14 | Rescuing Harry Potter
Marley Macmillan met almost the whole Weasley family, except Charlie and Bill Weasley. They weren't even in Britain by this time of the year but this wasn't bothering Marley at all. She hoped she'll meet them soon. The girl had met (well, she already knew most of the members of the family) Ginny, Ron and Percy Weasley who would be in his sixth year in a month. Fred had told her that Percy was a Gryffindor Prefect. The girl spent three wonderful days at the Burrow before the troubles, Fred and George were taking her at the surrounding area, showing her the green meadows. The air here was clean and it was really peaceful. Marley really liked everything. Mrs. Weasley was extremely kind like her second mother and Mr. Weasley was often joking. It was making Marley's day even better.
Marley got to know the shy Ginny Weasley better, after they were sharing one room. Ginny turned out as a really nice and funny person. She liked Marley's drawings and the older girl promised she'll draw her one day. On her third night, the two girls were gossiping about Ginny's brothers before bed and Marley was talking about Hogwarts to the girl. After it passed ten thirty in the evening, they went to sleep and when Marley heard someone slightly pushing her shoulder, she first thought it was time for breakfast, but it was still dark.
"Mar," she heard the familiar voice of George Weasley, whispering almost in her ear. She was still feeling very sleepy and she barely was opening her eyes. The girl raised her head, but she didn't know George was that close to her. She realized it in the moment she hit her forehead in his. "Ouch! You need to wake up, we're going to Little Whinging."
"What? Now?" Marley exclaimed quietly, trying not to wake Ginny up. She was rubbing her forehead. The red-haired Weasley girl had two beds in her room, in case her future friends from Hogwarts would come for sleepovers or stuff like that. Marley had no idea. "It's midnight, you dummy. You should go to fucking sleep."
"Fred and Ron are waiting in the corridor." George insisted, trying to talk quietly. "Look, Ron thinks something is happening with Harry and we're going to pick him up. You're coming too."
"Fine, just wait until I get dressed." she inclined annoyed and stood up from the bed, wearing only her pajamas - short pants (maybe too short) and an oversized T-shirt. For a moment George's eyes looked her from head to foot, but he just looked at Ginny to see if she was awake and went out of the room.
Marley felt a little uncomfortable and her cheeks were flushed. She quickly get dressed and brushed her hair, then quietly left the room. As George had told her, Fred and Ron were in the corridor, waiting. Marley didn't know why she had to come with them, but she learnt the hard way she shouldn't fight with a Weasley. The fourth of them made their way really quietly to the garage where Ford Anglia was parked. The got in the car, George behind the driver's seat and Fred next to him. Ron and Marley were on the backseat.
"Oh my god, do you even know how to drive a car?" exclaimed indignant Marley, but George just chuckled. "And don't drive too high in the air or I'm gonna punch you."
"Calm down, Mar." he playfully rolled his eyes. While the Flying Ford Anglia was raising in the night sky, full of stars, Marley was with her eyes closed.
***
It was maybe one after midnight when they arrived at Little Whinging and were trying to keep in a distance from the Muggles. George seemed like a good driver, which was strange for fourteen-year-old boy, but he really tried to be careful. They were already at Privet Drive, heading for Harry Potter's house. Or the place his uncle and aunt were living and he was just like a prisoner there. Hated from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia (Ron told that to Marley while they were travelling).
Harry was living on 4 Privet Drive. The streets were quiet and peaceful. The windows of the identical houses glowed in yellow. The car had gone down quite low, looking around at the second floors, hoping to see a boy with round glasses and a snowy owl in a cage. As everyone looked around for Harry Potter, Marley considered the abilities of the Weasley family's flying car and her ultimate fear of heights. She wasn't really scared, but from a certain height, she was starting to get terrified. So that's why she wanted to join the Quidditch team. This would help her completely overcome her fear. She had done well this school year on the broom and was ready to try for the Gryffindor team.
And as she thought of Quidditch and heights, she remembered how much trouble the four of them could get for running Mr. Weasley's car to Little Whinging to take Harry. Her mother would no longer let her into the Burrow, and it was only her third day there. But she was also happy that she had done something more extreme. She always lived in peace, away from trouble, but when she was around Fred, George, or one of the Weasley family, she was always in full swing. She was out of her comfort zone and everything safe ... having fun.
