H
I'm so sorry, can only get part of the day off.

I'll meet you in the village,
Stay safe

G

Harriet felt a little disheartened by George's letter. She had hoped to see him for the whole day. It felt like an age since she had him all to herself. Especially after last year when they could easily sneak off to another part of the castle or stay hidden in the middle of the night in the Gryffindor common room.


"She's missing George," Hermione whispered to Ron and Ginny after Harriet had left the common room to go to her first lesson with Dumbledore. "I'm worried about her. I feel like even with Quidditch to distract her, she's not overly happy at Hogwarts."

"Harriet's used to having a bit more freedom, I bet she's rather fed up with people telling her to be careful, all these security measures must be doing her head in." Ginny said, "George wrote to me and said that he's got part of the Hogsmeade visit off, so hopefully he'll be able to convince the Order to leave Harriet alone for a bit if she's with a member."

"He joined up then?"

"During the Summer, for Harriet," Ron explained. "Said there was no better reason, we heard the whole conversation."

"He doesn't do any missions," Ginny said, "mum wouldn't hear of it, but I don't see that lasting much longer. He told the Order he was willing to die for Harriet. Mum was in absolute tears, said it was the sweetest thing she'd ever heard him say. He had to promise not to go and break her out of the Dursely's before they would let him join though."

"Wow, that's a huge responsibility -"

"I still don't get why she hasn't told us about them -"

Hermione gave them all a thoughtful look, "She never told us why she needed food parcels in the summer of our fourth year, she just blamed the diet her cousin was being put on. Harriet is a very private person - unless you guys have some rule about that too-"

"To be honest Hermione. I only remember a handful of those rules. I sort of outgrow needing them with Harriet and I thought she had to, it's never been an issue for her to open up to me. She knows she's able to."

"Maybe she just wants to see how it goes," Hermione said, "They didn't start dating until late last year, even so, George and Fred left a month before the school closed for the holidays so they were only together for a few months. And they hadn't had much time to see each other properly."


Harriet stared around the busy Quidditch pitch stands with absolute horror. just looking at all the people in the stands. This was not normal. The stands were nowhere near this full during all the try-outs she'd ever been to.

"How did playing Quidditch get so popular?"

"Honestly Harry," Hermione said, "It's not Quidditch that's popular it's you."

To Harry's annoyance, Mclaggen had turned up.

"Hiya, Harry," he said confidently, stepping out of the crowd to shake her hand.

'McLaggen,' Harry replied. "What you trying out for?"

"Keeper."

"You didn't try out last year," Harry said, already knowing the answer. Only Ron had shown up for that try-out.

"I was in the hospital wing when they held the trails,' McLaggen said. 'Ate a pound of Doxy eggs for a bet ..."

Harry re-framed from rolling her eyes, unsure whether he was telling the truth or not. And if he was, she wasn't sure she wanted someone on her team who took a bet more seriously.

'Right ...' Harry said. 'well ... if you wait over there ...'

"I swear if he starts to even tries to flirt with me again, he'll find himself held at wand point," Harriet muttered, dangerously so that only Ron and Hermione could hear her. "And the nastiest hexes I can think of whilst I'm at it."

Ron and Hermione shared a look, Harriet couldn't determine a reason why they would. Were they dating? Had she missed something during the summer when she had been daydreaming of George?


"His sister didn't even try if you would just give me a chance -"

"Take your sweet tone and your broom whilst you are at it and stick them both up where the sun doesn't shine McLaggen. I'm not interested!" Harriet raged. She was surprised that she put up with his stunt for this long, apparently, she had not been clear enough during tryouts that he had not been made Keeper. So McLaggen thought he could sweet-talk his way onto the team by flirting with her. McLaggen followed her everywhere in his free time so when the Hogsmeade trip had arrived, McLaggen had followed her all the way down to the carriage and through the village. The Order could take a leaf out of his book, Harriet had been unable to shake him.

"Harriet if you would just -"

"I think you're bothering the lady," a voice said dangerously from behind her.

