Chapter four

They both waved as Cassie's mother carried Cassie in the opposite direction. They were almost back at the ocean front, where, by the looks of things, Ron and Hermione hadn't noticed at all that they had been gone, when Harry felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun round, as did Ginny. Cassie's mother was stood there, holding Cassie's hand. In one hand she held an ice cream, and Cassie was holding one too.

"It's the least I can do." she said, smiling, as they handed them to a surprised Harry and Ginny. "Cassie didn't lick it once, which is a first for her. She must really like you!" Ginny laughed as she took the cone from Cassie.

"Thank y-"

"Oh, no. Thank you." Cassie's mother nodded, and they walked away again. As Harry and Ginny turned around, they noticed Ron and Hermione looking in their direction.

"So now they're interested, when we have food." Ginny muttered to Harry, who laughed, and licked his ice cream. They saw Ron and Hermione shrug, and turn back to each other. As they got closer, Harry heard Ron say,

"How come every time we kiss we're both soaking wet?" Hermione giggled and leant in towards Ron. Harry looked at Ginny, who laughed awkwardly.

"How come they had seven years together, without touching each other at all, and then suddenly they can't keep their hands off each other?" Ginny crunched up the last of her cone, and wiped her hands on her shorts.

"Eww, I'm soaked!" Harry laughed, and pulled Ginny into a bone crushing hug. "Uh, Harry...I can't breathe!"

"Oh, sorry."

"And what was that for?"

"Just 'cause I can." Harry grinned mischievously and took her hand. "Why don't we go and find a place for the tent?"

"Okay." They picked up Hermione's bag, which she had left on the beach with her clothes, and walked back up the sand until they reached solid land again. They hadn't exactly decided where they were going to camp in each place, but after searching for a bit, they found a dilapidated field only five minutes walk from the beach. Ginny ran to tell Hermione and Ron, and Harry set it up: though it was really rather easy: all he had to do was a quick scan for any muggles, take out his wand and summon the tent from the bag, then say Erecto and the tent was up. Harry had changed, and was just using the hot-air charm on his shorts and t-shirt when Ginny arrived.

"Hey, can you do that to mine, too?" Ginny said, and stripped off her clothes again, handing them to Harry. She waltzed into the tent in her bikini, and zipped up the door. "No peeking, I'm getting changed." she giggled from inside the tent as Harry began to dry her clothes too. He was almost disappointed when she came out of the tent fully clothed again minutes later. It was around lunchtime when Hermione and Ron came back; Ginny and Harry had been playing exploding snap for just over half an hour.

"Really you two? Exploding snap? I thought we were adults now." Hermione said, her eyebrows arched. Her and Ron were holding hands, and Ginny looked pointedly at them and said, "Well you two are certainly acting adult, but maybe we're allowed to have some fun. Anyways, you're never too old for exploding snap. George and Fred-" Ginny broke off, her face twisting in pain. Harry looked at Ron-his face held the same grimace. Hermione turned to Harry.

"Hey, how did you dry your clothes so quick?" she said in a strained voice.

"Come on, Hermione, you know everything! What do you think?" Harry said lightly. He knew that Hermione was trying to create a diversion, so he played along.

"Um, I don't know...perhaps Incendio? Oh no, wait, it can't be-otherwise your clothes would be burned..." Hermione pretended to think, tapping her chin with one finger. "Impervius? No, no, that repels water, but your clothes were already wet..."

"Okay, okay, Hermione, it was the hot-air charm, and you know it. The only thing you're doing now is showing that you know every spell in the universe-"

"No, I don't! Okay then, test me!" Hermione challenged, crossing her arms and tapping one foot, waiting. The tension in the air had eased, Harry could see from the expression on Ginny's face that she was thinking hard.

