Notes: Sorry! It wouldn't let me upload. Anyway, I know this one's been a little slow and boring, but there's some stuff I have to get through before we move on. Basically I have to show you what's happened to Percy since we've seen him last, then have Bellatrix leave a cliffhanger. Then we can move on.
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Harry was tied to a table. He wasn't sure why. Where was he? He didn't know that either.
He heard a bubbling noise. To his right, below him, was a large rectangular cauldron type thing, bubbling horribly. He wondered what was in it. He could have sworn he saw a face in it…
Then Bellatrix appeared. She looked down at him and laughed. She moved away and said something, but he couldn't hear her over the bubbling.
The cauldron bubbled faster. Bellatrix seemed pleased. "Yes! Yes!" she screamed. "Now, it is time."
Time for what? Harry wondered, utterly confused. A giant snake, bigger than any he had ever seen, crawled up on the table and looked at him.
Leave me alone, he hissed at the snake, but it didn't seem to understand. Bellatrix laughed at his attempt. The snake pulled its head back, ready to strike -
Harry shot up. A dream, he thought. Well, that explains a lot. "You okay?" he heard. Ginny was across the room.
"Yeah."
"Why were you sleeping? Just tired?"
"Ummhmm." She didn't say anything about the dream that he had obviously just jumped from. He leaned back.
"You know, we're almost done with our first semester of ministry school," she said, to change the subject.
He nodded. "Final exams next week."
"Don't sound so excited," she joked. "Well, then we get a month off."
"Yep."
"My mum owl-ed me today."
"Really?"
"She wants us to come to dinner at Christmas. She's invited the whole family, including any significant others and children."
"Does that include Hermione?"
Ginny laughed. "Stop making fun of Ron."
"I was just curious. Besides, you laughed."
"I'm his sister; I'm supposed to make fun of him. So – you don't plan on doing anything else on Christmas eve and day?"
"Well, I was thinking of something, but I might have to reconsider. Can't pass up your mum's food."
"What's wrong with my food?"
"Nothing. Your mum's is better."
"You don't seem to mind my food too much," Ginny said, patting his stomach (which, he had noticed, was becoming harder to fit into his pants). He moaned and rolled over. She laughed. "Well, it's almost Christmas. At least we can look forward to that."
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On Christmas Eve, the entire Weasley family was in the Burrow (except for Percy, who hadn't been seen in a while). Mrs. Weasley made sure none of them ate that much during the day so that they would thoroughly enjoy her dinner.
Ginny kept busy by wrapping all of the presents she had bought for her brothers. Harry watched her. She had apparently already done his; either that or she didn't really get him anything. The boys of the family started a chess tournament, which
.h was all the way into a final round when dinner was ready. Even though they had spent hours playing, they all gave up the game quickly.
Harry, Ginny, Fred, and Bill sat on one side, while Ron, Hermione, Charlie, and George sat on the other. The parents sat on the ends.
Everyone was talking about everything. Harry had never really experienced a dinner with all of the Weasley kids there (minus Percy). Bill and Mr. Weasley talked about something ministry related. Ron was talking with Charlie, who was thrilled that his little brother was going into the same type of job that he had. The women talked to each other. Harry, Fred, and George just sat and ate, listening to everyone else. By the time desert came around, few of them could actually eat any more, and Harry wasn't one of them.
Ginny got up to help her mom clear the table. "Go up to my room," she said, taking his plate. Harry nodded and got up. He figured that the boys would have gone back to there game, but most of them seemed to feel the same way he did. They were sprawled all over the couches and chairs. It seemed that desert would have to wait until dinner got out of the way.
Harry went up to Ginny's room and fell asleep. When he woke up, he felt Ginny sitting next to him. Then he heard someone else come in the room. It was Mrs. Weasley.
"Do you want some cake, dear?" she asked Ginny.
"Yeah. I'll be down in a minute. I should let Harry know. He wouldn't want to miss out."
"He's not the only one we'll have to wake. You should hear it downstairs - six boys and no noise at all."
Ginny laughed. "We could have predicted that. You had them all looking like starved wolves in the living room before."
"Boys all want the same thing. Food and… well, you know. You'd best wake him up soon, or your brothers will eat it all." She left.
Ginny petted Harry on the head. He opened an eye. "Cake?" she asked. He shot up quickly.
"Cake?"
"You'd better hurry if you want some." Harry got up slowly, still a little full from dinner. They went down together and got their cake. The chess game had resumed. Fred and George were currently playing each other. Charlie was showing Ron some book about dangerous creatures, and Hermione was looking on interestingly as well. They all ate large amounts of cake (Mrs. Weasley had made six, so they weren't about to run out). Bill came in. He seemed to be talking on his wand, like it was a cell phone. Harry shook his head – magic amazed him every day. He was obviously talking to Fleur, who had gone to her parent's house for Christmas Eve and would be back the next day with the kids. Hermione was going to her parent's house the next day, and taking Ron with her.
Harry sat down to play against George, who had just beaten Fred, when there was a knock at the door. Everyone stopped and looked up, wondering who it could be. Mr. Weasley went to the door, but then turned and walked quickly out of the room. Charlie took on the responsibility then, since he was the next oldest. He seemed shocked as well, and opened the door.
Percy Weasley had just entered the house.
