Chapter 2 The Burrow and the Hollow
"So Ron, you finally passed the driving test?" Ginny smirked; after all she had passed it months ago. "Again I think he must have confounded the driver! I truly thought he was hopeless…"Hermione smiled kindly at Ron. Ron winked at Harry. "I'm still wondering if I should have given the Marauder's Map to one of them," Harry whispered to the others so Lily and Hugo couldn't hear. "Honestly, James gets in enough trouble as it is and I don't want Albus to follow in your foot steps--" Ginny was interrupted by Ron "But our night time adventures were the best thing about Hogwarts! Ah! Those were good days…Remember Fluffy?! He was really a nutter!" Ron laughed. "I'm just surprised we got out of all the trouble we found ourselves in. Can you believe it was nineteen years ago that we were last at Hogwarts!" Hermione stated. Harry remembered Ginny, Ron, and Hermione asking everyday after he killed Voldemort if his scar had hurt and his answer had always been no, yet he could still remember the searing pain that spread through his body as though he was on fire.
The group of four walked through the barrier and out into the parking lot. "It's so good to see you two! We really should see each other more often!" Hermione exclaimed. "Well we are going to see a lot of each other this week for sure, you're staying at the Burrow this week too right?" Harry said. "Of course we are, we're stopping at home quickly to get our things then we're going." Ron replied. "We've got our stuff with us so we're off now," said Ginny as she climbed into Harry's and her car. "We'll see you in about an hour!" said Hermione. Lily and Hugo climbed into the cars and they pulled out together, Ron almost smashing into a Lexus in the process.
"Harry, Ginny, Lily! Dears you are all to thin! Really, Ginny do you feed Lily at all? Oh how good it is to see you! ARTHUR! They're here! I hope you all aren't working to hard! Oh Ginny when is the next game? Ever since you joined the Harpies that team of yours has been the best in the league! And Harry you've been promoted! Congratulations! Head of the Auror office! Really! Well come in. Come in! Sit down all of you and I'll whip up something to eat! ARTHUR!" Mrs. Weasly ushered them into seats and bustled into the kitchen.
"Lily, why don't you go help Grandma Molly?" Lily sprang out of her seat and rushed into the kitchen. Just then a balding and thin man came into the room. "Harry! Ginny! How lovely to see you! How is everything?" "Everything is great dad." Ginny said as she hugged him. Harry shook his hand." Everything is great," said Harry. They all sat down at the table. "So James, Albus, and Rose get off alright?" "Yes they've all been so anxious for today. We bought James a broom- it was a Nimbus— I believe nothing fancy just a simple brand for his first broom and we gave Tonks to Albus. I can't wait to know what house he's in," said Ginny. "Well of course he'll be in Gryffindor; everyone in his family has been in it. All the Wealeys and my parents…just as long as he's not in Sytherin," said Harry smiling. Lily walked back towards the table carrying a pitcher of lemonade, followed by Molly who had a platter of bread and cheese. "Just some things to snack on until the other arrive!" she said brightly.
"So Harry, do tell me what has been happening in the Auror office." Mr. Weasley had been retired and only read the Prophet's first page or so. "Well, lately it's been pretty quiet. I've really been quite surprised actually. I believe in the past month there has only been one mishap—an attempted breakout from Azkaban, but the dragons had taken care of it before anyone from the ministry even arrived. Much better the dragons are then those other guards we've tried using. Of course we all remember the dementors-nasty creatures they were!" said Harry filling Arthur in. "Yes, then I think we used goblins, but they didn't like that to much, after them wasn't in centaurs—to interested in the stars—forgot to give the prisoners their meals…Then it was thestrals. Kinglsey thought it would be good to have guards invisible to the prisoners, but all of them were so dark they had done all the killing! So finally he settled on dragons and they've been working very well," Harry finished. "Yes I did hear about the centaurs. But not the goblins—whose idea was that? Everyone knows Goblins hate wizards—why would they guard our prisoners for us?" Mr. Weasley replied. "Well Kinglsey rounded up some goblin armor that had been sold to wizards. It was a handsome amount of gold there, and he returned it to them—saying he would find more if they were the guards, but goblins believed that it should have been theirs anyways, so it didn't work out." "Well! That's very fascinating! It's so nice to have someone in the ministry to give you all the good bits of news and gossip!" Mr. Weasley said. "Yes that is very exciting. I find non-human beings to be a very interesting subject," Mrs. Weasly chimed in,
"Well Ron and Hermione should be here any minute and George will be arriving around dinner time with Eliana and little Fred. Percy shall come on Saturday and stay for the weekend. Have you seen the newest pictures of Fred, he's just darling! Mrs. Weasley bustled away to get the pictures. She rummaged through a desk and came away carrying them. "Just darling!" she said handing the pictures to Harry and Ginny. They looked down and saw a small boy of five smiling up at them. His hair just like his father's was flaming red. "He's really growing!" Ginny said. "Yes he is just like a sprout that one. Here's the letter George sent with them." Mrs. Weasley said handing a piece of parchment to them.
Dear Mum and Dad,
How is everything? Things with us are doing well. The business is flourishing and Ron's been a good help, but I reckon he'll be moving on soon to another job. No matter, he never had quite the knack for getting in trouble I did! Eliana has just gotten work in Madam Malkin's. She really enjoys the business there. Freddie is doing just great too! We bought him a toy broom and he's been zooming around on it. He wears the sweater you made him almost every day! I've put in some pictures fro you to see. He has turned out to make a ruckus-- just like his father! At least I know he will learn from the best! He loves going into the store and playing with all the products (I keep him away from the harmful ones!) but I have to keep a keen eye on him! I can't wait to see you soon. Hope you are well!
Love,
George
"Things sound good with him. I'm glad Eliana has taken to the job in Madam Malkin's. I think it should suit her well, don't you?" Ginny said, but no one had time to answer because just then there was a knock on the door. "Oh that will be Ron and Hermione!" Molly said jumping out of her seat and moving towards the door. The three at the table got up and followed in her wake.