The Ireland Trip
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It was Saturday lunch hour, and Elizabeth had once again snuck out the side passage Zahra and hadn't returned yet. It had annoyed me when she left without a word, what did I have to do for this girl to talk to me again? But she did seemed so much happier with Zahra around and she even surprised me with a hug yesterday. the girl was a whirlwind of emotions. Fred rushed over to me after being upstairs to get his jacket, I frowned at him, he'd forgotten it and now I'd have to wait even longer for lunch.
"You'll never guess what" Fred explained with a laugh, I shrugged at him irritated, turning back to the long air orders we would have to send this evening "Go on try to guess what she wrote on the board now!"
I sighed looking back at him slightly curious where the little blond was off too "She's bringing the dog for a grooming session?" I asked dully, Fred rolled his eyes at me.
"I'm back" Elizabeth called from the door holding a two white take-away bag, she'd gone to get us lunch? "is Zahra allowed in the shop?" she asked glancing down at the wagging tailed dog behind her.
Fred glanced at the cheerful dog nervously "Will she behave?" he asked crossing his arms, but I seen the amusement in his eyes.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and let herself and the dog in, smiling brightly. But the dog went to walk down the aisle, Fred opened his mouth to say 'I told you so' but Elizabeth bet him to it "Zarha stay" she commanded and the dog stopped and turned to face at Elizabeth her tail still wagging "Sit" she ordered and the dog did with a huff.
"That's impressive" I murmured as she placed the bags carefully on the counter. "So what did you cook us?" I teased softly glancing at the logo of the restuarant on the bag.
"I'm not sure actually, I went to this place called 'The Dairy' in muggle London. I found out the chefs are from Dublin." she explained matter of fact "It has a set lunch menu but I didn't read through it just told the host I needed lunch for two starving men and myself. she told me it's kind of like English food served in the tapas style" she explained "So in the end I got like fifteen or twenty portions, A passer by told me that the place was over priced but you're paying for quality there, obviously he doesn't know good food even after he's eaten it" she ranted on.
"Shall we go upstairs?" Fred asked me when she stopped for a breath, "we've got Ron here, he can managed for a half hour at least" Lunch hour was usually quiet enough, usually it was only business people buying presents during their lunch break.
"Sure" I nodded taking the bags, while Fred went to find Ron to let him know what was happening. Elizabeth had set the table, poured our drinks, sent Zahra out, placed down our plates and the arrange the dishes on the table before Fred arrived up, the kitchen smelled delicious when she was finished. There was everything and anything on the table as we all sat down from homemade bread, pork, cod, cheeses, mussels, cold hams, artichokes, eggs, short ribs, mac and cheese, salmon, asparagus and other dishes littered the table and there wasn't a two dishes the same on the table. "Well this is different" I puffed out.
"If you hate it I'll go get you both burgers" Elizabeth pointed out taking some of the fresh bread, the stream was still coming off it "that was my plan until I walked past this place" she chuckled.
Half an hour later all the food was gone, I was stuffed and my side was cramped from laughter, it had been a battle field "We should do that every week" Fred grinned wiping his lips clean, as I still held my sore side, Elizabeth laughed into her glass of wine.
"If I wanted to fight for my lunch I'd just join Theodore for something" she commented with an eye roll. But I knew she had enjoyed herself, in the last half hour I'd watch her fight Fred for the last piece of homemade bread and the cod dish viciously and in both occasions she seemed to have enjoyed herself.
"You want to help out in the shop?" I asked her with a grin when she glanced over at me, "The cash machine isn't all that complicated once we put you into the system and I've heard Ron complain about four times since he showed up, he doesn't want to work this evening evening" Fred started to clear up the table. We'd already talked about Elizabeth working around the shop during the week, he jumped on it saying it could be her way for paying for rent.
"Sure" Elizabeth smiled, finishing her wine quickly "I'll go and change" she explained standing up. I glanced over her black jeans and long purple tee-shirt.