"All right then...uh...ooh, I've got one: what does Aparecium do?" Harry felt sure she wouldn't know this one-

"It reveals invisible ink." Hermione answered immediately. Harry groaned. "Aparecium is extremely useful when-"

"Yeah, okay Hermione." Ron said. Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ah, no! That was literally the only one I thought you might not know." Harry thought for a moment, then one came to him. "Hey, I don't think I ever told you about this one, I used it so many times though: Dissendium." He waited proudly, and for a minute thought that she didn't know it, but then-

"Oh, I know! How silly of me. It's the one that opens up the statue of that one-eyed witch, isn't it?" Harry stared at her wordlessly.

"But...how did you-"

"I overheard you talking to Ron, Harry, in third year?"

"I don't even remember that!"

"You don't remember anything, Ronald." Hermione sighed.

"Well, I think you've proved it, Hermione-"

"Wait, I have one!" Ginny burst out, her eyes shining. "Waddiwasi." Harry, Hermione, and Ron stared at her.

"Um..." Hermione started, obviously struggling. "Uh, I don't think I...I remember hearing it once..." she thought hard. Now Ron and Harry were staring at her. Ginny looked triumphant. After a few moments Hermione shook her head.

"I don't know." she said.

"It is used to launch small objects through the air. I once used it to launch a spit ball back at Griselda Whisp, a Slytherin in my year."

"You are such a bad ass, Ginny Weasley." Harry said in admiration. Ginny snorted.

Hermione grinned. "See, I don't know everything, like I told you! I don't know half of the spells there are!" Everyone rolled their eyes. At least the game had changed the mood; Ron had his arm around Hermione; Hermione was talking about the trip with Ginny, and Ginny was holding Harry's hand.

"Hey, Hermione-" Ron started, then broke off, wondering.

"What?"

"Well, I was just thinking, out of habit, I suppose, that we ought to put protective spells up. But I guess we're not on the run anymore, are we?" He gave a forced laugh.

"Oh, no, Ron, that's a fair point. We should, just for extra safety. Uh, Harry, help me, would you?" Harry nodded and they began the process, while Ron and Ginny went inside to play Exploding Snap. They had done the whole lot (Protego Totalum, Salvio Hexia, Repello Muggletum, the Muffliato Charm, Cave Inimicum, and the Disillusionment Charm) before they realised that they probably didn't need them all. However, they had just gone into the tent when they heard voices. Harry climbed out again, taking care to make no noise. He had whispered to the others that it was probably just muggles, but he wanted to make sure. The truth was, he didn't actually think that himself. He wanted to think so, but after years of having to be on alert, he had ended up rather suspicious at best, paranoid at worst. Harry tried to stay calm as he looked around. He could see two people opening the gate to come into the field: two men. He knew at once that they were wizards. They were obviously trying to pretend to be muggles; one was wearing a waistcoat, culottes and clogs, the other was wearing a shirt with ruffles, like you might see a pirate wear in a play, denim shorts, knee high socks and trainers. Harry listened intently as their words became clear.

"Oh, yes, Cuthbert, I completely agree." the one wearing culottes was saying. "I think that it is essential we find the boy. Macnair told me-" Harry froze. His heart skipped a beat, and then he recognised the name in a rush. The executioner who had come to kill Buckbeak, in his third year. He had been there at Voldemort's rebirth in Harry's fourth year. The words came back to Harry, as if it had been only yesterday: "Macnair… destroying dangerous beasts for the Ministry of Magic...You shall have better victims than that soon, Macnair. Lord Voldemort will provide…" Harry shuddered as his blood turned cold. Only seconds had passed. Harry hadn't missed a word as he was remembering. "-that he will release Arabella and Mary. We'll have our wives back, Cuthbert-"

"Really? But, Terry, I don't want to get into this...he's a-a-a very d-dark wizard. A death eater, Terry!" Cuthbert sounded terrified. They were walking past the tent. They had stopped talking for a minute, then-

"But I miss Arabella. So, so much-" Cuthbert broke off, and Harry could hear the emotion in his voice. Terry placed a hand on his shoulder.

"And I miss my Mary. I think that it might be the only way we can get them back, if we capture the boy." Terry said.

"Why does he even want him, anyway? You-know-who is gone!"

"I don't know. All I know is that we must get him. We have to find Harry Potter."