention to the twins.
"Are we all set?" She murmured to them as Ron entered the room, a few feathers sticking haphazardly from his hair.
"That we are." George replied before standing and plucking a few of the feathers from Ron.
"I think you're molting." He said simply.
"Alright, boys...and Aisling. Let's get to it." Mr. Weasley said then stood and headed to the fireplace. He picked up the small pot of green powder from the mantle and turned to the four children. "Remember to speak clearly. It's Number 4, Privet Drive." He reminded them before handing the pot to Fred. He stepped inside the hearth and stood still for a moment before throwing down his handful of powder and yelling their destination. The fire flared up green for a moment and then he was gone.
Next, Fred stepped into the flames and repeated the actions of his father then after him George went as well. Finally, it was Aisling's turn. She took a breath and a handful of powder from the pot in Ron's hand and stepped into the flames that licked at her ankles. "Number 4, Privet Drive!" She exclaimed and was spun quickly around shooting up through the chimney, or so it seemed and passed multiple fireplaces before landing in a dark space.
"Ow! Blimey, what the hell is going on?" She asked in shock, pushing against the sharp elbow that was digging into her ribs.
"Sorry, Ash. We're stuck." She heard Fred's voice from a few inches above her.
"Oh really? Are we? I couldn't have guessed?" She sneered.
George interrupted the two and spoke to Mr. Weasley. "Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad- Maybe he'll let us out-" He suggested and all three of the men started pounding on the boards blocking their exit.
"Harry? Can you hear us?" Mr. Weasley called.
"Harry? You there, mate?" The twins chorused. Aisling simply huffed, trying to re-situate herself so she wasn't pressed so tightly against Fred's form.
Suddenly, they heard a mumbled voice from the other side and Mr. Weasley ordered everyone to be quiet.
"Mr. Weasley, it's Harry...the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there." Harry's voice sounded from the other side of the boards.
"Damn!" Mr. Weasley responded. "What on Earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?" He asked.
"They've got an electric fire." Harry's voice explained.
Aisling was not amused with this conversation. She was hot, it was cramped, and quite frankly fireplaces were not clean places. She wiggled for more room until she felt Fred's hands on her shoulders, holding her in place.
"Quit doing that, yeah?" He said quietly, not moving his hands from her shoulders.
Aisling was confused for only a moment then she felt her face grow hot. She immediately stood stark still, pressing herself against the bricks of the hearth.
"Sorry." She muttered and Fred simply chuckled in response.
It seemed that Harry and Mr. Weasley were discussing the electronic aspect of the muggle's fire when Aisling was suddenly smushed tighter against Fred. She felt him stumble back due to the force and heard Mr. Weasley call out in pain.
"What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?" Ron's voice sounded from behind Aisling.
"Oh no, Ron." Fred drawled out sarcastically. "No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up." Aisling rolled her eyes at the two and focused on what Mr. Weasley was saying as George chimed in from in front of Fred.
"Stand back, Harry." Mr. Weasley said and Aisling heard a loud voice protest from the other side, but it was too late. Mr. Weasley had blasted away the boards leaving the fireplace open and the inhabitants of it stumbling out.
Aisling looked up and spotted a large man that resembled an overweight walrus and a thin, frail looking woman standing in front of them. What a contrast.
Mr. Weasley attempted to greet the pair of them but was so rudely miffed. Aisling felt her brow furrowed as she looked at the two, not enjoying their blatant rudeness. She went to introduce herself as well but caught a look from Harry and promptly closed her mouth. It seemed as if he didn't think their meeting would go well.
Mr. Weasley turned to Harry with a kind smile. "Hello, Harry! Got your trunk ready?" He asked.
"It's upstairs." Harry responded and Fred jumped on the opportunity.
"We'll go get it!" He offered, sending a wink to Harry before he left the room with Aisling and George trailing along behind him.
They headed towards the stairs and up onto the second floor where they peered into each room, attempting to catch a glimpse of Harry's git cousin.
"Damn, he must have been downstairs somewhere." Aisling said with a frown.
"Must have." Fred agreed then shrugged. "Oh, well. We'll get him, no worries. George help me get that trunk. Ash, grab Hedwig's cage, would you?" He requested and the other two went at it.
Aisling lifted the cage from it's place near Harry's window and headed back down the stairs behind the two redheads.
Upon re-entering the living room the trio spotted a large figure attempting to hide behind Harry's large uncle, but to Aisling's surprise, this boy was even bigger than his father. Her jaw dropped slightly then she noticed the glare the scrawny woman was giving her and promptly shut it, attempting to mask an amused smile as the twins eyed their soon-to-be victim.
"Ah, right." Mr. Weasley spoke, breaking the tension...or increasing it. "Better get cracking then."
He relit the fire in the fireplace and ushered Fred into it.
"Coming-" Fred began before stumbling, his hands fumbling with his pockets. "Oh no- hang on-" He said as he attempted to pick up the sweets that had 'accidentally' fallen from his pockets, rolling across the floor in all directions. He crawled around for a moment, picking them up before straightening out and smiling widely at the Dursleys. He gave them a happy wave then stepped into the fireplace, taking a pinch of the floo powder is father offered and yelling, "The Burrow."
Aisling heard gasps of surprise from the muggles as Fred disappeared, but Mr. Weasley paid no mind and sent George on with the trunk and then Aisling with the cage. Aisling gave the Dursleys a kind smile and wave, even wishing them a well rest of their summer, to which they all had no response, before stepping into the fire and calling out, "The Burrow!"
She stepped out of the hearth and rushed over to the twins, grinning madly. "How did it go?" She asked and George turned to her with a smile.
"I saw him pick it up so now we wait."
They looked up as Ron exited the fireplace, but he didn't say anything or look flustered so she figured he didn't see anything. They stood quietly as Charlie and Bill approached the hearth, now interested in what had the trio's attention.
Finally Harry stepped out of the flame, eyes wide with an amused smile on his face.