MANIA - HJP

CHAPTER VII

Over the following two weeks, Harry was confined to the Burrow's yard. He spent his days eating triple helpings of whatever Mrs. Weasley put in front of him and his evenings playing two-a-side Quidditch in the Weasleys' orchard (he and Hermione against Ron and Ginny; Hermione was horrible and Ginny was good, so they were relatively well matched).

It would have been a joyful, serene holiday if not for the daily reports in the Prophet of disappearances, strange accidents, and even deaths. Bill and Mr. Weasley would sometimes bring home news before it made it to the newspaper. 

Harry's sixteenth birthday celebrations were interrupted by terrible news brought to the party by Remus Lupin, who looked thin and dismal, his brown hair stained liberally with grey, and his clothes more tattered and patched than ever, much to Mrs. Weasley's chagrin.

 "There have been another couple of dementor attacks," he announced, as Mrs. Weasley passed him a large slice of birthday cake. "And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it. . . well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after deserting the Death Eaters; Sirius's brother, Regulus, only managed a few days as far as I can remember. "

"Yes, well," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning, "perhaps we should talk about something diff. . ."

"Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Remus?" asked Bill, who was being plied with wine by Fleur. "The man who ran--"

"-- the ice-cream place in Diagon Alley?" Harry interrupted, with an unpleasant, hollow sensation in the pit of his stomach. "He used to give me free ice creams. What's happened to him?"

"Dragged off, by the look of his place. "

"Why?" asked Ron, while Mrs. Weasley pointedly glared at Bill.

"Who knows? He must've upset them somehow. He was a good man, Florean. "

"Talking of Diagon Alley," said Mr. Weasley, "looks like Ollivander's gone too. "

"The wand-maker?" said Ginny, looking startled.

"That's the one. Shop's empty. No sign of a struggle. No one knows whether he left voluntarily or was kidnapped. "

"But wands--what'll people do for wands?"

"They'll make do with other makers," said Lupin. "But Ollivander was the best, and if the other side have got him it's not so good for us."

 The day after this rather gloomy birthday tea, their letters and booklists arrived from Hogwarts. Harry's included a surprise: he had been made Quidditch Captain.

"That gives you equal status with prefects!" cried Hermione happily. "You can use our special bathroom now and everything!"

"Wow, I remember when Charlie wore one of these," said Ron, examining the badge with glee. "Harry, this is so cool, you're my Captain. . . if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha. . . "

"Well, I don't suppose we can put off a trip to Diagon Alley much longer now you've got these," sighed Mrs. Weasley, looking down Ron's booklist. "We'll go on Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work again. I'm not going there without him. "

"Mum, d'you honestly think You-Know-Who's going to be hiding behind a bookshelf in Flourish and Blotts?" Ron laughed.

"Fortescue and Ollivander went on holiday, did they?" said Mrs. Weasley, firing up at once. "If you think security's a laughing matter you can stay behind and I'll get your things myself. . . "

"No, I wanna come, I want to see Fred and George's shop!" said Ron nimbly.

"Then you just buck up your ideas, young man, before I decide you're too immature to come with us!" said Mrs. Weasley angrily, snatching up her clock, all nine hands of which were still pointing at mortal peril, and balancing it on top of a pile of just-laundered towels. "And that goes for returning to Hogwarts as well!"