Dear Ron,
The whole family will be here this Christmas, (including Percy,) so when you and Ginny meet us at Kings Cross, do try to be nice. Also, please tell Harry that he is welcome to come if he likes.
Love,
~Molly Weasley
Harry read this letter over Ron’s shoulder. “Do you mind?” Ron asked pulling the letter away.
“Sorry,” Harry said quickly.
“’s okay. Are you going to come?” he asked hopefully. Harry shrugged.
“I’ve got nothing else to then do I?” said Harry. Ron grinned.
“Well pack your trunk then.” he said happily. Harry did so. He looked around at all the clothes at the foot of his bed, and moaned. Remembering the charm Tonks had cast in his fifth year, he tried, with a loud “Pack,” pointed his wand at a large pile of clothes on his bed, which did nothing more than fall to the ground. Harry had expected this and gave a small shrug before cramming everything into his trunk.
Harry watched his breath coming out of his mouth as they rode on the carriages. He watched the threstrals trotting happily along the trail, wondering all the time they rode; how can something that represents death be so relaxed? He pulled his robes together to try to keep warm. “It’s flippin’ cold out here.” Ron moaned next to him. Harry gave a feeble nod. His eyes didn’t seem to want to move from their gaze at the threstrals. Ron looked away; his eyes fixed determinedly ahead. Steam from the train soon came into view, followed by the sleek train.
They dragged the trunks onto the train, Ron rubbing his hands roughly together. The inside of the train was filled with small ornaments and rows of holly. Ginny and Hermione had already taken seats in a cozy compartment, both of whose eyebrows were raise as they watched Harry and Ron attempt to lift their trunks into the luggage compartment above. Ron gave a low groan, and seemed to be holding his foot.
“Ugh,” he snarled, “Dropped it on my foot.” Ginny giggled. Ron shot her a nasty look. “And how did you get yours’ up there then?” he asked. Both Hermione and Ginny’s eyes rolled to the back of their heads. Hermione took out her wand and muttered something under her breath. Slowly Harry’s trunk rose into the luggage compartment. Ginny had done the same with Ron’s trunk, whose ears had turned pink. Ginny and Hermione giggled.
The train started to move as they sat down. Hermione looked rather dull yet slightly excited. “What’s with you?” Ginny asked. Hermione shook her head.
“Nothing, it’s just… I want to go home to everyone, but I also want to stay with you lot.” said Hermione. Ginny and Ron stared, but Harry understood. With so much going on in the wizarding world, it was hard just to go back to a place where nobody knew what you were talking about, or would not understand if you need to leave.
The route the train took looked so different with snow across it. A plump lady pushing the cart down the isles stopped at their compartment. “Would you like something dear?” she said looking practically hard at Harry. He looked at the cart and grinned. Not only did it have its usual candies, but also many new ones that Harry recognized; there were Canary Creams and Ton-Tongue Toffees wrapped in small packages labeled Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes.
The snowy version of platform nine and three quarters came into view, along with the whole Weasley family. Percy seemed to be avoiding anyone at all costs. They departed the train and waved good by to Hermione who joined he parents. The large Weasley family packed around them, Mrs. Weasley giving Ron a small kiss on the cheek.
“Mum!” Ron groaned softly, not wanting to draw attention to himself.
Fred and George were trying to offer Harry a piece of hexagonal shaped candy, which seemed to be fading different colours. Harry finally gave in and watched his tongue as it faded colours instead after he had eaten the sweet. “How do I stop it?” asked Harry suspiciously still watching his tongue fade from purple to green.
“Oh right,” George said and apparated into thin air. Fred was looking though his pockets. George came back with a small pop. “Here it is,” he said in a relieved tone holding out another candy. “Just eat it before mum sees.” Fred said trying to crowd him so Mrs. Weasley couldn’t see. Harry popped the candy in his mouth and chewed it quickly, which he soon found wasn’t necessary. The small sweet was making foam within his mouth and sinking into his tongue. Soon it was back to its natural color.
Harry saw Percy watching them test Fred and George’s sweets. Oddly enough, he said nothing to them or Mrs. Weasley. “Don’t mind him.” Fred said curtly, “He feels guilty but won’t admit it, so he just won’t tell us off. Not that we mind that much though.” He added quickly.
They headed for a small car in the parking lot that Mr. Weasley had borrowed. It had a charm on it such as the one Mundugus had used last year. Harry sat between Ron and Charlie, who had been planning a mock Quidditch match with him and the Weasleys. It was Ron’s idea, but Charlie seemed to love the idea of playing against Harry as a seeker, and soon joined in. “There’s an old marsh on the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole,” said Charlie, “No one ever goes there, and if we go on Christmas Eve, nobody would even be out.” Mrs. Weasley seemed to have noticed their conversation.
“What makes you think your going anywhere on Christmas Eve?” she asked. Everyone stopped to look at her.
“A Quidditch match on Christmas Eve?” came Mr. Weasley’s voice from the front seat. He turned around and grinned. “That would be wonderful. You lot can divide up into teams…” Several people started talking excitedly at once. Mrs. Weasley’s eyes met the back of her head along with Percy.
“We can have Harry, Ron, Bill, and Fred on one team, and me, Charlie, Percy, and George on the other.” Ginny said. Everyone but Percy nodded.
“Aw come on Perc,” George said loudly. Percy shook his head until he looked at his mother’s sad face, and then slowly nodded. Everyone gave a small “Yes!”