"In here!" shouted suddenly Ron, pointing a dark window with his finger. George made a turn with the car, trying to stay as quiet as possible for the Muggles. Through the window Marley noticed hardly visible the outline of a cage and a snowy owl in it. The car was now enough close to the window and Ron whispered the name of his friend several times.
A tiny figure was moving in the room and a moment later, Harry Potter, was standing in the other side of the room with his round glasses, blue-white pajamas and messy black hair. He looked surprised to see the Weasleys with flying car, coming to rescue him.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked with sleepy voice. The car sank quietly in the air, humming softly. Marley had just now noticed the large bars on Harry's window and wondered why they had been put on. She had learned from Ron that his aunt and uncle were not kind and caring, but she didn't assume they were such devils.
But Mr. Weasley's car seems to have been prepared for such situations. There was a big hook near the exhaust, and while Harry was handling his luggage, Marley hooked it to one of the bars, then called out. "Speed up, George!"
George turned the steering wheel, the car turned in the opposite direction, and the boy hit the accelerator. They flew forward, and Marley heard the rustling of the rusty bars that landed in the bushes. The trunk of the car was now open and the car backed away, and Harry tossed his suitcase inside. He seemed disturbed and strange voices and shouts were heard from the corridor. Apparently his hideous relatives had woken up. They didn't have much time.
Ron opened the door to George's place and quickly took the cage with Hedwig inside and placed it next to Harry's suitcase. The boy with the round glasses climbed the ledge, and Uncle Vernon, a rather fat man with white hair and mustache, shouted after him. He grabbed him by the ankle for a moment, and Fred tried to hold him. Eventually George hit the gas pedal, making a sharp air bend, and they went away from Privet Drive.
Marley relaxed in the seat, sighing. Harry sat between her and Ron, still wearing his pajamas. She had again embarked on a new adventure served straight from the Weasley family's kitchen. And once again she enjoyed it.
***
The flying Ford Аnglia landed on the dusty road to the Burrow, close to where Mr. Weasley was parking it. It was early morning, about five and a half or six o'clock, and the sun was already greening the meadows. Harry was staring at the nature and the Weasley family's house, which was very quiet. Everyone was still asleep, and now their only purpose was to go upstairs to their bedrooms before Molly Weasley smelled they had escaped at night.
Harry took a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from his trunk, because he couldn't go in the Burrow with his pajamas. Meanwhile, Marley's eyes were closing because she couldn't fall asleep during the trip back to the countryside. She had too much adrenaline in her veins and the experience she had was amazing. For now she wouldn't admit to Fred and George she actually liked it.
The five children quietly entered the back door for the kitchen, because Fred told it was safer and Mrs. Weasley would hardly have noticed them, unless by any chance she had awakened early. Too early. Fred, George, Ron and Marley took some food from the table while Harry looked at the house with a huge interest and а smile on his face - that was how Marley looked three days ago, but she was already getting used to all that magic in the house.
"Where have you been?" Mrs. Weasley popped up out of the nowhere, almost yelling. George almost dropped the slice of bread he was holding in his hand. Ron stopped chewing on the piece he had absorbed and his jaw dropped. Molly Weasley looked furious and her red hair was messy. "Oh, Harry, it's nice to see you!" but her smile quickly faded away, the red-haired mother looking at the twins. "Empty beds, no note, missing car! You could've been seen. Oh, Marley, sweetie, are you okay? I'm sure you have nothing in common with what they did. Ginny suddenly woke up and noticed you were gone. She went to tell me and I checked on you, but you were also gone."
Everyone was paralyzed on their places, Marley was blinking with her eyes, trying to assimilate the information. Mrs. Weasley wasn't mad at her? Impossible. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Molly Weasley interrupted him with a nice smile. "No one blames you, Harry. Neither Marley. Now you're welcome to sit down and have breakfast."
Mrs. Weasley had strange behaviour with Harry and Marley was strange. They all sat on the table, the thirteen-year-old girl opposite Harry Potter. Molly Weasley was quietly serving the dishes.