Author's Note
Thank you so much everyone for your funny, informative, fun, hysterical and just plain great reviews! In this chapter is revealed HOW the Trio are going to explain various events to everyone because it's not just by telling them (and I was rather proud of that little idea…).
And about those little cliffhangers… I really don't set out to deliberately leave you hanging, honestly! It's just that where the chapter ends is where the chapter cries out to be ended. It's just rather unfortunate that it's usually at a slightly suspenseful moment…
Also, I haven't mentioned Kirsti-the-Wonder-Beta for a couple of chapters *Janie hangs her head in shame*. This brilliant lady is…well, brilliant! LOL! Seriously, Kirsti dear - what would I do without you and your wonderful, wonderful help and invaluable advice and ideas? Thank you so much! Janie xoxo
REUNION
By JanieB
CHAPTER SEVEN
And The Wait Continues…
Ginny sprang to her feet as Fred and George disappeared - crack! - while an agitated Molly headed for the kitchen as was her habit when under stress. She began to make morning tea, desperate for the distraction of doing something, however mundane. As she passed the grandfather clock, she couldn't stop herself from taking a look, feeling grateful it still sat on "dreadful danger", then thinking how peculiar it was to have "dreadful danger" something to be grateful for… Her worst nightmare would be to find it pointing to "mortal peril".
`Where the bloody hell have they gone?' Ginny demanded angrily. `What's going on?'
Dean and Arthur exchanged worried, but weary, glances. Arthur nodded imperceptibly at his son-in-law, letting him know that he should be the one to speak; Dean had always been able to calm Ginny down better than anyone else.
`Ginny, do you trust them? Harry and Ron and Hermione?'
Ginny turned and glared at her husband. `That has nothing to do with Fred and George knowing something and not telling us and nothing to do with why we weren't told!'
Dean reached up and took Ginny's hand, gently pulling her back to sit beside him, bringing her close with an arm around her shoulders.
`Ginny, you know as well as I do that there would be a very good reason for Fred and George to be involved without anyone else being told. I have no idea what it could be, but I'm afraid you - and all of us, for that matter - need to be patient, hard as it is. You know how resourceful Fred and George are - it's probably one of the reasons they were chosen to go and do whatever it is they've gone to do. Besides, I'm sure it's preferable to have you here at the Burrow, with your parents - especially your mum - than Fred and George.'
Ginny looked glum despite knowing Dean was right. I guess I'll just have to work on my patience, she resolved bitterly.
Ginny's resolution was soon pushed to the limit as the minutes dragged by; time was passing with agonising slowness. Half an hour later, no news, no Flooing - no word at all and no sign of Fred or George - or anyone for that matter…
An hour later, they'd drunk yet more tea, but left Molly's cake and biscuits untouched.
Finally, shortly after nine o'clock, just as Ginny thought she was going to scream with sheer frustration, a tremendous crack! resounded through the room and Fred reappeared. Everyone froze momentarily, the fear in his eyes as he glanced quickly around the room chilling their hearts.
Arthur was beside his son instantly, grasping his arm, asking him in low tones, `What's wrong, son? What can we do?'
Looking away from Ginny and Dean, motionless on the couch, to his mother, sitting fearfully at the table, Fred shivered involuntarily. He turned to look at his father. `Dad, get your cloak, you need to come with me, now! We need your help. They're all -' Fred stopped abruptly, unable to think for the moment.
There was a single instance of total silence, then a dreadful wail split the air.
`Nooooooooooo! My son! Ron!' Molly Weasley launched herself from her seat, reaching Arthur and Fred, grabbing their arms, her eyes pleading with them to tell her that everything was all right - that Ron was all right…
`They're alive, just,' said Fred, his voice cracking, `but we haven't been able to wake them. We've tried everything! We have to bring them back here - we need you Dad, so there's one of us for each of them.'
