The Sign

Chapter 14

New Project

June 9

After breakfast, the trio had to return to the Ministry to finish their reports. Luna was going through scraps of parchment fast, while holing up in their room.

Ginny looked over her final list, pleased it was shorter now. What to do for the rest of the stuff? She felt in the dark. All the little this's and that's that a house would need. What about the kitchen things. Kreature had written up a list but she had no idea where to start. She did have a kitchen department catalogue. Time for an experiment.

"Kreature? Are you there?" Ginny set her forms on her mother's kitchen table. She heard a sound and when she turned back, she saw the old house-elf by the fireplace. "There you are. How are you today?"

"Kreature is good today, Mistress. Will you be needing me?" The elf bowed.

"Ginny, would you please get me some parchment or paper in the right size for your project? Or at least some more spell-o-tape so I can tape these together?" Came a wistful voice from her bedroom.

"Sure Luna. Maybe we could floo to Diagon Alley later? But first, I need to talk with Kreature for a moment."

"That would be nice. I could use some pencils too."

"Great. Kreature, I have a few things to go over with you. Do you have the time?" Then she wanted to kick herself. Elves have to make the time for their masters.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Ok, this will be easier if I didn't have to look down to you and then up to the table. Please hop up so we can work together." She spread the kitchen supply catalogue over the table and Kreature looked upside down at it. "I have that list of what you thought we needed. Was there anything else?"

It took an hour to fill out an order form for odds and ends. Ginny sent Kreature off then gathered her things. As she started to call Luna down from the upper rooms, Harry and the others stepped from the floo.

"Hi! I thought you'd be a lot longer."

"No, just finishing up." Hermione scowled. "Hopefully it will be enough. I want to get this all behind me."

"What's all this?" Harry looked over the scattered papers.

"Just last-minute things" Ginny frowned.

"Oh, will these have time to arrive?" Hermione reached into her bag and found her notepad, ready to take any notes.

"No idea. I'll give it to Shannon when we see her this afternoon. We're paying her to get everything, so I guess it's off my hands. Harry, we need to look at carpets and rugs, couches and mattresses." She smiled at the others. "Luna also needs to go to Diagon Alley to get a few things. Ron and Hermione, can you take her?"

They met with Shannon who directed the bright-eyed saleswoman to show them just what was listed. On seeing the couches, Harry flopped on the big red one Shannon suggested and made his choice in about 45 seconds. He took more time choosing mattresses. He bought the same model, in the different sizes for all the beds in the house.

"You know, everyone had new clothes. It wouldn't hurt for you to get some." Ginny said as they prepared to leave the store. She had noticed the mis-fitting jeans, and the tee shirt.

"Why, what's wrong with this?" He motioned to the ensemble.

'Nothing, for a teenager."

"I am a teenager." He answered simply, with a grin.

"You're out of school now. How about looking like a grownup?" Ginny pointed to the clothing store down the street. It was where she and the other girls and had gone shopping earlier.

"Do we have to?" Harry whined half-heartedly.

"Buck it up Harry, you're getting a make-over."

When they finally got home, the others had been there for hours. Luna was locked in her and Ginny's room, Hermione was attempting to help Molly make biscuits. Ron was fast asleep on the settee, with a book about wizarding chess across his chest.

"Good news! The last of the shopping lists is finished. We just have to wait for Friday." Ginny announced loudly. She hummed as she opened bags with Harry's new wardrobe.

"Oh, thank the stars!" Hermione sighed. "Oh, but that is just for the short-term stuff, isn't it?" She abandoned her assistant, and Molly gave a sigh of relief.

Ginny shook her head. "Remember, Shannon told us to choose and buy it all so everything matches. What we don't use now will stay in storage.

"I'm so glad we're done with that part." Hermione sat in front of Ron. "What's our schedule? Where's our schedule?" She bolted up again, worried they had forgotten something.

"If I remember right, everything else is done." Ron had woken up and rubbed Hermione's back. "Calm. We're ahead of schedule."

She leaned back, against his hand, "Really? Oh, harder there between the shoulder blades, Yes!"

Ginny looked at her list, "Really. Nothing else?" She saw her Mother in the doorway, "Mum, did you need anything else done around here?"

"I do indeed. De-gnome the garden, mow the lawn, that sort of thing. If you have time and energy, I might have a few more little fix-it jobs." Molly smiled happily.

"All right, all right. We'll get started." Ron jumped up. Knowing he was moving out in a few days, made the chores seem less onerous.

"Hermione and I will de-gnome while you two do the lawns." Ginny walked over and kissed Harry, "Mum? I think I am kidnapping Harry and these two for dinner tonight. Alright?"

