The Gryffindor common room was deserted, save for two figures bent over a chessboard, one curled in a corner with a book, and another that just sat, contented to gaze periodically at one of the competitors.
"Dammit Ginny! Do you TELL them to act like that?" Ron complained as the white bishop whacked his knight across the board and off the end of the table. It then turned and saluted his laughing sister.
"No! I don't tell them to do anything except where to go! Is it my fault that your players just happen to stray into their path? Maybe if you concentrated a little harder on the game…."
"Shut up…" Ron pulled a face at her, then returned his eyes to the board.
Ginny looked up; her dancing eyes meeting the gleaming green ones. Harry raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at the hearthrug. The brown eyes laughed silently and nodded.
It was the first night of Christmas break. As the only Gryffindors not going home, the four had the tower to themselves. The holiday feeling seemed to pervade the entire castle. The excitement in the air was really quite funny, Harry thought. He'd noticed a bit of whispering and giggling from Ron and Hermione and assumed that they were making elaborate plans for the holiday. Harry and Ginny hadn't said much. It was safer to leave Ron in blissful ignorance about their late-night activities. What little they'd had so far. But hopefully that would change tonight. Harry felt his face flush and heard a giggle. He didn't need to look up to know that his beloved had caught him thinking lascivious thoughts.
"What?" Ron didn't look up from the chessboard. Harry was profoundly grateful, since Ginny was slowly licking her lips at him in a burlesque of a seduction. He sniggered; glancing quickly over at Hermione curled in the corner of the sofa they shared. She was lost in a book, of course. He bent over slightly to get a surreptitious look at the title. "A Witches Glory: Fertility Charms." His eyes widened. He glanced up at Hermione. She was completely absorbed. Of course, it was probably for a class…a class, yeah! He decided that it was way too weird to think about now, so he tucked it away for later analysis. He turned back to the game just in time to see Ron glance at his girlfriend with a smile. Amusedly, he watched and saw his best friend squint at the title of the book. The smile froze. Harry grinned. He didn't know that blood could drain from a face and then flood back with such rapidity without killing the person.
"Er…Her..Her.. Hermione? " Ron's eyes were round and looked slightly glazed.
Hermione looked up innocently - or so she appeared. "What's wrong, Ron?" she smiled bemusedly at her befuddled boyfriend. She followed his frozen gaze to her book. "Oh…I see…" she giggled slightly. "Come here…" She held out a hand.
Harry watched Ron reach out and slide his Queen into the way of Ginny's bishop, who was practically slavering to get his decidedly un-clerical hands on it.
"Ron!" Ginny was mad. "Pay attention!"
"No…you go ahead… I've already eaten…" Ron got up as if in a trance and stumbled over to Hermione. Ginny looked puzzled.
Harry leapt from the couch as if it were on fire. He DID NOT want to be present for any conversation those two might have about the book. But then… He glanced over at Ginny, who had turned back to the board and was watching her bishop maim Ron's Queen with a certain bloodthirsty satisfaction. He slipped over to her. She glanced up looking disgruntled, then saw it was he and her face lit up. Harry thought his heart would burst at the happiness that smile brought to him.
"Care to join me - over THERE?" he whispered, nodding toward …THERE.
Ginny rose immediately. "What's THAT all about?" she tossed her head indicating the whispering couple on the couch. She cocked her head slightly as if trying to get a better look. "Or do I not want to know?"
"SHHH! I'll tell you in a minute." He pulled her down on the hearthrug, wrapping her in his arms so that they could both stare into the flames. His lips lingering, he softly explained the situation in her ear. She laughed, throwing back her head in that way he adored so that her wild crimson hair tickled his nose.
"So you've finally noticed?"
"What?"
"Mr. Potter!" she peered up at him mischievously. "How irresponsible of you! You've never once given a thought to…well…" Color flooded her face and she suddenly looked embarrassed. She turned back to the fire, tucking her knees up under her arms. "Harry!" she lowered her voice more. "I'm talking about…you know!"
Now Harry was completely lost. "Er…sorry?"
"OK." She sighed. "Birth control, Harry!" She sneaked a look while half-hiding her face in her knees- her cheeks pink and her eyes shining.
His jaw hit the top of her head in shock. He blinked. What HAD he been thinking? NOTHING, he realized, feeling stupid and more than a little stunned at the implication. How could he have…His blood surged at the mere memory. Oh. Yes. That was how.
"Gin!" he tightened his arms, burying his face in the warm place between her shoulder and neck. "I'm so sorry! I never thought we would…at least, not THEN…I …oh wow..." He kissed the spot penitently. "Not very like a sensitive modern man, was it?"
