A/N: Thanks again for all of the reviews – I really appreciate it. This chapter should be a bit longer than the other ones – but anyway – read and review it! And tell me if I make any mistakes with spelling or grammar…or if I make a mistake with anything with something from the books (I only read GOF once and I don't own it). Thanks again, guys!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything…
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It was a bleary-eyed group of people that received the owl post the next day.
The medic brought the tawny colored, beady-eyed owl to the lobby early the next morning. All of the Weasley's had stayed there for the entire night. At around midnight, the medics kicked the Weasleys out of Veronica's room, pointing out that visitors were usually made to leave at ten. Molly Weasley insisted that Harry return to his room, but he hadn't been able to sleep and he came out into the lobby about an hour later. In her room, Veronica had been able to doze off only for a few minutes, but she was too excited to really fall into a deep slumber. She sat up in her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, mulling over the fantastic events of the previous day.
None of the other Weasleys had been able to sleep at all.
"Got an owl for…Arthur Weasley…?" The medic said, holding up the bird. The large owl hooted, and flapped, irritated, trying to get out of his grip.
"I'm here," Mr. Weasley yawned. The medic handed the owl over. Mr. Weasley pulled the letter out of its claws, and stared to read it. The owl hooted crossly, flapping its wings right in front of his face.
"Ah yes, I forgot your tip – hold your horses!" The owl had screeched quite loudly right in his ears. Mr. Weasley dug through his pockets. "Here you are." He gave the owl five knuts. Pacified it flew off out of the window.
Arthur Weasley red the letter with a blank face and then passed it around to the rest of his family. Harry read it out of the corner of his eye, as Ron held it. It was from Percy's girlfriend Penelope Clearwater.
Dear Mr. Weasley and family,
Hi this is Penelope. Percy
came over last night. He seems very upset. Just wanted you all to know that he
is staying here with my family and I. He didn't want to write – so I felt that
I should do it for him. Whatever he did, he seems really sorry for it…I'm sure
he didn't really mean anything that he might have said. I really think that he
ought to talk to you all and patch things up…but I don't know if he is ready to
do that yet…I do hope that whatever happened can be fixed. Between you and I: I
know that Percy loves you all more than anything and he that would never do
anything to betray his family. I really hope that you can make up…I'm really
worried that this is too much for Perce to deal with.
-Penelope
"Well at least we know where he is staying," Mr. Weasley said shortly as he stood up. His face looked grim. Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to say something, but then changed her mind and closed it. "Come on," Mr. Weasley yawned again. "We better get a move on – we need to get Veronica out of her before the Ministry comes back."
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They found Veronica staring at the ceiling in her room. "Are you all right?" Harry asked anxiously. Veronica smiled up at him. She thought he looked really cute. His black hair, which was usually unruly, was sticking out in all different crazy directions after a night of no sleep. His T-shirt was rumbled, and his shoelaces untied. "Yeah – I'm fine," she said grinning up into his green eyes.
"I'm afraid that we'll have to leave now," Mr. Weasley said. "Before anyone comes back to try to charm you again."
"But won't the Ministry be on the look out for me if I just leave the hospital like that?"
"Well," Mr. Weasley thought for a moment. "Fudge seemed pretty intent on releasing you back into the city…if you tell the staff that you are just going back home, it should be alright."
"But…" Veronica furrowed her brows in concern. "My host parents, and my mom back in the US? What about them? And I was supposed to start school in September! I can't just.... not show up."
"Well hopefully this will all be over by then…September is still a couple of weeks away. As for your host parents…" Mr. Weasley thought for a moment. "I suppose I could use a memory charm on them. I'm forbidden to do it of course…but after taking you with us…it won't make much difference if I am caught."
"I could tell my mom that I got transferred to another set of host parents…" Veronica mused. "And give her all of your contact information."
And so their plan of action was set. The Weasleys left the hospital at around eleven, with a chorus of cheery goodbyes to the staff. Harry left with them. Then according to plan, at one o'clock Veronica asked the staff if she could be released.
"I don't know…" The nurse hesitated. "I think some ministry officials were going to come over later to see you…"
"But I feel fine," she insisted. "And the Ministry can come to over to my house if they need to. But," She looked at the nurse pleadingly. "I really, really need to leave. My parents are muggles…they don't understand about magic so they don't know where I am…they are probably worried sick…"
The nurse looked at the girl with sympathy. "Ok dear, you can go." She handed her a quill and a piece of parchment paper. "But do write down an address where the Ministry can find you."
