This one takes place in England. Do I really need to say more?
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Ginny Weasely was out in the garden when she heard the telltale signs of someone coming by Floo powder. She immediately ran inside to see Harry emerging out of the chimney, followed by a dirty Ron and a dishevelled Hermione. "Next time we're going to my place the Muggle way," Hermione said, coughing from the dust.
"You're here!" Ginny said, going to hug Hermione but was stopped by an upraised palm.
"I need a bath Ginny. I don't want you to get dirty," she said, but there was a smile on her face.
"Come on then," Ginny said, leading the way to the upstairs bath.
"I suppose if my mom sees us like this she's going to raise a fuss," Ron said.
"Yeah. We'd better change," Harry agreed.
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"Children, dinner!" Molly called the children down to dinner.
They were in the House of Black. Since Sirius' death there had been no clear heir to the house and the estate (what little was left). The matter was being sorted out half by the Court and the other half by the goblins at Gringotts. So far the only one who had a good claim to the place was Nymphadora Tonks, but she claimed to be holding it all in trust for Harry, as the godson of Sirius Black.
Kreacher had died this past month. He died of old age, although for his part in Sirius' death Harry would have preferred killing him. The other two were in perfect agreement with him. In fact, Ron had suggested magic while Hermione was all for more⦠conventional methods. However, by the time Harry had arrived at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, Kreacher was dead.
So far though, this had been a very uneventful summer. News that the Lord Voldemort had risen again had taken the world by storm, but he seemed not to be doing anything in England, prompting talks that perhaps it was the Ministry of Magic that had its wits addled this time.
Harry and the others knew though, that it was only a matter of time before he struck again. Voldemort would be recovering from their last battle in the Ministry of Magic, and once he was recoveredā¦
"Meatballs today. Ah, you're late," Molly chided her husband.
"You wouldn't believe the problems we had with the Japanese Ministry of Magic and the South East Asia Magic Society. They refused to listen to some of our warnings, but that's not for the dinner table," Arthur Weasely said, as some of the others from the Ministry of Magic followed him into the house.
"You'll be happy to know that you guys are getting three new teachers at Hogwarts," Tonks said. "I daresay they're the reason why Dumbledore isn't here so much," she continued, sitting down at the dinner table.
They heard Crookshanks hissing and spitting as two people Apparated into the room just beyond the kitchen. Their voices were jolly and full of mirth. "Good to see you two Crookshanks," the Weasely twins said as they held the door open. Uncharacteristically the cat ran straight onto Hermione's lap.
Everyone knew that the Weasely twins had done something to the poor feline, but they maintained their innocence stoically and no one knew how to make a cat talk, so they had to leave matters there.
Yes, it was the lull before the storm all right.
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Waa! This is a really horrible chapter, but me no more ideas. Suggestions welcome!
