Brighter Than the Sun

Chapter Forty

I scrambled to get off of him.

"Sorry," we both said. I was aware of the burning heat plaguing my face.

I had to say something to ease the awkwardness.

"Your eyes are really pretty," I blurted out.

Wow, freaking wonderful. So not awkward at all. You are the picture of eloquence, Aisling McKeon.

Harry blinked, the blush on his cheeks deepening. "Thanks...? Erm, yours are too..."

"Thanks," I managed to squeak out. Gods, this was so awkward.

Just when I thought I'd die of humiliation, Ginny poked her head in the doorway.

"Ash?" She said. "Jab keeps screeching about happy blondes and he won't shut up. Can you please come help?"

"Yeah, sure!" I said a little too quickly, bolting for the door. I followed Ginny down the stairs to our room. She looked over at me and raised her eyebrows.

"Woah," she said. "Are you okay? Your face is super red."

"Yeah," I said. "We were just laughing and joking around. I fell over."

"What were you laughing about?" she asked.

"Um, one of my Grandma'am's friends, whose name is Walburga."

Ginny barked out a laugh. "Who on earth names their poor kid Walburga?"

I grinned, glad Ginny hadn't pried too much.

There was a definite end-of-the-holidays gloom in the air the next morning. Heavy rain was still splattering against the window as I got dressed in jeans, a green T-Shirt, and a green hoodie (Charlie and I were still jokingly gloating over Ireland's victory at the Quidditch Cup and wore green whenever we could. Two days ago Charlie surprised everyone by coming downstairs with his hair completely green.).

I could hear Mr. Weasley calling hurried good-byes to everyone as I came down.

"I'd better hurry — you have a good term, boys," said Mr. Weasley to Harry, Ron, and the twins, fastening a cloak over his shoulders and preparing to Disapparate. "Molly, are you going to be all right taking the kids to King's Cross?"

"Of course I will," she said. "You just look after Mad-Eye, we'll be fine."

As Mr. Weasley vanished, Bill and Charlie entered the kitchen.

"Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "What's he been up to now?"

"He says someone tried to break into his house last night," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mad-Eye Moody?" said George thoughtfully, spreading marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter —"

"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," said Mrs. Weasley sternly.

"Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" said Fred quietly as Mrs. Weasley left the room. "Birds of a feather..."

"Moody was a great wizard in his time," said Bill.

"He's an old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?" said Charlie.

"Dumbledore's not what you'd call normal, though, is he?" said Fred. "I mean, I know he's a genius and everything..."

"Who is Mad-Eye?" Harry asked.

"He's retired, used to work at the Ministry," said Charlie. "I met him once when Dad took me into work with him. He was an Auror — one of the best... a Dark wizard catcher," he added, seeing Harry's blank look. "Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though... the families of people he caught, mainly... and I heard he's been getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone anymore. Sees Dark wizards everywhere."