An arm crept up around his head. "Harry! It's OK! I may be bad-tempered, pink-haired on occasion and in love with a man with a target on his back, but I DO plan ahead!" She giggled and turned her head to kiss him. "That's MY book Hermione is reading. She's not the only one that can do a bit of research, you know." Harry's head popped up, eyes wide.
"What? Really?" She amazed him. She seemed to do that more and more lately. "So...er… I guess she won't tell.. your brother that…so…did you….er…How can you look so innocent and be such a scarlet woman?" he finally burst out laughing.
"I had been experimenting for a while actually. You never know when it might just come in handy." Ginny's eyes took on an evil glint. "I tried my first real one that night after -"she bubbled over with laughter "after my hair turned pink!"
"Really?"
"Well, you know…after our little talk about…you know."
He pulled her back against him as he relaxed against a cushion. He felt warm and embraced. How had he never before noticed what a wonderful spot this rug was? "So you were prepared?" He chuckled delightedly. "How incredibly modern of you, Gin! So how does it….well, you know - work?"
"Oh, curious NOW, are you? Actually, there's tons of them, Harry!" She snuggled into him closer causing burning memories to surge up and blank his mind. "I'll show you once I wrestle the book back from Hermione. There's potions, charms, even plants! Of course, some are more reliable than others, but I don't think anyone told MY parents that." She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.
"It's a good thing, too." Harry said hurriedly. He really hadn't heard the last bit. He sat up and turned her chin gently to kiss her, savoring the flavor and the feeling of her as she pressed back against him. It seemed useless and unfair that she should be wearing all those clothes. He glanced over toward Ron and Hermione, who seemed to be thinking similar thoughts. They were certainly acting like it. He wasn't sure; he could only see Ron's back. He grinned wickedly down at Ginny's flushed face.
"So what's the plan for tonight?" he whispered.
Her eyes lit up. "Well, I wasn't sure I was really in the mood…" she trailed off teasingly as Harry, knowing a challenge when he heard one, set about convincing her.
"RON!" Ginny sat up suddenly, giggling. "Oi! Ron! - OW!" She pulled her wand out from under herself and tossed it away. Her brother came up for air looking disgruntled.
"Get us a cup of tea, would you?" she fell back on Harry and shrieked with laughter. He joined in, rolling her onto her back and pinning her. "Well, I tried!" she giggled softly.
"I thought you were going to think up a GOOD excuse to get rid of them." he gasped, still laughing.
"Oh, fine - you do better then!" she smacked him on the shoulder and he grinned wickedly. He slid light fingers under her sweater, tickling in certain spots, definitely NOT tickling in others.
With the determination of one used to winning her fights, she ran a bold hand up his leg, not stopping until --
"Right! " he choked pushing away as he turned scarlet and peered furtively at the their friends over the sheltering divan "Er…Ron…" Ron looked up again, now clearly annoyed and more than a little red himself. Hermione pulled herself up and seemed very busy straightening her shirt. She was pink-cheeked and looked more than a little embarrassed.
"Yeah -- can't you two think of anything better to do than chatter? No, don't answer that." Ron hid a smile and held up a warning finger toward his girlfriend as she prepared to get up. "Here - where d'you think your going?"
"Er…Here -" Harry reached into his robes "You weren't at breakfast this morning. Forgot to give this to you." He tossed a letter. Hermione giggled and reached down to fish it up from under the ottoman. "How's that?" he ducked back behind the barricade.
"And how is THAT going to get them out of the room?" Ginny poked him in the back.
"Maybe it's a howler and they'll run for cover. Your mum been mad at him lately?"
Ginny flopped on her back, shaking her head at the ceiling. "You're hopeless at subterfuge. It's so obvious you grew up without older brothers."
"Hermione don't!" They heard Ron pretend to sob. "It's from Percy! I don't care about the international standards of the grain size of floo powder!" He sighed, "OK --OK! If you must…Just don't read any out loud unless I can make fun of it…"
Harry and Ginny giggled into each other as they listened from behind the divan. They hadn't got them to leave, but at least they could annoy them so that they'd want to. Harry rightly assumed that Ginny was as much a mistress of this game as the one on the chessboard.
They could hear Ron tapping his foot exaggeratedly. Sharing an amused glance, Harry and Ginny crawled up to the seat of the sofa to peer over at them.
Hermione looked up from the letter, puzzled. "It just says 'Kids, only have a minute - will come around fireside tonight to talk at 9:00. No one else around, got it?' --that's it."
