Chapter One Hundred And Forty: Middle Of The Night Runaways
December brought constant snowfall, Lina spent as much time as she could outside, taking part in snowball fights or ice skating on the now-frozen lake. Lina would also make sure she would drag Fred and George every time she even thought about going outside, she didn't want them to stew on the fact that they could no longer play Quidditch.
December also meant that Christmas was upon them, this year Lina was more excited for the holiday than ever year previous - not only was it the first Christmas she would get to spend with Sirius, one she could remember, but it was also her first Christmas with Cedric as a couple.
The last defence class before the school broke up for the holidays Lina was the first to arrive, Harry let her in and she carefully placed her satchel in the corner out the way - she didn't want the Christmas present in there to get broken.
"Lina" Hermione said while she looked over the bookshelves deciding which one she wanted to take home with her.
"Yeah?" Lina said tieing her hair up.
"What are you doing for Christmas this year?"
"Going ho-" Lina stopped herself Grimmauld Place was not her home "back to Grimmauld Place, it's going to be me, Snuffles and uncle Remus. I'm sure Tonks and her parents will be over Christmas day too."
"Wait you're not coming over for Christmas?" Ron asked frowning "Harry's going to be there, Bill too, and I think Charlie's going to come back you-"
"Ron, relax," Lina said chuckling "I'll be there just on Christmas eve, instead of the actual day."
"What about boxing day?" Harry asked.
"I'm seeing Cedric" Lina answered. "I wasn't sure when we were seeing each other over Christmas but he wrote yesterday suggesting boxing day, said he has something he wants to show me...he also sounded...upset about something, can you tell how someone is feeling through a letter or is that just me?"
"Maybe It's because you know him so well" Hermione suggested.
"Maybe, either way, I can't wait to see him again. I hope he is alright" Lina said to herself.
It was then Lina noticed the Christmas decorations up in the room, there was mistletoe hanging down from the ceiling, Lina wasn't going to step under there for anyone, there was also a hundred golden baubles hung from the ceiling, each showing a picture of Harry's face and had written underneath HAVE A VERY HARRY CHRISTMAS!
"Er, Harry," Lina said.
"Yeah" Harry replied looking at his god-sister.
Lina pointed up at the decorations, a mix of confusion and amusement on her face.
Harry looked up, winced, groaned and then looked back at Lina "Dobby" he muttered.
"Right," Lina said and nodded her head.
One by one members of the defence club came into the room. Luna came talking about Nargles in the mistletoe and Angelin, Alicia and Katie came with news about replacing Harry, Fred and George on the Quidditch team.
"Who you replaced me with?" Harry asked Angelina quickly.
"Ginny Weasely" Katie replied.
"Wait she got in?" Lina asked while Harry gaped at Katie. Lina knew Ginny was trying out but hadn't had time to ask her if she had been successful or not.
"Yeah," Angelina said "she's pretty good, actually. Nothing on you, of course, Harry," she said and then threw him a dirty look "but as we can't have you..."
"And what about the Beaters?" Harry asked trying to keep his voice even.
"Andrew Kirke" Alicia said without enthusiasm "and Jack Slaper. Neither of them are brilliant, but compared to the rest of the idiots who turned up..."
More people arrived stopping the depressing conversation about the tragedy of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
While Lina felt like what had happened to the team was completely unfair and unjustified, a small voice in the back of her head, Tony's voice, was telling her that this was the best thing to happen for her team.
Lina spotted Fred and George standing without Lee chatting to each other, Lina immediately went to there side. "What would you two say if three members of my team got banned from playing?" Lina asked curiously what they're answer would be so the little annoying voice would go away.
"What instead of our team?" Fred asked looking at Lina.
The twins paused thinking, a minute later they answered.
"Well course I'd be gutted for you but you know..." George started.
"Better for us" Fred ended.
Lina grinned now she didn't feel nearly as guilty for her previous thoughts.
"Ok" Harry called calling the group to silence, "I thought this evening we should just go over the things we've done so far because it's the last meeting before the holidays and there's no point in starting anything new right before a three-week break-"
"We're not doing anything new?" Zacharias asked in a disgruntled whisper that carried through the room so everyone heard "if I'd known that, I wouldn't have come."
"We're all really sorry Harry didn't tell you then," Fred said loudly.
