Harry had been made to return once again to Privet Drive by Dumbledore although he wouldn't tell us the reason. I was currently staying with the twins to help them get the shop ready for opening and so I didn't have to be alone. Dumbledore had agreed that from the 1st September I would be working with Madam Pomfrey in the Hogwarts hospital wing but would be able to floo to Charlies from Madam Pomfrey's office each evening.
"Hey Georgie" I said as I flung myself onto his bed next to him.
"Hey Rory"
"You excited about the opening?"
"Yeah also nervous" He rubbed the back of his neck a habit I noticed he shared with a few of his brothers when they were nervous.
"Right I'm going to the Burrow to see Mama Bear for a while. You coming?"
"Nah I'll see her tomorrow or something"
"Okay bye Georgie" I kissed his cheek quickly before finding Fred and doing the same. I apparated to the Burrow and found Bill outside feeding the chickens. "Hey Pillock" he stood up to give me quick hug.
"Hey Rory wanna help" he holds out the chicken feed to me.
"Sure" I take some of the feed and start throwing it to the ground as he does the same.
"Mum's going to be happy you're here" I look at him confused.
"Why"
"Two reasons. 1 she loves you and 2 Fleurs here"
"Oh take it shes still not a fan of her's"
"Nope"
"It'll get better Pillock just give it some time. You're her baby boy no one will be good enough for you"
"She likes you"
"Actually she loves me and that was before I got with Charlie that's the difference"
"Good point" we finish feeding the chickens before heading in "Mum look who I found" Bill calls out as Mrs Weasley comes running to her son.
"Rory, hello dear"
"Hey Mama Bear" She pulls me into a hug as Ron and Ginny come running in as well.
"Rory" Ginny throws herself at me as soon as Mrs Weasley lets me go.
"Hey Gin miss me?"
"Of course, I haven't seen you since that night in the Ministry. I've just had Bill and Mum assuring me you were okay" She hugs me tighter before letting me go and Ron replaces her.
"Thank god you're okay"
"I'm fine Ron"
"Right come on tea" Mrs Weasley grabs my arm pulling me to the kitchen and making me sit down before busying herself with making cups of tea. I notice Fleur standing by the door.
"Hey Fleur"
"Hello Aurora" She smiles at me.
"You can call me Rory" I tell her just as Mrs Weasley hands me a cup of tea "Thank you Mama Bear"
"Are you staying dear" Mrs Weasley asks sitting opposite me.
"I was just going to go back to Grimmauld place"
"Oh no not alone dear you can stay in the twins old room"
"It's no problem Mama Bear I don't mind going home"
"Nonsense you are staying here and that's final"
"Thanks Mama Bear" I wasn't going to admit it but I hated Grimmauld place, there were too many memories of Pad's there.
I've been staying at the Weasleys for a few day's and was currently sat in the kitchen with Tonks and Mrs Weasley.
"He's an idiot Tonks" I tell her as she continues to cry over Moony. "He doesn't think he deserves happiness but I've seen you two together he just needs to accept his worth" She hugs me.
"Thanks Rory" We all jump slightly as we hear a noise outside. Mrs Weasley walks to the kitchen window.
"Who's there?" She said in a nervous voice. "Declare yourself!"
"It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry." She opened the door at once.
"Harry, dear! Gracious, Albus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you before morning!"
"We were lucky," Dumbledore said, ushering Harry over the threshold. "Slughorn proved much more persuadable than I had expected. Harry's doing, of course. Ah, hello, Aurora, Nymphadora!"
"Hello, Professor," Tonks said. "Wotcher, Harry."
"Hi, Tonks."
"Hey Harry" I say as I walk over to him giving him a quick hug.
"Hi Rory" He smiles at me.
"I'd better be off," Tonks said quickly, standing up and pulling her cloak around her shoulders. "Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Rory, Molly."
"Please don't leave on my account," Dumbledore said courteously, "I cannot stay, I have urgent matters to discuss with Rufus Scrimgeour."
