Unofficial Portkey Archive

By: FayeValentine00

Chapter 5

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Two day after his talk with Bill, Harry was feeling more confident about being in the Weasleys home. He found it easier to laugh and generally enjoy himself which made Molly look much happier then that first day when they'd arrived.

"Harry, wake up, it's christmas!"

"Hurry up now! Don't want to miss out, do you?!"

Harry's eyes opened slowly at the sound of the loud voices and found himself staring up at the twins. They both wore the sweaters that Mrs. Weasley must have made for them and looked down on him with big grins.

"Okay, okay. I'm up."

"Better hurry, Harry." George grinned and the two left the room to allow Harry to get dressed in peace.

A few minutes later, Harry made his way down the stairs and found that everyone was waiting for him. It was comforting to see that everyone was smiling and trying to make the best of things.

"Happy Christmas, Harry." Ginny and Hermione said in unison.

"Happy Christmas."

Upon opening his gifts, Harry had recieved a huge collection of the twins products from their store, a hand-made sweater from Mr and Mrs Weasley, a journal from Hermione, a stash of chocolate frog from Ginny (who later admitted that the twins had helped her pay for), and a box furom Bill and Charlie. The box was actually for Harry and Hermione but the oldest brothers told them to wait until later to open it.

After a wonderful day of spending time with the Weasleys and a huge Christmas fest, Harry made his way out to the backyard with the box he'd recieved. He found a snowy seat near a tree that looked big enough for both himself and Hermione but he waited until she found him and settled herself down at his side before opening anything.

"What do you think it is?" Hermiones eyes dancing with just as much curiosity as Harry felt.

"No clue. Only one way to find out, right?"

"Right."

Harry opened the package slowly. He wasn't sure what to expect but something told him that he'd be thankful that he'd waited until now to open it when they were alone. Once the lid was removed and they looked inside, both knew immediatly what they saw.

"Oh Harry!" The gasp echoed exactly what Harry had been thinking but nevertheless he pulled out the item and just looked at it.

The item was a photo album and the picture on the cover was one he didn't even know still exsisted. It was of the D.A. group. They'd only ever taken one picture together as a real group but Harry'd never seen it. Together they flipped through the page and realized that Ron must of be keeping pictures since their first year. Some Harry recognized as ones that Colin had taken and others Harry had no memory of at all. At first, Harry had thought that the photos would make him sad all over again but it didn't. It felt like a veil of closure fell over him and Hermiones eyes said that she felt the same way.

"This is wonderful." Hermiones voice was breathless and for a long time the two sat and reminised about the good old days before life had become so complicated.

Somewhere along the line, the two must have dozed off because Harry awoke with a start when he heard a twig break somewhere behind him. For a moment, he thought it might just be the twins trying to sneak up on them but something else knew that it wasn't. This was something worse, something dangerous. He didn't know how he knew but he did.

"Hermione, wake up." Harry whispered, shaking her gently.

"Huh?"

He put his finger to his lips to silence her and then carefully pulled the wand from his pocket. Hermiones eyes widened, recognizing the look in Harry's eyes as one of extreme alertness. Knowing all too well that Harry's hunches were almost never wrong, Hermione too grabbed her wand and held it so tightly that her knuckles had begun to turn white.

'What is it?' She mouthed to him, eyes wide in fear.

Harry shook his head slowly and then they hear another twig break. This time it was closer. "Hermione, stay down. Don't move."

Having no intention of being a sitting duck, Harry stood up and found himself nearly face to face with one of three Death Eaters who had been sneaking up on them slowly. "Stop!"

Harry pointed his wand directly at the chest of one of the people which effectivly stopped them for a moment. At first it seemed to be a stale mate. No one moved or spoke for a long time. Obviously they'd been hoping to get in and out without too much of a fight. Thankfully Harry had ruined that plan.

"You know why we're here, Potter." A deep male voice finally spoke up from his left side. "The Dark Lord knows you hear him tell us to kill the girl."

"Get out of here!" Harry suddenly wished he had some back up. He knew he could take down one of them but one was surely to get him in return. Thankfully, Hermione seemed to read his mind because after a quiet spell, Harry hear a series of windows break before all the house occupants came running outside, wands ready.

"What the..." Freds voice trailed off as he saw the scene but quickly he and his twin had Harry flanked.

"Molly, take Ginny inside." Mr. Weasley spoke slowly as he and the oldest three sons also made their way forward.

The sight of so many wizards with wands drawn seemed to worry the three Death Eaters because they began to take small steps backwards.

"Oh, poor baby Potter has to call his friends to help. Can't even protect his precious girlfriend by himself." The female voice came from his right side.

"You might be safe for now but we'll get her all the same. You'll see. You'll be left alone and then the dark lord will end you!" With the promise the three disapperated, leaving Harry, Hermione and the shaken Weasley men all looking around in concern.

Bill helped Hermione to her feet and after a quick glance around, escorted her back into the house. All the other turned to look at him in shock. Knowing he had no other choice, Harry told them all about the vision he'd had and how'd he heard them trying to sneak up but it wasn't until he finished that Charlie spoke up in a reaction he would have expected from Ron.

"Bloody hell."

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