The Protector

The Burrow

A/N: MERRY/HAPPY CHRISTMAS and if you don't celebrate Christmas: Happy Holidays.

As the morning arrived, we finally made it to the Weasleys home. They call it the Burrow. Makes sense; they multiply like rabbits.

It seemed so cozy. A little farm house out in the middle of nowhere seemed like the perfect place. Maybe...I could have one someday.

We walked in. The placed just filled you with comfort and happiness the moment you walked in the door. The air was filled with the scented with cinnamon and freshly baked bread.

Harry made his way over to the sink. I went over to see what he was looking at. In the sink was a dirty pot that was being scrubbed by a brush. With magic! Woah...I love magic!

The five of us made our way to the living room. We passed a clock, at least I thought it was a clock. But, as I looked closer, there were multiple hands. They all had the faces of the Weasleys on them. The numbers were replaced with places. For example: home, school, work, etc.

As we walked into the living room, I noticed something on the couch. I got closer. They were a pair of knitting needles knitting something. I gazed in awe. Yep, love magic!

"It may not be a lot, but we say it's a home," I heard Ron say behind me, his mouth stuffed with food.

"Are you kidding?" I said. "I love this place!"

"Its fantastic!" Harry told them.

Then Mrs. Wealsey came bolting out of no where, "Where in the world have you  three been?!" I looked to the boys and they all had a frightened look on their faces. They didn't tell their mom they were coming to get us, did they?

"Oh Bridget," Mrs. Weasley walked around the couch, "Don't I get a hug, darling?" She stretched out her arms.

"Of course," I walked over and I was engulfed with a huge hug. Mrs. Weasley and I have became good friends. She was like the mom I never had. Her hug was warming. I nearly melted. 

Our hug was over soon, and I walked back over to the boys, "Oh and hello to you to Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, over joyed.

"Without a word to me, your beds were all empty, the car was gone. You have no clue how worried I was! You may have died. You may have been seen!" And she started to yell at the boys again. Was being seen worse than dying? Like with Hermione last year when she said 'or worse expelled'?  "Of course I can't blame you two," she pointed at Harry and me.

"We didn't have a choice, Mum. They put bars on his window. Had him in solitary confinement," Ron whined.

"If you're lucky, I won't put bars on your window, Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley threatened. Ooo, Ron got the full name...."Come on Bridget and Harry, time for some breakfast."

The Weasley brothers, Harry, and I were at the kitchen table within no time. Mrs. Weasley handed us our plates within about 5 minutes. We were all eating; I was on the left of Harry, while Ron was on the right. I let him sit there, even though it was technically my spot, but whatever. 

For breakfast, Mrs. Weasley had cooked up some eggs with bacon. The morning sun began to shine in as the rest of the Weasleys joined us. I swear, you would be able to smell the food from miles away. 

As I started to eat, I realized something. I haven't really ever had a family meal like this that I could ever remember. My mother didn't make me any meals; we never really ate together. My gaze fell to my plate. All of a sudden, I really wasn't hungry anymore. 

The sound of feet running down the stairs next to me caught my attention, "Mummy, have you seen my jumper?" I heard a small voice next to me.

I turned, "Hey Ginny!" I waved. Ginny and I have actually became good friends over the summer as well. Not very close like Harry or Hermione and I, but close enough that we talk. 

She was going to say 'hello' but then she stopped. Her eyes got wide and she bolted up the stairs. "I guess I don't get a hello," I said laughing. I glanced over and the twins were laughing, "What are you boys laughing about?"

"Ginny's been talking about Harry all summer. It's gotten so annoying if I'm honest," Ron said to us.

Oh, Ginny has a crush on Harry....ooh. I raised my eyebrows and took a sip of my milk that Mrs. Weasley had given me.

"Oh, Bridget," I heard Harry say. I turn to him. "You got a little," Harry motioned toward my upper lip. Oh, milk mustache. I wiped it away, and continued to eat.

"Morning my Weasleys!" I heard a man yell through the doorway. I looked up, and I guessed it could only be Mr. Weasley; tall, red-headed, dressed in a suit. "9 raids last night! I got 9 of them!"

"What are raids?" Harry and I asked in unison.

"Dad works in the Muggle Artifacts in the Ministry of Magic. He finds muggles to be bewitching," Ron explained as he continued to eat.

Mr. Weasley sat down at the end of the table, closest to me. He looked up at Harry and me, "And who are you two?"

"Oh, I'm Bridget Meadows," I introduced myself.

"Ah, yes. Ms. Meadows. You are very famous in this household. Now what about you, young man?" Mr. Weasley perked up.

As Harry introduced himself, I looked at Ron. His face had gone a light scarlet color. Was he.....embarrassed?

"When did you guys get here?" Mr. Weasley then asked snapping me from my thoughts.

"Early this morning actually," Mrs. Weasley was explaining. "The boys drove your car all the was to Surrey and back."

"Wow, there and back?" Mr. Weasley seemed interested. "How was it? How fast were ya going?"

I giggled a bit as Mrs. Weasley smacked him with the dish towel.

"Uh...that was awful, boys. Very wrong of you to do," Mr. Weasley said.

"Now Bridget and Harry, you know everything about muggles," Mr. Weasley started. "I need you to answer a question. What's the purpose of a rubber duck?"

"Well, when a toddler has to bathe, the parents give them a rubber duck for entertainment," I explained, then continued to eat. 

Then we all heard a squeal coming from the window from the opposite side of the room. We all glanced out, and there was an owl. "Ah, Herold's back," Mrs. Weasley assumed. We all watched as the bird ran into their window. I cringed, as did everybody else. "Percy, could you be a dear and get  the mail?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Percy got up and took the mail from Harold. "Don't worry. He's always doing that," Ron complained. Is he on drugs or something? But that is my type of bird. 

"Look at that," Percy opened the letter, "Everyone's letters have arrived from Hogwarts; even Harry's and Bridget's." Percy passed the letters down the table.

"Dumbledore probably knows you're here," Mr. Weasley said while I got my letter. "Wouldn't surprise me; that man's got connections everywhere."

"Hey, Mum. I don't know about these books. They seem expensive. I don't know if we'll be able to get them," Fred said. I looked to all them with confusion. Are they poor?

"I'm sure we can get them. We always seem to manage well," Mrs. Weasley took my letter and looked through it. "But there's only one place that we can get these books from. You guys ready to go to Diagon Alley."