"I promised myself not to be involved with you three's stupid... things anymore," Y/N grumbled, her voice a mix of exasperation and resignation.
She sat in the backseat of the car, her arms crossed and a frustrated expression on her face. The car swerved through the air with an erratic energy that perfectly matched the chaos of the situation.
Beside her, Ron couldn't help but snicker at her attitude, clearly finding the whole scenario amusing. Kipper, the cat, nestled in Y/N's lap, seemed to have embraced the madness and was purring contentedly.
"I feel like something about you has changed," Ron mused, his tone contemplative amidst the craziness. "If I had broken into your room last year, you definitely would've beaten me up."
Y/N shot him a pointed look, her eyebrow arching as if to challenge his observation. "Who's to say I'm not gonna beat you up after this? Don't get your hopes up, Weasley," she retorted, her sarcasm laced with a hint of amusement.
"Why didn't you... think of inviting Hermione?" Y/N inquired, her gaze drifted out of the window.
"Do you really believe she would've been on board with this plan?" Ron retorted.
"Fair point," Y/N conceded.
"Hey, you two, is this the place?" Fred's voice burst out, which prompted Y/N and Ron to poke their heads out and examine a house with securely shut windows.
"Um... I think so?" Ron ventured. "Let's double-check the address."
"Confirmed. You owe me a Galleon later!" George announced boisterously, the vehicle steadily approached the window.
"Hiya there, Harry!" Ron called out, the car veerered slightly as it came to a halt, which brung the group face-to-face with Harry's surprised expression.
"Surprise rescue party, mate!" Fred chimed in with a grin as the car descended to just match the level of Harry's window.
"Ron? Fred? George? What—how—?" Harry stammered, his shock evident.
"We're here to save you, Harry!" Ron exclaimed.
"Grab your trunk!" Y/N shouted from the backseat, her urgency palpable. Harry nodded in a rush, swiftly starting to pack his belongings. Meanwhile, Ron produced a hook and secured it onto the window bars.
"Stand clear," Ron directed, and Harry quickly retreated a few paces.
"Now!" Ron yelled as Fred revved the car's engine, the hook yanked the bars off the window. The car positioned with its open trunk that faced the window.
"Quickly!" Y/N urged as Harry hastily loaded his trunk into the car. Fred deftly spun the car around, and opened the door for Harry. With a sense of urgency, Harry handed his belongings to Ron, and the group encouraged him to speed up the process. Hedwig was carefully placed on Fred's lap.
"Let's go!" Y/N urged, her grip firm on Harry's wrist as she pulled him toward the car. However, just as they were about to escape, the Dursleys burst into the room. In an unfortunate twist of fate, Vernon managed to grab hold of Harry's ankle, resulting in a tug-of-war between the two sides.
"I've got you, Harry," Y/N grumbled, straining to pull the boy away from Vernon's grip, though struggling to due to the man's large size.
"Let go of me!" Harry shouted, and attempted to kick free from Vernon's hold.
"Not a chance, boy!" Vernon sneered, his face turned an alarming shade of red as he continued to yank on Harry's leg. "You and that blasted pigeon aren't going anywhere!"
"Let go!" Harry retorted fiercely. "And it's an owl!"
"Step on it!" Y/N urged urgently.
"Right, right!" Ron instructed, his voice tense.
"Wait, no! You're going to tear his leg off!" Y/N exclaimed in alarm.
In a sudden surge of emotion, a small flame ignited in her palm, glowing like a miniature torch. It was no bigger than a pebble, but it carried a fierce determination. With a swift motion, she directed the flame towards Vernon, causing him to jerk backward, his shirt igniting in flames.
"Whoa!" Ron cried out in surprise before Fred hastily accelerated the car and it sped away. Y/N's intervention successfully pulled Harry into the car, which narrowly escaped the clutches of the fiery scene.
"Curse you!" Vernon exclaimed, now shirtless as the Dursleys' watched the car fly away and soar off in the air.
