PRINCESS ➳ harry potter , draco malfoy (OLD VERSION)

94 || The Onyx Crystal

Two days before the wedding, Katie, Harry, Ron and Hermione finally found some time amidst all their chores to sit down and converse about their upcoming Horcrux hunt. Ron, who was supposed to be cleaning his room, was instead laying back on his bed and idly waving his wand through the air. Hermione was sat at Ron's desk and sorting a large quantity of books into two piles. Harry had just entered the room and sat down on his own bed and Katie was putting some of her clothes into the bag that Hermione had placed an Extension Charm on.

"What are you doing with all those books, anyway?" Katie asked of Hermione as she closed the bag.

"Just trying to decide which ones to take with us," Hermione answered. "When we're looking for the Horcruxes."

"Oh, of course," Ron said, clapping a hand to his forehead. "I forgot we'll be hunting down Voldemort in a mobile library."

Hermione let out a sarcastic string of false laughter. "I wonder... will we need to translate Runes? It's possible... I think we'd better take it, to be safe."

She dropped the Ancient Runes book on to the larger of the two piles and picked up Hogwarts: A History.

"Listen," Harry said suddenly, sitting up straight. The other three turned to look at him with expressions of mingled resignation and defiance. "I know you said that you wanted to come with me."

"Here he goes." Ron rolled his eyes.

"It's going to be really dangerous," Harry pressed on as if he had not been interrupted at all. "This isn't an Easter Egg hunt around Hogwarts, all right? We're hunting down Voldemort. I don't want any of you getting hurt because of me. This is something that I have to do alone."

Katerina sneezed. "Sorry," she said, "I'm allergic to stupidity."

Ron let out a snort of amusement but Harry merely glared at her briefly before continuing. "Listen--"

"No, Harry, you listen," Hermione snapped, throwing Hogwarts: A History on to the larger pile rather aggressively. "We're coming with you. That was decided months ago -- years, really."

"But—"

The door swung open and Harry never got the chance to finish his sentence. The beaming, rosy face of Molly Weasley peered around the door.

"Katerina, dear, your brother just got here." Mrs Weasley told her.

Much faster than necessary, Katie sprung up off the rickety wooden chair on which she was seated and rushed down the stairs, followed closely, though much more slowly, by Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Just as Katie reached the kitchen, the front door opened and Arthur Weasley stepped inside. Chris entered just after him and he grinned when Katie rushed towards him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm so glad you're all right," she said. "I've been so worried ever since the Death Eaters went after you."

"I'm OK," Chris assured her. "How's your summer been?"

"It's been fine — Niall?"

Katie had been so distracted by her brother's arrival that she had not noticed Niall Murray step inside the house. He was leaning against the counter, his arms folded, grinning just as broadly as Chris. Katie was pleasantly surprised to see Niall — Chris had not said that he was coming too. Niall and Katie moved to hug and greet each other.

"I didn't know you were coming." Katie said. She was unable to contain the smile that was forcing its way onto her face.

"Yeah, well, I love a good surprise, you know me." Niall chuckled.