Disclaimer……….. All characters are the copyright of JK Rowling
Chapter 10.
Rita Skeeter
Minister of magic Arthur Weasley, arrived alone at St Mungo's at eight a.m. Taking the stairs instead of the lifts, he checked each and every flight of stairs for hidden spells or devices, as he slowly made his way toward the rooms of the youngsters. While checking out the third floor, he saw as he looked through the window of the door, a person that he did not want to meet, it was Rita Skeeter, reporter for the Daily prophet, she was doing what he assumed was a quick search of all the rooms. There was no doubt in his mind she was in search of Harry. Throwing caution to the wind Arthur rushed up to the fourth floor, as he arrived a little out of breath he met healer Jennings, who was just leaving Ron's room.
"Good morning Minister, what ever is the matter you look a little flushed?" the healer greeted him.
"Sorry, no time, Skeeter woman coming this way, need to get them out of here," Arthur told her as he pushed his way past her.
Arthur was quite pleased to find all four people he was looking for were together "Right, quickly now, I want you all ready to travel in two minutes," Arthur almost whispered.
"What's the matter Pop?" Luna asked, wondering what had her father in law so flustered.
Arthur stared at Luna and a smile began to appear on his face. "Luna dear, you called me Pop."
"Haven't I always called you Pop?" she answered.
"Yes but you called me Pop, only you ever called me Pop, does that mean what I think it means?" Arthur's smile grew larger.
"Yes Pop but what is all the rush for?" Luna had lost none of her inquisitive nature when her memory had been lost.
"There's an article in the Daily Prophet about you four, been a leak from the Ministry, and now Skeeter is searching the rooms for you. I don't want her to write any of her rubbish till you can all defend your selves," Arthur told them.
"Is there something you are not telling us Pop?" Luna asked quite seriously.
"Well while you are in this condition, you are unable to defend your selves against any possible revenge attacks that's all," Arthur took another quick glance through the door.
"Blast, she's at the other end of the corridor coming this way, you lot get ready, when she goes into the next room I want you too run for the stairs," Arthur said looking at them.
"Just a minute Pop, does this mean that you don't know who is leaking information to the press?" Luna said, with a rather devious look on her face.
Arthur was getting a little agitated as he watched the reporter getting closer, "Luna now is not the time to be having this conversation."
"Ah but maybe it is, I think we can use dear Rita to our advantage," Luna said, looking as though she was relishing the thought of some forth coming feast.
It was five minutes before the reporter walked into the room, she positively gloated over the four hapless victims now within her grasp, within seconds of arriving she had withdrawn her writing pad and the infamous quick quotes quill that would have been better named quick lies quill.
Luna was the first to speak "What do you want Skeeter?" she hissed.
"I heard that you have all been admitted with loss of memory, my dear, I just wondered if you could verify it for me?" Rita said, as her quill scribbled furiously on the pad.
"I don't know where you got that from Skeeter, in fact, do you remember what Hermione told you last time you wrote lies about Harry?. It would not take us long to tell the ministry about your illegal animagus ability," Luna was enjoying her self
"Oh and who do you think would believe you? Nobody is going to believe someone with brain damage, every one would laugh at you if you told them I could change into a beetle, you silly girl," Rita was gloating she thought she had just found the angle she would use. Rita was just picturing the headlines 'The famous hero's suffer brain damage at the hand of unknown assailant'.
"Now Mr Potter," she said turning away from Luna, "can you tell me anything about the brain damage you have suffered?"
Harry stared at her for a few seconds "Well you would have to ask the minister about that, or maybe you could turn into the insect that you are, to find out."
"I may do just that," Rita said a large smirk on her face.
"I think I would like to see that," said Arthur, walking from behind the bed screens that stood to one side of the door.
"Minister I…, that is…" spluttered Rita as she turned in shock and saw Arthur.
"Seems you will be taking a trip to Azkaban miss Skeeter, I wonder how long you will be there, an illegal animagus, and threatening to use said illegality to enter the Ministry as a spy, and with four adult witnesses, not to mention my self, The Minister for magic. I wonder are there any of the Wizengamot you have not insulted or offended, I wonder if we would be able to find you an impartial judge at your trial? Well I suppose we should try, but I don't hold out much hope," Arthur said, his face set in what he liked to call his official look.