"It's your birthday, isn't it, Harry?" Y/N questioned, the boy fixing himself as the three second-years sat in the backseat, Fred and George in the front.
"Happy birthday, Harry," Ron said smugly, Harry smiling ear-to-ear.
✴✴✴✴✴
The morning sun painted the scene as Ron's voice chimed in, "Hold up a sec. You're part of that whole... 'thing,' right?"
"Not exactly a 'thing,' Ron," Y/N corrected, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
"Got it, got it. So, these 'Blessed Children' are like... buddies with the actual elements?" Ron probed, eyebrows raised.
"It's a tad more intricate," Y/N admitted.
"And you're telling us this now? How long have you known?" Ron questioned, his curiosity unwavering.
"Um, since school ended," Y/N confessed.
"Harry, did you know?" Ron turned to Harry, who nodded in response.
"Yeah, I was there when Dumbledore spilled the beans to Y/N," Harry affirmed. Ron's eyes widened as he tried to digest the unexpected revelation.
"But, hang on— isn't it a bit... well, kind of pointless?" Ron wondered aloud, a puzzled expression on his face. "I mean, we've got spells that conjure fire, and—"
"I'm not sure yet. Dumbledore mentioned that only I can really control my own flames, or, you know, flames I've come into contact with. Managing them is easier, but conjuring flames and casting spells with them? Tricky business. I've only managed to create tiny sparks so far," Y/N explained, a hint of frustration in her voice.
"Hey, check it out, we're nearly there!" Fred's voice cut through the conversation, diverting their attention. Three heads poked out of the car window, eyes fixated on the approaching sight.
"Is that... The Burrow?" Y/N whispered, her gaze locked on a whimsical structure resembling a stack of houses, nestled amidst lush trees and sprawling green fields.
"Yeah, I guess it's quite different from what you're used to, considering your family's all... fancy and such," Ron tried to play down, a sheepish grin on his face as the car cruised down the road and came to a halt in front of the house.
"Nah, it's actually a nice change. The fields and everything," Y/N responded, her head shaking slightly as the car parked. Outside, a pair of pigs roamed about, and a serene lake glistened nearby. The house embraced a rustic, country-themed aesthetic, a stark contrast to Y/N's usual modern and sleek surroundings.
"Time to disembark!" Fred announced, clicking open the car doors. The twins hopped out eagerly, and the rest of the group followed suit.
Harry and Y/N couldn't help but gaze around in awe, their mouths agape. For Harry, this was his first magical place beyond Hogwarts. As for Y/N, it had been a while since she had been somewhere that felt so welcoming and cozy, like a place to truly settle into.
"Follow the way," Fred whispered, gently leading them inside. The group tiptoed in, eyes wide with wonder.
Magic was in action everywhere – the Weasley trio snacked on bread with gusto, Harry absorbed the enchanting atmosphere, and Y/N took it all in. The interior was a delightful contrast to Y/N's usual minimalist taste – vibrant, filled with life, and uniquely magical.
"Not much, but it's home," Ron remarked, drawing the attention of both Y/N and Harry.
"It's fantastic," Harry chimed in, a sentiment that Y/N agreed with through a nod.
"Alright, here's the plan," Fred jumped in as he took charge. "We'll sneak upstairs super quietly and wait for Mum to call us down for breakfast," he began outlining. "Then, Ron, you'll burst down the stairs, all excited, and say, 'Mum, look who dropped by overnight!' She'll be chuffed to see Harry and Y/N, and no one will ever know we took the car for a spin!" Fred concluded.
"Sure thing, let's go, Harry, Y/N, my room's just upstairs—oh..." Ron's words trailed off as he took a step back.
"Merlin's beard," Fred muttered.
"Ah," George added, and the three boys promptly concealed their purloined bread.
Mrs. Molly Weasley descended the staircase, pausing before the group, hands rested on her hips. Her gaze moved from one sheepish face to the next. Dressed in her floral attire, her red hair resembled Ron's and the twins'.