`Mum?' It was Ginny; Dean was right behind her with Arthur's cloak draped over his arm which he handed silently to his father-in-law. `Mum,' repeated Ginny, `they need to go now. Harry, Ron and Hermione need help.' Ginny glanced fiercely at her father and brother. `And don't worry, they'll let us know as soon as they can what's going on, won't you?' Ginny wished desperately she could go with them.
Fred and Arthur nodded automatically.
Molly clutched her husband's arm, tears in her eyes. `Arthur, please be careful - and you Fred - and bring them back, all right? Just bring them back…' her voice sank to a whisper.
`Where are we going?' Arthur asked his son. Ginny looked quickly at her brother, waiting for his response, but Fred turned and whispered something in his father's ear. Arthur's eyes widened in momentary surprise, then he murmured, `Of course.'
`Well?' demanded Ginny angrily, `Where are you going, then?'
`We'll explain everything later, Gin - we'll be back soon, I promise,' Fred answered quietly.
Ginny glared furiously at her brother, but he remained impassive. `We need to go now,' he said urgently. Ginny, whilst still glaring at him, gently drew her mother away so that the two men could Disapparate. After taking one last glance at the three frightened faces they were leaving behind, Fred and Arthur turned and disappeared.
Once they were gone, the empty silence felt horribly oppressive and Molly stood, wringing her hands as tears fell down her white cheeks. Ginny's arm was across her shoulders and Dean stood beside his wife, clasping her free hand clasped in both of his; Ginny's anger and frustration began to dissolve in the face of her mother's fear and distress.
`Mum,' she said, her voice filled with her own tension and alarm, `why don't we make something for lunch. They'll need something when they get back.'
Molly nodded, grasping at her daughter's suggestion. `Yes, yes, they will. They'll be starving.' She turned and headed for the kitchen, once again using her apron to wipe the tears from her face.
Ginny turned and leant against Dean as they wrapped their arms around each other. `I'm so scared for them,' she whispered, her voice ending in a sob.
`So am I, love, but we should put on a brave face for your mum.' Ginny nodded against his chest. `Come on, let's go give her a hand,' he said gently.
Home Again, Home Again…
Ginny didn't think an hour had ever passed so slowly as that hour between Fred and Arthur's departure and their return.
Molly was almost feverish in her attempt to stay occupied, repeatedly reminding Ginny and Dean that doing something would make the time pass more quickly. She'd decided that Cornish pasties and shepherd's pie would be the best dishes and set about making them, her wand almost a blur while Ginny and Dean fetched utensils and ingredients on demand.
Half an hour after she'd started, Molly left Ginny and Dean to clean up while she Flooed Percy, Bill and then Charlie, bringing them up to date. She asked after Cordelia, and an excited Charlie told her his wife was in the early stages of labour. Since it was Cordelia's first baby, the Mid-witch didn't expect very much in the way of developments before that evening, but Charlie assured his mum that if anything happened earlier, he'd be in touch. Molly assured him in return that they, too, would Floo as soon as they could when they knew more about Harry, Ron and Hermione; she didn't have the heart to tell him the full details of the current grave circumstances in the face of his joy at the imminent birth of his first child. If we wait a little longer, we could have good news for him, she thought, clinging to the hope that this would be the case.
After she finished speaking to Charlie, Molly returned to the now spotless kitchen to check the pie and pasties. Dean and Ginny were sitting at the table drinking a Butterbeer each when a loud crack echoed through the house. They were all so tense that even the familiar sound of Apparition made them jump, Ginny and Dean almost dropping their butterbeer and Molly nearly burning herself on the hot oven door as she closed it.
The three of them reacted immediately and within seconds, they'd reached the living room - only to find it empty until a moment later, when Fred hurtled down the stairs looking pale and shivering with cold, panting as he spoke.
`We took them straight to their rooms - we think they'll be all right but we need your help, come on!' urged Fred as he turned and ran back up the stairs, Molly on his heels, Dean and Ginny right behind her, responding to his urgent demand.