Harriet, though she could not see him, she felt completely relieved by the dangerous voice for she knew who it belonged to, after all, she had heard his dark tone once before and Harriet did not want to be McLaggen right now. McLaggen paled completely, realising his defeat, and began backing away until he vanished into a shop.

"Can you come back to Hogwarts? Please?" Harriet whispered, to the person behind her. "That was just brilliant!"

"I missed you too," George chuckled, as Harriet turned around. The weather was bitterly cold the morning of the Hogsmeade trip, so they both had wrapped up warm. George's face was looking a bit flushed, and it looked like he was shivering, though his warm smile spoke volumes. Harry wasted no time, she hugged him tightly, he squeezed her back in return. They remained huddled together, as they walked through the village. "But I don't think McGonagall would let me back into Hogwarts."

"She'd think you'd lost your mind!" Harriet laughed softly.

The street was not very busy; nobody was lingering to chat, just hurrying towards their directions.

"Nothing is the same anymore," Harriet said looking around, "Everyone is worried Volde- well that he'll turn up any second."

"I know what you mean, even Diagon is like this."

"How's Hogwarts going?"

"Alright." Harriet shrugged. "I've got private lessons with Dumbledore. Still haven't figured out if he's mental or not."

George chortled deeply. "I don't think anyone has that figured out."

They had made it to the Three Broomsticks. Standing just outside the Three Broomsticks, Harry saw two men standing. One she recognised right away as the barman who worked at the other Hogsmeade pub, the Hog's Head. As they drew closer, the barman had started to walk away leaving the shorter man to fumble with something in his arms. The other man Harry too recognised, the squat bandy-legged man with long ginger hair -

"Mundungus!"

The man in question jumped and dropped an old suitcase, which burst open, releasing what looked like the entire contents of a junk shop window.

"Oh 'ello, 'Arry," Mundungus Fletcher said. "Well don't let me keep you."

And he began scrabbling on the ground to retrieve the contents of his suitcase with the appearance of a man eager to be gone.

"Here - let me help you," Harry went to reach out.

"N-no no 'm fine," he replied hastily.

"Are you selling all this stuff?" George asked, watching Mundungus grabbing an assortment of grubby-looking objects from the ground.

"Oh, well, gotta scrape a living," said Mundungus. "Gimme that!"

George had stooped down and picked up something silver.

"Wait a minute," Harry said slowly, looking at the goblet in George's hand. "I know that crest -"

"Thank you!" Mundungus said, snatching the goblet out of George's hand and stuffing it back into the case. "Well, I'll see you all - OUCH!"

Harriet had pinned Mundungus against the wall of the pub by the throat. Holding him with one hand, she pulled out her wand with her other.

"Harriet!"

"You stole, from Sirius, That had the Black family crest on it.' Harriet snarled. She was almost nose-to-nose with Mundungus. "How dare you!' her lips curled into a snarl, "Did you wait until he died to go back to take everything of value?"

"He never cared for the stuff -"

"Filthy, stinking son of a—!" Harriet swore so violently that a few passers-by stared, but she couldn't heed them, her anger at Mundungus was too great. How dare he steal her godfather's things! How dare he! "Sirius had vouched for you, and this was how you repay him?"

Harriet went to hit him, but so soon as she left her hand drop, Mundungus got free, and he disappeared.

"COME BACK YOU THIEVING - GOOD FOR NOTHING -"

"HARRIET!"

She dared not look at George. Harriet was worried about what he'd see there. She'd never lost her temper in front of George this badly before.

"Love, let's get you somewhere warm. And I'll warn the Order once we've finished, what he's been up to."

Harriet glanced at him, she had to, George had never called her that before. "When did you get so rational?"

"You'll be surprised what running a shop does to you." George's hand cupped her face. "I know you're angry, and it was your things he nicked. But please remain calm. He'll be hiding somewhere by now. But believe me, when I say, he is not going to have it easy once the Order gets hold of him."