Harry Potter and the Deathday Curse
Chapter 17 Christmas at the Weasley's
A few weeks later November swam into December. The Christmas spirit was contagious. From what Harry could tell, not a lot of people were staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. About a week before the end of term, Ron and Ginny got a letter from his mother. While Errol lay unconscious in the jug of orange juice, Ron read the letter out loud to Harryand Ginny. Hermione was at a meeting with the Prefects and the Head Boy.
Dear Ron and Ginny,
I hope that you are well, and that you haven't gotten into too much trouble. Fred and George are fine, causing trouble as usual. They are being rather secretive though. Anyway, I was wondering if you were going be coming home for Christmas break? Bill and Charlie are going to be home. Harry and Hermione are welcome to come as well, although I might have to ask Professor Dumbledore about Harry coming. Please reply soon.
Love,
Mum
"What do'ya reckon," Ron said, folding up the letter. "Do you want to go home Gin?"
Ginny shrugged her shoulders.
"I'll go if you go. And Harry," She added, ruffling his already messy hair.
"Well, I suppose we could go, but it is our last Christmas at Hogwarts," Ron said. "Well, not Ginny's."
"What are you talking about?" Hermione said, sitting down across from Harry and Ginny.
"Mum just invited us to go to their house for Christmas," Ginny said. "She's inviting you and Harry too."
"Why don't we go Ron," Hermione said. "It would be nice to go away from Hogwarts and the teachers for a while.
Ron started to cough.
"E-excuse me. Am I hearing correctly? Hermione wants to get away from the teachers and school?"
"Oh, shut up," Hermione said. "Besides, I need to go to Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore at Hogsmeade just doesn't have the books that F&B does."
"Typical," Ron muttered under his breath as he put treacle on his oatmeal.
"So, are we going?" Harry asked.
"I guess so."
Mrs. Weasley did contact Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Dumbledore later told Harry that he could go to the Weasleys for Christmas Break, so long as he didn't go looking for trouble and that he kept an eye out.
Ginny later wrote her Mom to tell her that everyone was coming.
The last day of term was hectic. After their last lesson, Care of Magical Creatures (Hagrid had been teaching them about Dixies, which are like hairy fairies.), they all went to lunch before rushing outside to meet the carriages. Their trunks had already been packed and sent down to the train. When the carriages arrived, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione got into one. Ernie Macmillan tried to climb in with them, but Hermione closed the door before he could. For the rest of the rid Ron wore a smug look on his face. He kept on smirking at Hermione until Ginny pointed out that he should be jealous because someone else had their eye on his girlfriend.
The rest of the afternoon was quite enjoyable. They played Exploding Snap for the about 2 hours before the lunch cart arrived. Harry bought lunch for everyone. After lunch, everyone was tired. So, they talked. About school, about Sirius, Remus, and James, even about Voldemort and what his next plans could be. At around 5 in the afternoon an owl appeared out of their window, flying furiously to keep up with the train.
Harry opened the window and a gust of freezing air swept into the room. The owl flew in and landed gratefully on a seat cushion. Harry pulled off the letter and looked at the envelope.
"It's for you Hermione," He said, handing it to her. She opened the letter, it was written on flowered stationary. She scanned the page and finally said, "They know that I'm going to be staying at your house, Ron. They were wondering if I could leave for about 3 days to visit them. They'll be in the area so they can pick me up."
"I'm sure it's all right. Dad will be delighted to see your parents, you know how he is with muggles," Ron said. Harry didn't say anything. In fact, he didn't move. Ginny had fallen asleep and she was leaning up against him, her head on his shoulder.
Hermione smiled slyly at them, and leaned back in her chair, and started to read a book.
Eventually a wave of sleep passed over Harry too, and he fell asleep…
"Oh look, it's a Kodak moment," someone was saying.
"A what?"
"Oh nevermind."
Harry opened his eyes slightly. Hermione and Ron sitting across from them, Hermione leaning against Ron, still reading.
"Rise and shine," Ron said, smirking. "Have a nice sleep?"
