With the wedding just around the corner, it was all hands on deck, and Molly seemed to be on a mission to keep Harry, Ron and Hermione separated so that they couldn't plan for their intention to leave Hogwarts and go about their secret mission, but she had no idea that I was also involved, and often ended up pairing me with Hermione, which gave us ample time to talk quietly together. "You'll want to memorise places that you can go if you have to leave instantly. Places that they won't expect. I suggest you be the one to choose the destinations, since no one, especially the Death Eaters will have a clue the kind of places you know."
"I have a few in mind, places I've been with my parents like on camping holidays, things like that. They're all rather out of the way, so we shouldn't be easily found."
"Good, very good. I've got a few more I can share with you, I strongly suggest you don't try to stick to one area for too long, try and move about the entire country if you can. Scotland is an excellent place as is Wales because of the countryside and mountain ranges. I've also put together a list of spells that the three of you should learn, all very useful charms. Self-insulation to keep you warm, how to make smokeless fires, everything I picked up whilst I was travelling last year. I wrote it all down in a book, so I'll give it to you later." We were currently working on polishing the cutlery, as I had brought all the silverware and crystal ware for the wedding from Grimmauld Place after I visited with Moody to make sure that our wards and curses were holding.
"Thank you, that would be so useful. I've been trying to think of everything we could possibly need to pack, but it'll help if we can draw from your first hand experience. I still can't believe you spent an entire year practically living as a muggle just to avoid detection. Didn't you find it difficult?" Thinking back on it, I remembered that some moments were really hard, especially when I missed my family and friends, but other times, I got to see the world from a completely different perspective that I wouldn't have seen if I'd just disapparated and apparated somewhere.
"There were ups and downs, but I found that I had to try and see the positive side in things in order to persevere. I saw some really beautiful things, and learning how to pass as a muggle was actually quite fun. It helped that I was a foreigner, so when I didn't understand how things worked the muggles were more tolerant and explained it to me slowly, like trains and buses. That took me a while. Also, there was this one time I tried talking to a teapot thinking that it was how I ordered tea, so I got some really funny looks before the waitress asked me if I was a nutter." Giggling quietly, Hermione lifted up the crystal glass towards the light in order to inspect it for any marring before setting it aside and picking up another one.
"I just hope we'll be properly prepared. Harry wants to go almost the moment the wedding's over, and I don't think he's told anyone else about what he's planning to do. Sirius has been asking, but Harry won't say anything. It's creating a lot of tension." I knew it very well because dad had tried to ask me several times if I knew what was going on and I had to grit my teeth and lie, telling him I hadn't a clue.
"He'll understand after you're all gone and I explain things. Besides, it's not like you guys are going off into the world completely unprepared. You've done a great job of gathering supplies together, and you've done your research about those things, though it's not looking great on the destroying part. I agree fiendfyre is too dangerous to use, not even I would try it unless I had no other choice, but there has to be other ways. I'll keep thinking about it and try and get something to you. If a basilisk fang turns up, I'll be sure to contact you and let you know I have it. Make sure to keep that mirror of Harry's safe, it'll be the only way I can get through to you. Dad has the other half right now, but I'll either ask for it or nick it off him later."
"Are you sure that this is the right thing to do?" Hermione worried, the both of us still whispering together. "I mean, of course I'll help Harry in whatever way I can, but I think he hasn't really thought any of this through."
"Of course he hasn't. I doubt he's even thought about how to actually find Godric's Hollow. He doesn't know where it is. Still, I think this is the best way. If the Order get directly involved, it'll only draw attention to what we're up to, and discretion is our only chance at actually succeeding. Don't worry, you guys always manage to pull things off, you'll work it out." I assured her and then quickly stopped talking as Molly came through to check on us. We continued working on our chores until dinnertime, where Hermione and I got the chance to talk again. I handed her the book I'd written with all kinds of traveller's tips and guides, as well as magic that the three of them should learn, including charms, defensive spells, hexes, jinxes and useful transfiguration such as to provide food for themselves. If I had more time I would have wrangled the boys and made them sit down and learn how to cook for themselves so that Hermione wouldn't end up with the chore, but time was something we didn't have, and I also didn't want to run the risk of Molly finding out I was in on the plan.
Fred and George were able to bring over a huge supply from their joke shop, and all I'd needed to say it was to help Harry and the others in their secret mission for them to be on board. Unlike the others, they didn't ask questions, merely packed up all the items they thought would be useful and delivered it without a single word on the matter. Instant-Darkness Powder, anti-jinx cloaks to protect their backs, some of their best fireworks, decoy-detonators, appearance changing items, a couple of skiving snackboxes, everything they could think of and Hermione packed it all away.
Myself, I provided medical supplies and basic ingredients for useful potions for emergencies, things like pepper-up potion in case they catch colds, sleeping draughts, antidotes in case of poisoning, cleansing solutions and salves as well as things like bandages and books on treating injuries. More importantly, I was also able to provide two more potions and a single small vial which could prove invaluable. One potion was Veriteserum, and the other was the remainder of the polyjuice potion I had made for the decoy Harries. "Just in case, for emergencies. You can never be too prepared, Moody will tell you that himself."
