The next day, Harry hurriedly packed for Ron's, as being a boy, he had only
just remembered at the last minute. He tempted Hedwig into her cage with a
dried mouse piece. Throwing a few articles of clothing into his bag, along
with the Broom Servicing Kit that Hermione had given him for his 13th
Birthday.
"Wow, 13," Harry said quietly, it seemed like yesterday he had unwrapped the present. How could 3 years have passed so quickly? And so eventfully? Carefully packing his Firebolt, Harry slung the bag over his shoulder, and walked downstairs to a waiting Sirius.
"Now, are you sure you've got everything?" Sirius asked worriedly.
"Being the over-concerned godfather are we?" Remus asked sarcastically. Harry smiled at Sirius's consideration.
"Yep, it's all there!" He patted the bag on his shoulder.
"Right then, here we go!" Sirius and Harry waved goodbye to Remus as the green Floo powder encircled them. They arrived at the Weasleys in a tangle of limbs and baggage. Hearing the thump in the fireplace, Molly Weasley came to investigate. When she saw Harry climbing out of the fireplace, she raced over and enveloped him in hug. Sirius's face twisted into a laughing, but silent smile. But this was quickly wiped off his face when Mrs Weasley also hugged him.
"Harry dear, how are you? And it's so nice to see you again Sirius! You and Mr Lupin must come around for dinner one night while Harry's here. Ron talks of you two all the time. Oh here, put your feet up and grab a cup of tea!" Mrs Weasley bustled around the kitchen, talking a mile a minute. Ron, Hermione, Fred and George all trooped into the kitchen, allowing their noses to be lead by the tantalising scent of Mrs Weasleys honey cakes.
"Hello Harry!" all 4 said at once. They looked at each, and they cracked up laughing, Harry joining in shortly after. George started to snort-laugh and this made Fred laugh so hard, tears streamed down his face. Percy chose this moment to enter the room, with a mild expression on his face.
"Oh, hello Harry," he said, sending the 5 Hogwarts students into a riot of laughter again. Percy, looking a little disgruntled, barely noticed Harry's wave of greeting. He turned to his mother who was still racing around the kitchen, carefully stepping over her twin sons who were rolling on the floor laughing.
"Mother, Penelope has just sent me an owl, she would like you to accompany her on a shopping expedition," Percy spoke with such a tone of authority, that the 5 already laughing people, were incapable of speech for at least 15 minutes. They were laughing much much too hard.
Dinner that night was an enjoyable affair. Mr and Mrs Weasley, Charlie, Bill (with girlfriend), Fred and George, Ron, Hermione, Percy, Penelope, Ginny and Harry were all present. The twins spent much of the time harassing an already frazzled Percy, who was trying to get Penelope to stay focused on wedding plans. However, Penelope didn't appear interested in plans, but instead in Fred and George's tricks.
"Penelope, please just look at these cakes!" Percy whined. Penelope looked over in annoyance, she was talking to Bill.
"Whichever one you want is fine with me sweetie!" she called back. Percy hurrumphed and kept flicking pages. Ron nudged Harry in the ribs.
"Total role reversal. Penelope isn't really interested in planning the wedding at all, but Percy is totally into it!" Ron whispered, tilting his head away from the couple. Harry smirked, a trait he was learning from Sirius.
"That's not fair Ron! Penelope has been working hard already. She's picked out dresses, and flowers and decorations. She just wants a break!" Hermione stuck up for her new friend. Ron shrugged.
When everyone had finished eating, the family was led into the garden, for a Filibusters light show, put on by Fred and George. The small crowd stood in awe of the spectacle. The twins were really quite talented in things like this.
"Mum's seriously considering letting them open a shop," Charlie muttered to Harry, while keeping his eye on the fireworks. Working with dragons had taught him to never stop watching anything closely regarding fires. Harry raised his eyebrows, a trait acquired from Remus. "Lucky devils!" he whispered back.