"Yeah," Harry yawned. Ginny was still asleep.
"What time is it?" Harry asked, rubbing his eyes with one hand.
"We're about fifteen minutes away from the station," Hermione said, checking her wristwatch.
"Then I'd better wake up 'sleeping beauty'," Harry said. Sitting upright, he started to shake Ginny gently.
"Y'know," Hermione said. "In the story of sleeping beauty, she was awoken by a kiss." Ron started laughing. The noise seemed to jolt Ginny awake, more than any kiss would anyway.
"What's going on?" Ginny said groggily.
"We're almost at the station," Harry said. "We'd better change back into our muggle clothes." Hermione and Ginny went to a different compartment while Harry and Ron changed.
When everyone was in their muggle clothes, they had reached the station. There was the usual scramble to get everything together. Ron and Harry went and found carts, and they brought the trunks out. The conductor of the train was letting people out in groups of twos and threes, so not to startle all the muggles. When Harry and Ginny walked through the barrier, they found themselves in a tight hug from Mrs. Weasley. When Ron and Hermione came out, they were embraced also. Bill was standing a little ways away, he was checking out a muggle woman dressed in a short skirt and a very low cut blouse.
"Bill!" Exclaimed Mrs. Weasley crossly. "Will you help us with the trunks?"
"Uh huh, one minute Mum," He said, not really paying attention.
After a minute or so, all of the trunks were loaded into a Ministry car that Mr. Weasley had borrowed for them. About forty-five minutes later they had arrived at the Burrow.
"Hello boys!" Mr. Weasley said, when they had arrived. Harry and Ron were carrying a trunk into the house.
"Hullo Mr. Weasley," Harry replied, panting a little from the weight of the trunk. When all of the trunks were inside, Mrs. Weasley put a spell on them that made the trunks go upstairs and into each of the rooms.
"Well, did everyone have a pleasant ride?" Said Charlie, coming out of the kitchen.
"Yeah," said Ron, taking off his coat and hanging it up. "Where's Percy?"
"Work," Bill said simply. "Dad took the day off, but Percy didn't."
"Typical," Ron said.
"So, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, looking stern. "What is this news about Ginny being your girlfriend." Harry felt himself turning pink. Fred and George, who had just entered the small kitchen, started chuckling.
"I-er…" Suddenly, Mr. Weasley grinned and said, "I'm only joking. Don't worry about it." Harry grinned back.
After a scrumptious dinner, Fred and George pulled Harry aside.
"Harry, we really have to thank you for that money you gave us," Fred said in a low voice.
"I gave it to you three years ago!" Harry said.
"Yeah, and we just opened a store in Diagon Alley, we can pay you back now."
"You don't have to-" But before Harry could say another word, George thrust a bag of Galleons into his hands.
"Don't worry about it," Fred said. "We've already made 20 times that much, and it's only our first week."
"But don't tell Mum or Dad about it, we're showing it to them on Christmas, and we're giving them half of the money we've made."
"Okay, I won't tell."
They rest of the evening was enjoyable, Percy arrived around eight in the evening, saying that he had a report to finish so no one could disturb him. It had started to snow outside, and they sat around the fire, watching the windows slowly fill with snow. After a few cups of hot cocoa, Charlie and Bill left by Floo Powder and everyone went up to their beds.
The next day, everyone went to Diagon Alley to do their Christmas shopping. Fred and George were desperately trying to keep Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley away from their shop. Harry however, pulled Hermione to the side.
"Hermione, you have to help me," He said.
"With what?" Hermione asked looking slightly puzzled.
"You have to help me with buying Ginny's Chrismas present. I don't know what to get her."
Hermione gave him a kind smile.
"All right, I'll go shopping with you. Besides, Ginny was just asking Ron what she should get you, they're going shopping together," Hermione said. "Come on, first stop is the jewelry shop."
"But there isn't one in Diagon Alley!"
"Let's go exchange some of your money for muggle money, then we'll go into the Muggle world."
A.N. All for now. Something traumatic is going to happen in the next chapter!!! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, now please review!!!!!!!
J Malena J