"You look fine" I pointed out, she laughed shaking her head at me.
"If I'm going to be working all evening I need to look better than this muggle disguise" she pointed out leaving us, "And I need to set Zahra in my room" Elizabeth called from down the hall.
"We'll see you down there" Fred called back with a smirk, "finally" then he laughed evilly as he bent over the table towards me "free labour" he smirked. I laughed and pushed him out of my face, he grabbed Elizabeth and mine's glasses as he recoiled.
"Let's get down there" I chuckled, finishing my beer and dropping it into the recycling.
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I decided on a pair of T-strap wedges and tie-back, red and black stripped dress that fell just two inches above my knees, to me it made me seemed mature enough to work in a shop but young enough to still be approachable to children. It had a moderate neckline and completely covered my back so I decided I didn't need any cardigan or jacket. After I sorted Zahra in my room I rushed down stairs a few minutes after Fred and George.
"Good you're here" Fred smirked from the cash box, his blue top hat placed crooked on his head, "place your hand on it" he explained his wand pointed at it "I'm just going to add you to the system, only unlike the back door we actually need your touch to add you to it" he explained. I glanced at the back door what did he mean? "Anytime this week" he huffed out, I quickly dropped my hand to the machine, I noticed Fred eye my black nail varnish before sparks flew from his wand into the cash box then to both my hands first my hand touching it then over to my left hand, it left a fuzzy feeling on my skin.
"That it?" I asked amused, pulling my hand back and looking at it for marks, but the feeling was gone.
"Now you can use the cash machine without setting off the alarms" he explained seriously motioning me to come stand by him. "Now the code for you is going to be 3546 everyone gets their own codes, it opens different money slots. This way we can see how much stock you're moving. At the moment it's kind of useless to us but eventually we'll have tones of employees and we'll need to see if their productive or not." he boasted.
"That's actually really clever" I smiled at him, he blanched, I wasn't sure if it was because I was being nice or because I complimented him.
"It's Hermione's idea, she's always mentioning things to us and a few things stick" he explained stepping down from behind me, "All you have to do is key in the amount the object cost and press the blue key then when everything is done press the orange for the total amount, if there's been a mistake press the green and you can alter the list." he went to walk off " And if anyone ever pulls a wand on you press the grey key with 'open' on it" he chuckled actually walking away.
"how do I actually get it to open?" I asked puzzled, Fred turned back to me.
"When you have money in one hand you just have to pull the shelf and it opens for you" he explained, I felt my mouth form a 'O' as I turned back to the strange machine, most magical places don't bother with them. Along one of the sides it held four codes, mine was at the bottom 3546, Fred and George's had to be 1234 and 4321, while the other was a mystery to me 1716.
Looking up I found George smiling and walking over to the counter with a young girl dressed in a bright blue hoody and I assumed her mother following him. "It's Elizabeth's first day" he told the pair before stepping behind me, "and her first chance at the cash register." he added leaning across the counter to take the pygmy puff from the giggling little girl carefully and placed it into a carrier box.
"Nice to see you again Miss O'Connor" The woman greeted as she placed the rest of the teen choices on the counter, I gave the women a proper glance. "I bet you're excited about Jason and Tracey's news." she smiled.
She was one of Jason's friends from his Drumstrang days, "Oh" I grinned, flicking my hair out of my face "I'm excited for all three of them, didn't he tell you all three triplets are expecting? Or did he want all the excitement for him self Mrs Hills?" I asked, she laughed shaking her head.
"I'm afraid he didn't mention his siblings" she laughed, her bronze eyes shining, "I'll have to owl them later, thank you for telling me" she looked down at her daughter "now is that everything you want sweetheart?"
"Can't I have just one of the patented daydream charms" she asked with big puppies eyes, only people of age can purchase that and I'd bet this was an argument Fred and George heard countless of times "I bet Danika has some, everyone's getting them!" George distracted me by keying in his code 4321 with a grin.