When the last firework had fizzled out, Mr and Mrs Weasley left, as did Charlie, to do the washing up. Percy and Penelope strolled off, hand in hand, obviously forgetting their wedding troubles for the time being. Bill, and his girlfriend Mercedes engaged Fred and George in a lively debate about the best way to disorient gnomes, so Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry were left to their own devices.
Ginny quickly ran inside to grab a blanket and thermos of Butterbeer. The others looked at each other, puzzled. When she came out again, she looked over at Ron and simply said,
"McDonald's!" Ron cottoned onto her straight away, but Harry and Hermione remained clueless. Surely she didn't mean the fast-food joint. Ron led the way down a grassy hill, with Hermione close by his heels. Ginny and Harry lagged a bit behind.
"Where are we going?" the heard Hermione call to Ron.
"You'll see!" came back the cryptic response. Harry looked over to Ginny, but didn't reveal their destination either, only giving him a cheeky grin. The walked along a bit further, and Ginny started to shiver. Neither Harry nor Ginny were in possession of the blanket, so that couldn't keep her warm. Harry tentatively put an arm around her shoulders.
"Better?" he asked, nervously.
"Much," she said shyly. Harry smiled back at her. It would have been a nice moment, if Ron hadn't started shouting out that they were there. Ascending the hill, Harry peered curiously over the top. When he looked down, he saw one of the most beautiful sites he'd ever seen. A sparkling lake was reflecting the velvet sky, shooting stars and all. Millions of glowing stars twinkled brightly, and the moon sparkled shiniest of all.
"It's beautiful," Hermione breathed. Ron looked pleased with himself, like it had been his idea to come here.
"Is it enchanted?" Harry asked Ginny.
"No, it's just a regular, very reflective lake!" she joked.
"No, seriously, it's not magical. Our neighbour, Old Man McDonald owns it" Ron explained. Hermione and Harry both snorted.
"Old McDonald?" Hermione spluttered out. Two redheads bobbed up and down, looking puzzled at the bursts of laughter coming from the two brought up in the Muggle world. Ron slowly started to shake his head, obviously thinking they'd gone mad. Ginny lay down the rug, and when the 4 scrambled to find good places, Hermione and Harry was amazed to find that it expanded to fit all on comfortably. They sat in companionable silence for awhile, gazing at the lake and sky. Occasionally someone would point out a shooting star, but for the most, there was silence. Hermione leaned back into Ron's lap, looking completely comfortable. Ron didn't appear to notice this at all, only adjusting to stroke her head lightly with his hand. Harry looked over at Ginny. Maybe one day, I'll have that too, he thought to himself. Ginny turned and noticed him smiling slightly at her.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing,"
"No, really, what?"
"Nothing!"
"Well if you insist," Ginny appeared to drop the matter, but instead of settling back into her seat, she leant over and tickled Harry's sides. He gave a shock of laughter. He hadn't been expecting this. He reached over to her and pinned one arm to the ground, reaching over with his other arm to tickle. Ron and Hermione watched over in interest. They could tell it was the first few flirtatious stages of a relationship. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry continued talking down by the lake, till late into the night. Lying on their backs, watching the stars, Hermione suddenly jumped up with a shriek.
"What? What?" Ron yelled, getting up and joining in Hermione's shrieking.
"It's raining!" Hermione stopped jumping around, but looked puzzled.
"There's not a cloud in the sky!" Ginny reasoned. Hermione looked around suspiciously.
"I know," she said, darting her head around to a noise on her left. She marched over the small tree and reached behind. She came up with a handful of George's hair and Fred's ear. They looked sheepish, and held up their hands. The both had water pistols.
"We magicked them to shoot over 100 metres!" Fred said energetically. George nodded and demonstrated. Harry and Ron looked suitably impressed, but they girls still looked a little miffed and annoyed. "Oi, they have a picnic and all set up Freddy!" George noticed. He wandered over the blanket and plopped down. Almost lazily, he waved his wand in the air, and conjured up more glasses, and some food. Fred joined him on the blanket. Ron shot Harry a look. Harry just shrugged, and went to sit down on the rug as well. The girls and Ron followed, and were then entertained by stories of the twin's joke shop for many hours
"Wow, 13," Harry said quietly, it seemed like yesterday he had unwrapped the present. How could 3 years have passed so quickly? And so eventfully? Carefully packing his Firebolt, Harry slung the bag over his shoulder, and walked downstairs to a waiting Sirius.