"No, no, I need to get going," Tonks said, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes. " 'Night "
"Dear, why not come to dinner at the weekend, Remus and Mad-Eye are coming ?" Mrs Weasley said to her.
"No, really, Molly thanks anyway . Good night, everyone."
"Night Tonks" I say as she hurries past Dumbledore and Harry into the yard; a few paces beyond the doorstep, she turned on the spot and vanished into thin air.
"Well, I shall see you at Hogwarts, Harry, you too Aurora" said Dumbledore. "Take care of yourself. Molly, your servant." He made Mrs. Weasley a bow and followed Tonks, vanishing at precisely the same spot. Mrs. Weasley closed the door on the empty yard and then steered Harry by the shoulders into the full glow of the lantern on the table to examine his appearance.
"You're like Ron," she sighed, looking him up and down. "Both of you look as though you've had Stretching Jinxes put on you. I swear Ron's grown four inches since I last bought him school robes. Are you hungry, Harry?"
"Yeah, I am," Harry said.
"Sit down, dear, I'll knock something up." As Harry sat down, a furry ginger cat with a squashed face jumped onto his knees and settled there, purring.
"So Hermione's here?" he asked happily as he tickled Crookshanks behind the ears.
"Oh yes, she arrived the day before yesterday," Mrs. Weasley said, rapping a large iron pot with her wand. It bounced onto the stove with a loud clang and began to bubble at once. "Everyone's in bed, of course, we didn't expect you for hours. Here you are" She tapped the pot again; it rose into the air, flew toward Harry, and tipped over; Mrs. Weasley slid a bowl neatly beneath it just in time to catch the stream of thick, steaming onion soup. "Bread, dear?"
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." She waved her wand over her shoulder; a loaf of bread and a knife soared gracefully onto the table; as the loaf sliced itself and the soup pot dropped back onto the stove, Mrs. Weasley sat down opposite him.
"So you persuaded Horace Slughorn to take the job?" I asked looking at him. Harry nodded, his mouth so full of hot soup that he could not speak.
"He taught Arthur and me," said Mrs. Weasley. "He was at Hogwarts for ages, started around the same time as Dumbledore, I think. Did you like him?" His mouth now full of bread, Harry shrugged and gave a noncommittal jerk of the head. "I know what you mean," said Mrs. Weasley, nodding wisely. "Of course he can be charming when he wants to be, but Arthur's never liked him much. The Ministry's littered with Slughorn's old favourites, he was always good at giving leg ups, but he never had much time for Arthur didn't seem to think he was enough of a highflier. Well, that just shows you, even Slughorn makes mistakes. I don't know whether Ron's told you in any of his letters it's only just happened but Arthur's been promoted!" It could not have been clearer that Mrs. Weasley had been bursting to say this. Harry swallowed a large amount of soup.
"That's great!" he gasped.
"You are sweet," beamed Mrs. Weasley, possibly taking his watering eyes for emotion at the news. "Yes, Rufus Scrimgeour has set up several new offices in response to the present situation, and Arthur's heading the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. It's a big job, he's got ten people reporting to him now!"
"What exactly?"
"Well, you see, in all the panic about You-Know-Who, odd things have been cropping up for sale everywhere, things that are supposed to guard against You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. You can imagine the kind of thing, so-called protective potions that are really gravy with a bit of bubotuber pus added, or instructions for defensive jinxes that actually make your ears fall off. Well, in the main the perpetrators are just people like Mundungus Fletcher, who've never done an honest day's work in their lives and are taking advantage of how frightened everybody is, but every now and then something really nasty turns up. The other day Arthur confiscated a box of cursed Sneakoscopes that were almost certainly planted by a Death Eater. So you see, it's a very important job, and I tell him it's just silly to miss dealing with spark plugs and toasters and all the rest of that Muggle rubbish." Mrs. Weasley ended her speech with a stern look, as if it had been Harry suggesting that it was natural to miss spark plugs.
"Is Mr. Weasley still at work?" Harry asked.