"Of course." Smiling innocently Veronica scribbled down the address of her Great Aunt in Iowa. "Thank you so much," she added, and with that hurried out of the hospital.
She saw the Weasley's car pull up fifteen minutes later at their designated meeting spot. She was surprised that a Wizard family would have an ordinary station wagon, until she stepped inside. It had been magically expanded somehow; its spacious compartments allowed all six Weasley's and Harry to fit comfortably inside. She looked around in amazement.
"I picked it up in a raid this summer," Mr. Weasley beamed proudly. "There was no other use for it…so I was able to take it home. Do you like what I've done to it?"
"Its amazing," Veronica said breathlessly.
"Oh you haven't seen anything yet!" Fred exclaimed.
"Dad can do all sorts of other things to cars…"George added.
"Like make them fly…"
"There will be NO MORE flying cars in this family!" Mrs. Weasley's voice was quite firm. Memories their last car that met its untimely demise with Ron and Harry inside flashed through her mind. To this day the old Ford Angelina still lurked about the Forbidden Forest outside of Hogwarts like a wild beast; the Whomping Willow had been able to beat all of its tame nature out of it.
All of the Weasleys chuckled. Veronica took at seat by Harry and closed the car door. She gave directions to her host parent's house, and they pulled up in the driveway a few minutes later. Arthur Weasley went in with Veronica. They emerged about ten minutes later. Veronica was carrying a suitcase with all of her stuff in it. She put it in the trunk of the car, and waving merrily to a curious next door neighbor, she and Mr. Weasley climbed back into the car.
"How did it go?" Mrs. Weasley asked her husband.
"Well." Mr. Weasley nodded as he slammed the door shut. "They now have no recollection of Veronica whatsoever…which is good as the Ministry might be able to trace her to us through them otherwise. And," Mr. Weasley continued. "Veronica told her parents on the phone that she had been traded to a different host family. I was able to, uh, create documentation that her mom will get in the mail today to back up her story."
"Clever, very clever," Harry muttered. He suddenly remembered something. "Hey!" He laughed. "I completely forgot about the Dursleys!"
"Why don't we stop by so you can get your stuff," Mrs. Weasley suggested. "You can stay with us for the rest of the summer." Harry and Ron beamed with happiness.
"Nice!" Ron exclaimed.
"No Dursleys for another year!" Harry was on cloud nine.
Harry and Ron were in high spirits for the rest of the trip. But Veronica looked sort of glum. Harry asked her what was wrong.
Veronica shook her head. "I just feel so bad lying to my mom," she sighed regretfully. "And for erasing the Thompson's memory. They were such a cool host family…" She trailed off.
"You had no choice," Harry said.
Yeah, but I still miss them." She smiled. "You know, they had a really awesome dog…" Harry remembered the kibble in the pet shop. "I love dogs," Veronica continued, smiling faintly. "I have this huge yellow lab at home," She turned to explain to Harry. "My mom isn't big on dogs…but we have good 'ol Monty anyway. It's just the three of us, you know."
"Yeah you told me you just live with your mom," Harry said sympathetically. If anyone knew how it was to grow up without parents, it was he.
"Yeah, my dad left us when I was little." Veronica explained shortly. And then staring out of the window, she remained silent for the rest of the car trip.
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Harry and Ron sat up in Ron's room the next morning, eating some of the Bertie's Every Flavor Beans that Ron had smuggled from Honeydukes.
"Aw, celery!" Ron groaned. He had hoped that the green one would be sour apple.
"Where is Veronica?" Harry asked, suddenly.
"Uh, I don't know. She was still asleep when I was last downstairs. So probably still in Ginny's room."
"But it's almost one!"
"So, she is probably konked out," Ron looked up at Harry suspiciously. "Why are you so worried?"
"I'm not worried, I'm just asking where she is that's all." Harry's face colored suddenly.
"Yeah since this is the twentieth time you've asked in the past ten minutes," Ron looked at Harry again. "She isn't like your…girlfriend…is she?"
"NO!" Harry insisted. "I mean I don't know." He looked down at his shoes. "I mean we only went out on one date so…" He shrugged. "I mean, she's fun—and I wouldn't mind seeing her more…"
Ron was still giving Harry a look. "I don't know, man," He said shaking his head regretfully. "You seem pretty whipped to me."
"I AM NOT WHIPPED!" Harry shouted.