Ron glanced at the clock on the wall and sniggered. "Quick! There's still time to escape!" He grabbed Hemione's hand and made as if to drag her from the room. She giggled and pulled him back. He grabbed her face in both hands. "Oh all right, but you're not leaving my side! He likes you, though I don't think that's anything to brag about. Keep him talking and if I start to nod off, cover for me, OK?" Hermione grinned up at him and kissed his nose.
"Sod off." She said lovingly.
"Good thing you got the letter to him - would have been a bit awkward if Percy's head just popped up in the fireplace suddenly." Ginny whispered. Then she gasped "What if you hadn't….and we'd been…alone? You'd be either dead from an attacking head or from boredom from a lecture. Either way, it's a close call."
"Don't think about it." Harry chortled tackling her. She shrieked as he grabbed both of her hands into one of his own. "Uh oh…you're in trouble now." He kissed the spot on her neck that drove her crazy. She squealed, attempting vainly to throw him off.
"Ron -what's going on here?"
Harry jumped at the voice. He whirled to look at the speaker - whoops -- and hit the floor with a thud. He took Ginny with him for company and they lay in a giggling heap on the floor.
"Hi Percy!" Hermione said brightly dragging Ron over to the fire. "How are you?"
Harry looked up at the oddly floating head of Percy Weasley. He'd seen wizards use this mode of communication in the past, of course, but it never ceased to make him feel uncomfortable.
"I'm well, thanks Hermione." The disembodied head turned to peer at the figures on the hearthrug and looked shocked. "Ginny? Harry! What do you THINK you're doing?" Yes, it was as if Percy the Head Boy had never left Hogwarts. HEAD Boy! Harry snorted. That was actually rather funny.
Ginny sat up and adjusted her jumper. "Nothing at all Perce. Never been better. Just having tea…Why do you ask? " She smiled disarmingly, taking full advantage of her place as baby sister. "So what's with the new look? Honestly, I think you'd look better with your body…or someone else's maybe …it's less…weird."
"Yeah, what's up Percy?" Ron chortled. "What's so important that you need to drag your sorry nut up here? Isn't Penelope missing it? " The majority of the people in the room tittered, then quieted at a look from Hermione.
"Ok, look. I only have a few minutes. You need to settle down now and listen. This is serious. Father sent me." Percy's voice sounded anxious and strained now, very unlike his usual priggish tones.
They sobered up, glancing at each other. Something had to be wrong. Harry automatically pulled Ginny to him. She met him half-way. They both seemed to gravitate to each other instinctively at any sign of trouble now. They'd had a lot of practice lately.
"Listen to me. Carefully! " Percy's voice lowered to a whisper, " I can't give many details - it's better that you don't know much anyhow." He took a deep breath. "The first thing I need to say is -- do NOT leave Hogwarts grounds! Not for any reason AT ALL, understand?" He glared at them. Harry and Ginny exchanged nervous glances Hermione slipped her hand into Ron's and he pulled her to him.
"Erm..what's up Perce?" Ron shifted uneasily as he gazed into the fire.
"Things are getting bad out here. It's not safe." Percy's head swiveled around taking in both couples. "People are disappearing every day. We don't know if they are going into hiding or if they've been…taken. The Dark Mark appears everywhere it seems, but not enough to account for all of the disappearances. I wouldn't expect too many of your schoolmates back after break if I were you - it doesn't look like many will be left."
Harry felt an icy coldness steal up his spine and tightened his arms around Ginny, who hadn't moved or made a sound. It sounded absurd, like Percy was reading lines from a really bad play. None of their classmates left? That seemed a bit melodramatic, Harry thought. But then…this was Percy Weasley - or at least his head - telling him, not Professor Trelawney. It must be…true. He heard a faint gasp from Hermione, saw Ron whisper something in her ear. Percy's words seemed to echo in his brain. He shook his head to clear it. It was all happening so fast. After months of nothing but rumor, suddenly everything seemed to be closing in. How could everything get so bad…so fast?
Ron, still holding Hermione tightly, asked stiffly, "So then, let me get this straight - everyone, well not everyone -- is dead, dying or disappeared, right?" The head nodded vigorously. "Ok… so then, here we are, just hanging about Hogwarts with nothing to do except wait to see if any of our friends will TURN UP ALIVE? What is this rot, Percy? Dad didn't send you with this rubbish -"
"RON!"
Percy's eyes looked glassy behind the horn-rimmed spectacles. He closed them briefly.
Ginny pulled away from Harry to bend over closer. "Percy…what's going on?" The shadows from the flames played on her face. Her eyes were wide and frightened.
"Look, I told Mum that I would make sure you lot kept safe, all right? I promised her that…that..." He trailed off.
"Promised her what?" Ron hissed back indignantly.
"That she wouldn't have to risk any more kids. " Percy sounded dull and defeated.
