Chapter Nineteen

She wandered. Wandered aimlessly through London, hoping that she was getting closer to that shabby little pub. She recognized the bookstore and record store that she knew had been nearby, but the pub seemed to have vanished.

Giving up, she sat on the kerb to rest. She idly watched the cars and the pedestrians racing past, not really expecting to see anyone she recognised.

She didn't. But she did happen to see someone wearing robes amidst the crowd. She sat up, watching the young woman carefully, planning to ask her for directions. But suddenly, the witch veered away from the crowd, pulled open a door that hadn't been there before, and vanished.

Nell leapt to her feet. She managed to grab the door handle before it closed, but she couldn't really see the doorway. If she squinted, she could see a darkness, but she had difficulty seeing past the bricks. It was an odd sensation. She closed her eyes and walked forward, expecting to bang into the bricks.

When no such impact came, she opened her eyes in relief. It was obviously the correct pub, she noted, recognising the bartender and the rather odd clientele.

She still didn't quite know how to get back to the Weasleys', but at least she was back in the wizarding world.

She was still idly watching the young woman she'd followed into the pub, and so she noticed her take a small pot off the mantel, toss some Floo powder into the fire, and say "The Burrow!" Nell perked up.

She waited a moment, then did the same. As the fireplaces swirled by, she was hoping desperately that there was only one 'Burrow' in England.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the cheerful, friendly kitchen of the Burrow. She let out a breath of relief that she hadn't realised that she'd been holding.

The young woman who had also just arrived turned from exchanging pleasantries with Molly to look at her in surprise, but then a flicker of recognition crossed her face. "Are you --" she hesitated, and Nell took pity on her.

"Nell Burton," she introduced herself. "I'm Harry's new mum."

"It's so nice to finally meet you -- I've heard so much about you," she gushed.

Just then, Harry and the youngest two Weasleys ran in from the garden, shouting and looking over their shoulders. The twins came pelting in right behind them, but slowed and looked innocent when they saw the adults in the kitchen. The younger three children looked smug. Mrs. Weasley frowned and looked from one group to the other. Recognising an imminent explosion, Nell tried to head it off.

"Harry, you're filthy!" she said. "What on earth have you been doing?"

He smiled at her innocently. "Quidditch? Plus I saw some garden gnomes. They're nothing like ones I saw with the Dursleys."

Nell tsked at him. "Upstairs, march. You have a date with some soap and water, young man."

He groaned. "Aw, Nell." But she glared, and he marched glumly up the stairs in front of her to the loo.

She soaped a cloth and turned to eye him. She tilted Harry's face up to the light, planning her attack.

"Geroff me!" said Harry, holding his arms in front of his face.

She swooped in with the washcloth despite his protests; what on earth did eight-year-old boys have against soap and water? She briskly scrubbed at his face, getting the worst of the dirt. She was almost afraid to tackle his neck or the backs of his ears -- she had a suspicion that she might find potatoes growing back there. Had they been out there having mud fights, for Pete's sake?

She sighed, rinsed out the cloth, and went for the squirming boy again.

Finally, when Harry was tidy enough to pass muster, she ruffled his hair and let him precede her out of the toilet. Actually, he raced out of the small room, obviously afraid of being attacked by a bar of soap once more, while she strolled after him.

Back in the kitchen, the stranger was chatting with Molly. She looked up at their arrival, and Nell saw her eyes flick down to Harry's scar momentarily.

"Hello," she said smoothly, moving forward with her hand extended to shake, "I'm Michele Zabini, with the Daily Prophet. You must be Harry."

Harry nodded shyly and politely shook hands, but edged slightly behind Nell.

"Would you like some tea?" asked Molly, breaking the awkward moment.

"Oh, thank you," said Nell gratefully. After her worry in London, she was gasping for a cuppa.

They were soon sitting around the kitchen table, chatting rather desultorily about Hogwarts, as Michele had only recently left school.

Nell barely noticed when the conversation turned onto her own schooldays. Leaning forward, Michele looked absolutely fascinated by Nell's stories of Muggle university. Nell felt herself responding to her interest, sparkling across the table.

She found herself pouring out the whole story of how she and Harry had met, how he had come to visit her, everything. Harry chimed in once or twice to give an opinion ("It was so much fun -- I love staying with Nell!").

