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Grave Days | ||||||
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Category: Post-Hogwarts, Post-DH/AB Characters:All Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama Warnings: Death, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 153 Summary: Front page: THE DAILY PROPHET 4 May 1998 WHERE IS HARRY POTTER? Despite the Official Ministry Statement (published above) we are no closer to receiving an answer to the question on the lips of every witch and wizard in the country. Where is Harry Potter? It appears that Mr Potter left Hogwarts School early yesterday morning, apparently in the company of his close associates Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. An attractive young Ministry clerk, who did not wish to be named, told The Prophet “He’s at the Ministry, having an important meeting with the Minister. My friends and I saw him. He asked us out to the pub, but we had to turn him down.” This statement is at odds with a leaked report from the Portkey Office, which claims that Mr. Potter has fled the country, travelling to Australia with his companions. When asked about rumours that Mr Potter had been seriously injured and was being treated at a secret location, Acting Minister Shacklebolt said simply, "Nonsense." Hitcount: Story Total: 115245; Chapter Total: 8425 Author's Notes: Thanks, once again to my beta readers Andrea and Amelíe. Their input and advice has, I'm sure improved this chapter. |
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6: Under a Shroud Harry and Ginny stopped in the yard and looked up towards the orchard. Ron and Hermione were halfway down the hill. They were holding hands and looking very dazed. The empty beer can they’d been holding, their Portkey, had fallen onto the grass at their feet. Ron was wearing loud, brown and cream patterned shorts and a violently patterned yellow and red short-sleeved shirt. He was badly in need of a shave and looked very pink and sunburned. He struggled to take his heavy rucksack from his back. Hermione wore a short blue skirt and a white vest; she was carrying nothing but her small beaded bag. Unlike Ron, she was as pale as parchment, her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy and her hair was even bushier than normal. They appeared bewildered by their reception committee. When they saw Harry and Ginny holding hands Hermione smiled wanly, but Ron shouted, ‘Oi!’ Ginny scowled; Harry squeezed her hand and gave her a look which, he hoped, would keep her quiet. Releasing Ginny, he dashed up the hill to help his friend with his rucksack. ‘Thanks, Harry,’ said Ron, a little too loudly to be polite. He let go of Hermione and shrugged his rucksack into Harry’s arms, hissing, ‘What’re you playing at?’ ‘I’m not arguing with you now, Ron, I’ll talk to you later. It’s okay, honest,’ Harry murmured through gritted teeth as he put Ron’s rucksack down on the grass. Ron looked unconvinced. ‘Good to see you, mate,’ he grunted. Harry frowned at Ron. Why was he being so unreasonable? He’d assumed that Ron wouldn’t mind if he and Ginny were back together; apparently he did. Turning abruptly from Ron, he moved to greet Hermione. Harry hoped that she, at least, would be on his side. Hermione had been silent, listening to the exchange. She looked ill. As Harry stepped forwards to greet her she staggered; Ron roughly pushed Harry aside, grabbed Hermione into a steadying hug, and muttered, ‘Okay ‘er-mine, I’ve got you.’ Hermione slumped forwards, clasped her hands around Ron’s neck, rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Harry glanced back at the silently watching Weasleys. Molly was looking at Ron and Hermione very carefully. ‘Twenty-two Portkey’s halfway round the world — no fun,’ said Ron by way of explanation. ‘What time is it?’ ‘Quarter to Five.’ Charlie said, before Harry could check. Ron looked up at the sun. ‘It was just after midnight when we left.’ Ron was looking confused. ‘The same thing happened when we got there, it was a totally different time. Weird! Hermione tried to explain it to me. It’s something to do with time zoners, apparently.’ Hermione glanced up in exasperation at Ron but she didn’t try to correct him, she simply closed her eyes and rested her head against Ron’s chest. Harry stared at her; suddenly, he was extremely concerned. ‘Did you find your parents?’ Harry asked her. Ron nodded; Hermione burst into tears and buried her face in Ron’s chest. ‘Are they all right?’ Harry panicked. Mrs Weasley strode towards her youngest son; Ron looked panic stricken but kept his arms around Hermione. His mother halted and folded her arms. ‘They’re fit and well–but unhappy–Hermione doesn’t want to talk about it,’ said Ron in a tone that would accept no arguments. Harry knew better than to ask them any more questions. ‘Let’s get you inside, Hermione,’ Harry suggested. Ginny was staring distractedly into the sky. ‘Look,’ she pointed at a figure bobbing just above the trees. She stepped alongside Harry and put an arm around his waist. Harry returned the favour, and Ron glared at them both. ‘Luna,’ Ginny observed, she glanced at her brother with withering scorn before returning her gaze to the sky. Harry followed Ginny’s gaze and made out the blonde-haired figure of Luna Lovegood gliding over the orchard. She looked odd, almost as though she was flying sideways. Harry stared closely at the figure as she approached and grinned in realisation; Luna was riding her broom side-saddle. ‘Hi Luna,’ shouted Ginny, waving frantically with her free hand. Luna smiled and waved as she brought the broomstick down almost to the ground, slowed gracefully to walking pace and neatly stepped off to walk the last few feet towards her friends. ‘You know,’ whispered Harry to Ginny, ‘I reckon she’d be a good flyer, if she flew properly. Luna’s robes were an electric blue, so bright they almost hurt the eye. She was wearing large, dangling spherical, yellow earrings, which seemed to be almost liquid, like egg yolks on silver chains. Not impossible, knowing Luna, thought Harry. She looked around, surprised to find so many people watching her. Her steady, unblinking, gaze passed from Harry and Ginny to Ron and Hermione and on to the rest of the Weasleys. ‘Hello everyone,’ she said. She turned to speak to Ginny’s parents. ‘I’m so sorry about Fred, Mr and Mrs Weasley. He made everyone laugh; there will be fewer smiles in the world now he’s gone. Even people he’d never met, but would have in the future, will smile less. That means that even people he didn’t know will be a little sadder.’ In the silence which followed Luna returned her gaze to Harry and Ginny. ‘I’m glad you’re together again; you’re really well suited you know.’ ‘I don’t suppose you’ll stop arguing with each other,’ she said, turning to address Ron and Hermione, ‘but I’m glad you’re finally together, too!’ She paused, ‘However, I’m really not sure that shirt is a good idea, Ronald.’ ‘That should be my Mum’s line, Luna.’ Ron grinned and, for a brief moment, Harry saw his best friend as he really was. Suddenly feeling a huge amount of affection for Luna, Harry let go of Ginny and strode over to the blonde witch. Luna’s instant acceptance and approval of himself and Ginny as a couple was, he realised, important to him. Given Ron’s reaction it was very welcome too, so Harry hugged her. Ginny arrived at his side and did the same. ‘Thanks, Luna,’ Ginny smiled. Luna beamed. ‘It’s good to see you, Luna,’ said Harry, ‘How’s your house?’ Luna looked across to Hermione, who was still resting her head on Ron’s chest, and calmly said: ‘You were right, Hermione, it was an Erumpet horn; the blast pattern is unmistakable. The house is a mess, but we’ll have it put back together in a few weeks.’ Hermione nodded an acknowledgement but still didn’t speak. Luna regarded her friends carefully. ‘I have told Daddy that it was very wrong of him to try to swap you for me at Easter!’ said Luna. ‘He’s very sorry. He told me that he loves me and that he only did it because he was very frightened about what might happen to me. So I’ve forgiven him.’ Luna delivered this statement in such a matter of fact way that Harry laughed. Luna, in her own way, had solved another problem. ‘In that case, I forgive him too, Luna,’ he replied. Their conversation was abruptly halted, because Hermione sighed, her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed into Ron’s arms. Keeping one arm around her back to hold her upright, Ron crouched down, put the other behind Hermone’s knees and gently lifted her into his arms. She closed her eyes immediately. Ron looked at his mother; the worried expression on his face was mirrored on hers. ‘Come on, inside, all of you,’ Molly ordered, ‘Ron, take Hermione up to Ginny’s room.’ Ron strode rapidly down towards the Burrow. Ginny, however, sprinted past him; looking back over her shoulder as she reached the back steps she shouted, ‘I’ll just clear my bed.’ Harry wondered what she was trying to hide from Ron. He considered following them upstairs but decided that, given Ron’s current mood it would be best to allow him to look after Hermione. As the Weasleys trooped back to their house, George slapped Harry on the back, ‘You know it’s been really quiet around here without you, Harry. This is much better.’ Remembering that he’d left Ron’s rucksack in the yard Harry turned to pick it up. He found Luna, broom in one hand, struggling to lift it. He hurried over to help her. ‘Here, let me take it,’ he offered, lifting the rucksack from her and swinging it onto one shoulder. ‘Thanks, Harry. What’s the matter with Hermione?’ she asked, ‘Ronald looks a little shaky too.’ ‘They’ve just arrived by Portkey, from Australia.’ ‘What they need is an invigoration draught,’ said Luna practically, as they entered the house. ‘Do you know where Mrs Weasley keeps her potion ingredients?’ ‘No idea, sorry, Luna,’ Harry shook his head. As he leaned Ron’s rucksack against the wall in the corner by the door he heard the sound of raised voices from upstairs. ‘Ron, just put her down and leave, we’ll take care of her,’ ordered Mrs Weasley. ‘I’m staying,’ Ron insisted. ‘Put that back, Ron,’ shouted Ginny. Ron’s ‘What is it? You pathetic…’ was cut off by Molly’s; ‘Ginevra, Ronald, behave or leave.’ ‘Sorry, Mum,’ said Ginny. ‘Yeah, sorry, Mum,’ Ron said. Harry didn’t hear any more because Luna shouted upstairs. ‘Where do you keep potion ingredients, Mrs Weasley? I think that Ronald and Hermione need an invigoration draught.’ A furious looking Ginny clattered down into the kitchen. ‘What did Ron find?’ asked George. ‘None of your business, George,’ said Ginny. She looked at Harry as she spoke, making it clear that, whatever it was, it had something to do with him. She then turned to Luna. ‘Good idea, Luna, I’ll help you with the potion.’ Ginny opened a large cupboard and began rummaging through various jars, vials and boxes. ‘I’ll do that, Ginny,’ Luna volunteered, ‘you get a cauldron ready.’ Luna happily sang out the names of the required ingredients as she looked through the cupboard, Harry went to see if Ginny needed any help. Arthur Weasley, Harry realised, was standing in the middle of the kitchen and watching him closely. George, Percy and Charlie sat at the kitchen table, their heads together in whispered conversation. ‘So, what did Ron find?’ Harry asked. ‘None of your business, either,’ Ginny scowled. ‘What happened to no secrets?’ Harry grinned. ‘Ginny, if Ron knows, I’ll soon know. I won’t even need to ask him,’ he told her. Ginny glared at him, obviously annoyed, before breaking into a smile of embarrassment. ‘He won’t tell you, not with the mood he’s in,’ she declared. Her annoyance vanished and was replaced with a rueful smile. ‘He’s not happy about us, is he? Well, he’d better get used to it or I’ll hex him so that he can’t sit down … or stand up, either.’ ‘He’s only being protective,’ explained Harry. ‘He thinks I’ve been messing you around.’ Ginny raised an eyebrow and stared deeply into his eyes. ‘I have been, haven’t I?’ The realisation hit Harry like a punch. He had told her that they were finished, and he had kept secrets from her. He’d justified it by claiming that he was only trying to protect her, but he had hurt her. She’d forgiven him; the kiss she’d given him on his birthday kiss had proved that. But since the battle he’d been to cowardly to face her. He stared at Ginny, horrified. She smiled sadly and nodded. ‘You’re forgiven, Harry,’ she said simply. ‘Help me get this ready and I’ll tell you what he found.’ There was a thump from upstairs. Harry, at the stove with Ginny and Luna, was some distance behind Mr Weasley and his sons; who dashed upstairs. By the time Harry reached the bottom of the stairs Charlie and Mr Weasley were helping a staggering Ron out from Ginny’s room; he looked as though he’d been confunded. Percy was opening the door opposite. ‘’M a’ ri’, no prob’m,’ Ron was mumbling. George, Harry noticed, was trying to sneak into Ginny’s room while everyone else was distracted. He was unsuccessful. ‘George! Out!’ hissed his mother. ‘Harry,’ Ginny beckoned; she was holding the sitting room door open. ‘Quick, while they’re busy.’ He was by her side in an instant. ‘Can you manage without us for a minute?’ Ginny asked Luna. ‘Of course, off you go,’ Luna hummed as she cut and crushed ingredients. She seemed to be working from memory, as there was no potions book in front of her. Ginny led Harry into the sitting room. ‘Ron found a scrapbook,’ Ginny explained, not meeting his eyes. Harry realised that he hadn’t seen Ginny so nervous in his presence since she was twelve. ‘It’s full of pictures of you, and rumours, and–well--everything I could find last year. Every lie, every rumour, every photograph I could find is in there. It was partly to reassure myself that you–that you were still alive, and partly because I hoped that one day we’d be able to laugh at some of the more ridiculous rumours. I’d cut out yesterday’s Prophet’ article ready to paste into it. The book was open on my bed and I knew that Ron would think I was being obsessive if he saw it. Perhaps I was,’ she admitted. ‘I even found a photo of us as Quidditch cup winners and stuck a copy on my wall.’ Harry reached forwards and gently ran his fingers through her hair. ‘I’ve got a copy of that photo too,’ Harry reassured her, smiling, ‘I stuck it on the wall above my bed on Monday morning, and I spent a lot of time last year trying to watch you.’ ‘How?’ Ginny asked curiously. ‘The Marauders Map, I’d just sit and look around the castle, trying to find Ginny Weasley.’ They stepped towards each other to kiss. ‘Hello, Mrs Weasley,’ they heard Luna shout from the kitchen. They managed to spring apart just before Ginny’s mother opened the sitting room door. ‘Hi, Mum,’ said Ginny brightly, ‘we were just looking for your potions book.’ It was apparent that Molly Weasley did not believe her daughter. ‘No need,’ called Luna, ‘it will be ready in ten minutes.’ ‘Thank you, Luna, dear’ Mrs Weasley’s voice was sweet, but full of underlying menace. ‘I’m glad that someone is working hard to help her friends recover.’ She ushered Harry and Ginny back in the kitchen and looked into the cauldron, which was hissing and steaming. ‘Are you sure that’s an invigoration draught?’ ‘Oh, yes. It’s Mummy’s special recipe, it works really well.’ Molly Weasley suddenly looked worried. ‘Shall we start setting the table, Mum?’ Ginny asked, trying to change the subject and trying to keep on the right side of her obviously harassed mother. ‘We should be getting dinner ready soon.’ Harry was starving, he realised; he looked hopefully towards the stove. Molly noticed. ‘Are you hungry, Harry dear?’ she asked, concerned. ‘A little, I only had two slices of toast for breakfast,’ Harry replied. ‘And you didn’t eat any biscuits when you arrived, because you were too busy groping my sister,’ chortled George. ‘What did Ron find anyway, Ginny?’ he continued. ‘None of your business,’ replied Harry. At the same moment Ginny snapped: ‘Forget about it or I’ll hex you.’ ‘Ooh!’ George laughed, holding up his hands in mock fear, ‘I’ve got to deal with you both now, have I?’ ‘She won’t need my help,’ Harry retorted. He was rewarded by a laugh from George and a kiss on the cheek from Ginny. ‘Enough,’ ordered Mrs Weasley, staring exasperatedly at her children. ‘George, set the table for me please. Ginny, you can help me to make dinner.’ ‘Did someone say dinner?’ asked Charlie, as he walked back downstairs into the kitchen. ‘Mum’s making something, with assistance from the lovely and sweet natured Ginevra,’ announced George. Ginny hissed, and gave her brother a look that made him take two steps backwards and knock over a chair. ‘That would be very welcome,’ said Percy, who had followed Charlie down into the kitchen. ‘A lovely and sweet natured Ginevra?’ George looked warily at his sister. ‘We’d all welcome that.’ Ginny grinned and winked at him. ‘That’s easy to achieve, George,’ she told him. ‘Just give me your total, unquestioning, obedience.’ George chuckled. ‘The potion’s ready,’ sang Luna, ladling a watery purple liquid from the cauldron into two mugs. ‘Should I take it up?’ Luna asked. Mrs Weasley looked doubtful; she took a wooden spoon from a pot on the bench, dipped it into the cauldron, sniffed, and then sipped the liquid. ‘Wonderful, Luna,’ she beamed. ‘Yes, take it up to Arthur, please,’ she handed Luna a tray for the mugs. ‘Ginny, you can help me with the vegetables,’ she ordered when Ginny made to follow Luna. ‘I’ll come with you, Luna,’ offered Harry, following her upstairs. Mr Weasley was standing between the two open bedroom doors watching both Ron, who was in a large bedroom containing two single beds, and Hermione, who was on Ginny’s bed. ‘How are they, Mr Weasley? Luna enquired. ‘They seem to be sleeping,’ said Mr Weasley. ‘I’ve never experienced such a long distance Portkey journey myself; though I heard of a few instances of exhaustion like this before the Quidditch World Cup.’ Luna marched into the larger bedroom and put the tray on a table between the beds. ‘If you could just lift Ronald into a sitting position, please,’ she suggested. Harry moved forward. ‘I’ll do that, thanks, Harry,’ Mr Weasley insisted, gently lifting his youngest son. ‘Sorry, Hermione,’ Ron burbled as Mr Weasley moved him. Arthur looked piercingly at Harry when Ron mentioned Hermione, but he said nothing. Luna lifted one of the mugs from the tray and held it under Ron’s nose. His head shot backwards and his eyes opened wide, staring. ‘Drink this, Ronald,’ Luna ordered, putting the mug gently to his lips. Ron did so and Luna gently poured the drink into his mouth. After the first swallow, Ron focussed on his surroundings. After the second, he took the cup from Luna and quickly drank the rest. He smacked his lips, belched loudly, and looked around. ‘Why am I in Charlie’s room?’ he asked. Then realisation struck. ‘Is Hermione all right?’ Ron swung his feet off the bed and ran across the landing into Ginny’s Room. ‘It looks like she will be, once we give her this potion,’ replied his father calmly, as he followed Ron to where Hermione lay. Luna, Harry noticed, had carefully watched Ron race across the landing. She lifted a tiny purple egg from inside her robes; taking her wand from behind her ear she lightly ran it around the egg. By the time Harry and Luna had followed Mr Weasley into Ginny’s room Ron had already gently lifted Hermione into a sitting position; he was tenderly brushing her bushy hair out of her face. Ginny’s room was as bright as Harry remembered. The walls were covered with Holyhead Harpies posters. One of the drawers in the desk under the window was partially open, a scrap book protruded from it. A wardrobe in one corner stood open. Incongruously hanging from the wardrobe door was a plastic coat hanger on which hung a green plastic dress bag from a Muggle shop. ‘Let me,’ Ron urged, reaching for the mug of potion as Luna crouched down beside the bed. ‘I think I’d better,’ suggested Luna gently, ‘you just concentrate on holding her while I give her the potion.’ ‘I can do that,’ said Ron. He spoke rather too eagerly, Harry thought as he watched Mr Weasley’s reaction. Ron carefully cradled Hermione, her head resting on his shoulder. On the wall behind Hermione, Harry saw the Gryffindor Quidditch team photo. Ginny smiled at him from the picture. Luna gently moved the mug under Hermione’s nose. Her head rolled back; Ron caught it tenderly. ‘Watch what you’re doing,’ he snapped at Luna. Hermione’s eyes flickered open at the sound of Ron’s voice; he smiled down at her. ‘It’ll be okay, Hermione, just drink this,’ he encouraged. Mr Weasley, standing at the bottom of the bed, continued to watch his youngest son with a great deal of interest. Luna carefully poured the potion into Hermione’s mouth, while Ron made noises of encouragement. After the third swallow Hermione murmured, ‘Thanks,’ and, with a shaking hand, tried to take the mug from Luna. Luna gently moved Hermione’s hand away and continued to pour. After three more swallows Luna finally allowed Hermione to take the mug. Hermione emptied the mug, hiccoughed and looked confusedly around the room. ‘Hi, Harry; hi, Luna,’ she sighed, ‘Oh, Ron,’ she turned, buried her head Ron’s chest, and burst into tears. Ron looked helplessly at Harry and Luna; then saw his father watching him cradling Hermione in his arms. His ears reddening Ron whispered, ‘Can you all just leave us for a couple of minutes, we’ll be down soon.’ ‘Five minutes,’ warned Mr Weasley, ‘then I’ll be back.’ He ushered Luna and Harry onto the landing and motioned to them to go downstairs. After making sure that Ginny’s bedroom door was wide open, he followed them down into the kitchen. He went straight across to talk to his wife, who, wand in hand, was simultaneously supervising a spoon that was stirring a large pot of stew and a knife that was peeling potatoes. Harry walked over to talk to Ginny, who was now putting goblets and a jug of pumpkin juice on the table. Arthur Weasley was meanwhile talking quietly to his wife. Harry saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed Ginny and pulled her aside as the potato knife flew past them and stuck, quivering into the wall behind them. ‘Sorry dears,’ said Mrs Weasley, ‘Arthur distracted me. Accio!’ The knife flew back to the sink and returned to work. She fixed Harry with a piercing glare, ‘You said that you’d tell us what really happened while the three of you were on the run.’ Harry nodded. ‘You can do it over dinner,’ she ordered. Ron walked down into the kitchen. ‘Hermione’s just gone up to the bathroom,’ he announced, ‘she needs to … er … tidy up.’ ‘What’re you doing over dinner?’ he asked Harry. ‘Telling us everything that happened last year,’ his Mother said, quietly. ‘Little things that you haven’t told us, Ronald,’ Molly continued, her voice was calm; Harry knew that this was much more dangerous than when she was shouting, ‘For example,’ she continued, ‘why you lied to me about Harry going to Australia with you both, and why you didn’t think that it was important to tell us that Hermione is your girlfriend before you took an unsupervised trip to Australia with her.’ Ron glared accusingly at Harry. ‘I didn’t say anything, Ron,’ he protested. ‘No, you didn’t,’ agreed Molly, ‘looking after your friends, as usual. I don’t blame you for Ron’s lies, Harry.’ ‘But you, young man,’ she waved a ladle angrily towards her youngest son. ‘We’re both eighteen, we can do what we want,’ Ron bravely stood up to his mother. ‘And anyway, we haven’t been having a fun time.’ Molly glared at Ron, hands on hips, Harry recognised the signs; she was rapidly approaching another explosion. ‘No, we haven’t,’ confirmed Hermione, who was halfway down the stairs. She still looked pale, weak, and very sad. Mrs Weasley looked at Hermione in concern. The battle between Molly’s anger and her mothering instinct was over in an instant. There was no contest; her anger collapsed, defeated, and crawled away to hide. ‘What’s wrong, dear?’ Ron’s mother asked solicitously. ‘I don’t want to talk about it, Mrs Weasley, perhaps after … after all of the funerals,’ she sobbed. ‘Can we change the subject, please?’ Ron glowered at his mother reproachfully, ‘Try to be more tactful,’ he told her. Mr and Mrs Weasley exchanged a look of astonishment. Harry only just managed to cover his snort of laughter by coughing. ‘Sit down, dear, dinner will be ready in about half an hour,’ Molly told Hermione kindly. ‘Bill and Fleur are coming over to see you all. They will be here soon, will you stay for dinner, too, Luna?’ she asked. ‘No, thank you, Mrs Weasley, Daddy is expecting me back soon.’ ‘Luna,’ Harry remembered, ‘Justin said you wanted to talk to me about something.’ Luna jumped at the sound of Harry’s voice: she’d been staring at Ron and Hermione, deep in thought. ‘Oh, yes,’ said Luna dreamily, ‘there’s something here I want to show you.’ She plunged her hand down the front of her robes; George, who was sitting next to her, sniggered. ‘George,’ Mrs Weasley scolded. Luna looked him, a puzzled expression on her face. She withdrew her hand from her robes and put a small, folded piece of parchment on the table. ‘This is Colin’s galleon,’ she explained, ‘I’ve added a new enchantment to it,’ she looked cautiously at Hermione for her reaction. Hermione managed a look of vague curiosity. Luna unfolded the parchment, revealing the gold coin used by Dumbledore’s Army to pass messages. Silently, Luna pushed the parchment towards Harry. ‘Just touch the coin,’ she instructed. Harry did so. Immediately, Colin Creevey’s image, smiling and waving, burst out from the coin. Glowing golden words shimmered at the bottom of the image. He was sixteen when he was killed during The Battle of Hogwarts. Remember him. We miss you Colin.” Everyone stared at the image in silence. Harry felt Ginny’s arm on his shoulder. He slipped his arm around her waist and gave her a sorrowful, comforting, hug. ‘I’ve made it so that the Muggles can’t see it,’ Luna explained, ‘except direct blood relatives, his parents. The image lasts for about a minute after you touch the galleon.’ As she finished explaining the enchantment, it vanished. ‘I thought,’ continued Luna, ‘that we could stick this to his gravestone, with a permanent sticking charm.’ She looked at Harry. He and Ginny were close to tears; as were Ron and Hermione, and Arthur and Molly. Like Harry and Ginny, the other couples had their arms around each other. ‘I wondered; would you like to be the one to fix it to the stone, Harry?’ she asked Harry. ‘I’d be honoured to do it, Luna,’ Harry said huskily, ‘have Mr and Mrs Creevey seen this?’ Before Luna could reply George stood suddenly, knocking over his chair. He grabbed Luna’s shoulders, kissed her full on the lips, turned, and ran upstairs. Molly watched George’s departure with a worried frown. ‘Oh yes.’ Luna answered Harry as though nothing had happened, ‘I showed it to them when I visited, they agreed that we could do it after the service.’ ‘Thanks, Luna,’ was all Harry could think to say. With a thump, George landed back in the kitchen; he seemed to have jumped down an entire flight of stairs. He strode across to the table, a galleon in his hand. ‘How long did it take you to make that?’ George demanded, thrusting the galleon at Luna, ‘this was Fred’s, what can I do to help?’ ‘I’ll need a photograph…’ Luna began. ‘You’ll have everything you need,’ Molly Weasley said; pulling Luna into a tight hug. George hurtled back upstairs and returned with a photograph a few moments later and strode towards them both, Molly was still hugging Luna; she released the blonde witch. ‘Thank you for the hug, Mrs Weasley,’ Luna gasped, ‘it reminded me of Mummy. Daddy’s hugs are nice, but they just aren’t the same as a real mummy-hug.’ For the second time that day, Molly Weasley was speechless. George silently handed Luna a photograph. ‘Thank you, George; I’ll start work on this when I get home,’ Luna told him, carefully placing the photograph inside her robes. ‘Come for lunch tomorrow, Luna. You will be leaving from here at two. I’ll make you some soup. Will noon be all right?’ asked Molly, finally finding her voice. ‘That will be very nice, thank you, Mrs Weasley. I’ll see you tomorrow everyone.’ With a cheery wave Luna headed for the back door. Molly returned to the stove. The Burrow was filling with the smells of cooking and Harry was now feeling ravenous. ‘We’ll see you off, Luna,’ Ginny announced, grabbing Harry’s hand and leading him after Luna. Ron was glowering at them again, but he didn’t move from Hermione’s side to follow. Luna skipped down the steps and picked up her broom. ‘Goodbye.’ Luna smiled. ‘Look after each other.’ ‘We will, Luna,’ Ginny assured her, ‘and thank you.’ ‘Oh,’ Luna said, plunging her hand into her robes again, ‘I’d better leave this with you.’ She handed Harry the purple egg, which he looked at curiously. ‘This will sing when my potion is about to wear off. Ron and Hermione will be very, very, tired when that happens,’ explained Luna, ‘so you’d better be ready. Bye.’ Harry pushed the tiny egg into his jeans pocket. With that she sat on her broom, kicked off the ground and flew away, waving. Harry and Ginny watched her disappear into the distance. When Harry and Ginny re-entered the kitchen, arms around each other, Ron scowled at them again. Ginny parried the scowl with a dismissive raise of her eyebrows and riposted with a fearsome snarl. She tensed, waiting for a response from her brother. |
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