"So you can all daydream instead of listen for your professors I don't think so" Mrs Hills declared, turning back to me "That'll be all Miss O'Connor" she explained, the younger girl glanced at me.
"I'm just Elizabeth here" I explained and Mrs Hills nodded thoughtfully then with a smile, George handed over the pygmy puff over to the pouting teen. I quickly started to key in all the products prices into the cash machine, in the pile she was buying some of the wonder witch products, everlasting eyelashes and ten-second pimple vanisher and some Weasleys' wildfire whiz-bangs from the explosive enterprises line. I finished and smiled "That comes to five galleons and fifteen sickles please" I explained, after taking six galleons from her I gave her the two sickles change, while George packed everything away into a unbreakable, temporary bag with the shop's name scribed on it, once emptied the bag would disappear.
"Hey don't you go to Drumstrang too?" the girl spoke up, I glanced down at her and nodded.
"I was in my sixth year, you were in first year right?" the girl nodded excitedly, some of her curls strayed from her bun. "I'm actually trying to transfer to Hogwarts school of witch craft and wizardry at the moment" Mrs Hill eye'd me curiously, "But it turns out transferring schools isn't all that easy" I explained, "explains why people don't do it all that often"
"Didn't you like Drumstrang?" The teen asked me, "I think it's brilliant, a little cold but still bloody brilliant"
"Language Meredith" Mrs Hill scolded, frowning before gazing back at me a little flushed.
I glanced at George who seemed interested also "I love Drumstrang" turning back to Meredith, I smiled through my sadness "I think it was the excitement from all the schools different quiddage teams or maybe the competitions from the duels but I really don't think anyplace could beat Drumstrang"
"I liked the snow battles" the youthful teen explained, "I can't wait to go back"
Mrs Hill smiled between the pair of us "Well we better be going, goodbye" she explained and then with a wave from Meredith they were gone.
"You're going to miss Drumstrang huh?" George asked carefully, I shrugged.
"I think I'm more upset that I never go to have a proper goodbye" I explained softly "I always thought that on the first of August I'd be traveling there, not to Hogwarts"
"Well you could flunk you're W.O.M.B.A.T" he encouraged with a laugh "get the final year you want with your friends"
"Beside the fact some of them aren't talking to me because of the possible move, Dad told Lorraine that if I manage to fail he's taking me out of school" George stood there stunned to silience while Ron rushed over.
"Elizabeth" he whisperd my name like a prayer, "Thank Merlin you're starting to work today, you see some of my friends from Hogwarts are in Diagon Alley and I was hoping Fred and George wouldn't need my help today and now you can do it instead" He blurted out, I cocked an eyebrow at him "or well George said you could" Ron flushed, "do you think you need me Fred?" he asked facing George.
"Sure we've gotten Elizabeth here" he explained brightly "If George said it was Ok, then so do I" Ron breathed out a sigh of relief before yanking off the bow tie.
"And how come she doesn't have to wear any of that stuff?" he asked dropping the purple material to the table
"Cause she's got impeccable fashion sense unlike you" George explained with a smirk, I laughed. "Well off you go or Seamus and Harry will leave you behind"
"Bye" I called as he rushed out of the shop, the bell chimed as he did. "So... Fred?" I teased moving away from the till. "Do you enjoy torturing your brothers"
"Only Ron and Percy" George shrugged, "think ready to help some people out?" he asked pointing upstairs where two girls stood giggling over love potions. "Or shall we let the master handle this?" he joked making his move to walk around me.
"Like hell" I snapped rushing through the shop to get to the girls first, laughing under my breath as I did, I was actually having fun.
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Yawning I sat on the kitchen counter while Fred made breakfast. Elizabeth appeared dressed in a pretty midnight blue dress and heeled boots, glancing at the clock it was before ten. We weren't going to the Burrow until after three.