"Percy…?" Ginny fell back as if struck. Harry grabbed for her. "What are you saying?"
The head seemed to droop in it's spot in the flames. "Fred and George. They are Immolo Appeto -- on You-Know-Who's …death watch. Every death-eater in Britain is hunting for them right now."
"Fred…and George? What did they do? Sell him a Canary Cream?" Ron sounded more incredulous than upset.
Percy's head just shook slowly back and forth, as if on an invisible pivot.
"Perce!" Ron almost yelled, grabbing the mantle. "What's going on? Tell us or I'll drop kick you like a football!"
"Well DON'T" Percy sounded almost like himself for one priggish minute. "Foolish boys…well, I won't say that, but they should have been more discreet..." Percy dropped his voice again. "Here we'd thought they were just busy with their little joke shop. Figured they were just waiting out the war, playing with all their rubbish. Guess they found a way to put their inventions to better use." His voice took on a tone of pride. "They had been supplying our fighters with some of the best magical munitions the wizarding world has ever seen! More than one Death Eater never saw his end coming, thanks to them. Why, they took out a whole nest of them in a hovel in Diagon Alley just a few months ago! Of course, we didn't know then who was behind it. But it looks now that they'd been under suspicion for some time. Two nights ago the shop just went up in flames…We thought they were blown to bits. Then we get this owl saying they were OK. But that's all we know from them. The rest comes from some of our people on the inside…" he sighed wearily. "None of us had any idea…"
The four silently stared at the disembodied head. If Percy had appeared to tell them that Dumbledore had joined the Death-eaters, it couldn't have felt more unreal. Of all of the people to get in Voldemort's way…Harry couldn't speak, couldn't think. It was all gone. What had happened to their world while they worried about tests and kisses and Quidditch? How could the twins - the TWINS be fleeing from death? From having killed others themselves? In cold…blood…A whirling cloud before his eyes cleared momentarily and he looked around at their happy little world on the hearthrug. He felt raw, as if someone had ripped a bandage off of a wound without warning. It had all been a dream. While he and Ginny wrestled with their own problems, and serious ones at that, they were still able to put all the fear away and forget for long sweet periods of time. How had it disappeared in a few words?
"Well, no matter. They're just off for a bit of a holiday underground I dare say" Percy said crisply and irritatingly. "They will be fine Ginny!" his eyes softened as he looked almost pleadingly at his little sister. "I'm sure we'll be hearing from them in no time at all! But IN THE MEANTIME, I expect you four to keep low. This is not a joke! Whatever happens, we want to be able to know that…well, that you lot are safe…" Percy nodded briskly. Harry waited dully for him to straighten his HEAD BOY pin. "Well, I'm off. Shall I give your love to Mother?"
Ron opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Hermione turned concernedly to him. Ginny seemed to sway slightly, then shook herself and knelt down to look into Percy's eyes.
"Of course Percy." The voice that answered was hoarse and not hers. "Is mum OK?"
He smiled gratefully, "She'll be all right. I hate to think what she'll do once she gets her hands on them. They might wish they had been caught…" he trailed off. "Well, never mind…must be off. Remember!" With a stern look at each of the four, Percy's head disappeared with a loud pop.
They all stared at the now-empty fireplace. Ginny slumped to the rug and pulled her knees up to her chest. Harry shook off the numbness to gather her into his arms. Couldn't they at least have some more time to hold each other when they weren't confused and terrified? He felt a great void in him echoing that it was over. No, they would have no more reprieves.
"The twins?" Ginny was the first to break the silence. "Idiots!" She was shaking her head angrily. She pressed her hand to her face, but a sob broke through --
"I'm so proud of them…stupid prats! Who knew they could be s-s-so brilliant? I didn't even th-think they knew there w-w-was a w-world outside of their shop!" she wiped away tears absently, as if they were an annoying distraction. She gave a long shivering sigh. "What happened?" Harry pressed his face into her hair. She felt it too. Betrayed. "What are we going to do?"
Her words hung in the air like the threads of a patronous.
Ron stared at the floor, head on Hermione's shoulder. She laid a gentle hand on his face, "You OK?" One lone tear ran down her pale cheek. He didn't answer; just pulled her to him and buried his face in her hair.
Ginny gently untangled herself from Harry's arms and stood up, pulling him with her. She wrapped a small arm around her tall brother and hid her face in Harry's chest. Harry felt Hermione's hand slip into his and grasp it with shaking fingers. The figures silhouetted in the dim red light seemed to become one as arms entwined and embraced, heads dropped on shoulders and tears fell. The silence continued, there were no answers forthcoming. The four friends stood together -- each attempting to give comfort and take strength whilst somehow preparing themselves for the suddenly grim and frightening future that lay ahead.