`You go on up to Ron, Mum - George's with him,' called Fred as he took the stairs two at a time, `Ginny, you come with me to see to Hermione - Dean, you go help Dad with Harry!'
Molly was panting heavily as she reached the fifth floor landing; she'd been afraid to Apparate, given her current state of mind. George appeared in the doorway to Ron's room, the look on his face making her heart sink.
`Mum!' he said hoarsely, stumbling back to his brother's bedside. `Quickly!'
Molly couldn't speak for panting as she crossed the landing, afraid of what she would find when she entered her youngest son's room. She had a horrible vision in her head of him lying unconscious and bleeding on his bed…
Reaching the door, Molly felt as if everything began to take place in slow motion; she stopped and gripped the framework of the doorway to support herself, gazing at the prostrate body of her son lying spreadeagled on his bed. Slowly but surely, a horrible, suffocating feeling of terror overtook her and she felt as if she was choking, unable to breathe.
`Ron…' her voice was a faint, harsh whisper.
George was kneeling on the floor beside his brother's bed, one hand resting on Ron's forehead, the other on his wrist, feeling for his pulse.
`He's alive, Mum. He feels icy cold and clammy and his pulse is slow and weak, but he's alive,' he said breathlessly. `Harry and Hermione were the same,' he added forlornly. `We tried for so long to warm them up, but we couldn't! We were afraid to move them at first, but when nothing else worked we had no choice!'
Molly quickly crossed the room, dropping to her knees on the opposite side of the bed, her heart heavy as she looked at the ashen pallor of her son's face, his freckles standing out starkly against his pale skin. Taking his icy hand in her rather worn, but very warm ones, Molly felt tears running down her cheeks. She looked across at George, her eyes holding a question she was afraid to speak.
`We think they'll be all right, Mum,' he said shakily, `they were all breathing when we got there, but we don't know how long they'd been lying there, it was freezing and they were so cold and -'
Here George hesitated on seeing the look on his mother's face; he was unsure of how to describe the state they'd found the trio in.
`Well?' prompted his mother, `so cold and what, George?'
George shook his head and shrugged miserably. `They looked like they were dead and yet, they weren't. And we don't how the exposure didn't kill them.'
Molly, her expression horrified, reached into her robes for her wand, lifting it to cast the only spell over her son she could think of at that moment, a spell of gentle warming.
`Where were they?' she asked.
`Hogwarts Graveyard.'
Molly gasped, her eyes flying up to meet her son's. `It would be absolutely freezing there!'
George nodded mutely.
`Anything else you can tell me?' asked his mother, putting her wand down on the bed. She pushed Ron's unruly red hair off his forehead with one hand while her other tenderly caressed his cold cheek.
`We just couldn't wake them - we tried to warm them, we made a fire, conjured blankets for them - we tried for ages, but they just didn't respond!'
`It's probably where you were - and not just because it's a graveyard.' Molly shuddered. They'd gone back to the very place where they'd defeated Voldemort! What memories and magic would have been waiting for them there?
`Now that they're here, we should be able to warm them.' Molly felt relief sweep through her as she made this announcement, and with such a rush she felt light-headed.
`We need to get him under the covers,' she said as she picked up her wand, murmuring, `Mobilicorpus'. Ron floated gently above his bed while George quickly pulled the bed covers back. After he was lowered to the bed once more, Molly and George removed his shoes, then Molly quickly pulled the duvet up to cover her son.
`He has a little more colour, don't you think?' asked George, peering anxiously at his brother.
`Perhaps,' said Molly, scrutinising Ron's face, `and he seems to be breathing a little more easily now that he's warmer. Watch him, please, George, while I go fetch an Invigoration Draught.' Molly felt a small measure of confidence return at the apparent success of her ministrations.
As she headed down the stairs, she stopped in to see Hermione and was relieved to hear that Fred and Ginny had done basically the same for Hermione as she'd done for Ron. Ginny and Fred were sitting on each side of the bed and when Molly appeared, Ginny rose and walked quickly over to her.