"Yes, he is. As a matter of fact, he's a tiny bit late. He said he'd be back around midnight." She turned to look at a large clock that was perched awkwardly on top of a pile of sheets in the washing basket at the end of the table. It had nine hands, each inscribed with the name of a family member, and usually hung on the Weasleys' sitting room wall, though its current position suggested that Mrs. Weasley had taken to carrying it around the house with her. Every single one of its nine hands was now pointing at "mortal peril." "It's been like that for a while now," said Mrs. Weasley, in an unconvincingly casual voice, "ever since You-Know-Who came back into the open. I suppose everybody's in mortal danger now. I don't think it can be just our family but I don't know anyone else who's got a clock like this, so I can't check. Oh!" With a sudden exclamation she pointed at the clock's face. Mr. Weasley's hand had switched to "traveling." "He's coming!" And sure enough, a moment later there was a knock on the back door. Mrs. Weasley jumped up and hurried to it; with one hand on the doorknob and her face pressed against the wood she called softly, "Arthur, is that you?"
"Yes," came Mr. Weasley's weary voice. "But I would say that even if I were a Death Eater, dear. Ask the question!"
"Oh, honestly . . ." I laughed slightly at her answer.
"Molly!"
"All right, all right. What is your dearest ambition?"
"To find out how airplanes stay up." Mrs. Weasley nodded and turned the doorknob, but apparently Mr. Weasley was holding tight to it on the other side, because the door remained firmly shut. "Molly! I've got to ask you your question first!"
"Arthur, really, this is just silly."
"What do you like me to call you when we're alone together?" Even by the dim light of the lantern I could tell that Mrs. Weasley had turned bright red; Harry was also looking a bit red around the ears and neck, and hastily gulped soup, clattering his spoon as loudly as he could against the bowl.
"Mollywobbles," whispered a mortified Mrs. Weasley into the crack at the edge of the door.
"Correct," Mr. Weasley said. "Now you can let me in." Mrs. Weasley opened the door to reveal her husband.
"I still don't see why we have to go through that every time you come home," Mrs. Weasley said, still pink in the face as she helped her husband out of his cloak. "I mean, a Death Eater might have forced the answer out of you before impersonating you!"
"I know, dear, but it's Ministry procedure, and I have to set an example. Something smells good onion soup?" Mr. Weasley turned hopefully in the direction of the table. "Hello Rory"
"Hey Mr Weasley, I'll explain how airplanes work at some point if you'd like"
"Yes please Rory" he turned to Harry "Harry! We didn't expect you until morning!" They shook hands, and Mr. Weasley dropped into the chair beside Harry as Mrs. Weasley set a bowl of soup in front of him too. "Thanks, Molly. It's been a tough night. Some idiot's started selling Metamorph-Medals. Just sling them around your neck and you'll be able to change your appearance at will. A hundred thousand disguises, all for ten Galleons!"
"And what really happens when you put them on?"
"Mostly you just turn a fairly unpleasant orange colour, but a couple of people have also sprouted tentaclelike warts all over their bodies. As if St. Mungo's didn't have enough to do already!"
"It sounds like the sort of thing Fred and George would find funny," Mrs. Weasley said hesitantly. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I am!" said Mr. Weasley. "The boys wouldn't do anything like that now, not when people are desperate for protection!"
"So is that why you're late, Metamorph-Medals?"
"No, we got wind of a nasty backfiring jinx down in Elephant and Castle, but luckily the Magical Law Enforcement Squad had sorted it out by the time we got there." I noticed Harry stifle a yawn behind his hand.
"Bed," said an undeceived Mrs. Weasley at once. "I've got Fred and George's room all ready for you, you'll be sharing with Rory"
"Why, where are they?"
"Oh, they're in Diagon Alley, sleeping in the little flat over their joke shop as they're so busy," Mrs. Weasley said. "I must say, I didn't approve at first, but they do seem to have a bit of a flair for business! Come on, dear, your trunk's already up there." I smile at her.