Several people sniggered, Zacarias shot Fred a nasty look but Lina sarcastically waved at him.
"We can practice in pairs," Harry said, "we'll start with the Impediment Jinx for ten minutes, then we can get out the cushions and try stunning spells."
They all partnered up, Lina this session went with Fred as last week she went with George and George partnered up with Lee.
Lina stood facing Fred her wand out. "You wanna go first?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Nah, wouldn't be fair" Fred cockily replied.
"If you say so" Lina repositioned herself and when she was ready she yelled "Impedimenta!"
Fred immediately froze, instead of waiting for him to unfreeze Lina with an evil grin walked up to Fred "Lucy would never forgive me if I messed with your face" she mused and pulled the corners of Fred's mouth up and then she messed up his hair. Just before he unfroze Lina jumped away.
Fred wasted no time in freezing Lina back and then proceeded to mess with her own hair.
This continued for ten minutes until Harry called for them to stop with the Impediment Jinx and move onto stunning. This was done with half the class actually doing the spell and the other half watching, then they would swap over. At the end of the hour, Harry called the class to a halt just as Lina was about to stun Fred.
"You're getting really good," Harry said beaming around at them "when we get back from the holidays we can start doing some of the big stuff - maybe even Patronuses."
There were murmurs of excitement as people began to leave the room, Lina picked up her bag and then remembered the Christmas present inside it.
"Neville!" Lina yelled. Neville pause his conversation with Dean and Ron and looked at Lina confused. Lina smiled and waved him over "I got you a Christmas present," she said pulling out the small box from her bag "I remebered what you said on the train."
"I didn't get you anything," Neville said fumbling with the box.
"Didn't expect you to" Lina sincerely said, "go on, open it."
Neville ripped the paper off, stuffing it into his pocket "a remembrall " he said looking at the ball.
"Like I said I remembered" Lina shrugged.
"Oi, Lee you coming or not" Fred yelled as he was by the door along with George, Lee and Ginny waiting for her.
"One second" she yelled back before looking at Neville "Merry Christmas Neville" she gave him a smile before joining her friends by the door to leave.
***
Lina was woken up at a time she wasn't sure, it was late that much she knew, halfway through a lovely dream about a cake that tasted of pumpkin juice by Professor McGonagall.
"Professor?" Lina grumbled rubbing her eyes as she tried to get up but Demeter had planted herself firmly on Lina's chest "what's happening?"
"You need to come with me Miss Lina" McGonagall said.
"Why, has something happened to my dad" she panicked.
"No, Mr Potter saw Arthur Weasely get attacked not long ago," the professor said quietly as not to wake the other girls "you need to come with me."
Lina was now fully awake, she pried Demeter off her, grabbed her robe to cover her pyjamas - Cedric's shirt and a pair of his jogging bottoms - she slipped her slippers on and followed Professor McGonagall out her room "but Professor why am I being woken up?" Lina asked. While she loved Mr Weasely and the entire Weasely family like they were her first family, she wasn't technically a close family relation.
"I don't know Miss Lina" McGonagall replied, "Professor Dumbledore told me to bring you and so I am."
Outside the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room Ginny, Fred and George patiently waited. The second Ginny saw Lina she ran forward into her arms. Lina kept an arm around Ginny all the way to Dumbledore's office. Inside the office, Dumbledore was standing behind his desk, Ron was standing before the desk next to Harry who was looking very ill.
"Harry - what's going on?" Ginny asked, she looked very frightened and had tightened her grip on Lina. "Professor McGonagall says you saw dad get hurt-"
"Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order of the Phoenix" Dumbledore said before Harry could speak. "He has been taken to St Mungos for Magical Maladies and Injuries. I am sending you back to Sirius's house, which is much more convenient for the hospital than The Burrow. You will meet your mother there."
"How're we going?" Fred asked looking shaken "Floo powder?"
"No" Dumbledore replied, "Floor powder is not safe at the moment, the network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey" he indicated to an old kettle on his desk "we are just waiting for Phineas Nigellus to report back...I want to be sure that the coast is clear before sending you-"
There was a flash of flame in the middle of the office leaving behind a single golden feather gently floating to the floor.
"It is Fawkes's warning," Dumbledore said catching the feather "Professor Umbridge must know you're out of your beds...Minerva, go and heed her off - tell her any story-"
"Professor McGonagall was gone before Professor Dumbledore could finish his sentence.
