The repairs on Hogwarts took weeks and they lasted well into July. Harry was happy that Ron and Hermione were back home and they all spent time together catching up.
One afternoon in late July, Harry, along with Ron, Ginny and Hermione found themselves down by the Black lake drinking chilled pumpkin fizz and enjoying some turkey sandwiches courtesy of the Hogwarts house elves.
"We've made such good progress on the castle." Hermione beamed, clasping her hands together.
Ginny nodded, mouth full of pumpkin fizz.
"It's only taken weeks." Harry snorted.
"Literally, McGonagal is a slave driver, we've been here nearly daily." Ron complained.
"Well, it's finally done." Ginny added, sitting back and looking up at the castle.
It sure was. Harry felt happiness spreading through his soul. The castle had been completely returned to its former glory.
It seemed slightly unreal that Hermione and Ron had been back home for over a month.
The last five and a half weeks the four of them had spent their time playing Quidditch in the orchard, and helping repair the school.
But, this afternoon they had other plans. They now had unlimited free time. Or, at least Ginny and Hermione would. Once August began Harry and Ron would have to start working on their school work as they both were planning to graduate by December.
"C"Mon, you ready?" Ginny put her hand out to Harry and he took it swiftly.
Together, along with Ron and Hermione they walked up the high street, heading for their eventual goal.
"Can't wait to see the new shop!" Ron smiled as they walked towards Hogsmeade that sunny day.
Thankfully, it was a weekend, so Miller was not accompanying them. But, another Auror Murphy was, he was a little older than Miller and a bit more laid back, and typically gave Harry more space, which he was grateful for.
But, Miller had still been Harry's shadow the last few weeks, and he expected to put up with him until he went back to school as the ministry had no luck finding Dolohov yet.
"It's where Zonkos used to be?" Right?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"Yup. That's the place!" Ron beamed.
George and Lee had opened a new Weasley's Wizarding Weezes in Hogsmeade that month and had celebrated opening day just the day before.
All four of them were excited to go see it.
The building looked magnificent as they all approached it.
Harry smiled when he saw the line outside, of people waiting to get into the shop..
Lee must have seen the four of them and poked his head out the shop's door.
"Hey, you four don't need to wait, come on in!" Lee smiled.
Many of the people waiting in line grumbled their displeasure at this.
Harry briefly made eye contact with Murphy and by his look he knew he planned to wait for him outside.
The four of them snuck in through the thick throng on people.
The shop was magnificent on the inside as well. Not a joke or display was out of place. Boxes of figurines and containers of suspicious looking sweets of all colors were piled high up to the ceilings on shelves.
A young man was tending to the cash register at the front of the shop happily chatting with customers.
Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked around the shop together and eventually Lee took them through to the back of the shop to the office.
"This is where the real magic happens" he beamed.
George was back there sitting over a stack of papers, his quill scratching across the page.
He looked up, mildly interested when the four of them walked in with Lee.
" How's it going, you guys like the shop?" George asked them, smiling, But something in his smile didn't seem very genuine.
"It's brilliant. Totally incredible." Harry beamed.
The others wholeheartedly agreed with this sentiment.
"Well, it's kept Lee and I quite busy." George explained.
Everyone nodded. "We were going to go down the street to the three broomsticks after we finish looking around did you want to join us?" Ginny asked George and Lee.
George smiled but shook his head. "OH, we're just too busy here, can't get away I'm afraid."
Lee momentarily looked a little surprised by this but hid his confusion well and nodded along.
"Okay, well if you change your mind you know where to find us." Ron told him before they all retreated back into the bustling shop.
"Y-you could have gone with them?" Lee eyed his friend.
George sighed. "I'm just not sure I'm feeling up to a big lunch to be honest." He shrugged.
Lee nodded sadly. "Well, why don't I run out and grab us something, you do need to still eat, you're losing too much weight."
"yeah, yeah alright. The witch who sells the soup and homemade bread?" George asked.
"Heck yeah. I'll be back." Lee sprinted out.
George watched through the windows of His office at the bustling shop below, at all the shoppers. Soon, Ron Harry, Ginny and Hermione left with full bags.
But, someone walking into the shop as they were leaving, caught his eye. It was Angelina. She looked rather sad and she was looking around. George couldn't help, but wonder if she was looking for him. He wasn't sure what possessed him to leave his quiet sanctuary, he decided to venture down in to the shop to say hi to her.
