Disclaimer: I am not the famous J.K. Rowling, sadly enough. This fan fic is based on her brilliant Harry Potter Series which I know and love.
Acknowledgements: To my first reviewer, B.R. Wells – Thanks for the advise. I adjusted the first chapter to make it more interesting.
I'd also like to thank the people who read the fic before it went on the internet. To Hannah, Deanna, Andrea, and James. To my sister Julia too I suppose. Thanks for your support guys! They're the ones who suggested I put it on the site and so I have now.
- EveningSongEnchantment
Chapter 2: The Burrow Again
Harry felt the familiar sensation of Flooing to another location. His arms were pinned to his side as he spinned around and around. Then, all in one instant he found himself looking out of the fireplace in the Weasley's kitchen.
"Harry!" A voice screeched. It was Hermione Granger, one of Harry's best friends and closest companions. Behind her was a grinning Ron and a delighted Ginny.
"Welcome back mate!" Ron cried as he pulled Harry into a hug with Hermione. "The preparations for the wedding are almost done. All we have to do is decorate the yard." The Weasley's oldest son, Bill, was getting married on Saturday, tomorrow. He would be wed to his beautiful bride Fleur Delacour, who had been a Champion competing against Harry in the Triwizard Tournament three years ago. Mrs. Wealsey must have heard the noise because she tromping into the kitchen laden with decorations for the back lawn where the wedding would be held.
"Harry! Oh are you alright dear? Nothing happened I hope. Did you get any breakfast this morning?" She asked him questions like this while she pushed him into a chair at the table.
"I'm okay Mrs. Wealsey," He said, "honestly."
"Well then, bring your things up to Ron's room. Fred and George's room is going to be for Bill and Fleur." She gave a happy sigh as she said their names. She couldn't believe that her oldest son was actually getting married.
"We'll help you with your stuff Harry," Ron said and took a hold of Harry's trunk. Hermione picked up Hedwig and let her out of her cage. Grateful to be out and stretch her wings, the owl gave an appreciative hoot and took off out the window. The trio and Ginny tramped up the stairs. When they got to Ron's room Harry noticed it now had three beds. It seemed that Hermione would be sleeping with them.
"Ginny!" Came the call of Mrs. Weasley, "Come and help me will you?"
A reluctant Ginny gave an apologetic look at Harry, swept out the door and cried "Coming!"
Harry wasn't the least bit disappointed to see her leave. He was eager to know what the other two had found for their quest. Ron walked over and shut the door immediately.
"So?" Harry said expectantly, "What did you find?"
"Nothing really," Hermione replied, "We just looked into the names of those two wizards but didn't find anything. Like I said before, they just aren't the right type."
"How about you Harry? Did you think of anything?" Ron asked eagerly.
"I think that Voldemort's old orphanage may be the location of one of the horcruxes. I don't know. We'll probably do better research when we're together. Do you guys think that Gryffindor's sword might be one?"
"It's possible Harry," Said Hermione, "But how would he get it out of the hat? You have to be a true Gryffindor to pull it out you know."
The three friends thought about this. Finally Harry said, "I don't know how he got it but he is a dark wizard."
"True," said Hermione "Maybe there's a way to check it out. Can you think of any other locations the horcruxes might be in?"
Harry rubbed his chin and said, "The only other place I can think of would be Hogwarts."
Ron gasped.
"But we know that place by heart!" he exclaimed, "How can we not have noticed it?"
"I don't know, but how come no one ever noticed the Chamber of Secrets?" Said Harry, referring to the secret chamber of Salazar Slytherin that the trio had discovered in their second year at Hogwarts.
"He's got a point you know," said Hermione. "I did figure out something very interesting this past week though. You know that—"
"Harry, Ron, Hermione! Come on down you three, lunch is ready!"
After that the friends didn't have any time to themselves. This prevented them from having their discussion.
"That's the problem with having so many siblings." Ron whispered to Harry while peeling potatoes for Mrs. Weasley's scalloped potato dish. "You can't get away from all of them. It'll cool down after the wedding though."
"Harry! Ron!" The boys turned. It was Ginny who was calling them. "Want to play some Quidditch?"
"Alright! As soon as we finish these potatoes." said Ron.
"Why don't you just use magic?" It wasn't Ginny's voice this time but Hermione's.
"We can't… oh yeah! We're seventeen. I've been studying so much that I've forgotten we can use magic now." Ron said.
Hermione gave an exasperated sigh.
"What are you studying for?" asked Ginny curiously, a slight frown appearing on her brow, "It's summer."
"Um—I uh… school stuff. You know N.E.W.T tests are this year."
"Hmm…" said Ginny suspiciously. Ron turned back to the potatoes busily to keep her from questioning him further. Harry looked over and put a charm on the knife so it would peel and cut the vegetables for him.
"Thanks Harry," Ron said. "Now lets go play some Quidditch!" He and Ron ran up the stairs to get their brooms while the girls waited in the kitchen.
Hermione gave Ginny a quick sideways glance to see if she was still thinking about Ron's near slip. But the sixteen year old didn't seem to be thinking about it. Whew! That was close. Hermione thought, She isn't thinking about it. Unless she is and just isn't showing it.
Meanwhile the boys were upstairs getting Harry's Firebolt and Ron's Cleansweep.
"That was close!" Harry said once they entered the room. "That sister of yours almost found out what we're up to."
"And just what are you up to?" A voice asked in the door frame behind them, making both the boys jump. They whirled around to see Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers, blocking the doorway with their eyebrows raised questioningly. "What are you up to?" Fred repeated.
"Nothing," Ron said, a little too quickly.
Fred snorted. "You don't really expect us to buy that act do you little brother?"
"Yeah, you're looking at the world's top trouble makers." George added.
"If you must know," Harry said thinking off the top of his head as he was used to, "We're planning on ditching your sister after we play Quidditch."
"Really?" Fred inquired doubtfully. After a moment of observing the two before him he said, "Well, come on then, let's go have some fun."
The twins turned and started down the steps. When they left Harry and Ron let out a sigh of relief. That made two close calls today. It was hard to keep a secret from a house full of people.
They picked up their broomsticks and descended the stairs to the kitchen where the others were waiting. Then the small group proceeded to the hill where they normally played Quidditch during the summer.
The six of them played for most of the afternoon and came in exhausted but exhilarated. Dinner was served an hour later. Bill, Fleur and her family had arrived and so the tables were set outside in the garden for the big group to have dinner.
Charlie and Mr. Weasley talked about dragons and the Ministry of Magic while Mrs. Weasley talked to Ginny about what she should do with her hair for the wedding. Bill and Fleur, along with Fleur's parents, talked about the last minute wedding arrangements. Fred and George talked non-stop to Harry and Ron about their ideas for their joke shop in Diagon Alley. Hermione had a book on defensive spells propped up beside her which kept her entertained.
After a filling three course dinner and dessert the group trooped into the house and bade each other good night. The friends were so tired when they got to Ron's room that they fell into bed and went right to sleep.
A/N: And…? How is it so far?
- EveningSongEnchantment