"Dammit Ginny! Do you TELL them to act like that?" Ron complained as the white bishop whacked his knight across the board and off the end of the table. It then turned and saluted his laughing sister.
"No! I don't tell them to do anything except where to go! Is it my fault that your players just happen to stray into their path? Maybe if you concentrated a little harder on the game…."
"Shut up…" Ron pulled a face at her, then returned his eyes to the board.
Ginny looked up; her dancing eyes meeting the gleaming green ones. Harry raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at the hearthrug. The brown eyes laughed silently and nodded.
It was the first night of Christmas break. As the only Gryffindors not going home, the four had the tower to themselves. The holiday feeling seemed to pervade the entire castle. The excitement in the air was really quite funny, Harry thought. He'd noticed a bit of whispering and giggling from Ron and Hermione and assumed that they were making elaborate plans for the holiday. Harry and Ginny hadn't said much. It was safer to leave Ron in blissful ignorance about their late-night activities. What little they'd had so far. But hopefully that would change tonight. Harry felt his face flush and heard a giggle. He didn't need to look up to know that his beloved had caught him thinking lascivious thoughts.
"What?" Ron didn't look up from the chessboard. Harry was profoundly grateful, since Ginny was slowly licking her lips at him in a burlesque of a seduction. He sniggered; glancing quickly over at Hermione curled in the corner of the sofa they shared. She was lost in a book, of course. He bent over slightly to get a surreptitious look at the title. "A Witches Glory: Fertility Charms." His eyes widened. He glanced up at Hermione. She was completely absorbed. Of course, it was probably for a class…a class, yeah! He decided that it was way too weird to think about now, so he tucked it away for later analysis. He turned back to the game just in time to see Ron glance at his girlfriend with a smile. Amusedly, he watched and saw his best friend squint at the title of the book. The smile froze. Harry grinned. He didn't know that blood could drain from a face and then flood back with such rapidity without killing the person.
"Er…Her..Her.. Hermione? " Ron's eyes were round and looked slightly glazed.
Hermione looked up innocently - or so she appeared. "What's wrong, Ron?" she smiled bemusedly at her befuddled boyfriend. She followed his frozen gaze to her book. "Oh…I see…" she giggled slightly. "Come here…" She held out a hand.
Harry watched Ron reach out and slide his Queen into the way of Ginny's bishop, who was practically slavering to get his decidedly un-clerical hands on it.
"Ron!" Ginny was mad. "Pay attention!"
"No…you go ahead… I've already eaten…" Ron got up as if in a trance and stumbled over to Hermione. Ginny looked puzzled.
Harry leapt from the couch as if it were on fire. He DID NOT want to be present for any conversation those two might have about the book. But then… He glanced over at Ginny, who had turned back to the board and was watching her bishop maim Ron's Queen with a certain bloodthirsty satisfaction. He slipped over to her. She glanced up looking disgruntled, then saw it was he and her face lit up. Harry thought his heart would burst at the happiness that smile brought to him.
"Care to join me - over THERE?" he whispered, nodding toward …THERE.
Ginny rose immediately. "What's THAT all about?" she tossed her head indicating the whispering couple on the couch. She cocked her head slightly as if trying to get a better look. "Or do I not want to know?"
"SHHH! I'll tell you in a minute." He pulled her down on the hearthrug, wrapping her in his arms so that they could both stare into the flames. His lips lingering, he softly explained the situation in her ear. She laughed, throwing back her head in that way he adored so that her wild crimson hair tickled his nose.
"So you've finally noticed?"
"What?"
"Mr. Potter!" she peered up at him mischievously. "How irresponsible of you! You've never once given a thought to…well…" Color flooded her face and she suddenly looked embarrassed. She turned back to the fire, tucking her knees up under her arms. "Harry!" she lowered her voice more. "I'm talking about…you know!"
Now Harry was completely lost. "Er…sorry?"
"OK." She sighed. "Birth control, Harry!" She sneaked a look while half-hiding her face in her knees- her cheeks pink and her eyes shining.
His jaw hit the top of her head in shock. He blinked. What HAD he been thinking? NOTHING, he realized, feeling stupid and more than a little stunned at the implication. How could he have…His blood surged at the mere memory. Oh. Yes. That was how.
"Gin!" he tightened his arms, burying his face in the warm place between her shoulder and neck. "I'm so sorry! I never thought we would…at least, not THEN…I …oh wow..." He kissed the spot penitently. "Not very like a sensitive modern man, was it?"
