Breakfast at the Burrow had always been a hectic affair and recent events weren't about to spoil Mrs. Weasley's record.
"Oh come on dear, I know you can do better than that," she crooned as she dumped two more ladles of porridge into his bowl. "You young people develop quickly and you need the strength." BY now Harry had been supplied with another serving of sausages, eggs and a big glob of some mushy stuff that was supposed to strengthen his bones.
"More bacon for me, mum." Ron said between mouthfuls. "I don't think so young man!" his mother snapped, "Don't think I've not seen that flab on your sides," she shifted her own bulk, "And don't talk with your mouth full!"
Since it was only the three of them present at the table, Ron didn't blush as much as he would've when Harry ducked behind his mound of food and tried unsuccessfully to disguise his snickering as a sudden bout of coughing.
Instead, he shot his mother a 'how do you know what I've got hanging on my sides' look when her back was turned. The only other occupant of the house ambled down the stairs.
"Hi there, miss sunshine." Harry jeered at Ginny, at had become generally known that Ginny was no longer a klutz around Harry, but he dropped his jovial attitude when he saw the state she was in.
"What's wrong, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, alarmed, and with reason to be so. Ginny was still in her night robe, she was sullen skinned and her hair was a tangled mass.
She mustered up a smile, "Nothing, mum. Just tired, staying up late to do homework for school." Mrs. Weasley didn't look convinced but she allowed her to take a seat at the table without asking any more questions. Ginny dipped her spoon unenthusiastically into her bowl.
"So, what do you lads have planned for the day?"
"Quidditch practice with Ron," Harry answered automatically.
"Not today mate," sighed Ron and ate sausage from Harry's plate, "I'm staying in to write an explanation to Hermione about Zargof. Haven't thought up a good excuse yet. How does, 'accidentally got hit by a passing bludger sound?"
"Nah. She'll see right through it, how 'bout-"
"Why are you all pretending? Ginny asked suddenly. "What did you say, dear?" "I said, why are you all pretending?" she asked again, the group was quiet. "All of you are going on as if nothing's wrong, as if he isn't out there again." The topic became apparent, Voldemort. There was no hint of the initial cheerful mood.
"Now don't you go talking like that dear," Mrs. Weasley firmly and bustled over to her, her poker ready, "Here, have some baco-" " You don't understand!" Ginny cried, and burst into tears." I came in his way in my first year, he's gonna be coming after me too!"
They all stared at her, not sure of what to do. The tapping at the window brought a much-needed diversion. "Oh look! The papers!" Mrs. Weasley cried in a rather high-pitched voice
"I wonder what-" she froze, and then turned from pale to green and back again. Without warning, she too burst into tears, threw the papers to the ground and rushed up the stairs.
Ginny snatched up the paper, she also turned pale. She showed what it read to a bewildered Harry and Ron.
AZKABAN BROKEN INTO-Convicts and Dementors on the lose.
"C'mon, just a few more feet!" There's bound to be something up ahead!" Hagrid boomed to Madame Maxime, hoping she'd here him through the shrieking of the blizzard. Her multi-layered coat was weighing her down, she was failing fast and he knew it. She stumbled and crashed into the snow, and was quickly covered by a layer of the white stuff.
Hagrid rushed over to her unconscious side, put her arm around him broad neck and continued to trudge up the mountain with the added weight.
"Jus' a few more min'tes, Olympe," he promised her, "Jus' a few more min'tes and I'll get yer somewhere where it's warm."
But he knew he also was tiring, they couldn't go on for much longer. What could've possessed him t think they'd ever make it to the giants?
"Jush a few more – a few more – minsh, that's all…he gasped to assure himself. Then he saw the cave mouth. He sped towards it.
In his haste, he stumbled over a rock protruding from the snow-covered earth and fell to the ground, and didn't get up.
A moment later a giantess poked her head out of her huge cave. She was surprised to see two giants at he doorstep. No, they couldn't be giants; they were a bit too small…
"What is it, Fridwulfa?" boomed an irritated voice from within the cave. It then occurred to her what they were as she dragged them into shelter. Half-giants. The offspring of a normal sized human being and a giant, like what her first child, Hagrid, had turned out to be…
A/N: There, all done! I'll try as much as possible to keep this medium length, thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!