Chapter 3

"Fleur?"

"Yez Bill?"

"We're here."

Fleur sat up and glanced out of the window. "Eet looks...eenterestin'!"

Bill followed her gaze to where the Burrow, being half-dilapidated already, was threatening to topple over.

"Come on."

Five minutes later they had left the Knight Bus and stood at the front door, luggage piled up beside them. Fleur knocked. She had hardly moved her hand when the door flung open and they found themselves and their luggage whirled inside in seconds.

"Oh I'm so please to meet you!"

Fleur met the tall, auburn-haired girl's eyes. "And I, 'ou. Fleur Delacour," she extended a well-manicured hand. "And 'ou must be Ginevra."

Ginny took the pro-offered hand. "Ginny, not Ginevra. Oh I'm so excited; you're the first ones to arrive!" She turned to Bill, "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Where are they?"

"What?"

Ginny groaned, "Don't tell me you've forgotten them!"

"Forgotten what?" put in Fleur delicately.

"My socks! Fred and George promised me that you'd bring them!"

Bill grinned. "Oh. Those. Why didn't you say so? They're in the red bag."

Ginny rushed to the luggage, chucking bags everywhere in her attempt to get to her socks.

Fleur lifted an eyebrow.

"Here they are. Oh Bill, they're gorgeous." And to Fleur's amazement she pulled out a couple of pairs of knee-high, multi-coloured, stripy socks.

"Well," said Fleur slowly, "Zey would not suit me, but zey do 'ave ztyle!"

"I couldn't agree more," said Ginny vigorously, giving her brother a hug.

Bill was just about to ask after everyone when Luna drifted down the stairs; murmured a greeting randomly in the direction of Bill and Fleur and wandered into the kitchen.

Ginny giggled at the look on Fleur's face, "That's my best friend, Luna Lovegood."

"Oh," said Fleur faintly.

"Well, I'll see you later then," and hugging her new socks to her, Ginny sped off in the direction of the kitchen.

"Well," said Bill, grinning at Fleur, "What do you think?"

Snape arrived with Professor McGonagall about five minutes later, his lip curling up as Harry opened the front door.

"Good evening Mr Potter," Minerva McGonagall smiled at him.

"Hello Professor," Harry smiled back, and then gave a curt nod to Snape, "Professor Snape."

"Potter," Snape returned the nod with a slight inclination of the head. "How nice to see you."

If Professor McGonagall noticed the strain between her student and fellow teacher, she chose to ignore it. "Come Severus."

He paused and then smiled at her. He took her arm, "I'm coming."

Harry looked after them in shock. "McGonagall and Snape?" He shuddered. Now, what would Ron make of that?

"You see Professor Flitwick," grumbled Hagrid, "The Ministry don't appreciate these creatures, they'd kill 'em all if they 'ad the chance."

"Quite!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick as they walked through to the garden, "Oh, thank you Miss Granger."

Hermione turned away with the tray of drinks in her hand, her smile forced. Percy wandered over, "Ah, thank you Hermione." Her eyes flashed, but she managed to force out a "You're welcome," before turning away and walking, very quickly, in the direction of the house, muttering, "I will not lose my temper, I will not lose my temper," under her breath. Dumbledore might have forgiven Percy, but she hadn't.

She passed Moody and Remus, just coming in, and smiled, genuinely this time, at them. Remus grinned at her and said quietly, "I'd avoid the kitchen if I were you, Kingsley, Hestia Jones, Elphias Doge and Arthur have all just arrived and you'll be there forever; we've only just got away!"

She smiled at him again, and whispered "Thanks," before dumping the tray on one of the garden tables and marching off towards where Neville stood alone, rather stiffly.

"Hello Neville. Tell me what exactly is this meeting going to be about?"

Neville shuffled his feet. "The Order of the Phoenix?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, a very un-Hermione-like gesture. "I know that."

"Good gracious, is that Gran over there?" Hermione turned round and Neville made his escape.

She swore under her breath.

"...and they looked as if they were together!" finished Harry.

Ron's mouth dropped open. "That's disgusting!"

"Who's this?" Ginny and Luna sauntered over, arm in arm; Ginny wearing her garishly bright socks.

