Infinity (Fred Weasley x reader)

20 - Returning to Hogwarts

You all awoke the next morning feeling drained. Arthur packed the tent away with magic as you all made your way through the woods. When you had approached the Portkey you all noticed a large group of distressed Witches and Wizards who were desperate to get home which resulted in you all having to queue. Eventually, you all managed to use an old tire to transport you back to Ottery St Catchpole, from there you all walked until you saw The Burrow. As you grew closer a cry echoed from the house. 

"Oh, thank goodness, thank goodness!" Mrs Weasley came running towards you all still in her pyjamas. She carried a screwed up copy of the Daily Prophet as she flung her arms around her husbands neck. "Arthur - I've been so worried - so worried -" She dropped the paper as she spoke. You looked down and read the headline which said ' SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP' "You're all right." She muttered. "You're alive ... oh boys ..." She threw herself at Fred and George and pulled the two into such a tight hug that their heads banged together. 

"Ouch! Mum - you're strangling us -" 

"I shouted at you before you left!" Mrs Weasley started 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 O.W.L.S? Oh, Fred ... George ..." 

"Come on, now, Molly, we're all perfectly OK, Bill, pick up that paper, I want to see what it says," Mr Weasley instructed as you all walked back into the tiny kitchen. You dumped your bags rather fast and made Molly a cup of strong tea which she was very thankful for. Meanwhile Arthur and Percy were scanning the paper. 

"I knew it, 'Ministry blunders ... culprits not apprehended ... lax security ... Dark wizards running unchecked ... national disgrace ...' Who wrote this? Ah ... of course ... Rita Skeeter." Mr Weasley huffed. 

"That woman's got it in for the Ministry of Magic!" Percy said in a furious tone. "Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness, when we should be stamping out vampires! As if it wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans -" Before Percy could carry on Bill interrupted. 

"Do us a favour, Perce," Bill yawned. "and shut up." Both you and the twins tried to hold in your laughter at their older brothers words which eared you a glare from Molly. 

"I'm mentioned," Mr Weasley said as his eyes widened. 

"Where?" Mrs Weasley asked as she choked on her tea. "If I'd seen that, I'd know you were alive!" 

"Not by name." He said. "Listen to this: 'If the terrified wizards and witches who waited breathlessly for news at the edge of the wood expected reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sadly disappointed. A Ministry official emerged some time after the appearance of the Dark Mark, alleging that nobody had been hurt, but refusing to give any more Infomation. Whether this statement will be enough to quasb the rumours that several bodiea were removed from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen' Oh really! Nobody was hurt what was I supposed to say? Rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods ... well, there certainly will be rumours now she's printed that." He sighed.  

"Molly, I'm going to have to go into the office, this is going to take some smoothing over." 

"I'll come with you father, Mr Crouch will need all hands on deck. And I can give him my cauldron report in person." Percy added as he followed his father. 

"Arthur, you're supposed to be on holiday! This hasn't got anything to do with your office,  surely they can handle this without you?" 

"I've got to go Molly. I've made things worse. I'll just change into my robes and I'll be off ..."