𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐇𝐁𝐏 𝟑

Emily remained within the confines of The Burrow's garden over the next few weeks. She spent most of her days watching Quidditch in the Weasleys' orchard (Harry and Hermione against Ron and Ginny; Hermione was dreadful and Ginny good, so they were reasonably well-matched) and her evenings eating very little food and then getting a lecture from Mrs Weasley about her under eating.

Emily had been slightly more talkative then normal but the stories of disappearances, odd accidents, even of deaths now appearing almost daily in the Prophet made her go back into her trances. Sometimes Bill and Mr Weasley brought home news before it even reached the paper.

To Mrs Weasley's displeasure, Harry's sixteenth birthday celebrations were marred by grisly tidings brought to the party by Remus Lupin, who was looking gaunt and grim, his brown hair streaked liberally with grey, his clothes more ragged and patched than ever which made Emily, Ethan and Eric panic.

"There have been another couple of Dementor attacks," he announced, as Mrs Weasley passed him a large slice of birthday cake. "And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it ,well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after deserting the Death Eaters; Sirius's brother Regulus only managed a few days as far as I can remember."

He made an apologetic look to his children after bringing up their fathers name in such dull circumstances but they all just shook their head.

"Yes, well," said Mrs Weasley, frowning, "perhaps we should talk about something diff-"

"Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Remus?"asked Bill, who was being plied with wine by Fleur. "The man who ran-"

"-the ice-cream place in Diagon Alley?" Harry interrupted, with an unpleasant, hollow sensation in the pit of his stomach. "He used to give me free ice creams. What's happened to him?"

"Dragged off, by the look of his place."

"Why?" asked Ron, while Mrs Weasley pointedly glared at Bill.

"Who knows? He must've upset them somehow. He was a good man, Florean."

"Talking of Diagon Alley," said Mr Weasley, "looks like Ollivander's gone too."

"The wand-maker?" said Ginny, looking startled.

"That's the one. Shop's empty. No sign of a struggle. No one knows whether he left voluntarily or was kidnapped."

"But wands - what'll people do for wands?"

"They'll make do with other makers," said Lupin. "But Ollivander was the best, and if the other side have got him it's not so good for us."

"Can we stop talking about this." Emily said. After she requested it, everyone agreed for they had all been treating the Lupin-Black children like royalty this past summer.

The day after this rather gloomy birthday tea, their letters and book lists arrived from Hogwarts.

Harry's included a surprise: he had been made Quidditch Captain.

"That gives you equal status with prefects!" cried Hermione happily. "You can use our special bathroom now, and everything!"

"Wow, I remember when Charlie wore one of these," said Ron, examining the badge with glee. "Harry, this is so cool, you're my captain-if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha ..."

"Well, I don't suppose we can put off a trip to Diagon Alley much longer now you've got these," sighed Mrs Weasley, looking down Ron's book list. "We'll go on Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work again. I'm not going there without him."