`Mum, she seems a little better, a little warmer - she was so cold! - and she doesn't look quite so pale.'
Molly hugged her daughter then gave her a small smile as she said, `I think the main thing wrong with them is exposure to the cold. And it couldn't be reversed where they were. Thank Merlin Fred and George went when they did!'
`When we got there, Mum,' put in Fred, still sounding frantic, `they were just lying on the ground. It was freezing and they were so cold and still we were afraid they were - '
`But they're not!' interrupted Molly sharply, not wanting to hear what Fred had been going to say. `Did they still have their cloaks on?' she finished.
Fred nodded. `They did, but I have a feeling they'd been lying there like that for most of the night.'
Ginny and Molly both shivered in horror at the thought, Molly remembering the "dreadful danger" that Ron's hand had pointed to on the grandfather clock, wondering how much longer it would've been - how much longer the three of them would've been lying there - before it moved to "mortal peril". She felt grateful she would never know that now.
`What about Harry?' asked Ginny.
`I'm going to check on him next,' replied Molly. `I'll bring back an Invigoration Draught for them after I've spoken to Dad.'
`Molly!' cried Arthur the second she appeared in the doorway of Percy's old room, `Come and look at this!'
Molly crossed quickly to the bed where Harry lay, Dean sitting on one side, Arthur standing on the other. As she reached him, her husband pointed to Harry's face and Molly gasped. Harry's scar was a dull red slash in the pale skin of his forehead.
`Is he all right?' she asked fearfully, sitting on the bed and reaching for Harry's hand; it, too, was very cold to the touch. Molly leant forward and gently put the back of her hand against his cheek only to find it was also unnaturally cold.
`I did use a warming charm on him, but I'm not as good at them as you, dear,' said Arthur. `He's not as cold as when we first found him though. How's Ron? And Hermione?'
`He's warming up and his colour's coming back. So's Hermione's. I'm on my way to get an Invigoration Draught for each of them.' Molly stood and drew her wand from her pocket to perform the warming charm on Harry, taking his hand immediately afterwards, relieved that he already felt a little warmer.
`Let's get him under the covers,' Molly instructed and they did so.
`I wonder if his scar will hurt when he wakes up?' ventured Dean. `It looks so - so raw!'
`Let's hope it settles down before he wakes up,' said Arthur as Molly stood and headed for the door. `We can only hope,' she said in answer to both of them. `All right then, I'm off to the kitchen - I'll be back in a minute with the Draught,' she assured them as she left.
As she reached the kitchen, heading for the cupboard where she kept various potions, Molly suddenly lurched, her legs almost giving way beneath her. She managed to reach out for the edge of the kitchen bench in time to stop herself from falling and as she stood there, clutching at it, she felt her whole body begin to tremble. As tears formed in her eyes and slowly ran down her face, she realised she was only now giving way to the fear, tension and exhaustion of the last twelve hours. After a minute or so, the trembling subsided and she straightened up, lifting her apron to dry her tears, gasping in fright as two hands unexpectedly grasped her shoulders and she turned to see the anxious face of her husband.
`Molly? I wondered what was taking you so long - are you all right, dear?'
She nodded wordlessly, gratefully falling into his embrace.
`Just having a bit of a cry about it all, Arthur - I feel as though I've been afraid forever and I'm just so tired. I couldn't've slept before they were all home, though.'
`You'll be glad to hear Harry's stirring, although I don't think he'll actually wake up - I think it's just a response to warming up. Ron and Hermione are doing the same, according to George and Ginny.'
`Then I'd better get this Invigoration Draught up to them quick smart, it'll help,' said Molly as she turned and opened the small cupboard on the wall, reaching up to take a large bottle of mint-green liquid from the bottom shelf. Arthur took three spoons from the drawer and together, they headed for their son's room at the top of the house.