"Why are you dressed for dinner at this hour?" I asked rubbing my eyes. Fred threw some sausages on the hot pan, oil spat at him and he yelped glaring at the pan before placing a charm over it causing a bubble to catch the spitting oil. We had a list of charms mom had given us stuck to the wall, that helped with cooking, it stopped us burning the flat down once in a terrible popcorn incident.
Elizabeth glanced at Fred warily while she poured some orange juice "Dad asked us all to mass" she explained off handily.
"Us?" Fred blanched, ignoring the pan to turn to her "since when?" he asked shocked.
"Not us three, as in 'us' his children" she rolled her eyes at him as she started to make herself a sandwich "George was actually there when he invited me personally" she pointed out laying butter on her brown brea, I thought back to the 'surprise dinner' with a smile, her brothers liked me or appeared to.
There was silence while Fred cooked then dumped the sausages onto the heated plate with everything else, "Maybe we could go" I told Fred, he chuckled bringing the food to the table I had set. Elizabeth stole two sausages and a some bacon for her sandwich before putting some cheese on also, Fred eye'd moodily her but I noticed he's cooked extra for her already.
"Why would we go to mass" Fred asked sitting down and taking his share of the food. "We've never been before, and sounds likes a load of dung to me"
"Ah'm eating here" Elizabeth complained frowning at Fred's vocabulary, he just ignored her buttering some toast.
"Well it's not like we were going to be doing anything until mom's dinner later anyway, and besides I've kinda of made my mind up, we're going" Fred rolled his eyes.
"Oh yes. Well since you've decided, I'm defiantly going to go then"
"They'll be girls there all dressed up like moi?" Elizabeth sang, Fred eye'd her warily "What there will be" she pointed out "Sunday mass is fashion forward, jewels out and all young ladies in Ireland attend"
"Your God must love that" Fred chuckled, we all eat quietly when Elizabeth refused to counter his taunting, "So what are the rules for mass then?" he asked curiously.
"Not so much rules but guidelines, if there's someone important talking, you shouldn't be and if you want the to leave the church you do it quick and quietly. Lots of new people come each week to attend, they just copy everyone else" she explained with a shrug "It's a purely witch and wizard church, so magic isn't forbidden but it's not really used. Disappartion isn't possible on the grounds and any harmful magic used on the grounds is punishable by death"
"Wow slow down everyone, by death how?" Fred asked very intrigued now.
Elizabeth just rolled her eyes at Fred "By the ghosts and spirits of course"
"What do you mean spirits?" I asked a little creeped out, "Is anyone already dead able to come out and walk about your church?"
"Eww" Elizabeth glared "No, if say Fred decided he was going to hit me with a curse that could seriously harm me mentally, emotional or physically the ghosts on the ground would surround him," she paused confused "I think it's then if it's decided if he's punished to death or haunted by the spirits" she pointed out with a shake of her head, Fred and I glanced at each other amused "Anyway then all the past members' spirits of my bloodline would awaken from the dead and drag him and his body to the next world, not leaving anything behind. But it's not like I would be able to communicate to them before they saved me" she explained.
"That..." Fred started,
"sounds"
"bloody"
"...brilliant" I finished, we laughed while Elizabeth stared between us.
"How does it work?" I asked quickly, "That most be some really old magic, powerful too" I added, she stared at us confused.
"Have you ever seen any one being attacked by the spirits" Fred asked while he chewed on some toast.
Elizabeth furrowed her forehead "No body's been stupid enough to attack in the grounds, Even He-who-cannot-be-named left holy grounds alone back in the day, but people can't hide on the grounds for very long since there no food and usually no water source"
"Say you were a murder, and you go to the grounds to hide from someone?" Fred asked thoughtfully, she pouted her lips at him until she realised he was asking a real question.