There was a knock on Ron's door. He leapt over the pile of clothes and Quidditch trading cards that were strewn across the floor. Reaching the door, he swung it open. It was Veronica.
"Cool, your mom said you guys would be up here. Were you just shouting, Harry?"
"Uh, yeah. We were just fooling around." Ron started coughing loudly to hide his laughs. But Veronica was already staring in amazement at the wall.
"Oh wow," She said softly in amazement. She was gaping at the bright orange decorations and posters of the Chudley Cannons that covered almost every inch of Ron's bedroom. "Your posters…the people…they're moving!"
"Yeah all magical posters do that," Harry explained. "And photographs do that too actually." He pointed to a picture Ron had on his wall of his family in Egypt. All nine of the Weasleys waved furiously at Veronica as she stared at them.
"That is so amazing." Veronica shook her head in awe. "And the posters…are these people actually flying on brooms?"
"Yes," Harry said excitedly. "They're playing Quidditch."
"What?"
"Quidditch," Ron broke in. "Which is only about the best game ever! Actually Harry is one of the best Quidditch players I know – he is seeker for our team at school."
"Sweet." Veronica said simply. Harry looked gratefully at his friend.
"Yeah if you like, I can show you my broom outside." Harry looked lovingly at his Firebolt, which was propped up in the corner of the room against the wall.
"I think I would like that," Veronica nodded. She had visions of herself sailing through the air. "But before that can I ask you guys something?"
"Yeah sure," Harry replied.
"Go for it," Ron added.
"Its about your sister Ginny, Ron," Veronica looked uncomfortable. "I don't know how to put this…but – does she hate me or something?"
Ron looked alarmed. "Why would you think that? Did she do something to you?"
"Oh no nothing like that," Veronica shook her head quickly. Ron looked relieved. "I mean she is a really sweet girl –she is letting me use her room, and she makes sure I have everything I need and stuff. Its just I get these vibes from her - like whenever I try to talk to her…" Veronica trailed off. "I just like I feel like I did something to her to make her not like me."
Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances.
"Uh, let's go look at my broom outside," Harry said quickly changing the subject.
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"That was such a rush!"
"I know. Want another go?"
"Of course!"
Harry held out his hand and the Firebolt lifted off the ground into his palm. He mounted the broom. Veronica eagerly got on behind him, her arms clasped around his waist.
"Ok ready…?" Harry asked. Veronica squeezed tighter. "Here we go!"
They zoomed up into the air, Veronica shrieking with delight. This was about a thousand times better than any roller coaster she had been on. They weaved through the blue sky, looping upside-down and skimming over the tops of the trees. As they climbed higher and higher, they could see the surrounding land for miles. The fields looked like a patchwork quilt from this height, and the highway like a thin ribbon of gray. They hung there in midair, the broom bobbing slowly up and down in the breeze.
"This is such a great view." Veronica commented. "It all looks so different from up here."
"I love flying," Harry breathed. "It's the best part about being a wizard, I think."
"When did you find out you were a wizard?" Veronica asked curiously.
"I was about eleven…no wait…in fact it was on my eleventh birthday." Harry grinned as he remembered Hagrid and how he had scared the Dursley's out of their wits. "My uncle and aunt never told me about anything so it was a complete shock. It seems so long ago now…" Harry got a wistful look in his eyes. "So much has happened since then."
"I'll bet." Veronica hadn't known Harry Potter for very long but she got the sense that he led an exciting life.
"Hey!" Harry said suddenly. The broom lurched slightly, but he steadied it. "What is today?"
"Um," Veronica looked at her watch. "Its Wednesday."
Harry laughed. "I'm fifteen then! Today's my birthday. I can't believe I forgot."
"What kind of dork forgets his birthday?" Veronica shook her head teasingly.
"Well a lot has been going on lately. Usually I am at the Dursley's, and so bored that I do a countdown at midnight." Harry let the broom drift slowly back to the earth. It hovered a few inches off the ground, and he and Veronica climbed off.
"Want to go again?"
"Naw." Veronica stared pointedly at Harry. "I think we better go inside."
"OK…if you say so…" Harry looked at her mysteriously.
"Trust me," Veronica said mysteriously. "We need to go now." Mystified Harry followed her back into the Burrow. They stepped through the garden and stood on the porch. Veronica motioned to Harry to open the backdoor. It swung slowly open on its rusty hinges…
"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Harry stared back at the large group of people crowded in the Weasley's rather small kitchen in complete shock.
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