Nell only remembered that Michele was a reporter when she began to pull out quill, ink, and parchment to jot down notes of the story. Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the old-fashioned quill. Michele noticed his surprise and invited him to try writing something with it. Seeing it, Nell rather wanted a go, as well.

Michele gave her a mischievous look and offered her the quill. Nell grinned. She doodled a bit, enjoying the strange feeling of the nib moving across the parchment, but she handed back the quill so Michele could finish the interview.

Really, she'd worried too much about this.

When Michele had gone, Nell grabbed her mobile again. She left Harry and Molly having a cup of tea and eyeing each other cautiously and went into the family room before dialling Audrey again.

Again Audrey didn't answer. Odd, it had been ages, and Aud was usually a homebody. She tried Emma, also to no avail. Frowning, she gave up and called her mother.

"'Lo mum," chirped Nell.

"Hello, dear," her mother said. "How are you and Harry doing?"

Nell paused for only a moment before pouring out the latest development. "The truth is, we're in a bit of a bind. The press found us, and Dumbledore didn't want us to stay in London, so he's shuffling us around to try and hide us -- well, Harry, really. But I think he's run out of ideas, because he asked me to find a friend, a Muggle friend, to stay with."

"Have you found anyone?" asked her mother.

"Not exactly," confessed Nell. "Emma said that Audrey should have space, but Aud isn't answering her 'phone. I suppose she could just be away for today -- I haven't exactly been patient," she admitted, wrinkling her forehead in thought.

"Well, if the situation gets dire, I suppose you can come stay with me," her mother offered generously.

"Oh, Mum, thanks," said Nell. "I hope it doesn't come down to that, honestly. I think we'll be fine here for a few days more, at least."

"Stay safe, love," said Mrs. Burton anxiously. "And mind Harry -- children that age can get in so much trouble so quickly, especially boys."

"I will, Mum. Swear. But I've got to go now. Talk to you soon?"

"Of course, dear. Kisses."

"Kisses," said Nell, and shut her mobile.

She returned to the kitchen, where Harry and Mrs. Weasley were sitting civilly -- but silently -- over their tea.

"It looks as though we're here another day at least," she said, as cheerfully as she could.

Harry brightened. "Can I go fly some more?" he asked.

"Ask Ron, luv, it's his broom. He might feel like doing something else," counselled Nell.

Harry nodded and traipsed from the room.

"If you'll excuse me, Molly," said Nell, "I have some schoolwork that needs doing. Do you mind?"

"Why don't you bring your books downstairs?" Mrs. Weasley suggested.

Nell nodded and went upstairs for her things. She looked wistfully at her computer, but she wasn't quite willing to set it up anywhere that Mr. Weasley could catch sight of it. She wanted to get work done, after all.

Nell and Mrs. Weasley spent a quiet hour, reading and knitting, before Nell's mobile rang.

She looked at the screen before she answered; it was Emma.

"Hello," she said.

"What's wrong?" said Emma immediately.

"Oh, I was just trying to find Audrey, that's all," said Nell. "You don't know where she is, do you?"

"She's not answering her phone? She was going to be home all afternoon, she said."

"Oh," said Nell. "Well, could you run by her place if she doesn't call back soon? I hate to worry over just a few hours, but things are so strange lately, you know?"

"Oh, absolutely," promised Emma. "She probably just went out for an early dinner -- maybe she got a date!"

Nell giggled. "Oh, I hope so! It's been how long now?"

"Be nice, darling. Save the cattiness for those of us who're good at it."

"It needed saying, luv."

Emma snorted. "Anyway, I'll check up on her tonight. Meanwhile, you take care of yourself, you hear? Stay safe!"

"Jawohl, mein commandant!" Nell nearly saluted.

"Oh, shut it, you nut." And with that, Emma rang off.

"Is your friend all right?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"What?" said Nell blankly. "Oh, Audrey? Of course. This isn't like her, though. Usually you can't tear her away from her 'phone for this many hours at a stretch when she's said she'll be there. But she'll turn up."

Mrs. Weasley nodded, her mouth tight. Nell read it as disapproval -- low, irresponsible creatures, and so forth.

But the next morning, when Emma didn't ring back and didn't ring back and kept not ringing back, Nell wasn't so sure that Mrs. Weasley's expression hadn't simply been concern -- and doubt.