" 'Night, Mr. Weasley," Harry said, pushing back his chair. Crookshanks leapt lightly from his lap and slunk out of the room.
"I'll come with you" I said standing up "Night Mr Weasley, I need to find a different name for you"
"G'night, Harry, Night Rory" Mr. Weasley said. Fred and George's bedroom was on the second floor. Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at a lamp on the bedside table and it ignited at once, bathing the room in a pleasant golden glow. Though a large vase of flowers had been placed on a desk in front of the small window, their perfume could not disguise the lingering smell of gunpowder. A considerable amount of floor space was devoted to a vast number of unmarked, sealed cardboard boxes that they had asked me to sort through, amongst which stood Harry's school trunk. Hedwig hooted happily at Harry from her perch on top of a large wardrobe next to Pheonix, then took off through the window.
"Night Mama Bear" I give Mrs Weasley quick hug before Harry says night as well. Harry pops to the bathroom to change into his pajamas whilst I sit on Georges bed. Harry walks back in going to the other bed.
"Who's bed's whos?" He asks looking at me.
"You're in Fred's" He nods before laying down only to sit back up and pull something out of the pillow case. He pulled out a sticky purple-and-orange sweet, which I instantly recognized as a Puking Pastille. Smiling he rolled over and was instantly asleep. I didn't take long to fall asleep either.
We were awakened by what sounded like cannon fire as the door burst open. I noticed Harry sit bolt upright, the noise had been the rasp of the curtains being pulled back dazzling sunlight seemed to aim straight at Harry as Ginny jumped on the bed beside me. I watched trying not to laugh as Harry shielded his eyes with one hand and groped hopelessly for his glasses with the other.
"Wuzzgoinon?" He mumbled
"We didn't know you were here already!" Ron's voice said as he hit Harry.
"Ron, don't hit him!" Hermione said. Harry's hand found his glasses and he shoved them on, Ron was grinning down at him.
"All right?"
"Never been better," Harry said, rubbing the top of his head and slumping back onto his pillows whilst me and Ginny tried not to laugh at them. "You?"
"Not bad," Ron said, pulling over a cardboard box and sitting on it. "When did you get here? Mum's only just told us!"
"About one o'clock this morning."
"Were the Muggles all right? Did they treat you okay?"
"Same as usual," Harry said, as Hermione perched herself on the edge of his bed, "they didn't talk to me much, but I like it better that way. How're you, Hermione?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Hermione said.
"What's the time? Have I missed breakfast?"
"Don't worry about that, Mum's bringing you up a tray; she reckons you look underfed, and also didn't want to wake you or her favourite child" Ron said looking at me before rolling his eyes.
"Not my fault everyone loves me Ronald" I smirk at him as I sit up, Ginny doing the same. We both sit back against the wall.
"So, what's been going on?" Ron asks Harry.
"Nothing much, I've just been stuck at my aunt and uncle's, haven't I?"
"Come off it!" Ron said. "You've been off with Dumbledore!"
"It wasn't that exciting. He just wanted me to help him persuade this old teacher to come out of retirement. His name's Horace Slughorn."
"Oh," said Ron, looking disappointed as me and Ginny just smile at each other "We thought" Hermione flashed a warning look at Ron, and Ron changed tack at top speed. " we thought it'd be something like that."
"You did?" Harry said I could hear the amusement in his voice.
"Yeah . . . yeah, now Umbridge has left, obviously we need a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, don't we? So, er, what's he like?"
"He looks a bit like a walrus, and he used to be Head of Slytherin," Harry said. "Something wrong, Hermione?" She was watching him as though expecting strange symptoms to manifest themselves at any moment. She rearranged her features hastily in an unconvincing smile.
"No, of course not! So, um, did Slughorn seem like he'll be a good teacher?"
"Dunno," Harry said. "He can't be worse than Umbridge, can he?"
"I know someone who's worse than Umbridge," Ginny spoke up.
"What's up with you?" Ron asked.
"It's her," Ginny said. "She's driving me mad."
