Aware that the people around him were starting to stare, Harry took the phone out of his pocket.

"Where did you get that?" demanded Ginny.

"A girl dropped it on the tube," said Harry. "What if it's one of her friends or something?"

"Tell them she lost it," she suggested, rolling her eyes. "Press the green button to answer it."

"How do you know that?"

"Muggle Studies," she said matter of factly.

"I'll answer if you like," interjected Luna, dreamily.

"Hello?" said Harry, hurriedly punching the button.

"Harry?" came a familiar voice at the other end.

"Mr. Weasley? How did you get this number?"

"Dad has a phone?" asked Ginny, interestedly. Harry frowned and waved her away so he could hear.

"The girl who dropped it gave it to me. She accidentally came through the visitor's entrance here. She said she was attacked after she saw you and Ron."

"It was Grayback," Harry told him, as quietly as possible.

"Grayback? Harry, are you absolutely…"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Merlin's beard, Harry, that is not good news. I sent her to George's place. He's expecting you. She needs her phone back, after all. Now, Ron said the other day you were out for Daphne Grievous' class today?"

"That's right, do you want to speak to her?" Harry craned his head, trying to spot his lecturer's severe dark bob and black framed glasses.

Ginny tapped him on the shoulder and pointed. Ron was with Daphne and he was waving for Harry's attention. Trying not to trip over any new first years – had he ever really been that tiny? – he jogged along the platform and extended the phone to Daphne.

"Arthur Weasley for you," he said, using a phrase he'd heard Aunt Petunia use when handing the phone to Uncle Vernon.

"Arthur?" she snapped in her usual brusque tones. "Your youngest son is informing me…a muggle? Has a memory charm been administered yet? Good, we'll be needing those memories as proof. Where is she? Why a member of the Order? Don't trust who? Fine. Yes, good point. Yes, I'm sure she is. You go. I'll tell Shacklebolt to follow you directly." She hit the red button and thrust the phone back at Harry. "Jolly good, you pair. You're here early. You even spoke with a muggle and she was none the wiser. Top marks. You're excused."

Knowing it was never wise to hang around the short tempered witch after being excused, the two friends went and said goodbye to Ginny and Luna, promising to fill them in properly by owl. They stopped briefly to apprise Mrs Weasley of the situation and to promise her that they were eating properly, bathing properly and going to bed at sensible times. Ron was hugely irritated but Harry secretly enjoyed Mrs Weasley's maternal clucking. It was nice to feel cared for.

With a final wave, they found a clear point and apparated straight into George's kitchen, severely startling Lucie.

"Don't bother knocking," Ron's brother greeted them with a frown, waving his wand at Lucie's spilled tea, causing it to flow back into the mug.

"Sorry," said Harry. "But your Dad's on his way and Kingsley won't be far behind him. We wanted to give you a heads up."

"Kingsley's coming here?" George's frown deepened. It was rare to see him smile these days.

Quickly, Harry filled them in about Grayback.

"A werewolf," said Lucie in an oddly flat voice. "Your big brother has them scars because he was attacked by a werewolf. That creepy hobo from the train is a werewolf. And people can appear from thin air. And I pepper sprayed a werewolf." She appeared to cheer up a little.

"You pepper sprayed Grayback?" demanded Ron. "That is the coolest thing I've heard all day."

"Yes, well, just because I am not of the magical persuasion doesn't mean I'm a total lump, thank you so much."

"Far from it," said George. "You've taught me more about store security in the last half an hour than Fred and I…" he stopped abruptly.

"Well, that's not to be proud of," she rushed, to cover the awkward silence. "My first boss only hired me so he could take my shoplifting out of my wages."

"Are you opening again?" asked Harry, eagerly.

"Maybe," said George shortly. Harry knew how painful the thought must be for him. To go back to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes without Fred.

"As a key investor," said Harry, trying a new tactic, "I'd like to be kept informed."

"Fine," said George, as the kitchen fire flared green. "Dad's on his way. Will you be okay?"

If Harry had blinked, he would have missed George's hand gently brush Lucie's shoulder and her hand tighten on the mug when it did. She nodded resolutely.

"Bring it," she said decisively.