Chapter - 2: To the Burrow

Usubi, in her tiny little cottage beside Hagrid's, came out of the bathroom, perfectly clean and wet. Her hair could no longer be mistaken with hay but rather be rivaled with seaweeds out of water. However, Usubi had no intention of drying them for she fancied her hair, in such a hideous state, looked quite clean and shiny. She walked up to her trunk and pulled out a large piece of bed sheet, which she had managed to earn at Hogsmeade by working for a wizard. Back then, she had loved the chessboard pattern on it and decided it'd make a lovely frock. Though she had never worn it, because the holes she had cut in them were a bit too big and she had hoped that in three summer's time she would grow into it, but of course, it wasn't to be. She had grown, yes, but not enough. Nevertheless, she slipped it on and wished she might have grown a bit more in the last three seconds, it was vain but an inspiration came to her and she searched her trunk again and after many minutes managed to fish out a ribbon shaped brooch, she'd bought only because she had wanted, at that time, to possess something glittery. She carefully took it out of the case and went to the mirror whereupon she crunched all the extra fabric that hanged about and pinned it with the help of her sparkling black brooch on her left shoulder. She slung her bag across the other shoulder and admired herself. She didn't look altogether unbecoming but not entirely comely as well. Usubi checked the contents of the bag for the last time and apparated for the Burrow./span/p

There was quite an excitement going on inside the Burrow. For one thing, the preparations for a late breakfast had caused quite an avalanche of chores and still more cleaning to do. Along with "I won't do this" or "You better pick those up," there were shouts of "Blimey! I cut my hand!" and "Stop waving that knife near my eye, will ya?". More such generalizations were being made by everybody at everybody else in the absence of Arthur and Molly Weasley. And the fact that Ginny was upstairs, sick in the bed, didn't help the scene much except for a shout out of nowhere that said something along the line of – "Shut up! Ginny's sleeping!" and a responding shout from upstairs said, "I was trying to before that hell of a noise!" And somebody brilliantly replied, "You bloody well try harder then."

The huge crew hadn't prepared the breakfast and upon perceiving the time had decided to go for a brunch and resumed with the previous peaceful (read chaotic) preparations.

Amidst this, out of nowhere a small body popped right in the center of the war. All hands wielding knife and wands fell, including the cries of "Enguarde!" and "Vengeance is mine!"(Cries continued for a few seconds after silence and were maintained thanks to the collaborative effort of the Weasley twins.) The furor in the room collapsed at once as everyone peered at the curious little figure, which bowed and squeaked a sorry before walking to the door and going out. Everybody looked at each other in silence while Harry and Ron shrugged in answer to Hermione's unspoken question.

A knock sounded at the door. Charlie, the eldest Weasley in the room at the moment got the door while shushing some background comments like "Oh Merlin! What on earth-"

"Yes?" he asked inquiringly as he looked down at the elf./span/p
"I'm here to deliver letters."

"Letters?" Charlie looked about in the room questioningly and couldn't possibly fathom whose letters it might be, "Who sent them?"

"Hogwarts."

Everybody froze except for the twins and their little brother – Ronaldo who was glaring at them for their comments directed at him.("I reckon its for Ron." "He left a spider behind, it seems.")

"Won't you come in?" Hermione interrupted and led the elf into the house and suddenly the twins recognized her.

"Oh Golly, It's Usubi!" exclaimed George.

"Why, bless me, it is!"

And Usubi, who had been looking at them rather unabashedly since she entered, ran up to them. "I'm so glad. So glad."

Glad for what?" Ron asked as he watched Fred pick her up.

""Nothing." And in a flash of remembrance, Usubi pulled out a neat package and handed it to the boy. "For you." She squeaked meekly.

The redhead opened the package but not before shooting a dirty look at George who mouthed , "Told you."

"For you Harry." He passed the letter to him and read his own name and then Hermione's and everyone else was peering in their letters except for Usubi, who had been set down, somewhere during this and was busily cleaning the kitchen with some domestic spells.

It was dim outside. It was grey. It was raining. It was horrible and above all, it was sad.

When professor Mcgonagall had appeared in the Malfoy manor, she'd expected it to be desolate and devoid of its inhabitants except one. But didn't expect anything like it, when she saw the pale boy on the roof of the manor, just lying in the rain. Broken. Helpless. And rusted…

In the thin, falling rain, she walked to him. The young Malfoy, though aware of the change of pattern of sound he had been listening to for hours, lay there, unmoving and simply breathing. He had lost quite a lot, first a battle, then trust, and after that his self respect, his father, his mother and himself, all fell in succession. Almost as if, somebody had pushed the dominos, only this time it was everything that was important to him.

"What a mess you have made of yourself." Professor Mcgonagall said as she towered over the voice was quiet and pity almost crept in but didn't leave unnoticed.

That's all they can do now. The boy thought. Yes, he was piteous. All his skills, his possibly bright career, his talents, all had been now washed away in the rain. He was pitiful, not by circumstances, but because he chose to be.

"Why are you here?" he opened his eyes and the former Gryffindor head noted the shine of ambition in them gone, lost probably. She saw he was no longer the bully she had known, he had become, now, just a boy, who had succumbed to his fate.

"How many days has it been?"

"Why are you here?" he repeated. This time with emphasis.

Professor Mcgonagall sighed. Despite everything he was still stubborn.

"Lets take this talk inside. "

"Could not be too long."

"It is, Mr. Malfoy. "

Draco closed his eyes again. Thinking, searching for the reason of the sudden appearance of his former teacher. Finding none, he relented. "Might as well hear you out."

He had nothing to lose, after all.


Author's note:

There you go, just as I promised. More characters! And please do be confused by all the Weasleys being intact. This is a part of the story that will be covered later on. It was quite a chapter, so please don't expect the other to be this long. Posted this chapter so soon, because I was once again motivated by shadythedragon. Thanks a million times. If you find any grammar or spelling mistake, please notify me in the review section or PM me. I am exceptionally particular about my grammar and spelling. (My father's an English teacher.) I hope you find the transition smooth though. Do read and review.