"Do you have to wear those Gin?" pleaded Ron, throwing an anguished glance at the socks. "They look..."

"Yes I do," said Ginny firmly, "So, what's disgusting?"

"McGonagall and Snape. They arrived five minutes ago. Together."

Luna giggled, "Didn't you know?"

"Know what?" Harry looked at her suspiciously.

"Well, they've been seeing each other all summer. Daddy said that they even went to the Wizarding conference for the reinstatement of Dumbledore together. He says that it was always going to happen."

"Oh yes?" Ron and Harry exchanged glances.

"Yes, ever since he danced with her at the Yule Ball."

"What?"

Ginny looked incredulous. "Please don't tell me that you two didn't realise that! The whole school was buzzing about it for weeks afterwards."

"Yeah, well," Harry said, "I was kind of busy, what with being one of the champions and all."

Ginny turned to look at Ron, who looked as if he was going to be sick. "Well," he said at last, "I'm all for inter-house unity, but that's taking it a bit too far!"

"Charlie! Tonks!"

Tonks looked at Charlie, her usually bright features apprehensive. He squeezed her hand, "Hey, don't worry; no-one'll make anything of it."

"Charlie, my lad!" George bounded out of the front door, closely followed by Fred. "And who might this vision of beauty be?"

"No-one except Fred and George, that is," laughed Tonks.

"Yeah, well, they're the exception to every rule."

Fred looked at George, "I don't know how to take that Gred!"

"Me neither Forge!"

"Shut up you two," said Charlie, shooting a look at Tonks.

"So Charlie," leered Fred, "Miss Nymphodora's your mystery date." He waggled his eyebrows.

"Yeah," added George, "That's as good a piece of gossip as Bill's new girlfriend...old Fleur Delacour!"

Tonks rolled her eyes and then linked arms with Charlie. "Come on Charlie-boy, let's knock 'em dead!"

George sniggered. "Charlie-boy?"

"Don't even think about it George!"

Mrs Weasley bustled around her kitchen.

"Molly, where do you want the drinks?"

She turned to look at her husband. "Put the bottle on one of the tables that isn't flying around with all the glasses. People can help themselves. I tell you Arthur, this is the last time I'm doing this, this summer. Someone else can do it for a change. Do you know how much work goes into this?"

Mr Weasley gave her a kiss, "Yes, and you're wonderful for doing it."

She smiled at him, pacified, "Well, someone has to."

Hermione jumped as Ron tapped her on the shoulder. "Oh, it's you." She turned to face him and Harry. "Have you found out anything yet?"

"Apart from Snape's sordid love-affair with McGonagall, no."

"What? You didn't know about that..."

"Don't you start," said Ron quickly. I think we must the only ones who didn't realise!"

Hermione grinned. "Probably! Anyway, I cornered Neville and even he wouldn't tell me anything. In fact, he looked distinctly uncomfortable and escaped as soon as possible."

Harry frowned. "The only thing I can connect it with," he said, "Is Bellatrix's attack and capture at Fred and George's yesterday, but apart from that..."

"What do you think Ron?"

"I dunno, something to do with some new plan?"

"But why invite Neville then?" asked Hermione. "It just doesn't make sense."

"Yeah, well neither does Snape and McGonagall."

"Ron!"

"What?"

Remus took a large swig of Butterbeer.

"Remus! How are you these days?"

He looked up and saw Professor Hooch. "Fine; missing Hogwarts and Sirius like anything though!"

She smiled at him and sat down. "I heard about that. I'm really sorry."

He sighed, "Yeah, it's just that I'm the last now, out of our gang."

"I know," she paused for a moment, and then said tentatively, "You might not remember, but I was the year below you, and one of Sirius' conquests."

He grinned, "Everyone was one of Sirius' conquests. Do you remember the fights that used to break out over who was his girlfriend?"

She laughed. "How could I forget? And how you and James used to call us the 'flavour-of-the-week'!"

He looked at her as if he was really seeing her for the first time. "Do you want a drink?"

She blushed like a schoolgirl. "Alright."

"Charlie!"

"Hi Hagrid."