An arm crept up around his head. "Harry! It's OK! I may be bad-tempered, pink-haired on occasion and in love with a man with a target on his back, but I DO plan ahead!" She giggled and turned her head to kiss him. "That's MY book Hermione is reading. She's not the only one that can do a bit of research, you know." Harry's head popped up, eyes wide.
"What? Really?" She amazed him. She seemed to do that more and more lately. "So...er… I guess she won't tell.. your brother that…so…did you….er…How can you look so innocent and be such a scarlet woman?" he finally burst out laughing.
"I had been experimenting for a while actually. You never know when it might just come in handy." Ginny's eyes took on an evil glint. "I tried my first real one that night after -"she bubbled over with laughter "after my hair turned pink!"
"Really?"
"Well, you know…after our little talk about…you know."
He pulled her back against him as he relaxed against a cushion. He felt warm and embraced. How had he never before noticed what a wonderful spot this rug was? "So you were prepared?" He chuckled delightedly. "How incredibly modern of you, Gin! So how does it….well, you know - work?"
"Oh, curious NOW, are you? Actually, there's tons of them, Harry!" She snuggled into him closer causing burning memories to surge up and blank his mind. "I'll show you once I wrestle the book back from Hermione. There's potions, charms, even plants! Of course, some are more reliable than others, but I don't think anyone told MY parents that." She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.
"It's a good thing, too." Harry said hurriedly. He really hadn't heard the last bit. He sat up and turned her chin gently to kiss her, savoring the flavor and the feeling of her as she pressed back against him. It seemed useless and unfair that she should be wearing all those clothes. He glanced over toward Ron and Hermione, who seemed to be thinking similar thoughts. They were certainly acting like it. He wasn't sure; he could only see Ron's back. He grinned wickedly down at Ginny's flushed face.
"So what's the plan for tonight?" he whispered.
Her eyes lit up. "Well, I wasn't sure I was really in the mood…" she trailed off teasingly as Harry, knowing a challenge when he heard one, set about convincing her.
"RON!" Ginny sat up suddenly, giggling. "Oi! Ron! - OW!" She pulled her wand out from under herself and tossed it away. Her brother came up for air looking disgruntled.
"Get us a cup of tea, would you?" she fell back on Harry and shrieked with laughter. He joined in, rolling her onto her back and pinning her. "Well, I tried!" she giggled softly.
"I thought you were going to think up a GOOD excuse to get rid of them." he gasped, still laughing.
"Oh, fine - you do better then!" she smacked him on the shoulder and he grinned wickedly. He slid light fingers under her sweater, tickling in certain spots, definitely NOT tickling in others.
With the determination of one used to winning her fights, she ran a bold hand up his leg, not stopping until --
"Right! " he choked pushing away as he turned scarlet and peered furtively at the their friends over the sheltering divan "Er…Ron…" Ron looked up again, now clearly annoyed and more than a little red himself. Hermione pulled herself up and seemed very busy straightening her shirt. She was pink-cheeked and looked more than a little embarrassed.
"Yeah -- can't you two think of anything better to do than chatter? No, don't answer that." Ron hid a smile and held up a warning finger toward his girlfriend as she prepared to get up. "Here - where d'you think your going?"
"Er…Here -" Harry reached into his robes "You weren't at breakfast this morning. Forgot to give this to you." He tossed a letter. Hermione giggled and reached down to fish it up from under the ottoman. "How's that?" he ducked back behind the barricade.
"And how is THAT going to get them out of the room?" Ginny poked him in the back.
"Maybe it's a howler and they'll run for cover. Your mum been mad at him lately?"
Ginny flopped on her back, shaking her head at the ceiling. "You're hopeless at subterfuge. It's so obvious you grew up without older brothers."
"Hermione don't!" They heard Ron pretend to sob. "It's from Percy! I don't care about the international standards of the grain size of floo powder!" He sighed, "OK --OK! If you must…Just don't read any out loud unless I can make fun of it…"
Harry and Ginny giggled into each other as they listened from behind the divan. They hadn't got them to leave, but at least they could annoy them so that they'd want to. Harry rightly assumed that Ginny was as much a mistress of this game as the one on the chessboard.
They could hear Ron tapping his foot exaggeratedly. Sharing an amused glance, Harry and Ginny crawled up to the seat of the sofa to peer over at them.
Hermione looked up from the letter, puzzled. "It just says 'Kids, only have a minute - will come around fireside tonight to talk at 9:00. No one else around, got it?' --that's it."
Ron glanced at the clock on the wall and sniggered. "Quick! There's still time to escape!" He grabbed Hemione's hand and made as if to drag her from the room. She giggled and pulled him back. He grabbed her face in both hands. "Oh all right, but you're not leaving my side! He likes you, though I don't think that's anything to brag about. Keep him talking and if I start to nod off, cover for me, OK?" Hermione grinned up at him and kissed his nose.
