CHAPTER SEVEN: Punishments and the Curse
I haven't been in their house in a while. It was a large manor, and very cosy. Cream coloured sofas were here, along with a large, light dining table—the smell of fresh parchment and ice cream filled my nose, and I shivered in admiration.
"I love your manor," I said, amazed at Ginny. "Did you do the decorating?"
"If Harry had done it, it wouldn't be this great," Ginny joked, motioning me to the chair.
"I heard that, Gin!" I heard a flabbergasted voice. There was Uncle Harry, in an odd grandma sweater, his name, H etched on it. His hair was still messy—did he not know a charm to fix that?—and his bright green eyes weren't hidden behind his circular glasses, despite it being large.
"Hullo, Uncle Harry," I said, waving at him.
"Hullo—where's your parents? I need to… talk to them." His face darkened at the end of the sentence, referring to the curse.
"Did she tell you—she found out it's a new curse."
Harry looked startled.
"Gin, where's my cloak?" He asked softly. "Sorry, Dom. I'm going to have to bail—I need to talk to them—"
"N—No!" I screeched out, "No!"
He raised an eyebrow, grinning at me.
"And why not?"
"Dad is really busy, and mum—she's looking over the paperwork."
"I could help her—oh, I finally found that dratted coat!" Harry draped it around his shoulders, kissed Ginny goodbye, gave me a brief hug, and Apparated away before I could speak.
Crap, crap, crap—this is going wrong.
"So, Ginny," I said, "How's the baby—what're you going to name her?"
"Well," Ginny said, shifting her weight, "If she has my hair, Harry wants her to be named Lily, after her mother. If she has her father's hair, then he'll think of something. Probably Jamie, or something." She grinned.
I gave her an uneasy smile as the kettle started screaming.
"Oh—I'll go ahead and pour it for you."
I fidgeted a bit. In a matter of minutes, my family will Apparate to the Potter Manor, and punish me for life.
"So, aunt Ginny," I said, "How're you feeling on the man who was killed?"
Ginny hesitated when she spoke.
"I'm—I'm honestly afraid. I've been in the Voldemort war for years. I don't think he's back—I saw him die—but what if someone else is back? They created a new spell—I couldn't fathom it."
I bit my lip, having her words sink in. Is there a new war for this generation?
I accepted her tea gratefully as I poured two spoonful of sugar.
I sipped it timidly.
"So, how are your marks?" She queried me, struggling to cross her legs with her large, pregnant stomach.
"They're alright," I said. "I'm preferably well in Charms, then Transfiguration."
"That's excellent!" She exclaimed at me happily. I took a large gulp of my tea.
A large CRACK made me drop it. It shattered to the floor and I knelt over, muttering, "Repairo!"
"DOMINIQUE MOLLY WEASLEY," I heard a familiar bellow, "'HY 'AVE YOU DEESAPPEARED? WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT 'OU—'OU COULD'VE BEEN KEEDNAPPED OR HIT BY ZE DARK CURSE!"
I bit my lip as I saw my mum tower over me, her silver hair in her blue eyes, her pale skin red with fury.
"WHAT IZ MORE, WE HAVE FOUND ZE CURSE! ZE MURDERER COULD BE ANYWHERE!"
"Hello, Fleur," Ginny said briskly, smiling at her sister-in-law.
"Bonjour, 'Inny. Are 'ou aware zat my 'aughter has ran away to 'ou?"
Ginny shot me a stern look.
"No," She said truthfully, "She said she got your permission."
Fleur slipped Ginny the note I read.
"'Ou are grounded—for ze rest of ze summer! No Owls, no Alexander or Maryanne! 'Ou you hear me?"
I collapsed on the couch miserably.
"But I wasn't free at all," I muttered, "I was like an owl! And at least she gets to spread her wings and fly!"
Mother softened, but not so much.
"Still," She said, "'Ou have to be careful. There iz a crimineel running around. We found the curse, too."
Harry sat down, looking grim.
"I've never seen it before," He muttered, "Must've been new—a new curse, he just invented it. He's really smart…"
"It iz 'tenebris caede'," Mum said grimly, shuddering. "It iz rather unfortunate."
"Wait—why did he target that one Auror?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"We don't know," Mum answered. "But 'ou listen young lady, 'ou weel not be meddling in this—okay?"
"But, Mum! Uncle Harry was fighting Voldemort since first year!" I whined. Ginny snickered.
"No," Mother said firmly. "Do 'ou got zat?"
I crossed my arms, seething.
"Fine," I hissed.
But we all know—you know, and I know—that it's not true.
Author's Note:Woo-Hoo! Five reviews in, with ten followers. Thank you, a lot! It means a lot to me! Can anyone guess what 'tenebris caede' means? Ten points to them for whomever guesses it. Keep up the follows, reviews, and favourites! :D