"Well, I've been meaning to get hold of you, but it's a bit hard, seeing that you're in Romania at the moment."

Charlie grinned. "He's fine."

Hagrid looked puzzled, "But you don't know who I'm talking about."

Charlie's grin broadened, "You're talking about the one thing you ever talk about when you see me – Norbert."

"Well?" Hagrid looked eager, "Does he remember me?"

Charlie shook his head, amused, "Hagrid, he's a dragon!"

Albus Dumbledore swept into the garden of the Burrow, only to be cornered by Madame Pomfrey and Madame Pince.

"Albus dear," said Madame Pomfrey, smiling, "What is this meeting all about?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth to answer and then, catching a glimpse of scarlet hair behind a bush, shut it.

"Albus?"

"My dear ladies, I'm afraid I can't mention it here," and with that he left them.

"Well, Poppy," said Madame Pince, "Seems like we're going to have to wait."

"Damn him!" said Ginny to Luna, as they crawled out from beneath the peony bush. "Damn them all!"

It was only much later, after Dedalus Diggle and Emmeline Vance had arrived arm in arm, that dinner was served. They were eating out in the garden, the dining room only being big enough to house three house elves, and the battered tables had been enlarged after yet another game of 'let's- see-who-can-knock-a-table-out-of-the-air-first'.

Down one end, Dumbledore and Moody were discussing the importance of constant vigilance, ("I tell you Albus, they'll be trying to snatch the Hogwarts portraits next") and down the other, Mrs Weasley, and someone Harry vaguely remembered as Hestia Jones, were talking about the use of domestic spells, ("And, Fudge wants to ban the use of cleaning spells; I know Molly, absolutely ridiculous!")

Harry sat approximately halfway, next to Ron and Hermione and opposite Ginny and Luna. Luna was absentmindedly humming as she helped herself to a pile of potatoes, and looked up, startled, as his hand brushed against hers while reaching for the carrots.

"Oh, sorry."

She positively beamed at him, twirling her feather earring with one hand, "Don't worry about it!"

Neville sat down next to Ginny, having been hauled up by his grandmother to 'tell Professor Lupin about his new Mandrake'. He smiled. "Pass the gravy Ron."

"What? Oh, yeah." Ron silently handed it over, splashing some down the front of Hermione's top in the process.

"Ron!"

"Sorry 'Mione!" he mumbled, grabbing a cloth and trying to wipe it clean, and then froze when he realised what he was doing.

Harry and Ginny exchanged looks, while Hermione flushed as red as Ron's hair.

"Kingsley?" muttered Mundungus in an undertone.

Kingsley Shacklebolt looked at him, "Yes?"

"Pass the gravy."

"What?"

"Pass the gravy."

"Why are you whispering?"

Mundungus looked slightly embarrassed, "Molly told me to keep my voice down and stop making stupid comments."

"But you're only asking to pass the gravy."

"Yeah, but she's under the impression that everything I say is dubious. But I ask you Kingsley," his voice grew louder, "Am I dubious? Me?"

"Mundungus?" Mrs Weasley was peering down the table from her seat at him. "What was that you said?"

"Nothing Molly," he said, attempting a wide-eyed look.

"Hmm!"

"See!" he muttered to Kingsley. "See!"

After the last plates had been cleared away and under the eagle eye of Mrs Weasley, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Luna wandered upstairs while everyone else went into the kitchen, ready for the meeting.

Once in Ginny's room, Hermione pulled out a many-eared set of the infamous Extendable Ears. Everyone grabbed an ear and listened.

The reception was terrible, probably due to the Impurtable Charm on the kitchen door, but they could still make out the odd word or phrase.

"...dangerous..."

"...blood..."

"...memories..."

"...Bellatrix..."

"...hospital..."

Hermione fiddled with a dial at the bottom of the Ears and the fuzzy quality almost disappeared.

There was a short silence, and then, to their surprise, they heard Neville speak. His voice came over loud and clear, "But what are you going to do about it?"

There were a few crackles, and then Remus spoke up, "Neville, we'll do all we can."

"But that's not good enough! What if it happens again? Half-alive, believe it or not, is better than not alive at all!"