CHAPTER 2:

Back to the Burrow

Sorry it's been a while since the last update. I've had writer's block on this chapter for the longest time, then my computer went ker-FLOOEY when I finally got my lazy brain working again. Anyhoo, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: Do I really need to tell you that I don't own this? One would think it's rather obvious, seeing as how I'm posting on FANfiction.net. Oh well, standard disclaimer applies.



ONE WEEK LATER

Harry smiled to himself as he watched the clock. In less than two minutes, he would be off to the Burrow for the remaining three weeks of summer break. He couldn't wait to see all the Weasleys, as well as Hermione (who was staying there as well).

Aunt Petunia walked in and sniffed disapprovingly. "When are you leaving?" she demanded.

"Right about noooooowwwww----" Harry trailed off as the portkey activated. He clenched his teeth. It had been a while since Harry had traveled by portkey, and as a result, he had forgotten how much he hated the mode of transportation.

Ron was right there waiting when Harry arrived. Ron helped him over to a chair, which Harry sank into gratefully.

"You're right on time, mate," Ron said. Harry checked his watch. Indeed, the portkey had been set in perfect synchronization with it.

Arthur Weasley walked in. "Ah, Harry!" he said. "How are you?"

"Not bad," Harry replied, and it was true. Now that he had gotten over the portkey, Harry was elated to be back at the Burrow with all of his friends.

"Damn!" someone swore from the other room. As it turned out, it was George, one of the twins. He and his twin Fred were nearly impossible to tell apart, and they were rarely seen apart. However, George was walking in alone, carrying a bucket of something oozy.

"Look who's here!" Harry pointed out unnecessarily. "What's in the bucket, some new prank item of yours?" Fred and George had owned a joke shop in Diagon Alley for nearly two years, and whenever they were home, they were concocting new things to sell.

"Unrepairable Fred," George said, shaking his head. "I told him we shouldn't try the Liquefying Lollies until we came up with a dissolvable cure, but did he listen? Of course not!"

Nobody could hold back their laughter at Fred's predicament. Wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, Mr. Weasley said, "You'd better get him to St. Mungo's, on the double."

"Aye," George agreed, and Disapparated.

"So..." Harry said, looking around. "Is anyone else here?"

Just then, Ginny walked in with a silver-haired girl who looked around eleven in tow. "Hi Harry," Ginny said. "Where's George?"

"St. Mungo's," Ron said as Mr. Weasley went upstairs. "Has to get Fred fixed." He wandered off to a corner of the room.

"Hey Ginny," Harry finally acknowledged her. "Who's your friend?"

Ginny gave him an exasperated look. "Don't you even remember the people whose lives you save?" she asked in a tone of voice that suggested he was a small child.

Harry took a closer look at the girl. She didlook sort of familiar. Then it clicked. "Gabrielle Delacour?" he said incredulously.

The girl nodded. "Oui."

"Wow, small world, isn't it?" Harry said, still surprised. "The last time I saw you, we were in an octopus' garden!"

"Eet eez a rather small world, eezn't eet?" she replied rhetorically in heavily accented English*.

She came with Fleur," Ginny said by way of explanation. "Apparently, her mother decided that Hogwarts is a better school of magic than Beauxbatons, despite being farther away."

"Ah. Aha," Harry said. "So, who elseis here?"

"Well, Hermione's been here about a week, Luna's been dropping in periodically, and Remus Lupin shows up when he's not hanging around with some Paul bloke," Ginny reeled off.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Paul?"

Ginny replied, "Yeah, Paul. Really cute for a man in his fifties." She and Gabrielle shared a giggle.

When it subsided, Harry asked, "What's his surname?"

Ginny frowned in thought. "What was that Paul blokes name, Ron?" she called to where Ron had drifted. "McArtrey, right?"

"McCartney," Ron called back.

"That's right," Ginny said. "Paul McCartney."

Harry just stood there staring. "So, you mean to tell me that there are at least two girl in the world who, upon meeting an ex-Beatle, don't jump him?"

"I think you're getting him confused with someone else," Ginny said. "He was human."

Harry just shook his head. There were apparently some cultural boundaries that couldn't be crossed.

How wrong he was.



For the next week and a half, not much happened. However, Hogwarts letters arrived, and they all went into Diagon Alley to get their things.

In Flourish and Blotts, Harry ran into Remus, who was dragging around an amazed-looking man who just radiated "I'M A MUGGLE!" Harry looked at Remus. "Who's the little old man?" he asked wryly.

"He belongs to Paul," Remus quipped.

"Clean though, aren't I?" Paul deadpanned.

Harry started digging through his bag. "I know it's in here somewhere... aha!" he exclaimed triumphantly. He emerged with a Permanent Marquill and the "Yesterday" single. He then turned to Paul. "Sign please?"

"Sure, why not?" Paul said, taking the proffered items and signing the cover of the single. He handed them back to Harry.

"Thanks," Harry said, putting a protective spell on it.

"No problem," Paul said genially.

They walked off, and Harry consulted his booklist. All he needed to get was his Care of Magical Creatures textbook, Newt's Guide to NEWTs, by Newt Scamander. He grabbed it, paid, and left.

He consulted his list. The only thing he hadn't yet picked up was... He squinted at the list. That couldn't possibly be right. He shrugged. Better safe than sorry, as they say.

He met up with the others in the Leaky Cauldron and they all went back to the Burrow.



Sorry so short, it's mainly a setup for future events. I apologize if it moved slowly or was boring at times, but I'm just getting back into the swing of things.

*From now on, assume Gabrielle's accent… it's a pain in the arse to write. Thanks!

SPOT THE BEATLES REFERENCE! Aside from Paul and the Yesterday single, of course... and the quotes from "A Hard Day's Night". Also, bonus points to anyone who knows where I got the misspelling of McCartney that Ginny used. Sayonara, until next update!