Down the street in the Three Broomsticks Harry enjoyed a plate of bangers and mashed, while Ginny had a roast turkey sandwich. Ron and Hermione both got the same thing, a lamb stew.
The four of them ate happily together and enjoyed chilled butterbeers.
Ginny was in the middle of telling a joke, when Harry noticed a commotion outside.
At that moment, the four of them turned toward the door quickly, suddenly Murphy, or who had been tailing Harry all day, swiftly, entered the pub and practically ran over to the table where they were all sitting.
"I need you all to go now, take the flu from here back to the burrow."
"Why?" Harry asked, quickly.
"don't ask me questions just do it now." He looked nervous and he kept glancing back toward the door. Harry did didn't want to, but he listened. He took Ginny by the hand and with Hermione and Ron in to they re-emerged in the bureau kitchen covered in such.
"What the heck was that?" Ron asked, as they materialized in the Weasleys kitchen.
"Not sure I wanna know." Harry groaned.
For the next several minutes, Mrs. Weasley fussed over all of them.
Soon Murphy reemerged in the yard and came trudging through the front door seconds later.
All five of them looked up, expecting some type of explanation from him.
"It was Dolohov. " He answered.
"He got away, unfortunately, he looks like he's starting to build up his own following now though."
At this announcement, Mrs. Weasley nervously fidgeted with her dress, she looked terrified.
"What?" Harry asked quickly
"How's that even possible? Was he with other death eaters?" Hermione asked.
"Not sure, it doesn't look like it. I'm sure there's new people he's picked up along the way while he's been on the run unfortunately. there's a lot of like-minded people out there like Dolohov." Murphy grimaced.
Harry slumped down on one of the kitchen chairs. Feeling defeated.
Over on the wall, the clock Molly had all its hands pointing to "mortal peril." Once again.
For the rest of the day it seemed like a dark cloud loomed over the house.
This was thankfully alleviated by the arrival of Arthur and Percy later on that day.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sitting at the kitchen table waiting for the dinner Molly was making to be done when Arthur and Percy came bustling into the kitchen happily.
All five of them looked up as the pair entered the house.
"Oh, you're all here wonderful." Arthur beamed.
"We have some news, finally got the go ahead to talk about it." Arthur smiled looking over at Percy.
Percy nodded happily.
the whole kitchen looked expectantly at them. Suddenly, forgetting about the chaos from before.
"Well, we got confirmation that the ministry is going to be holding a ball in August, as a way to commemorate the end of the war and to give out awards and such.." Arthur explained.
Percy nodded along and the rest of the kitchen grinned. "And of course you're all being asked to attend." He added.
"Oh, how neat." Ron beamed, eying Hermione.
Molly nodded in approval.
"Well, we're going to need robes." Ginny mentioned hopefully.
"Oh. Marjorie can help with that, I'll let her know!" Perry beamed.
Percy sort of bounced back and forth on his feet a bit, as if on the edge of speech.
Everyone paused and looked at him.
He cleared his throat a bit before speaking.
"And, you'll all get to finally meet Aubrey. She'll be attending with me." Percy explained.
"Oh, how lovely. I know you've been hoping to introduce us. I'd love to meet her, especially since you two have set a date for your wedding." Molly beamed.
Ron moved oddly in his chair, "yeah, we dont even know anything about this girl."
At this, everyone looked at him oddly.
Percy looked nervous but spoke up.
"Well, we met down in London about a year and a half ago. She had by splashed by water by a passing cab. And eventually we started dating. She accepted me as a wizard even though our worlds were so different.
And about a 6 months ago, despite all my failings and difficulties and our differences, she agreed to be my wife."
"We've even set a date, December 24th. Audrey always wanted a Christmas time wedding.
Molly clapped her hands together in glee.
"Wait- she's a muggle?" Ron asked rudely.
He suddenly grunted in pain. Hermione had clearly kicked him under the table.
"Yes. She is." Percy admitted.
"Which is fine!" Molly rushed over to Percy, "we cannot wait to meet her." Molly grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.
Even Arthur clapped his son happily on the back.
At this, even Ron smiled a little bit.
(AN: sorry for the time I've been away, I had technology issues and couldn't edit my stories for several weeks, and I'm currently pregnant and was sick after and couldn't write. I'm doing much better now! I know this one is a little short, but I wanted to make sure you had something to enjoy!)