Chapter 11 The Arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. They are all owned by J. K. Rowling.

A/N: So so so sorry that it took so long to update. I have been so busy with school and there is so much going on in my life that I didn't really have a lot of time to write. Hope you enjoy it.

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The morning that they would leave the school came in the blink of an eye.

"It's so exciting that you are both coming with us this year!" exclaimed Ginny to Hermione and Harry as they boarded the Hogwarts Express.

Before they knew it they were stopping at King's Cross.

"Wow, that seemed like a short ride." said Ron.

"Gee I wonder why," said Ginny, "you were only snogging Hermione the whole trip."

"Well I couldn't help it, she's just so cute!" said Ron kissing Hermione again.

"Aww thanks babe," Hermione responded, "we better find your parents now."

"Hey look, it's Lupin," said Harry pointing at the raggedy old man that was once their DADA professor.

"Hi Remus, what are you doing here?" asked Hermione politely when they approached him.

"Well Mr. Weasley is at work today and Mrs. Weasley said that she had a lot of errands to run, so I offered to help them by escorting you 4 to the burrow." said Lupin.

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A short while later they were all pulled into a bone crushing hug by Mrs. Weasley when they entered the kitchen of the burrow 2 days before Christmas.

"It's so good to see you all!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley as she released her hold, "how are you?"

"We're great mum! How about you, how have things been around the house?" replied Ginny.

"Ohh, they've been good, but your dad's had to work a lot lately. Once he comes home tonight he is off until new years, he has to work late today though." answered Mrs. Weasley.

"That's great mum! Dad will be home for more than a day this year!" said Ron excitedly.

"Well enough chit chat, why don't you lot set the table and I will start cooking, Remus will you be staying for dinner?" she asked.

"Not tonight Molly, I best be on my way, I told Tonks that I would have dinner with her tonight." responded Lupin.

Lupin left shortly after helping Molly with the cooking, the kids finished setting the table and then went upstairs to get washed up for dinner.

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"The food is great Mrs. Weasley, thanks for having us this year." said Hermione.

"Yea, thanks," added Harry.

"Oh no problem, you know that you are always welcome in our house," started Mrs. Weasley, "I was thinking that since tomorrow is Christmas Eve we should decorate and then have mini celebration since everyone will be arriving tomorrow night."

"What do you mean everyone?" asked Ron confused.

"Oh no! I ruined the surprise!" said Molly as she clapped a hand over her mouth, "well it was supposed to be a surprise, but Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Remus, and Tonks will be joining us for Christmas this year."

"Oh mum that sounds like so much fun!" said Ginny excitedly.

They finished their dinner while chatting about how they were going to decorate this year. Once they were done they all went upstairs to wash up for bed since it was getting late.

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"Ron wake up! Dad's home!" yelled Ginny as she hit Ron with a pillow.

And sure enough when Ron got down to the kitchen his father was sitting at the table eating breakfast.

"Dad!" Ron shouted as he ran over and hugged Mr. Weasley, "It's so good to see you! When did you get home?"

"Late last night, you were all sleeping," answered Mr. Weasley. "Didn't want to wake you."

In a few minutes everyone was in the kitchen welcoming Mr. Weasley home.

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At lunch time Mrs. Weasley announced what was going to be happening for the rest of the day, "Alright, when we are done eating I would like Ron, Harry, and Arthur to go and get a tree and some more fire wood. Hermione and Ginny I would like you two to gather all of the decorations, and I will start the dinner. Alright everyone, does that sound good?"

"Yea mum, we know, we do the same thing every year!" exclaimed Ginny.

"Well Hermione and Harry aren't usually here, so I just wanted to tell them," replied Mrs. Weasley.

After lunch Ron, Harry, and Mr. Weasley were on their way to get the tree. To Harry it seemed as though they had been walking for miles through endless woods, but both Ron and Mr. Weasley seemed to know exactly where they were going.

They soon came to a clearing with one single tree in the middle that would make a perfect Christmas tree.

"Here it is boys," said Mr. Weasley as he walked over to the tree and felt the pines, "the perfect Christmas tree."

"But why is there a perfect tree in the middle of a clearing, in the middle of the woods?" asked Harry slightly confused.

"Every year dad plants one in the spring, and he uses a potion and a spell on it that makes it grow perfectly. So every year we have the perfect tree by the time Christmas comes around." explained Ron with a look of satisfaction on his face.

They cut the tree down and then went to chop fire wood.

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Meanwhile Ginny took Hermione to get the decorations.

"Ginny, why are we going outside to get the decorations?" asked Hermione confused.

"We have to get a few things," said Ginny, "you see we have ornaments and stuff like that, but we have to get garland and we need supplies to make the angel and the lights."

"What do you mean to make them?" asked Hermione still confused.

"Let me explain," Ginny continued, "you see we get a gnome," she paused as she stunned a gnome that was walking by, "and then we keep it stunned, mum has a spell that will keep it stunned for 2 weeks. Then we paint it silver and put a halo on it and some wings and then it is the angel for the top of the tree. Then we get branches of a pine tree and make our own garland for the banister on the stairs and we make a wreath for the front door. Then we use popcorn and silver beads to make garland for the tree. We also collect pine cones and berries to decorate the wreath and garland. We find faeries and put them in the tree as lights, and we use the extra pine cones to hang on the tree. We collect cinnamon sticks to boil to scent the house like Christmas, and then we make our own mistletoe."

"Oh wow, that does sound like fun," exclaimed Hermione when Ginny finished explaining, "at my house we usually buy all of our decorations."

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A/N: Sorry that it took so long to update! School has been crazy & I've had a lot of homework.. but I'm going to try and update as soon as possible. R&R