Ophidian | Fred Weasley ✔

31

Chapter Thirty-One:

( T H E   S E V E N   P O T T E R S )

"Ow! Ronald watch it will you!" Hermione grumbled.

"I'm sorry! It's not like I can actually see where your foot is exactly!" Ron grumbled back.

"You're literally sat behind me you idiot, you don't need to see to be able to tell where my foot is!" Hermione said as she held on to the latch of the thestral they were riding.

"Well—" Ron was cut off by Mad-eye Moody as he grumbled. "Shut it! We're about to land."

A pair of thestrals, a couple broomsticks and a flying motorbike along with their riders came to a halt just outside 4 Privet Drive to be greeted by Harry Potter as their disillusionment charm faded.

One by one, the riders dismounted their choice of travel as they made their way into the two-storey house. The first to enter was Alastor Moody, followed by Remus and his wife Nymphadora Tonks, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Bill Weasley and his fiancee Fleur Delacour, Hagrid who had to bend down halfway to walk past the door, George and Fred Weasley accompanied by the latter's fiancee Artemis Rosier and lastly, Mundungus Fletcher.

There was a general cry of greeting as Hermione flung her arms around Harry, Ron slapped his back and Hagrid said "All righ' Harry? Ready fer the off?"

"Definitely." Harry said beaming around at all of them. "But I wasn't expecting this many of you!"

"Change of Plans." Moody growled out walking further into the living space, two bulging sacks secured on his back and his magical eye whizzing all around the place. Even though it was revealed that the Moody who had been at Hogwarts had been Barty Crouch Jr, it still unnerved Artemis to be in his presence. His magical eye reminding her of the time she had been subject to one of the Unforgivable curses.

She discreetly sat furthest away from the renowned Auror, settling on the armrest of the sofa. Fred noticed her discomfort and threw his arm around her shoulder kissing her forehead as he turned to laugh at something George had said. For a moment, all the worries seemed to fade as the group immersed themselves in lively chatter.

"Harry! Check this out!" Tonks said showing her ring clad finger, her short hair the exact shade of Pink that she loved.

"You got married?!" Harry exclaimed surprised looking between Remus and Tonks who looked at each with love. They both nodded.

"All right all right! We'll have time for a cosy catch-up later!" Moody growled throwing the sacks onto floor as silence fell upon the group.

"We have to abandon Plan A. Pius Thicknesse has gone over which gives us a big problem. He's made it an imprisonable offense to connect this house to the Floo Network, place a portkey here or apparate in or out. All done in the name of protecting you from You-know-who. All codswallop, as you mother's charm already does that. All he's done is ensure that you don't get out of here safely."

"Second problem: you're underage which means you've still got the trace on you." Moody growled out.

"The wha—" Harry started confused.

"The Trace! The Trace! The charm with which the Ministry detects underage magic! If anyone casts a spell to get you in or out the Ministry will know in an instance! And we can't wait for you to turn seventeen or your mother's charm will wear out. In short, Thicknesse thinks he's got you cornered."