Pie, Pasties and Patience
Less than an hour later saw Fred and George Flooing their older brothers to give them the good news about the Trio, while Molly and Ginny set the table. Arthur and Dean were doing one last check on Harry, Ron and Hermione to make sure they were settled before joining the others to eat.
`Thank Merlin!' said Bill with feeling on hearing that the Trio were back at the Burrow, warm, safe and now sleeping normally.
Percy's response was very similar to Bill's and he thanked his twin brothers for letting him know.
`Bloody relief, I must say, although you could've told me the whole story earlier!' exclaimed Charlie, who in turn told them that Cordelia was progressing nicely according to their Mid-witch and he'd be in touch again later.
Molly, Arthur, Fred, George, Ginny and Dean sat around the kitchen table, yawning between mouthfuls of pasties and shepherd's pie. Their exhaustion was catching up with them, although their combined relief was almost palpable.
`I think we should all have a decent nap after this,' said Arthur. `I can't imagine that Ron, Harry or Hermione will wake up before dinnertime.'
Ginny groaned softly, although she was smiling as she turned to Dean. `I'm still practising enormous patience here I hope you realise,' she told him.
`I'm just so relieved and grateful they're home and seem to be all right,' said Molly tremulously.
`Aren't we all,' said Fred and George together.
`What time are Luna and Neville coming?' asked Dean.
`I think about seven,' replied Ginny.
Just then, they heard the sound of small feet clumping on wood, followed by the clanging of cymbals.
`Twelve o'clock,' said Fred unnecessarily as he licked his fingers. `Terrific pasties, Mum,' he told her.
`Thank you Fred, but now I think we should clean up as fast as we can so that we can all get some much needed rest. I'll need to be up again by five to get dinner ready.'
Waking Up…
As the miniature Hagrid strode out onto his small wooden platform, his cymbals raised, ready to be clashed, he hesitated at the sight that met his eyes; despite the fact that it was only one o'clock in the afternoon and not an hour ago there had been a chattering group around the kitchen table, eating, there now wasn't a soul to be seen. What he could hear, however, was the distant rumble of a variety of snores and deciding it was probably the wisest course, the tiny figure dropped his arms to his sides, his cymbals unclashed, and returned to his clock.
An hour later he marched out again to find that nothing had changed. He began to feel a little dejected, returning to the clock with slumped shoulders, wondering if things would be looking up by the time another hour rolled around. However, by four o'clock things still hadn't changed and he couldn't help but feel a little put out about the whole situation. He wasn't to know that one occupant of the Burrow was just then beginning to awaken…
Harry had opened his eyes just minutes before, his vision blurred as it always was on waking. His first thoughts were of Hermione and Ron - but even as he wondered how they were, he recalled voices, at first sounding frantic, calling out to each other - then becoming relieved; he remembered almost waking up and being aware of a wonderful, delicious warmth pervading his body after which Molly's voice was gone and he heard Arthur and Dean talking about Ron and Hermione - that they too, seemed to be all right. He remembered the sensation of a cool liquid sliding down his throat and then his hand flew to his forehead as he recalled Dean's comment about his scar looking "raw". He felt a trickle of fear which dissipated as his fingers explored the familiar lightning shape and he realised there was no pain - that it felt the same as it had for all the years after Voldemort's defeat.
Harry closed his eyes, relief washing through him as he realised that the three of them were back, safe and sound. Had it worked? Had what they gone through during the night been worth it? Had it been successful? Harry sighed as he automatically reached out for his glasses on the bedside table, knowing he'd have no answers just yet. He slipped them on although he stayed as he was, lying down; all his muscles felt as though he'd pushed them beyond endurance and a dull ache was beginning to claim his whole body. As his vision cleared behind his glasses, he gingerly went over his aching body, relieved to find nothing more than sore muscles. Awful memories were clamouring to be examined - his head was full to bursting with them - but he wasn't ready for them just yet and he determinedly pushed them aside. Doing so brought something to mind and he lay, thinking for some time, until a scratching sound reached his ears and he turned to see Hedwig perched on the window sill.