"Sod off." She said lovingly.
"Good thing you got the letter to him - would have been a bit awkward if Percy's head just popped up in the fireplace suddenly." Ginny whispered. Then she gasped "What if you hadn't….and we'd been…alone? You'd be either dead from an attacking head or from boredom from a lecture. Either way, it's a close call."
"Don't think about it." Harry chortled tackling her. She shrieked as he grabbed both of her hands into one of his own. "Uh oh…you're in trouble now." He kissed the spot on her neck that drove her crazy. She squealed, attempting vainly to throw him off.
"Ron -what's going on here?"
Harry jumped at the voice. He whirled to look at the speaker - whoops -- and hit the floor with a thud. He took Ginny with him for company and they lay in a giggling heap on the floor.
"Hi Percy!" Hermione said brightly dragging Ron over to the fire. "How are you?"
Harry looked up at the oddly floating head of Percy Weasley. He'd seen wizards use this mode of communication in the past, of course, but it never ceased to make him feel uncomfortable.
"I'm well, thanks Hermione." The disembodied head turned to peer at the figures on the hearthrug and looked shocked. "Ginny? Harry! What do you THINK you're doing?" Yes, it was as if Percy the Head Boy had never left Hogwarts. HEAD Boy! Harry snorted. That was actually rather funny.
Ginny sat up and adjusted her jumper. "Nothing at all Perce. Never been better. Just having tea…Why do you ask? " She smiled disarmingly, taking full advantage of her place as baby sister. "So what's with the new look? Honestly, I think you'd look better with your body…or someone else's maybe …it's less…weird."
"Yeah, what's up Percy?" Ron chortled. "What's so important that you need to drag your sorry nut up here? Isn't Penelope missing it? " The majority of the people in the room tittered, then quieted at a look from Hermione.
"Ok, look. I only have a few minutes. You need to settle down now and listen. This is serious. Father sent me." Percy's voice sounded anxious and strained now, very unlike his usual priggish tones.
They sobered up, glancing at each other. Something had to be wrong. Harry automatically pulled Ginny to him. She met him half-way. They both seemed to gravitate to each other instinctively at any sign of trouble now. They'd had a lot of practice lately.
"Listen to me. Carefully! " Percy's voice lowered to a whisper, " I can't give many details - it's better that you don't know much anyhow." He took a deep breath. "The first thing I need to say is -- do NOT leave Hogwarts grounds! Not for any reason AT ALL, understand?" He glared at them. Harry and Ginny exchanged nervous glances Hermione slipped her hand into Ron's and he pulled her to him.
"Erm..what's up Perce?" Ron shifted uneasily as he gazed into the fire.
"Things are getting bad out here. It's not safe." Percy's head swiveled around taking in both couples. "People are disappearing every day. We don't know if they are going into hiding or if they've been…taken. The Dark Mark appears everywhere it seems, but not enough to account for all of the disappearances. I wouldn't expect too many of your schoolmates back after break if I were you - it doesn't look like many will be left."
Harry felt an icy coldness steal up his spine and tightened his arms around Ginny, who hadn't moved or made a sound. It sounded absurd, like Percy was reading lines from a really bad play. None of their classmates left? That seemed a bit melodramatic, Harry thought. But then…this was Percy Weasley - or at least his head - telling him, not Professor Trelawney. It must be…true. He heard a faint gasp from Hermione, saw Ron whisper something in her ear. Percy's words seemed to echo in his brain. He shook his head to clear it. It was all happening so fast. After months of nothing but rumor, suddenly everything seemed to be closing in. How could everything get so bad…so fast?
Ron, still holding Hermione tightly, asked stiffly, "So then, let me get this straight - everyone, well not everyone -- is dead, dying or disappeared, right?" The head nodded vigorously. "Ok… so then, here we are, just hanging about Hogwarts with nothing to do except wait to see if any of our friends will TURN UP ALIVE? What is this rot, Percy? Dad didn't send you with this rubbish -"
"RON!"
Percy's eyes looked glassy behind the horn-rimmed spectacles. He closed them briefly.
Ginny pulled away from Harry to bend over closer. "Percy…what's going on?" The shadows from the flames played on her face. Her eyes were wide and frightened.
"Look, I told Mum that I would make sure you lot kept safe, all right? I promised her that…that..." He trailed off.
"Promised her what?" Ron hissed back indignantly.
"That she wouldn't have to risk any more kids. " Percy sounded dull and defeated.
"Percy…?" Ginny fell back as if struck. Harry grabbed for her. "What are you saying?"