"Thanks Gin feeling the love" I smirk as she rolls her eyes.
"Not you Rory, I love you"
"Love you too Gin"
"What's she done now?" Hermione asked sympathetically.
"It's the way she talks to me you'd think I was about three!"
"I know," Hermione said, dropping her voice. "She's so full of herself." I'd gotten used to this as I just ignored them.
"Can't you two lay off her for five seconds?" Ron said slightly angry.
"Oh, that's right, defend her," snapped Ginny. "We all know you can't get enough of her."
"Who are you ?" started to ask but his question was answered before he could finish it. The bedroom door flew open again, and Harry instinctively yanked the bedcovers up to his chin so hard that Hermione slid off the bed onto the floor making me and Ginny burst out laughing. Fleur stood at the door.
" 'Arry," she said in a throaty voice. "Eet 'as been too long!" As she swept over the threshold toward him, Mrs. Weasley was revealed, bobbing along in her wake, looking rather cross.
"There was no need to bring up the tray, I was just about to do it myself!"
"Eet was no trouble," Fleur said, setting the tray across Harry's knees and then swooping to kiss him on each cheek. "I 'ave been longing to see 'im. You remember my seester, Gabrielle? She never stops talking about 'Arry Potter. She will be delighted to see you again." She finished as Mrs Weasley handed me my usual morning coffee finally given up trying to get me to eat breakfast.
"Oh is she here too?" Harry croaked.
"No, no, silly boy," Fleur said with a tinkling laugh, "I mean next summer, when we but do you not know?" Her great blue eyes widened and she looked reproachfully at Mrs. Weasley, who said,
"We hadn't got around to telling him yet." Fleur turned back to Harry, swinging her silvery sheet of hair so that it whipped Mrs. Weasley across the face.
"Bill and I are going to be married!"
"Oh," Harry said blankly. "Wow. Er — congratulations!" She swooped down upon him and kissed him again.
"Bill is very busy at ze moment, working very 'ard, and I only work part-time at Gringotts for my Eenglish, so he brought me 'ere for a few days to get to know 'is family properly. I was so pleased to 'ear you would be coming zere isn't much to do 'ere, unless you like cooking and chickens! Well enjoy your breakfast, 'Arry!" With these words she turned gracefully and seemed to float out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Mrs. Weasley made a noise that sounded like "tchah!"
"Mum hates her," Ginny said quietly.
"I do not hate her!" Mrs. Weasley said in a cross whisper. "I just think they've hurried into this engagement, that's all!"
"They've known each other a year," Ron said, who looked oddly groggy and was staring at the closed door.
"Well, that's not very long! Rory and Charlie have been together longer. I thought they'd be the first to get engaged" I looked at Ginny who just smirked at me "I know why it's happened, of course. It's all this uncertainty with You-Know-Who coming back, people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over. It was the same last time he was powerful, people eloping left, right, and centre"
"Including you and Dad," Ginny said slyly. "Yes, well, your father and I were made for each other, what was the point in waiting? just like Rory and Charlie" Mrs. Weasley said.
"I think mum wants you to marry Charlie" Ginny whispers so only I can hear. I glare at her.
"Whereas Bill and Fleur well what have they really got in common? He's a hardworking, down-to-earth sort of person, whereas she's" Mrs Weasley continues
"A cow," Ginny said, nodding. "But Bill's not that down-to earth. He's a Curse-Breaker, isn't he, he likes a bit of adventure, a bit of glamour. I expect that's why he's gone for Phlegm."
"Stop calling her that, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said sharply, as me, Harry and Hermione laugh. "Well, I'd better get on. Eat your eggs while they're warm, Harry. Rory make sure you come get something to eat soon" I nod as she left the room. Ron still seemed slightly punch-drunk; he was shaking his head experimentally like a dog trying to rid its ears of water.
"Don't you get used to her if she's staying in the same house?" Harry asked.
"Well, you do," Ron said, "but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like then"
"It's pathetic," Hermione said furiously, striding away from Ron as far as she could go and turning to face him with her arms folded once she had reached the wall.