"Now, are you sure you've got everything?" Sirius asked worriedly.
"Being the over-concerned godfather are we?" Remus asked sarcastically. Harry smiled at Sirius's consideration.
"Yep, it's all there!" He patted the bag on his shoulder.
"Right then, here we go!" Sirius and Harry waved goodbye to Remus as the green Floo powder encircled them. They arrived at the Weasleys in a tangle of limbs and baggage. Hearing the thump in the fireplace, Molly Weasley came to investigate. When she saw Harry climbing out of the fireplace, she raced over and enveloped him in hug. Sirius's face twisted into a laughing, but silent smile. But this was quickly wiped off his face when Mrs Weasley also hugged him.
"Harry dear, how are you? And it's so nice to see you again Sirius! You and Mr Lupin must come around for dinner one night while Harry's here. Ron talks of you two all the time. Oh here, put your feet up and grab a cup of tea!" Mrs Weasley bustled around the kitchen, talking a mile a minute. Ron, Hermione, Fred and George all trooped into the kitchen, allowing their noses to be lead by the tantalising scent of Mrs Weasleys honey cakes.
"Hello Harry!" all 4 said at once. They looked at each, and they cracked up laughing, Harry joining in shortly after. George started to snort-laugh and this made Fred laugh so hard, tears streamed down his face. Percy chose this moment to enter the room, with a mild expression on his face.
"Oh, hello Harry," he said, sending the 5 Hogwarts students into a riot of laughter again. Percy, looking a little disgruntled, barely noticed Harry's wave of greeting. He turned to his mother who was still racing around the kitchen, carefully stepping over her twin sons who were rolling on the floor laughing.
"Mother, Penelope has just sent me an owl, she would like you to accompany her on a shopping expedition," Percy spoke with such a tone of authority, that the 5 already laughing people, were incapable of speech for at least 15 minutes. They were laughing much much too hard.
Dinner that night was an enjoyable affair. Mr and Mrs Weasley, Charlie, Bill (with girlfriend), Fred and George, Ron, Hermione, Percy, Penelope, Ginny and Harry were all present. The twins spent much of the time harassing an already frazzled Percy, who was trying to get Penelope to stay focused on wedding plans. However, Penelope didn't appear interested in plans, but instead in Fred and George's tricks.
"Penelope, please just look at these cakes!" Percy whined. Penelope looked over in annoyance, she was talking to Bill.
"Whichever one you want is fine with me sweetie!" she called back. Percy hurrumphed and kept flicking pages. Ron nudged Harry in the ribs.
"Total role reversal. Penelope isn't really interested in planning the wedding at all, but Percy is totally into it!" Ron whispered, tilting his head away from the couple. Harry smirked, a trait he was learning from Sirius.
"That's not fair Ron! Penelope has been working hard already. She's picked out dresses, and flowers and decorations. She just wants a break!" Hermione stuck up for her new friend. Ron shrugged.
When everyone had finished eating, the family was led into the garden, for a Filibusters light show, put on by Fred and George. The small crowd stood in awe of the spectacle. The twins were really quite talented in things like this.
"Mum's seriously considering letting them open a shop," Charlie muttered to Harry, while keeping his eye on the fireworks. Working with dragons had taught him to never stop watching anything closely regarding fires. Harry raised his eyebrows, a trait acquired from Remus. "Lucky devils!" he whispered back.
When the last firework had fizzled out, Mr and Mrs Weasley left, as did Charlie, to do the washing up. Percy and Penelope strolled off, hand in hand, obviously forgetting their wedding troubles for the time being. Bill, and his girlfriend Mercedes engaged Fred and George in a lively debate about the best way to disorient gnomes, so Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry were left to their own devices.
