wild thing

❛ 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎 ❜

Oh really," said Arthur in exasperation, handing the paper to Percy. "Nobody was hurt. What was I supposed to say? Rumors that several bodies were removed from the woods... well, there certainly will be rumors now she's printed that."

He heaved a deep sigh. "Molly, I'm going to have to go into the office; this is going to take some smoothing over."

"I'll come with you, Father," said Percy importantly. "Mr. Crouch will need all hands on deck. And I can give him my cauldron report in person."

He bustled out of the kitchen. Molly looked most upset.

"Arthur, you're supposed to be on holiday! This hasn't got anything to do with your office; surely they can handle this without you?"

"I've got to go, Molly," said Arthur. "I've made things worse. I'll just change into my robes and I'll be off "

"It's alright Mum. We're here now." Marina said giving her mother a cuddle.

"Mrs. Weasley," said Harry suddenly, unable to contain himself, "Hedwig hasn't arrived with a letter for me, has she?"

"Hedwig, dear?" said Mrs. Weasley distractedly. "No... no, there hasn't been any post at all."

Ron and Hermione looked curiously at Harry. With a meaningful look at both of them he said, "All right if I go and dump my stuff in your room, Ron?"

"Yeah think I will too," said Ron at once. "Hermione?"

"Yes," she said quickly, and the three of them marched out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"They think they are so clever don't they?" Marina scoffed, knowing they were talking about Sirius.

"Hey Marina!" Ron shouted from his room.

"What do you want?" Marina yelled.

"Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard! " said Ron. "Come on – four on four, Bill, Marina, Charlie and Fred, Me, Harry, and George will play... Harry also wants to try out the Wronski Feint –"

"Alright! Get ready to be slaughtered!" Marina said.

"Are you sure about that?" Harry replied.

"Oi that's personal! I'm especially coming for you now Potter!" Marina yelled.

"Well that isn't really a bad thing is it?" Harry said as he walked down the stairs, wiggling his eyebrows.

Marina then stepped on his foot.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 Arthur nor Percy was at home much over the following week. Both left the house each morning before the rest of the family got up, and returned well after dinner every night.

"It's been an absolute uproar," Percy told them importantly the Sunday evening before they were due to return to Hogwarts. "I've been putting out fires all week. People keep sending Howlers, and of course, if you don't open a Howler straight away, it explodes. Scorch marks all over my desk and my best quill reduced to cinders."

"Why are they all sending Howlers?" asked Ginny, who was mending her copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi with Spellotape on the rug in front of the living room fire.

"Complaining about security at the World Cup," said Percy. "They want compensation for their ruined property. Mundungus Fletcher's put in a claim for a twelve-bedroomed tent with en-suite Jacuzzi, but I've got his number. I know for a fact he was sleeping under a cloak propped on sticks."