"You don't really want her around forever?" Ginny asked Ron incredulously. When he merely shrugged, she said, "Well, Mum's going to put a stop to it if she can, I bet you anything."
"How's she going to manage that?" asked Harry.
"She keeps trying to get Tonks round for dinner. I think she's hoping Bill will fall for Tonks instead. I hope he does, I'd much rather have her in the family."
"Yeah, that'll work," said Ron sarcastically. "Listen, no bloke in his right mind's going to fancy Tonks when Fleur's around. I mean, Tonks is okay-looking when she isn't doing stupid things to her hair and her nose, but"
"Oi leave my Tonks alone" I glare at him.
"She's a damn sight nicer than Phlegm,'' Ginny said
"And she's more intelligent, she's an Auror!" Hermione said from the corner.
"Fleur's not stupid, she was good enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament," Harry said.
"Not you as well!" Hermione said bitterly.
"I suppose you like the way Phlegm says ' 'Arry,' do you?" Ginny asked scornfully clearly slightly jealous.
"No," Harry said. "I was just saying, Phlegm I mean, Fleur"
"I'd much rather have Tonks in the family," Ginny said. "At least she's a laugh."
"She hasn't been much of a laugh lately," Ron said. "Every time I've seen her she's looked more like Moaning Myrtle."
"That's not fair," snapped Hermione. "She still hasn't got over what happened . . . you know . . . I mean, he was her cousin!" Harry picked up a fork and began shovelling scrambled eggs into his mouth at the mention of Pad's.
"Tonks and Sirius barely knew each other!" Ron said. "Sirius was in Azkaban half her life and before that their families never met"
"He was there for over half of mine so what's your point Ron" I look at him as he quickly looks down.
"That's not the point," Hermione said. "She thinks it was her fault he died!"
"How does she work that one out?" Harry asked.
"Well, she was fighting Bellatrix Lestrange, wasn't she? I think she feels that if only she had finished her off, Bellatrix couldn't have killed Sirius."
"That's stupid," Ron said as I looked down not making eye contact with Harry.
"It's survivor's guilt," Hermione said. "I know Lupin's tried to talk her round as well as someone else" She looks at me before continuing "but she's still really down. She's actually having trouble with her Metamorphosing!"
"With her?"
"She can't change her appearance like she used to," explained Hermione. "I think her powers must have been affected by shock, or something."
"I didn't know that could happen," Harry said.
"Nor did I," Hermione said, "but I suppose if you're really depressed" The door opened again and Mrs. Weasley popped her head in.
"Ginny," she whispered, "come downstairs and help me with the lunch."
"I'm talking to this lot!" Ginny said, outraged.
"Now!" said Mrs. Weasley, and withdrew.
"She only wants me there so she doesn't have to be alone with Phlegm!" Ginny said crossly. She swung her long red hair around in a very good imitation of Fleur and pranced across the room with her arms held aloft like a ballerina. "You lot had better come down quickly too," she said as she left. Harry took advantage of the temporary silence to eat more breakfast. Hermione was peering into Fred and George's boxes, though every now and then she cast sideways looks at Harry. Ron, who was now helping himself to Harry's toast, was still gazing dreamily at the door.
"What's this?" Hermione asked eventually, holding up a small telescope.
"Dunno," Ron said, "but if Fred and George've left it here, it's probably not ready for the joke shop yet, so be careful."
"They didn't leave it here I've been helping them stock check a bit" I told him.
"Your mum said the shop's going well," Harry said. "Said Fred and George have got a real flair for business."
"That's an understatement," said Ron. "They're raking in the Galleons! I can't wait to see the place, we haven't been to Diagon Alley yet, because Mum says Dad's got to be there for extra security and he's been really busy at work, but it sounds excellent."
"It's brilliant trust me" I tell them.
"And what about Percy?" Harry asked; the third-eldest Weasley brother had fallen out with the rest of the family. "Is he talking to your mum and dad again?"