Still reluctant to put his tired muscles to the test, Harry lifted his wand from the bedside table and waved it, whispering "alohamora", enabling Hedwig to enter the room. She landed on the bed-head and hooted softly at him.
`Hi girl,' he said quietly, `sorry I can't get up right now.'
Hedwig immediately fluttered down to the bed beside Harry's shoulder and gave him an affectionate peck. Harry smiled at her, stroking her breast feathers until she held out her leg and he noticed for the first time that there was a roll of parchment attached to it. Pulling it off, Harry wondered who on earth would be writing to him at this time. After opening and reading the parchment, however, he felt no surprise.
`Right, Hedwig, time to make an attempt at getting up, I need to write a letter,' he told her as she once more fluttered up to sit on the bed-head.
Very gingerly, Harry pushed himself into a sitting position, where he stayed until the spinning in his head subsided enough for him to drop his legs over the side of the bed. Looking down, he realised he still had on the robes he'd worn to the graveyard, so he shakily got to his feet and changed them for a pair of jeans and a thick, light coloured jumper. Deciding warmth was more important than how he looked, Harry pushed his feet into his favourite pair of old, warm, woollen slippers before taking a piece of parchment , quill and ink from the top drawer of his bedside table. He wrote a quick reply to the letter he'd received, tied it to Hedwig's leg and gave her an affectionate scratch around the neck before she flew off.
Guessing from the silence, broken only by the occasional snore, that everyone else was asleep, Harry slowly crossed the landing to see Hermione for himself; he was still slightly unsteady on his feet and his muscles felt very stiff. As he crossed to the bed in which she lay, Harry felt a familiar swooping sensation in his stomach at the sight of her. She was lying on her side, facing him, both her hands tucked under her cheek, her long curls lying in disarray on the pillow, framing her face. The duvet was pulled right up to her chin and she looked as though she was sleeping peacefully. Unable to pass up such a golden opportunity, Harry bent down and kissed her gently on the cheek, enjoying the delightful feel of her soft skin against his lips.
Reluctantly leaving Hermione's room, he crept up to see Ron, grinning at the sight of his best friend lying on his back, snoring gently.
Making his way down to the kitchen, firmly gripping the balustrade for support as he descended, Harry realised he was starving. It didn't take him long to find the left-over Cornish pasties and he helped himself to a couple, warming them with his wand and feeling much better for having eaten something. He then made himself a mug of tea after renewing the fire in the kitchen fireplace with a quick "Incendio" and sat at the table, finalising his thoughts on how to explain to everyone what had happened the previous night; he hoped Ron and Hermione would agree with his idea.
This was how Molly and Arthur found him just before five o'clock as they walked into the kitchen, both yawning. On spotting Harry, Molly let out a very undignified squeal and ran to him, Harry standing up just as she reached him and pulled him to her in a tight hug.
`How do you feel? What about your scar?' asked Molly after she released him, her eyes darting to his forehead.
He assured her he was fine, if somewhat stiff and sore, then Arthur clapped him on the shoulder, grinning.
`I've got some of Mabel's Magical Muscle Syrup,' said Molly, heading for her potions cupboard, `that'll fix you up in a jiffy. And I'll leave it out for Ron and Hermione when they come down.'
Harry sent silent thanks to Mabel as he felt the pain and stiffness receding swiftly from his body.
`Let's all sit down and have a cuppa - no, Molly,' he said firmly to his wife as she automatically turned towards the cooker, `you sit down, I'll get the tea.' Having said that, Arthur pulled out his wand and conjured three cups of tea while Molly clicked her tongue disapprovingly; she didn't believe conjured tea tasted as good as real tea.
`Come on, dear,' said Arthur placatingly, `we don't have a lot of time.'
`All right, just this once,' she said, raising her voice a little to be heard over the enthusiastic clashing of cymbals that was again marking the hour.
