𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞┃𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮

Chapter 40: Back To Hogwarts

Arthur woke them after only a few hours of sleep. He used magic to pack up the tents, and they left the campsite as quickly as possible, passing Mr. Roberts at the door of his cottage.

Mr. Roberts had a strange, dazed look about him, and he waved them off with a vague "Merry Christmas."

"He'll be alright," said Arthur quietly as they marched off onto the moor.

"Sometimes, when a person's memory's modified, it makes him a bit disorientated for a while, and that was a big thing they had to make him forget."

They heard urgent voices as they approached the spot where the Portkeys lay, and when they reached it, they found a great number of witches and wizards gathered around Basil, the keeper of the Portkeys, all clamoring to get away from the campsite as quickly as possible. Arthur had a hurried discussion with Basil; they joined the queue, and were able to take an old rubber tire back to Stoatshead Hill before the sun had really risen. They walked back through Ottery St. Catchpole and up the damp lane toward the Burrow in the dawn light, talking very little because they were so exhausted, and thinking longingly of their breakfast.

As they rounded the corner and the Burrow came into view, a cry echoed along the lane.

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!" Molly, who had evidently been waiting for them in the front yard, came running toward them, still wearing her bedroom slippers, her face pale and strained, a rolled-up copy of the Daily Prophet clutched in her hand.

"Arthur- I've been so worried- so worried-"

She flung her arms around Arthur's neck, and the Daily Prophet fell out of her limp hand onto the ground.

The headline said: SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP, complete with a twinkling black-and-white photograph of the Dark Mark over the treetops.

"You're all right," Molly muttered distractedly, releasing Arthur and staring around at them all with red eyes, "you're alive... Oh boys..."

And to everybody's surprise, she seized Fred and George and pulled them both into such a tight hug that their heads banged together.

"Ouch!"

"Mum- you're strangling us-"

"I shouted at you before you left!" Molly said, starting to sob. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough OW.L.s? Oh Fred... George..."

"Come on, now, Molly, we're all perfectly okay," said Arthur soothingly, prying her off the twins and leading her back toward the house.

"Bill," he added in an undertone, "pick up that paper, I want to see what it says."

When they were all crammed into the tiny kitchen, and Hermione had made Molly a cup of very strong tea, into which Arthur insisted on pouring a shot of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey, Bill handed his father the newspaper. Then Arthur and his sons began ranting and arguing regarding the article and its writer, Rita Skeeter.

However, they all were interrupted by the sudden erupting emerald flames from the fireplace and out stepped a frantic Fiona Black.

"Oh my gosh, I came as soon as I heard what happened!" She cried out hurriedly.

Arthur signalled at the others and most of the members moved out, giving the woman some privacy with her daughter. Harry also was heading out but when Fiona's eyes fell on him, she immediately rushed forth and turned him around, grabbing him in a tight hug to the young Potter's surprise.

"Oh thank heavens, you're alright, Harry!" She had begun to cry. "I was so worried. What if something had happened to you?" She pulled apart and took his face in between her hands, "Oh how would I have answered, James and Lily?" She breathed out, tears running down her face. "I would never have been able to forgive myself."