"He says he'll be delighted," a bored voice said from behind Dumbledore, the wizard, Phineas had reappeared in his portrait. "My great-great-grandson has always had an odd taste in house guests."
Lina's eyes widened that portrait was of her great - great - great grandfather.
"Come here then," Dumbledore said to Lina, Harry and the Weasleys "and quickly, before one else joins us." Lina and the others gathered around Dumbledore's desk. "You have all used a Portkey before?" Dumbledore asked they all nodded each reaching out to touch some part of the kettle. "Good. On the count of three, then. One...two...three."
Lina felt a powerful force pulling her forward, the ground disappeared from under her feet, the world around her become blurs of colour and then as quickly as it started it was over, Lina's feet hit solid ground, she steadied herself so she didn't fall to the floor, the kettle hit the floor with a clatter.
"Back again, the blood traitor brats" Lina heard Kreacher say "is it true their fathers dying?"
"OUT!" Sirius roared.
Lina looked around, they were in the basement kitchen, Sirius looked about ready to physically kick Kreacher out but refrained from doing so. Instead, he rushed over to the group, he was unshaven, still in his day clothes despite the late hour and he smelt slightly of stale drink.
Lina smiled softly at her dad and then helped Ginny up, she immediately attached their hands together again.
"What's going on?" Sirius asked as the others got up "Phineas Nigellus said Arthur's been badly injured-"
"Ask Harry," Fred said.
"Yeah, I want to hear this for myself," George said.
Lina, the twins and Ginny were all staring at Harry, outside the room, Kreacher's footsteps had paused.
"It was-" Harry began "I had a - a kind of - vision," he told them he had been a bystander of the vision and had watched helplessly as a snake attacked Mr Weasley.
None of the four said anything at first but Ginny's grip on Lina's hand tightened to the point that both their hands had gone white from the pressure.
Fred was the first to speak "is mum here?" He asked Sirius.
"She probably doesn't even know what's happened yet," Sirius said "the important thing was to get you away before Umbridge could interfere. I expect Dumbledore's letting Molly know now."
"We've got to go to St Mungo's," Ginny said urgently looking around at her brothers, they were of course still in their pyjamas "Sirius, can you lend us some clocks or anything?"
"I've got some clothes you can borrow up in my room," Lina said.
"Hang on, you can't go tearing off to St Mungo's!" Sirius said.
"Course we can go to St Mungo's if we want," Fred said, "he's our dad!"
"And how are you going to explain how you knew Arthur was attacked before the hospital even let his wife know?" Sirius huffed.
"What does that matter?" George asked hotly.
"It matters because we don't want to draw attention to the fact that Harry is having visions of things that are happening hundreds of miles away!" Sirius said angrily "have you any idea what the Ministry would make of that information?"
Fred and George looked as though they could not have cared less what the Ministry thought, Ron, looked ashen-faced and remained silent.
"Somebody else could have told us...we could have heard it somewhere other than Harry" Ginny said.
"Like who?" Sirius asked impatiently "listen your dad's been hurt while on duty for the Order and the circumstances are fishy enough without his children knowing about it seconds after it happened, you could seriously damage the Orders-"
"We don't care about the dumb order!" Fred shouted.
"It's our dad dying we're talking about!" George yelled.
"Your father knew what he was getting into and he won't thank you for messing things up for the Order!" Sirius said equally angry "this is how it is - this is why you're not in the Order - you don't understand - there are things worth dying for!"
"Easy for you to stay, stuck here!" Fred bellowed "I don't see you risking your neck!"
The little colour remaining in Sirius's face drained and for a moment he looked like he wanted to hit Fred, that was when Lina decided to step in.
"I know this is hard for all of us," Lina said softly looking at the twins "and that you want nothing more than to go and see your dad but even if we did go down there, there is no guarantee we would even be allowed in. I think the best thing we can do is wait for your mum to get here and depending on what she says then we go down there."
There seemed to be a silent agreement that Lina was right, Ginny let go of Lina's hand and sunk down in the nearest chair, Ron made a funny movement between a shrug and a nod and sat down too. The twins glared at Sirius for another minute and then took a seat on either side of Ginny leaving a gap for Lina.
Sirius looked at his daughter and nodded a thanks before Lina took the seat Fred had pulled out for her.