The Burrow was just as Harry remembered it; the oversized house over looking the gardens below. They moved into the large house, Harry, Ron, and Ginny each carrying their trunks. Ron’s room was, unfortunately, still at the top. Ginny went up one flight of stairs with her trunk, then left. Harry was out of breath by the time they reached Ron’s room.
Ron opened the window curtain and pointed to a small marsh a mile or so away. “That’s the marsh Charlie was talking about. I reckon we can go out there tomorrow for some extra practice.” he said trying to sound casual. Harry knew what he meant though. Ron didn’t want to play in front of all his older siblings. Harry nodded and looked out at the marsh.
After a good night sleep, they went downstairs for some food before they left. Fred and George were down there already eating some breakfast Mrs. Weasley had left.
“Where’s mum?” Ron asked.
“She said she went ‘shopping’,” George replied.
“But we think she went looking for Christmas presents though.” Fred said lightly.
“Well can you tell her we went to the marsh when she gets back?” Ron asked as he grabbed a muffin. Fred and George nodded.
The woods they had to walk through to get to the marsh were damp and cold. They didn't want to fly incase they were seen by a passing muggle. “Forget this,” Ron said as he mounted his broom. “No Muggle’s going to be out in this weather.” He kicked off from the ground and looked back at Harry. “You could walk off though. I’ll be waiting for you there.” Harry nodded and kicked off from the ground.
“Just don’t go above the trees,” he said nervously. Ron nodded impatiently. They wove in and out of the dark trees, until they found the treeless marsh. Harry bent a few of the branches of a surrounding tree to make a ring. Ron did the same on his left. Ron reached into a bag he had been carrying and pulled out a small Quaffle and gave it to Harry.
Ron seemed to do much better with only Harry watching. The biggest problem was that his broom didn’t turn very fast. Harry came up with a solution for this though.
“Shoot on me for a second,” he said flying over towards the rings. “I want to try something.” He tossed Ron the Quaffle and flew in front of the rings. Ron threw the quaffle at the right ring. Harry removed the Firebolt from under his feet and used it to hit the quaffle before quickly placing it back under his feet.
“Whoa…” Ron gaped “Let me try.” He threw Harry back the Quaffle and took his position at the rings. Some how Ron couldn’t do it though. He always seemed to loose his balance when taking the broom from under his feet.
“I know,” Harry said at last. He took off one of the gloves that came with the Quidditch uniform Lupin gave him. “It has a magnetic hold to your broom. You can’t fall off this way. I think that’s why I could do it,” he said as he threw Ron the glove. Sure enough, he was able to save the Quaffle much faster than before.
“You know, there may be another way to do…” he trailed away. He could have sworn he heard someone call his name.
“Harry, what…” Ron said, but this time he heard it to. It was now calling both there names. “That sounds like dad,” Ron said, “Sounds scared…” Two loud cracks came from Mr. Weasleys voice and called for their names too. Slowly Harry and Ron flew towards the ground.
A cold feeling swept over Harry. Ron seemed to feel it to, but it didn’t affect him as much. “Dementors,” Harry mumbled softly. “Run,” he said quickly and jumped back onto his broom. Ron looked around for a second then did the same. They flew towards Mr. Weasley’s and who ever else were calling his name. Harry looked behind him; there were hundreds of dementors gliding towards them, about three times as much in his third year.
They were catching up to them. There was no way Harry and Ron could out fly them. Harry stopped and drew his wand. Think of a happy thought he told himself. Ron stopped and turned around. “HARRY! What are you…?” The second Harry looked at him he turned around. “EXPECTO PATRONUM!” he bellowed. A bright stag erupted from his wand and charged towards the dementors. Many of them glided away, but not a majority.
The darkness was swallowing him. Ron tried to awaken him. Harry slowly fell to the ground. He could feel Ron tugging desperately at his arm, shouting something that he was to tired to understand. Ron left to go get help. Harry looked up with all the strength he could summon. His patronus was still as bright as when he conjured it. The brilliant stag suddenly charged straight at him. He didn’t have enough strength to move out of its way. Harry couldn’t think strait but he knew that this just wasn’t possible. Why was the stag still moving when Harry lost his own capacity to think? It continued to come towards him. Just has it should have hit him he felt something slip underneath him. Before he could collect what was happening, he found himself riding on top on the brilliant flash of light that was his Patronus.
The happiness the patronus brought cleared Harry’s thoughts. He was riding on top of his own Patronus. He held the neck of the stag as the zigzagged through the trees. Harry’s thoughts were racing. Why had the Patronus stayed while he collapsed? Suddenly he recalled a conversation with him and Dumbledore in his third year. “In a way Harry, your father still remains part of you.”
“Prongs…” Harry muttered in astonishment. He looked down at the determined stag.
The voices Harry had heard calling his name came closer. “Ron, go back to the Burrow. Remus, you and I should split up.” Harry heard Mr. Weasley say. Three footsteps ran in different directions, only one coming any closer. The figure of Lupin came quickly through the wood in front of them. The stag changed direction and ran extraordinarily fast towards Lupin.
Lupin seemed to take a while to realize what he was seeing. Harry tried to shout something to him, but he was still really weak. The Patronus seemed to be thinning as it got closer to Lupin, who stared dumbfounded staring at it. It was becoming so thin, Harry could no longer keep his balance. He wobbled back and forth. Just before he should have hit Lupin the patronus disappeared and Harry fell to Lupin’s feet.