Hurt | Remus Lupin

~26~ Sara the Matchmaker

Mrs. Weasley looked like she was trying to refrain from insulting the Dursley's, so I did it for her. 

"Eh, who cares about those dry-shites." I shrugged.

Harry and Bill laughed while Mrs. Weasley started scolding me for my language. 

"It's great being back here," said Bill, looking around the chamber (Violet, the Fat Lady's friend, winked at him from her frame)."Haven't seen this place for five years. Is that picture of the mad knight still around? Sir Cadogan?" 

"Oh yeah," said Harry.

I rolled my eyes. "I had a screaming match with him last year."

Harry started laughing as he remembered.

"And the Fat Lady?" said Bill. 

We both nodded.

"She was here in my time," said Mrs. Weasley. "She gave me such a telling off one night when I got back to the dormitory at four in the morning —"

"What were you doing out of your dormitory at four in the morning?" said Bill, surveying his mother with amazement.

Mrs. Weasley grinned, her eyes twinkling. "Your father and I had been for a nighttime stroll," she said. "He got caught by Apollyon Pringle — he was the caretaker in those days — your father's still got the marks."

"That's so romantic!" I cried.

Harry then decided to show Mrs. Weasley and Bill around, and Bill asked me to join too. 

"How's Percy?" Harry asked as they walked around the greenhouses.

"Not great." Bill said. 

"He's very upset," said Mrs. Weasley, lowering her voice and glancing around. "The Ministry wants to keep Mr. Crouch's disappearance quiet, but Percy's been hauled in for questioning about the instructions Mr. Crouch has been sending in. They seem to think there's a chance they weren't genuinely written by him. Percy's been under a lot of strain. They're not letting him fill in for Mr. Crouch as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to be doing it." 

I sighed. Poor Percy. I had sent him a couple of letters when I found out, but he had only written me a brief response. I was used to not receiving letters back anyway.

We started heading back towards the castle for lunch and Bill leaned towards me. "That girl with the silver hair. Tell me more about her. Looks like your good friends."

"I met her at the Yule Ball. She's incredibly kind and brave. Super funny too. She's taken a bit of interest in you too." I whispered back.

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course." I was shocked at how surprised he looked. "I mean, have you looked at yourself! You're so handsome, You could be a model!"

"Seems like your flirting with me." he teased.

"Shut up, I can appreciate good looks." I laughed, punching his arm. "Anyways, you should try to talk to her. If you can't find a way while she's with her family, I'll get you guys talking eventually. We send each other letters all the time."

When we arrived at the Great Hall, Ron's eyes widened. "Mum? Bill? What are you guys doing here!"

"Come to watch Harry in the last task!" said Mrs. Weasley brightly. "I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. How was your exam?"

 "Oh . . . okay," said Ron. "Couldn't remember all the goblin rebels' names, so I invented a few. It's all right," he said, helping himself to a Cornish pasty, while Mrs. Weasley looked stern, "they're all called stuff like Bodrod the Bearded and Urg the Unclean; it wasn't hard."