CHAPTER EIGHT. The Plot Revealed.
It was a late Friday afternoon nearly three weeks later that Harry and Ginny Potter apparated into the garden of Ron and Hermione's cottage, They were still in their work clothes but had their weekend bags with them. Ron had just got home from working with George in their joke shop in Diagon Alley, but Hermione had taken a days holiday at home for a change, fancying a long weekend.
Ron greeted his sister and best friend warmly and said, "Stick you bags in the guest room, By the way, I talked George and Angelina into joining us for tomorrow night's party. George will be shutting up shop early tomorrow afternoon and they've got the other spare bedroom. Hermione should be back soon, I think she's off flying with the ducks."
Harry and Ginny looked at Ron a bit quizzically but went upstairs to put their bags in their bedroom.
Coming back down they found Ron sat out on the terrace in the sunny garden with four glasses and a large pitcher of pumpkin juice and Pimms. He poured Harry and Ginny each a tall drink saying, "Give that a go guys, Nectar of the Gods that is!"
"Er, Ron," said Ginny sipping her drink and apparently approving it. "Either we're going bonkers or when we arrived you said Hermione is off somewhere flying with some ducks. Or did you mean she's 'away with the fairies' after drinking too much of this stuff ?" she said smiling.
"You'll see in a minute," Ron replied. "They should be back soon, Hermione should be here by now, she knows you're coming, but as a 'born again flyer' she tends to lose track of time."
Just then a distant quacking could be heard and then in a rush of wings the four ducks hove into view, streaking low and fast around the river bend, led by Hermione going as quickly as the old broom could carry her.
"See, I told you she'd soon be here," said Ron, beaming at Harry and Ginny's astonished expressions seeing Hermione land on the lawn. "We'll all just get spruced up and changed, then make our way to the village pub then shall we? The Golden Phoenix do great pub grub and I'm buggered if I'm cooking tonight as well as for the party tomorrow. It'll be my treat, the new online store is beginning to rake in a fortune and George is smiling at me all the time, it's quite unnerving!" And they all laughed.
The following night Luna and Xenophilius Lovegood plus Molly and Arthur Weasley along with the two additional guests who'd arrived late that afternoon George Weasley and his girlfriend (soon to be wife) Angelina Johnson all joined Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione for a lively dinner party. After a lovely meal outside on the terrace on the warm summer's evening they all went back inside and sat down in the lounge in a circle to play Magical Pursuit, a wizarding game that was a variation of one invented by muggles and much in vogue at the time.
"The answer's a hippogriff," said Ron. "Now gimme me a segment!"
Later, and after Hermione had (as usual) won the game, it was firewhiskeys all round as people chatted. Hermione piped up saying to Luna, "Oh by the way Luna, did you notice you left your broomstick here a few weeks ago."
Luna replied, "I can't remember doing that, are you sure it's mine?"
"Ron said it's yours, I hope your not angry but I've been using it a bit over the last few weeks since I've been getting into flying, but Ron said you wouldn't mind as you've got Nightwings now."
"No, of course I don't mind that you've been using it Hermione, if it's mine. I do have Nightwings now and she's beautiful. We've just found out she's in foal! She must have been so ever since Hagrid sent her down for me from the Forbidden Forest herd, so we should hear the patter of tiny hooves soon." Luna, smiled happily.
Hermione, who now could see thestrals due to unfortunately witnessing some of the tragic deaths during the Battle of Hogwarts, thought to herself, "Only Luna would describe a thestral as beautiful, but it's true they do have a certain gentle gothic elegance."
"Anyway," Luna went on, "My broom's still at home as far as I know, but if it is here I'll happily take it back. I don't want my lovely Nightwings exerting herself too much carrying me around in her condition, she'll be getting a bit too big soon."
"I'll go and fetch it then Luna and you'll see, it's yours, though It's been a godsend through these past three weeks." Said Hermione going out to get it from the cupboard.
Ron meanwhile didn't hear this exchange, as he was reliving an old Quidditch match that he had played with George and Angelina. Neither did Xenophilius hear what had been said between Luna and Hermione, as he was pontificating one of his current favourite strange theories to Arthur and Molly.
Hermione soon returned carrying the Cleansweep and everyone looked round as she entered the room saying, "Here, it is Luna, told you it was yours."
"No it isn't Hermione, I thought so, it's the one Ron borrowed from Daddy," replied Luna. "She's right," chipped in Xenophilius. "It's my old Cleansweep, didn't Ronald tell you he'd borrowed it from me for you to use?"
Catching on rapidly to having been tricked and looking furious Hermione angrily replied, "No he bloody didn't!" But then swiftly her entire demeanour changed and she began to laugh uncontrollably. She eventually got her breath back and exclaimed, "Ronald Bloody Weasley! You mugged me didn't you? You're a complete git!" But she was smiling at him as she said it.
For a moment Ron had looked like a naughty schoolboy that had been caught out in some wrongdoing, but once Hermione started laughing he soon realised he was not in trouble and said, "So you're not angry about 'Operation Witchflight then?"
"Oh, so that's what you called your little scheme was it? But no I'm not angry with you, how could I be? You managed to get our little flock and me flying at the same time and I love you for it, but you're still a complete git though!" She said smiling.
Xenophilius laughed then spoke up saying, "So you are happy with the broom are you Hermione? I never use it any more so you might as well keep it as a gift." "Thank you so much Xenophilius, Hermione replied, "It's a wonderful broom and thanks to my sneaky husband it has given me a freedom I never knew before these past few weeks."