"That's right," Sirius said encouragingly "come on, let's all...let's all have a drink while we're waiting. Accio butterbeer!" He raised his wand as he spoke and seven bottles came flying towards them from the pantry and stopped in front of each of them.
They all drank in silence, Lina picked at the label to keep her mind distracted from thinking about the worse possible situation even though she truly believed Mr Weasely would be alright, they had managed to save Cedric from death after all.
Suddenly a burst of fire in midair illuminated the room, they all gave cries of shock then a scroll of parchment fell with a thud onto the table, accompanied by a single golden phoenix tail feather.
"Fawkes!" Sirius said at once snatching up the parchment "that's not Dumbledore's writing - it must be a message from your mother - here-" he thrust the letter at George.
George immediately ripped it open and read aloud: "dad is still alive. I am setting out for St Mungo's now. Stay where you are. I will send news as soon as I can. Mum."
George looked around the table "Still alive..." he said "but that makes it sound..." he didn't need to finish the sentence, they knew it sounded like Mr Weasely was hovering somewhere between life and death.
Ron started at the back of the letter like if he stared at it long enough it would speak to him. Fred pulled the parchment from George's grip and read it for himself, he then looked at Harry. Ginny's hand was once again in Lina's.
At one point, without any serious conviction, Sirius suggested that they all go to bed but the Weasely's looks of disgust were enough of an answer. So they all sat in silence, occasionally taking a sip of butterbeer or checking the time on the ticking clock wondering if Mrs Weasely had arrived at St Mungos yet.
Fred fell into a doze, his head lolling sideways onto his shoulder. Ginny was curled up in her chair like a cat still holding into Lina's hand. Ron was sitting with his head in his hands. Harry and Sirius would look at each other every couple of seconds.
At ten past five in the morning, according to Ron's watch, the kitchen door swung open and Mrs Weasely entered the kitchen. She was extremely pale but when Lina, Fred, Ron and Harry half raised from their chairs she managed a smile.
"He's going to be alright," she said her voice weak from tiredness "he's sleeping. We can all go and see him later. Bill's sitting with him now, he's going to take the morning off work."
Fred fell back into his chair with his hands over his face. George and Ginny got up, swiftly going over to their mother and hugging her. Ron gave a very shaky cough and downed the rest of his butterbeer, Lina smiled in relief and have Fred's arm a gentle pat.
"Breakfast!" Sirius said loudly and joyfully jumping up to his feet "where's that accursed house elf? Kreacher! KREACHER!" But Kreacher did not answer his summons "oh, forget it." Sirius said counting the people in front of him "so it's breakfast for - seven...bacon and eggs, I think, and some tea, and toast."
Harry got up out of his chair to help Sirius, he had barely got the plates from the dresser when Mrs Weasely lifted them out of his hand and pulled him into a hug.
"I don't know what would have happened if it hadn't been for you, Harry," she said "they might not have found Arthur for hours, and then it would have been too late, but thanks to you he's alive and Dumbledore's been able to think up a good cover story for Arthur being where he was, you've no idea what trouble he would have been in otherwise, look at poor Sturgis..." she soon released him and turned to Sirius to thank him for looking after the children through the night. "Oh Sirius I'm so grateful...they think he'll be there for a little while and it would be wonderful to be nearer...of course, that might mean we're here for Christmas."
"The more the merrier!" Sirius said with such sincerity that Mrs Weasley beamed at him, threw on an apron and began to help with breakfast "right Angel?" Sirius said looking at Lina.
"Of course!" Lina beamed "it was only going to be me, dad and uncle Remus anyway, it'll be nice to have you all here."
"Oh, Lina dear," Mrs Weasely said, she stopped cooking breakfast to give who she considered a second daughter a hug.
Lina decided to help with breakfast doing everything Mrs Weasely told her to do. She noticed Harry pull Sirius aside to talk to him but Harry knew if he wanted to talk to Lina about anything he could so she didn't nose her way into the conversation.
After a breakfast that was filled with mindless chatter mostly to keep them all from thinking about Mr Weasely. Sirius and Mrs Weasely ordered all the kids to sleep after they had finished breakfast.
Lina knew it was much needed, the adrenaline that had been running through her body was wearing off now. Ginny and Lina went upstairs together, instead of going to her room, Ginny went into Lina's room and slept in Tonk's bed.