"Oh well, I think if someone just as bad as the murder attacks him they both get taken to the next world. But if someone even worst attacks him, he'll survive but only if he is remorseful for killing. And I don't think a murder not remorseful can even get on holy grounds to begin with" Elizabeth pointed out with a far away look in her eyes as she thought but got out of it quickly, "Look I'm not the expert, on any of it" she hissed finishing her sandwich and standing up "if you're that fuckin' interested come along and bother the Bishop about it or Lorraine she's a geek for all things religious and historic"
"We're going" Fred declared
"Fine" Elizabeth shrugged taking finishing her sandwich while we grinned at each other excited "but I'm taking both of you're wands before we reach the grounds"
"What don't you trust us?" I asked teasingly as she stood up.
"No, I don't" she pointed out getting the dog food "besides, most people who aren't members of the church have to hand there wands over. Better it be me than our forgetful Bishop, once he lost someone's wand" she explained with a laugh. "Still in?" She thought our wands being taken would change our minds.
"Defiantly" Fred grinned at her "When is this mass anyways?"
"Eleven, but we need to leave here in ten minutes to catch the boat" she explained pouring out Zahra's food. "ZAHRA COME" she called, and the dog came barreling into the room catching both Fred and I's attention "Good girl, you want to come too?" she cooed to the dog who wagged her tail in response.
"You're going to bring a dog?" I asked shocked "Isn't that sort of weird"
"Dad and Mam bring Dank and Riel, lost of people bring their pets, especially if their magical ones" she explained petting Zahra. "Right I'm going to put some make-up on, I'll see you in a few" she smiled and left.
"Did you hear something about a boat?" Fred asked me confused.
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"See that wasn't too bad was it" I asked eyeing the green faced Weasley twins as the boat's bubble charm broke surface and the cool, irish, sea air invaded the boat. "Only twenty minutes and you're in Ireland now"
Fred ran to the side of the boat and threw up but George's face pinked up as the Irish coast came into view as we levelled with the sea. "I guess we should have taken the potion offered huh?" he asked rubbing his face.
"Only babies take de potion" an irish lady pointed out as she eye'd Fred "An' only boys clod up, 'ope yer enjoy yisser visit" she smiled walking to the front of the boat.
"Wow" George eye'd the women walk away "and I thought Seamus had a thick accent"
"Hmm?" I asked confused watching the lady started the que to get off. "Think you could get Fred cleaned up before we land, there's about two minutes till the port, the longest part of the journeys are always the arrival so the muggles don't suspect anything."
"Sure" George went off to help his brother, while I smiled at the people I recognised. When we were off the boat Fred still wasn't fully recovered, so I waited impatiently with Zahra at the port hotel while the pair went got a drink and the nearby shop.
When they came back it was getting far too late "Finally" I hushed, tapping Zahra's head and leading the confused twins inside. "Get in" I snapped basically pushing them into a fireplace, before walking in myself, Zahra on my heels. Throwing down the floo powder "Aillen Square" I snapped and we were off flying through the Irish fireplaces.
When we stepped out Zahra took off running through the archway, "Aren't you going to call her back?" George asked puzzled.
"She knows the way" I explained, "Come on we've got a few minutes to spare, but we can walk and talk" As we stepped outside into the square people glanced over, the warm bronze stone glinted in the sunlight and the sound of Irish accents brought me home , "This is Aillen square, it's the centre of Tara. This where people from all over Ireland meet, it's is a strictly magical area." The pair glanced around the square noticing people coming and going through the arches surround the square "There are some arches like our which are floo networks, as far as America and Australia while other's are portals to magical areas in Ireland. We're taking the Deirdre portal, come on" I smiled at their aw'ed faces.
As we got into line the boys stared at all the irish magic folk, I guess we did dress a little more patriarchal than most magical countries, before Fred broke the silence "When will we see a Leprechaun?" he asked eyeing a man dressed head to two in shamrock green "We seen them at the world cup a couple years ago, you know"
"Oh you did? That was a great match." George nodded agreeing, "Darren was furious he was second string for that game, Dylan on the other hand had something to rub in his face" the twins chuckled.