The final vial was small barely big enough for half a mouthful, but the contents were so potent that only a single drop would be enough to heal any injury. "Phoenix tears. I talked to Fawkes and he seemed to understand when I asked him, so he let me collect his tears. Use these for emergencies only. One drop will be enough, and there isn't much there so use it if someone is dying. It'll save you." Slightly shocked to have such a rare item, Hermione thanked me in a hoarse whisper and asked me to pass on her thanks to Fawkes as well so I promised her I would. I then helped Hermione pack everything into her tiny little bag which she'd placed an extension charm on, the both of us deliberating on what was necessary and what wasn't.
Money was also something they couldn't do without, so I had taken out a large quantity of gold from my own account at Gringotts and also gave Hermione some muggle money too. When I'd showed it to her, she'd gasped and stared at it, counting it up as she flicked through the paper. "It's too much! There's over three hundred pounds here Mia!"
"Is that a lot?"
"Yes!"
"Good, you might need it. You have no idea the kind of situations you'll face, and it's always better to have too much than too little. You can always return what's left once this is all over with. Now, we should start thinking about how often I should check in with you guys. It can't be too often, otherwise we might draw attention, and I'll be able to communicate with the mirror, but we should use code words so that no one else will understand in case we're overheard. Such as you're in danger, you're being followed, you need more supplies, things like that." So we spent the rest of the evening coming up with an extensive list of code words and their meanings, memorising them all whilst Hermione wrote them down then cast a charm on the paper so that no one else could read it.
"And you will look after Crookshanks for me, won't you? I hate to leave him but it'll be just too dangerous." Hermione added as Crookshanks purred in her lap, seemingly perfectly contented with life.
"Of course I will. He'll stay here for the most part because it's safest and Molly won't mind looking after him, I'll be checking in often because this is now headquarters. He'll be the same as ever when you get back." I promised her and reached out to scratch his ears which made the fluffy ginger cat purr more loudly. We went to bed with our heads reeling with everything we'd talked about, and in the morning we were back to doing chores. Thankfully, Molly let me off with some time where I went into the chicken shed where Arthur and dad were working on his bike. It had crashed at Tonks's place so it was in desperate need of repairing, though they were doing it out of Molly's sight and I eagerly got my hands covered in oil helping them fix it, having a curiosity with the muggle vehicle. After living like a muggle for a year, I had a newfound appreciation for how hard their lives were without magic, and I could understand why Arthur found them so fascinating. He was delighted to learn exactly how aeroplanes stayed up, having wanted to find out for years and my travelling had allowed me to ask many questions from real muggles and we discussed at length what their lives were like.
Dad seemed to enjoy the bonding time with me, fixing the bike together and promised to let me ride it once it was back together and properly functioning again, which was something to look forward to, though I pointedly refused to sit in the side car, so that came off immediately. We worked whenever we had a moment spare, though Molly seemed to be determined to give no one any ounce of peace until the house and the garden was completely spotless. To be honest, I was rather relieved when Fleur's parents and sister arrived, hoping that now things would calm down a little. I had met her family only briefly during the Triwizard Tournament, but had found them all to be a lovely family, so when they came striding down the path to where we all waited, I beamed at them.
Fleur rushed to them first, her silver blonde hair flying as her mother – who could have easily been her double – rushed to embrace her daughter. The father, who was a jolly looking man, much stouter than his gorgeous wife, had a broad smile and was flushed in the face from the walk as he practically skipped on over in order to kiss Mrs Molly Weasley on both cheeks enthusiastically in greeting. "You 'ave been to too much trouble, Fleur tells us you 'ave been working very 'ard."
"Oh, it's been nothing, nothing! No trouble at all!" Molly flushed from surprise at the overly familiar greeting, slightly taken aback by the open eagerness of Monsieur Delacour as he then turned to me and, if possible, his smile widened further.
"Ah! Mon cherie! It 'as been too long!"
"Bonjour Monsieur Delacour." I greeted warmly, asking after his journey which he insisted was pleasant and without any incident as he clasped my hands in his and kissed me repeatedly on my cheeks before then returning to Molly.
"Dear lady, we are most honoured at the approaching union of our two families! Let me present my wife, Apolline." Smiling as she walked gracefully over, Madame Delacour also kissed Molly's cheeks, though much more lightly with a delicate peck but with no less enthusiasm.
"Enchentée, your 'usband 'as been telling us such amusing stories!" I laughed quietly at that, throwing a look towards Arthur who was blushing slightly and also laughing a little too jovially. I suppose the veela in Madame Delacour was bringing out the silliness in men. Gabrielle then appeared in front of me, chattering away in French to me with a cheerful smile as I happily returned the greeting, stooping down in order to accept a light kiss on my cheek before I kissed hers as well and watched as she then eagerly looked at Harry. She'd grown a great deal in the last three years, also the exact image of her mother and sister.
Eventually we managed to get back inside, dad throwing me a look with an arched eyebrow as we were the last to enter. "Not what I expected." He admitted, making me laugh.
"I thought I'd keep it a surprise. Come on, I expect they'll be talking about the wedding so let's go work on the bike whilst we can slip away without being noticed." Chuckling richly, dad ruffled my hair as I pulled it back and secured it away from my face as I then adjusted the straps of the denim dungarees I was wearing, the perfect working clothes. We tinkered away until lunchtime then went back inside covered in grease which we hastily cleaned off our clothes with magic before Molly could notice and scream in horror at the thought of getting oil or something inside the house, and considering how constantly frazzled she was, setting Molly off was the last thing we wanted.