`Now, Harry,' said Arthur, throwing an amused glance in the direction of the clock, `do you think you'll be up to this dinner tonight, with Neville and Luna coming over? Ron and Hermione, too?'
Harry nodded. `I think so - I feel so much better already and I'm sure they will too, once they've had some of that Syrup. And by the way, thank you, the both of you, for everything.'
Arthur waved his hand, `No need to thank us Harry - you know we'd do anything for you and Hermione as well. Now, you're sure you're all right?'
Harry nodded. I'll be even better once Ron and Hermione are awake and we can all be absolutely certain. None of us has had any potion since yesterday morning…
`Well,' said Molly, draining her cup and standing up, `time to get moving with dinner.' She pulled a clean apron from a drawer and tied it on, humming to herself as she began waving her wand to set pots and pans zooming to the sink to be filled.
`Looks like we'll just be in the way here, Harry,' said Arthur with a grin. They stood, ducking as a pan went whizzing right past them, and headed for the living room where Arthur started the fire. He and Harry then settled themselves on the couch, Harry asking for more details of the Trio's "rescue" which Arthur readily imparted, Harry grateful for Hermione's foresight in making "rescue" arrangements with the twins.
The sound of someone Apparating outside the front door, followed by a sharp knock, interrupted their conversation. `That'll be Professor McGonagall,' said Harry, drawing a look of astonished surprise from Arthur as they both made their way to the front door. `She's bringing something I asked for,' Harry explained.
Molly came out from the kitchen to say hello and offer a cup of tea on hearing the familiar voice, but the Headmistress declined, thanking her nonetheless.
`I'm afraid I can't stay Molly dear, but thank you anyway,' she said, sounding a little harried. Handing Harry something wrapped in a thick, white cloth, Professor McGonagall wished them all a Happy Christmas and left.
In answer to their inquiring looks, Harry walked to the kitchen table, placing the object on it before removing the cloth wrapping.
Molly gasped while Arthur simply raised his eyebrows.
`It's Dumbledore's Pensieve,' said Harry, his eyes clouded with memories as they ran over the bowl and the unusual runes decorating its edge. Molly and Arthur nodded; they'd both recognised it.
`I received an owl from Professor McGonagall earlier this afternoon,' Harry explained, `asking if I needed anything - any help; she had a basic idea of what we were attempting because Hermione had spoken to her last Tuesday when we visited Hogwarts. After I woke up this afternoon, I was actually thinking about how we could explain things to everyone and the idea of the Pensieve came to me. After receiving the Professor's owl, I decided to ask her if she minded lending it to me for tonight.'
`Well,' said Arthur giving Harry a look of admiration, `I think that's a grand idea, Harry, although actually seeing what happened may be a little daunting.'
Harry nodded, gazing at the Pensieve. `Maybe…but it would certainly be far easier than Ron, Hermione and me trying to explain so much with just words…' and have to relive it all yet again, so soon… Harry suppressed a shudder.
Molly and Arthur exchanged looks, both realising that Harry wanted to spare his friends - and himself - the pain of reliving their ordeal so soon and they certainly couldn't blame him for that.
It was going to be an interesting night…
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note
Oh, so interesting…I hope! *grins*
Dean came downstairs at that moment and announced Ginny would be down with Hermione shortly. Harry and Ron stepped apart, both still grinning furiously; they waited where they were to greet Hermione.
They heard the girls' voices first, followed by their light footsteps. Harry and Ron both looked up to see Ginny descending with Hermione right behind her. Harry couldn't take his eyes off Hermione - the mixture of relief, gratitude and happiness coursing through him at the sight of her putting him off his guard so that his gaze revealed a depth of feeling he normally kept to himself. Hermione smiled at Ron then looked at Harry and what she saw caused her footsteps to falter for an instant and she grasped the balustrade with both hands to steady herself.
Sorry, not much of a preview this time folks, as I couldn't pick so much as a sentence that didn't give something away (however minor!). And since I'll be posting Chapter Eight on Saturday you don't have to wait long, right?
Cheers!
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