We were next in the line "But the Leprechauns.." Fred began,
"Right all you have to do is run at it, it only looks like a wall" I explained, Fred and George laughed and made a running start at the wall, I sighed and followed them as a fast paced walk.
On the other side of the arch I found Fred and George gob-smached all over again, The church sat on the top of a woodland hill, the pathway was littered with magical families dress in there sunday best. I started the slow creep on the smooth grey pave-stone it was a three minute walk. There was nothing surrounding the hill but green fields and wild flowers.
"Coming?" I asked poking their sides, the nodded blankly "wands please?" I asked, their faces snapped down to mine the handed them over easily."the real ones now" I asked noticing the fake wands from the shop, they huffed and handed their wands over, I checked carefully and decided they were real before sliding them into my purse "right and about the leprechauns, some live in these woods actually." I explained, the pair grinned at each other and followed me up the hill.
"Do they come out ever?" George asked, I nodded patting my hair to ensure it was still in place "really, so what's are chances of seeing one?"
"Oh not very likely right now" I muttered, the twins frowned "But maybe after mass when we're at the graves they'll come out, though mom hates them"
"Why do they live here then?" George asked
I shrugged "I think the ministry started to get fed up with all the Leprechaun cases and decided they had to live in specific woodlands and forests to have minimal outside contact" I explained as we walked closer to the accient gates half way up the path "that's the entrance of the grounds, as we cross our sins are taken so we are all innocent in the sight of God and when we return the sins returned them," I chanted, my mother had that down to a tee every time we passed them.
"Do you believe that?" Fred asked amused, "I mean sinning?" he teased
I waited till after we crossed the gates high arch and watched the twins twitch slightly from the shock the gate gave them "Hurts more with a larger amount of sins" I explained, the pair gazed down at me shocked "You can go to confession if you wish, to ease the sting" I teased, they laughed.
When we got to the top of the hill there were families I reconised littered aorund the grounds, I smiled and waved but moved into the church. "This place is massive" George mentioned, "How many people are here do you think?"
"Hundreds" Fred pointed out, as we stepped into the church, the interior was a dark marble. "Wow" Fred's whispered echoed through the quiet church, he eye'd me, as if asking what to do.
"come on" I whispered walking down the middle aisle, my heels clicking loudly caught some whispering people's attention. The twins stood back as we got to the top of the church, "Bishop" I greeted with a smile. "These are my friends, Fred and George Weasley" he glanced past me with his glossy eyes to stare at them.
"Nice to see you again George" He explained watching George as shock floated over his features, my heart jittered, as he looked between us "My brother Mathew is waiting for you" Bishop explained lifting his arm towards my family in the upper level seats. With a smile I led the boys to the side of the church into a chamber which only held a spiraling moving staircases up and down.
"Up to the seats, down to the tombs" I pointed out, jumping on the stairs with a stumble I grabbed the hand railing with a puff "hate these things" I sighed.
"How'd the Bishop know me?" George whispered as he walked up to my side "Is he you're uncle?" he demanded
"He only my uncle by blood, and he's the one who cast the arrangement over us" I explained stepping off at the second level. "He's one of the few who still have the spell books required to do it as a Bishop."
"If he's your uncle why didn't you tell me" George hissed out as we passed the Dolan Family who eye'd the pair of strange gingers carefully.
I spun on him when we walked into a area with no one seated yet and Fred walked into his back pushing him closer to me "because Bishop is the Bishop, not my uncle. I don't know him, he's just a powerful wizard to me. And I don't know why you're so huffy since it was you're family sought him out" I explained my voice at a regular volume now since there was a charm over the upper levels to allow speaking to be unheard by the ground level, I spun back and walked towards my father who eye'd the trio of us amused.
"Ivy sweetheart" he greeted bending to kiss my forehead. "George," he smiled shaking his hand, "and this must be Fred" Fred nodded with a smile as my father shook his hand also. Zahra bounced at my heels with Dank, I smiled at her. "You're running late only two minutes before the start" Dad tutted. "Come on, everyone's here" he explained, glancing behind him I notice everyone actually was here.