"Nope," Ron said. "But he knows your dad was right all along now about Voldemort being back"
"Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right," Hermione said. "I heard him telling your mum, Ron."
"Sounds like the sort of mental thing Dumbledore would say," Ron said.
"He's going to be giving me private lessons this year," Harry said conversationally. Ron choked on his bit of toast, and Hermione gasped.
"You kept that quiet!" Ron said as I looked at my brother.
"I only just remembered," Harry said honestly. "He told me last night in your broom shed."
"You was in a broom shed with Dumbledore" I smirk as Harry rolls his eyes at me.
"Blimey . . . private lessons with Dumbledore!" Ron said, looking impressed. "I wonder why he's?" His voice tailed away. He and Hermione exchange looks. Harry laid down his knife and fork.
"I don't know exactly why he's going to be giving me lessons, but I think it must be because of the prophecy." Neither Ron nor Hermione spoke. "You know, the one they were trying to steal at the Ministry."
"Nobody knows what it said, though," Hermione said quickly. "It got smashed."
"Although the Prophet says" Ron began, but Hermione said,
"Shh!"
"The Prophet's got it right," Harry said. Hermione seemed frightened and Ron amazed. "That glass ball that smashed wasn't the only record of the prophecy. I heard the whole thing in Dumbledore's office, he was the one the prophecy was made to, so he could tell me. From what it said," Harry took a deep breath, "it looks like I'm the one who's got to finish off Voldemort. At least, it said neither of us could live while the other survives." I looked at him but before I could say anything there was a loud bang and Hermione vanished behind a puff of black smoke.
"Hermione!" shouted Harry and Ron; the breakfast tray slid to the floor with a crash. Hermione emerged, coughing, out of the smoke, clutching the telescope and sporting a brilliantly purple black eye.
"I squeezed it and it it punched me!" she gasped. And sure enough, the tiny fist on a long spring was protruding from the end of the telescope.
"Why would you squeeze it" I ask her amazed that she would do something like that.
"Don't worry," Ron said, plainly trying not to laugh, "Mum'll fix that, she's good at healing minor injuries"
"Oh well, never mind that now!" Hermione said hastily. "Harry, oh, Harry" She sat down on the edge of his bed again. "We wondered, after we got back from the Ministry. Obviously, we didn't want to say anything to you, but from what Lucius Malfoy said about the prophecy, how it was about you and Voldemort, well, we thought it might be something like this. Oh, Harry" She stared at him, then whispered, "Are you scared?"
"Not as much as I was," Harry said. "When I first heard it, I was but now, it seems as though I always knew I'd have to face him in the end."
"When we heard Dumbledore was collecting you in person, we thought he might be telling you something or showing you something to do with the prophecy," Ron said eagerly. "And we were kind of right, weren't we? He wouldn't be giving you lessons if he thought you were a goner, wouldn't waste his time he must think you've got a chance!"
"That's true," Hermione said. "I wonder what he'll teach you, Harry? Really advanced defensive magic, probably powerful countercurses anti-jinxes"
"That's enough. Everyone needs to stop trying to guess what Dumbledores planning and just wait" I step in bored of the conversation now as I look at Harry's face.
"Well, at least you know one lesson you'll be having this year, that's one more than Ron and me. I wonder when our O.W.L. results will come?" Hermione said.
"Can't be long now, it's been a month," Ron said.
"I got mine about a week ago" I told them.
"Really how did you do" Hermione asks excitedly.
"9 Outstanding's" They all look at me shocked. "What"
"That's amazing" Hermione exclaims still shocked at the possibility of 9 outstanding's.
"Sure" I say hoping to end the discussion.
"Hang on," Harry said suddenly. "I think Dumbledore said our O.W.L. results would be arriving today!"
"Today?" shrieked Hermione. "Today? But why didn't you oh my God you should have said" She leapt to her feet. "I'm going to see whether any owls have come." I got up and headed to the bathroom to change out of my pajama's before heading downstairs. I reached the kitchen at the same time as Harry. Hermione was sitting at the kitchen table in great agitation, while Mrs. Weasley tried to lessen her resemblance to half a panda.