The head seemed to droop in it's spot in the flames. "Fred and George. They are Immolo Appeto -- on You-Know-Who's …death watch. Every death-eater in Britain is hunting for them right now."
"Fred…and George? What did they do? Sell him a Canary Cream?" Ron sounded more incredulous than upset.
Percy's head just shook slowly back and forth, as if on an invisible pivot.
"Perce!" Ron almost yelled, grabbing the mantle. "What's going on? Tell us or I'll drop kick you like a football!"
"Well DON'T" Percy sounded almost like himself for one priggish minute. "Foolish boys…well, I won't say that, but they should have been more discreet..." Percy dropped his voice again. "Here we'd thought they were just busy with their little joke shop. Figured they were just waiting out the war, playing with all their rubbish. Guess they found a way to put their inventions to better use." His voice took on a tone of pride. "They had been supplying our fighters with some of the best magical munitions the wizarding world has ever seen! More than one Death Eater never saw his end coming, thanks to them. Why, they took out a whole nest of them in a hovel in Diagon Alley just a few months ago! Of course, we didn't know then who was behind it. But it looks now that they'd been under suspicion for some time. Two nights ago the shop just went up in flames…We thought they were blown to bits. Then we get this owl saying they were OK. But that's all we know from them. The rest comes from some of our people on the inside…" he sighed wearily. "None of us had any idea…"
The four silently stared at the disembodied head. If Percy had appeared to tell them that Dumbledore had joined the Death-eaters, it couldn't have felt more unreal. Of all of the people to get in Voldemort's way…Harry couldn't speak, couldn't think. It was all gone. What had happened to their world while they worried about tests and kisses and Quidditch? How could the twins - the TWINS be fleeing from death? From having killed others themselves? In cold…blood…A whirling cloud before his eyes cleared momentarily and he looked around at their happy little world on the hearthrug. He felt raw, as if someone had ripped a bandage off of a wound without warning. It had all been a dream. While he and Ginny wrestled with their own problems, and serious ones at that, they were still able to put all the fear away and forget for long sweet periods of time. How had it disappeared in a few words?
"Well, no matter. They're just off for a bit of a holiday underground I dare say" Percy said crisply and irritatingly. "They will be fine Ginny!" his eyes softened as he looked almost pleadingly at his little sister. "I'm sure we'll be hearing from them in no time at all! But IN THE MEANTIME, I expect you four to keep low. This is not a joke! Whatever happens, we want to be able to know that…well, that you lot are safe…" Percy nodded briskly. Harry waited dully for him to straighten his HEAD BOY pin. "Well, I'm off. Shall I give your love to Mother?"
Ron opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Hermione turned concernedly to him. Ginny seemed to sway slightly, then shook herself and knelt down to look into Percy's eyes.
"Of course Percy." The voice that answered was hoarse and not hers. "Is mum OK?"
He smiled gratefully, "She'll be all right. I hate to think what she'll do once she gets her hands on them. They might wish they had been caught…" he trailed off. "Well, never mind…must be off. Remember!" With a stern look at each of the four, Percy's head disappeared with a loud pop.
They all stared at the now-empty fireplace. Ginny slumped to the rug and pulled her knees up to her chest. Harry shook off the numbness to gather her into his arms. Couldn't they at least have some more time to hold each other when they weren't confused and terrified? He felt a great void in him echoing that it was over. No, they would have no more reprieves.
"The twins?" Ginny was the first to break the silence. "Idiots!" She was shaking her head angrily. She pressed her hand to her face, but a sob broke through --
"I'm so proud of them…stupid prats! Who knew they could be s-s-so brilliant? I didn't even th-think they knew there w-w-was a w-world outside of their shop!" she wiped away tears absently, as if they were an annoying distraction. She gave a long shivering sigh. "What happened?" Harry pressed his face into her hair. She felt it too. Betrayed. "What are we going to do?"
Her words hung in the air like the threads of a patronous.
Ron stared at the floor, head on Hermione's shoulder. She laid a gentle hand on his face, "You OK?" One lone tear ran down her pale cheek. He didn't answer; just pulled her to him and buried his face in her hair.
Ginny gently untangled herself from Harry's arms and stood up, pulling him with her. She wrapped a small arm around her tall brother and hid her face in Harry's chest. Harry felt Hermione's hand slip into his and grasp it with shaking fingers. The figures silhouetted in the dim red light seemed to become one as arms entwined and embraced, heads dropped on shoulders and tears fell. The silence continued, there were no answers forthcoming. The four friends stood together -- each attempting to give comfort and take strength whilst somehow preparing themselves for the suddenly grim and frightening future that lay ahead.