All my siblings, my aunts and uncles, all their children and some extended family, my grandmother and her two brothers, their families. I stopped as I seen Tracey laughing with her younger sister so that meant that...
"Ah was wonderin' if ye waur gonnae shaw up at aw fur th' glorioos day. Ma made me come. Didne gie boak oan th' boat ower fur ance though. But a bludy leprechain attacked mah dad oan th' way up th' hill, he near gae heem a heart attack." Theodore chuckled "Weasleys" he greeted with a grin, "come one, ye lot can sit wi' me"
"Didn't know you're family to be religious Knott" Fred pointed out as we walked down to a empty pew.
"owk fa aren't religioos usually haven't a notion who is." Theodore explained sliding in first, then me, George and finally Fred. "Beside's it's kin' ay a hugely irish hin'"
"And you're irish now?" George teased.
Theodore chuckled "Only by blood, Ma near got disowned with she went and married a Scottie" he pointed out.
The choir started up and we all stood, mass had begun.
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Fred and I sat either side of Elizabeth during Sunday dinner bouncing back and forth as we told everyone about our little adventure to Ireland. Elizabeth sat in the middle correcting us about facts and terms every now and then. It was Bill and Charlie's last weekend in the Burrow before heading back to their other homes to work and everyone was on high spirits.
"And after the leprechauns ran when Mrs O'Connor came around the corner..." Fred laughed excitedly,
"...Scaring the little things half to death" I added while Elizabeth rolled her eyes and went to interrupt "We had to go back to Aillen Square in Tara"
"...Mr O'Connor told us that Tara was home to this beast called Aillen" Elizabeth actually beat me to talking this time
"Aillen didn't live on Tara" she argued hotly. "He came there during the Gaelic festival Samhain, he lived in Mag Mell a magical place you can only find through death or glory" she explained matter of factly. "some believe it was the underworld either"
Fred rolled his eyes "Anyway this beast always came to Tara in autumn, his fiery breath lulling everyone..."
"...to sleep with her music, then he burns Tara to the ground!" I explained with a grin "that's why he's called 'the burner'"
"Don't forget about the happy ending" Elizabeth pointed out eagerly. "Fionn mac Cumhaill, a great potion maker of his time, made a poison powerful enough to temporally deafen the ears, to keep himself awake while he battles the great Aillen" She smiled "He got to be a leader of the Fianna because of it"
"No one cares about your silly irish clans" Fred pointed out cheerfully as he started to eat again, Mom gave out to him from the top of the table. "Though, all your dads stories are pretty cool" he muttered into his food, Elizabeth laughed.
"So Elizabeth, excited for Hogwarts?" Charlie asked her across the table, Elizabeth glanced over at him picking up her wine glass slowly. "Ginny was just telling us there's only about a week and a half left and you'll all be back to the castle" he explained.
My stomach dropped, was that all there was left of summer. "Oh as excited as you can be for studying and tests" Elizabeth teased, I watched her slowly sip her wine.
"Oh don't forget about quidditch. I still miss my days as Gyffindor's seeker" Charlie exclaimed glancing over and throwing a baby potato at an unexpected Harry "Oi Potter did you get captain this year again?" Harry rubbed his forehead
Grinning proudly he answered "Sure did" he explained with a laugh "I was half expecting Ginny to get it though"
"She'll have her chance next year when you're gone" Ron pointed out seriously, Elizabeth swallowed and laughed with Charlie and Ron, when Ginny ranted about wanting the captain's badge this year anyway.
"Is there really only about two weeks left till you're gone?" I asked Elizabeth touching her arm, she glanced at me.
"Well yeah" she explained seriously, her eyes soft "I sit my tests next Sunday, get the results Tuesday and the first of August is Thursday."
"But that's so soon" I muttered, she nodded.
"I know" she whispered, her face slightly pale.
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