Ginny quickly ran inside to grab a blanket and thermos of Butterbeer. The others looked at each other, puzzled. When she came out again, she looked over at Ron and simply said,
"McDonald's!" Ron cottoned onto her straight away, but Harry and Hermione remained clueless. Surely she didn't mean the fast-food joint. Ron led the way down a grassy hill, with Hermione close by his heels. Ginny and Harry lagged a bit behind.
"Where are we going?" the heard Hermione call to Ron.
"You'll see!" came back the cryptic response. Harry looked over to Ginny, but didn't reveal their destination either, only giving him a cheeky grin. The walked along a bit further, and Ginny started to shiver. Neither Harry nor Ginny were in possession of the blanket, so that couldn't keep her warm. Harry tentatively put an arm around her shoulders.
"Better?" he asked, nervously.
"Much," she said shyly. Harry smiled back at her. It would have been a nice moment, if Ron hadn't started shouting out that they were there. Ascending the hill, Harry peered curiously over the top. When he looked down, he saw one of the most beautiful sites he'd ever seen. A sparkling lake was reflecting the velvet sky, shooting stars and all. Millions of glowing stars twinkled brightly, and the moon sparkled shiniest of all.
"It's beautiful," Hermione breathed. Ron looked pleased with himself, like it had been his idea to come here.
"Is it enchanted?" Harry asked Ginny.
"No, it's just a regular, very reflective lake!" she joked.
"No, seriously, it's not magical. Our neighbour, Old Man McDonald owns it" Ron explained. Hermione and Harry both snorted.
"Old McDonald?" Hermione spluttered out. Two redheads bobbed up and down, looking puzzled at the bursts of laughter coming from the two brought up in the Muggle world. Ron slowly started to shake his head, obviously thinking they'd gone mad. Ginny lay down the rug, and when the 4 scrambled to find good places, Hermione and Harry was amazed to find that it expanded to fit all on comfortably. They sat in companionable silence for awhile, gazing at the lake and sky. Occasionally someone would point out a shooting star, but for the most, there was silence. Hermione leaned back into Ron's lap, looking completely comfortable. Ron didn't appear to notice this at all, only adjusting to stroke her head lightly with his hand. Harry looked over at Ginny. Maybe one day, I'll have that too, he thought to himself. Ginny turned and noticed him smiling slightly at her.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing,"
"No, really, what?"
"Nothing!"
"Well if you insist," Ginny appeared to drop the matter, but instead of settling back into her seat, she leant over and tickled Harry's sides. He gave a shock of laughter. He hadn't been expecting this. He reached over to her and pinned one arm to the ground, reaching over with his other arm to tickle. Ron and Hermione watched over in interest. They could tell it was the first few flirtatious stages of a relationship. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry continued talking down by the lake, till late into the night. Lying on their backs, watching the stars, Hermione suddenly jumped up with a shriek.
"What? What?" Ron yelled, getting up and joining in Hermione's shrieking.
"It's raining!" Hermione stopped jumping around, but looked puzzled.
"There's not a cloud in the sky!" Ginny reasoned. Hermione looked around suspiciously.
"I know," she said, darting her head around to a noise on her left. She marched over the small tree and reached behind. She came up with a handful of George's hair and Fred's ear. They looked sheepish, and held up their hands. The both had water pistols.
"We magicked them to shoot over 100 metres!" Fred said energetically. George nodded and demonstrated. Harry and Ron looked suitably impressed, but they girls still looked a little miffed and annoyed. "Oi, they have a picnic and all set up Freddy!" George noticed. He wandered over the blanket and plopped down. Almost lazily, he waved his wand in the air, and conjured up more glasses, and some food. Fred joined him on the blanket. Ron shot Harry a look. Harry just shrugged, and went to sit down on the rug as well. The girls and Ron followed, and were then entertained by stories of the twin's joke shop for many hours