"That's fine, dear. It's too late for chores now, put off the yardwork until tomorrow. Go ready yourselves for your date." Molly winked at Ginny and turned back to her kitchen. Since Luna said she would stay in her room tonight, Molly had ideas for a little date night with Arthur.

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June 10

The work around the Burrow took all day. Molly even had them whitewash the cow shed, Arthur's garage, the broom shed, and the chicken coop. Later she asked them to tear down the pig sty and burn the rotted wood. They had not raised pigs for several years.

They saved the wood and other debris so that night, George and Charlie joined them while they enjoyed a bon fire. Roasting sausages on sticks was their dinner. Luna was absent. She said she had a headache.

The evening got late, and the fire was dying, the watchers were quiet as they each stared into glowing embers. George cleared his throat, getting their attention. "I'm just sitting here, going to have a chat with my big brother." He said cryptically.

Ron giggled, and Harry was too confused. The girls just listened closer.

"Yes, George. I sure hope no one is hearing what you have to say about this coming Sunday." Charlie laughed just loud enough to be heard. "I feel so bad about not letting Ron and Ginny know about the whole thing. Having a big to-do instead of something simple can be a shock."

George nodded sagely, "Too bad I can't leave hints about. I guess they'll just have to put it all together and talk about it between themselves. Maybe Bill will have something to ponder." George winked at everyone, stood, and the two went back to the house.

Ron drew everyone together, "Listen, something is happening." He looked at the retreating backs of his brothers.

"Oh, what?" Ginny shifted on the log so she could reach her butterbeer.

"It's all in bits and pieces. People shut up if they know I'm near." When he paused, Hermione motioned with a hand gesture for him to continue. "I think they're planning something. I don't think this will be a quiet, family betrothal. I heard something about a marquee. George was talking to Dad about a stag party. Mum was telling Charlie to air out his dress robes. Even I can't eat all the baked stuff Mum's been doing." He paused to let it set in.

Ginny looked into the fire. "Fleur was hinting at a few things also. Making us buy blue dresses. I know for a fact that blue used to be the traditional wedding color for witches until Queen Victoria's wedding."

"Yes. When we were at Shell Cottage, I saw a paper sitting on a side table. It had a list of Celtic wedding traditions and how to integrate them. When Fleur saw I was close to the table, that's when she slipped her shoes on and pushed us out the door."

"Harry, how are you about this?" Ginny held his hand.

"I must be brain dead, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Harry, I think they're planning a handfasting." Hermione said with a concerned look on her face.

"What's that?" He didn't know what it all meant, but the other faces made him feel cautious.

"The other day, I bought a book that talks about traditions of ancient Celts. Handfasting is an old-fashioned wedding ceremony, sometimes used for those who are marked with the soul bond. Harry, it's a form of Betrothal, just more involved." Hermione grinned with trepidation. "Tradition calls for it to be an all-day thing, with secrecy and rites."

"When you guys were in your first year, I went to a hand-fasting with Mum. I didn't understand much then, but I do remember the couple wasn't expecting it."

"Merlin! We're having a hand-fasting!" Ron exclaimed sourly.

"Don't bite my head off, but what's so wrong about it?" Harry asked Ginny.

"Oh, nothing is wrong, it's very beautiful magic, but I hate having no say." Ginny was near tears.

"I hear you!" Hermione agreed. "It's our time and we can't say anything about it."

"Should we say something to someone?" Harry suggested.

"Who? Would you dare interrupt Mum when she starts in on something?" Ron dared him.

"Not bloody likely." Harry laughed. "But what…how can we know what's happening?"

"I can only think of Bill and Fleur. They didn't have to go through all this, and they stay out of most of the family drama. Maybe they might have some advice." Ginny suggested.

"Okay. We go talk with them. But if we find we're stuck, then what's the problem?" Harry persisted. "Is that a bad thing?"

Ginny leaned on his shoulder, "No. It's not a bad thing. I just hate surprises like this. I feel we've had too many this past year."

"Yeah. But you know what? We can be surprised together. And after that, No one will force us into anything again. Just like we talked about." Harry kissed her forehead. He had more surprises planned, He only hoped it would be okay.

"What do you think, Hermione?" Ron wrapped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer.

"I'm not sure. I like the idea of traditions and connections to the past, but I don't like things out of my control."

"Really? I never knew!" Harry looked scandalized.

"Oh, shut it." Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, "Ron? Would it be so bad?"

"What? Hell no. Remember, I was all for the Vows at the start." He smiled down at her.

"Yeah, it was me who was scared, wasn't it?" She remembered. She sat up and smiled determinedly, "I'm going to write Fleur a note and send it first thing in the morning. We need answers."