"Where in the name of Merlin have you lot been?" she exclaimed, her stern expression softening as her eyes settled on Harry and then on Y/N. "Well, Harry, lovely to see you, dear. And who might this young lady be?" she inquired, her attention firmly fixed on Y/N.
Ron attempted to offer an explanation, but Mrs. Weasley waved him off. "Enough with the excuses! Bed empty, no note, car missing ... could've crashed ... I've been out of my mind with worry ... Did you even think? Never had such trouble from Bill, Charlie, or Percy..."
"Of course, we're not blaming you two," Molly reassured, a wry smile shared between Y/N and Harry.
"Perfect Percy," Fred muttered under his breath.
"Quit it, Fred! You could learn a thing or two from Percy!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, jabbing a finger toward the taller twin's chest. "You could've gotten hurt, could've been seen, could've jeopardized your father's job—" she continued her admonishing, Y/N and Harry exchanged knowing glances amidst the scolding.
"They were practically starving him, Mum. They had bars on his window!" Ron interjected, his words finding support from Harry's affirmative nod.
"Well, you better hope I don't decide to put bars on your window, Ronald Weasley," Molly responded swiftly, her attention pivoting back to Y/N. "And this young lady?" she inquired.
"She helped us out. She's Y/N," Ron clarified. "Y/N Cri—"
"Ah, a Crimson!" Molly exclaimed, her hands coming together in realization. "I went to school with your father's elder brother," she shared, a smile gracing her lips. "He was quite the character," she deadpanned.
"Uncle Larry?" Y/N inquired.
"That's right, Larry Crimson. Oh, that man—still manages to get under my skin even now!" Molly proclaimed and she turned on her heel. "Well, no use dwelling on the past. Let's get on with it – time for some breakfast," Molly swiftly redirected, Harry and Y/N exchanged perplexed looks asto how the topic shifted so abruptly and suddenly.
✴✴✴✴✴
"Here we go, dig in," Molly instructed, serving tea to Y/N and Harry. Suddenly, a young redhead girl bounded down the stairs, clad in a long nightrobe.
"Mom, have you seen my jumper?" she inquired. Y/N and Harry turned their attention to her.
"Yes, sweetheart, it was on the cat," Molly replied casually. The girl met Harry's gaze, her eyes widened in response. While Harry's face brightened.
"Hi there!" Harry greeted, but the girl took a few steps back and hurried away, leaving behind the snickers of the twins. Harry looked puzzled. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked Ron, as he seeked an explanation.
"Ginny. She's been talking about you all summer. Kind of annoying, really," Ron explained.
"Morning, Weasleys!" a voice called from the entrance.
"Morning, Dad!" the table chorused, and Y/N glanced over to see a man in a suit, cloaks, and a peculiar pointed hat.
"What a night. Nine raids. Nine!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed as he entered.
"Raids?" Harry echoed, intrigued.
"Dad works at the Ministry of Magic, in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office," Ron explained, a hint of affection in his voice. "He's fascinated by Muggles."
"Well now..." Arthur began, pausing as his gaze fell upon Harry and Y/N. "And who might you two be?" he inquired.
"Oh, sorry, sir. I'm Harry, sir. Harry Potter," Harry introduced himself. "And she's Y/N Crimson," he added, Y/N giving a nod.
"Goodness me. Really?" Arthur questioned, his disbelief evident. Harry responded with a wry smile and a nod. "Well, Ron's told me all about you two, of course. When did you arrive?" he asked, reaching for his utensils.
"This morning," Molly interjected sternly. "Your sons took that enchanted car of yours to Surrey and back last night!" she scolded.
"Did you truly?" Arthur asked, a mixture of disbelief and intrigue. "How did it go?" he queried, though Molly shot him a pointed look. "I mean... That was very wrong indeed, boys. Very wrong of you!" he added with feigned sternness, earning amused chuckles from Y/N and Harry.
TO BE CONTINUED...