"It just won't budge," Mrs. Weasley was saying anxiously, standing over Hermione with her wand in her hand and a copy of Healer's Helpmate open at "Bruises, Cuts, and Abrasions." "This has always worked before, I just can't understand it."
"It'll be Fred and George's idea of a funny joke, making sure it can't come off," Ginny said as I nodded because it was true they had.
"But it's got to come off!" squeaked Hermione. "I can't go around looking like this forever!"
"You won't, dear, we'll find an antidote, don't worry," Mrs. Weasley said soothingly.
"Bill told me 'ow Fred and George are very amusing!" Fleur said, smiling serenely.
"They're the best honestly Fleur" I said smiling.
"Yes, I can hardly breathe for laughing," snapped Hermione. She jumped up and started walking round and round the kitchen, twisting her fingers together. "Mrs. Weasley, you're quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?"
"Yes, dear, I'd have noticed," Mrs. Weasley said patiently. "But it's barely nine, there's still plenty of time"
"I know I messed up Ancient Runes," muttered Hermione feverishly, "I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defence Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. I thought Transfiguration went all right at the time, but looking back"
"Hermione, will you shut up, you're not the only one who's nervous!" barked Ron. "And when you've got your eleven 'Outstanding' O.W.L.s"
"Don't, don't, don't!" Hermione said, flapping her hands hysterically. "I know I've failed everything!"
"What happens if we fail?" Harry asked the room at large, but it was again Hermione who answered.
"We discuss our options with our Head of House, I asked Professor McGonagall at the end of last term."
"At Beauxbatons," Fleur said complacently, "we 'ad a different way of doing things. I think eet was better. We sat our examinations after six years of study, not five, and then" Fleur's words were drowned in a scream. Hermione was pointing through the kitchen window. Three black specks were clearly visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.
"They're definitely owls," Ron said hoarsely, jumping up to join Hermione at the window.
"And there are three of them," Harry said, hastening to her other side.
"One for each of us," Hermione said in a terrified whisper. "Oh no . . . oh no . . . oh no . . ." She gripped both Harry and Ron tightly around the elbows. The owls were flying directly at the Burrow, three handsome tawnies, each of which, it became clear as they flew lower over the path leading up to the house, was carrying a large square envelope. "Oh no!" squealed Hermione. Mrs. Weasley squeezed past them and opened the kitchen window. One, two, three, the owls soared through it and landed on the table in a neat line. All three of them lifted their right legs. Harry moved forward. The letter addressed to him was tied to the leg of the owl in the middle. He untied it with fumbling fingers. To his left, Ron was trying to detach his own results; to his right, Hermione's hands were shaking so much she was making her whole owl tremble. Nobody in the kitchen spoke. Harry managed to detach the envelope. He slit it open quickly and unfolded the parchment inside.
"How'd you do Harry" He handed me his results.
"Well done Harry, you did really well" I say handing them back to him, he sends me a small thank you.
Hermione had her back to everyone and her head bent, but Ron was looking delighted.
"Only failed Divination and History of Magic, and who cares about them?" he said happily to Harry. "Here swap" Ron had no "Outstandings" "Knew you'd be top at Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Ron, punching Harry on the shoulder. "We've done all right, haven't we?"
"Well done!" Mrs. Weasley said proudly, ruffling Ron's hair. "Seven O.W.L.s, that's more than Fred and George got together!"
"Hermione?" Ginny said tentatively, for Hermione still hadn't turned around. "How did you do?"
"I not bad," said Hermione in a small voice.
"Oh, come off it," said Ron, striding over to her and whipping her results out of her hand. "Yep 9 'Outstanding's' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' at Defence Against the Dark Arts." He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. "You're actually disappointed, aren't you?" Hermione shook her head, but Harry laughed. "Well, we're N.E.W.T. students now!" grinned Ron. "Mum, are there any more sausages?"