Arthur rang one of the bells fitted to the wall, not long after, a healers assistant entered the room, "Someone rang, can I be of help?" asked the young woman.
"Yes dear can you get one of the security Aurors up here please," Arthur replied.
Fred and George had spent quite a while trying to work out some plot that would reveal the person responsible for leaking the information that put their family members at risk, but by closing time unusual for them, neither had come up with anything that was feasible. That evening almost the entire Weasley family sat in the kitchen of the Burrow, all of them were putting forward ideas to one another, about the best way to trap the one they now referred to as the traitor.
While Harry and Hermione, accompanied by Ron and Luna, sat upstairs in the twin's old room that was now allocated as Harry and Hermione's bedroom. They were discussing the strange day they had had, Hermione told them of a few of the daydreams she had been having all day, after which they all took turns, hoping that talking would hurry their recovery, both Ron and Harry had slightly more on their minds most of the time.
Down stairs as the clock struck seven times, Charlie suddenly leapt to his feet, "I'm bloody late," he said, as he grabbed his coat and ran out of the house. A few minutes later a very cold Charlie was knocking on the front door of Hermione's former house, he stamped his feet in the deep snow as he heard the commotion coming from inside, it had started to snow again and he cussed as he watched the white swirling flakes fall.
"Bloody weather!"
The door opened and Gemma stood to one side as she invited him in, "Can you wait in the living room Charlie? she won't be a minute," she said as she closed the door. Leaving him to make his way to the living room, Gemma disappeared up the stairs. Charlie took a seat in front of the fire and warmed his hands and feet, now that he was here, he suddenly realised he had no idea where to take a Muggle girl, especially on a night like this, he turned to look out the window but the drapes had been pulled shut.
He stood and was about to walk to the window, when Nicky walked into the room. Charlie's mouth dropped open at the sight of her, with just the smallest amount of make up on, her auburn hair falling to just below her shoulders, a white top and a tight pair of blue jeans with black knee length boot's, Charlie thought she looked stunning.
"Hi Charlie, I was not sure you would come," Nicky said, holding out her hand to him.
Charlie took her hand and instead of shaking it, he bowed forward and kissed her knuckles, "for someone as beautiful as you, I would travel around the world."
Nicky smiled at him, she definitely liked this strange magical young man, more than she had liked any of the other men that had asked her for a date lately.
As she stood there in front of him, Charlie suddenly found himself saying, "I have no idea where to take you, we had that crisis with my brother and his wife, then there is Harry and his wife, I was so busy."
"Is Sarah married then, did she run away from him?" Nicky asked, she sounded concerned.
"I wish it had been that easy, I don't even know how to tell you about it all," Charlie was franticly trying to think how to tell her without frightening her; he already wanted to see her again.
"Hermione, that's Sarah, Hermione is her real name, she was robbed of her memory and well," Charlie stopped he knew he must sound crazy to a Muggle.
"Where is Sarah now? Is she in hospital, we could go to visit her," Nicky offered, smiling at him, she was having just a little trouble accepting it all, even though she had seen him do some strange things.
Charlie made his mind up at that moment, that he would indeed take Nicky to see Hermione, "Well you best put your coat on, it has started to snow again," he told her. Having said goodnight to Gemma, Charlie and Nicky stepped out of the door and into the falling snow. "You are going to have to put your arms around me and hold on tight," Charlie said, as he stopped in the middle of the garden path.
Nicky hesitated only for a moment before doing as he asked, she put her arms around him as she would have done had they been about to kiss, Charlie placed his arms around her waist, then resisting the temptation to actually kiss her, he Disapparated on the spot.
"Wow! Charlie, that was different, I never… well wow!" Nicky said breathlessly, when they reappeared outside the Burrow.
Charlie looked into her warm brown eyes and could no longer resist, he leant forward, reducing the inches between them and kissed her, Nicky responded and kissed him back. When they finally decided they needed more oxygen and separated, Charlie took a deep breath, then turned her to face the odd multi story house he called home.
"Welcome to the Burrow, home to the Weasley family," he said gesturing with a wide sweep of his hand.