Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [7]

⚡️ Chapter 10 ⚡️

"Oh, isn't that Elphias Doge there, member of the Order and writer of Dumbledore's obituary," Vega whispered to Harry, nodding in his direction. "Let's go," She pulled Harry over. "May we sit down?"

"Of course, of course," Doge said in his usual high-pitched, wheezy voice.

Vega glanced around the place to make sure that no one was looking at her, Harry and Doge before leaning closer to the old man, whispering, "Mr. Doge, I'm Vega-Nova Lestrange and this here is Harry Potter," Doge gasped as he looked at the two.

"My dear girl!" Doge wheezed out while Harry looked surprised that she just revealed them. "Arthur told me you and Harry were here, disguised.... I am so glad, so honoured to see you!"

In a flutter of nervous pleasure Doge poured Vega and Harry a goblet of champagne each, speaking quietly to them, "I thought of writing to you. After Dumbledore... the shock... and for you, I am sure..." Doge's tiny eyes filled with sudden tears.

"We saw the obituary you wrote for the Daily Prophet," Vega informed him, lowing her champagne. "I apologise, I never realised that you knew Professor Dumbledore so well,"

"As well as anyone," Doge said, dabbing his eyes with a napkin. "Certainly, I knew him longest, if you don't count Aberforth – and somehow, people never do seem to count Aberforth,"

"Speaking of the Daily Prophet..." Harry spoke. "I don't know whether you saw, Mr. Doge –?"

"Oh, please call me Elphias, dear boy," Doge said. "You as well, Vega-Nova,"

"Call me Vega," Vega interjected quickly.

"Elphias, I don't know whether you saw the interview Rita Skeeter gave about Dumbledore?" Harry asked, and Vega watched as Doge's face flooded with angry colour.

"Oh yes, Harry, I saw it," Doge said. "That woman, or vulture might be a more accurate term, positively pestered me to talk to her, I am ashamed to say that I became rather rude, called her an interfering trout, which resulted, as you may have seen, in aspersions cast upon my sanity,"

"Well, in that interview," Harry continued on. "Rita Skeeter hinted that Professor Dumbledore was involved in the Dark Arts when he was young,"

"Don't believe a word of it!" Doge said at once. "Not a word, Harry! Let nothing tarnish your memories of Albus Dumbledore! Rita Skeeter is a dreadful –"

But he was interrupted by a shrill cackle – "Rita Skeeter? Oh, I love her, always read her!"

Vega, Harry and Doge looked up to see Aunt Muriel standing there, the plumes dancing on her hair, a goblet of champagne in her hand.

"She's written a book about Dumbledore, you know!" Aunt Muriel said.

"Hello, Muriel," Doge said. "Yes, we were just discussing –"

"You there!" Aunt Muriel shouted. "Give me your chair, I'm a hundred and seven!"

Another redheaded Weasley cousin jumped off his seat, looking alarmed, and Auntie Muriel swung it around with surprising strength and plopped herself down upon it between Vega, Harry and Doge. Vega bit her lower lip, not keen by the addition.

"Hello again, Barry, Marie or whatever your names are," Aunt Muriel said dismissingly to Vega and Harry. "Now what were you saying about Rita Skeeter, Elphias? You know, she's written a biography of Dumbledore? I can't wait to read it. I must remember to place an order at Flourish and Blotts!"

Doge looked stiff and solemn at this but Aunt Muriel drained her goblet and clicked her bony fingers at a passing waiter for a replacement. She took another large gulp of champagne, belched and then said, "There's no need to look like a pair of stuffed frogs! Before he became so respected and respectable and all that tosh, there were some mighty funny rumours about Albus!"