11. Lunch, a Letter, and a Wedding Proposal?
Harry and Percy sat in a small cafe just around the corner from the Ministry. Percy seemed very agitated and kept looking around the room. Harry, on the other hand, was calm and collected. Of the twelve people in the room, four were Order members, himself, Tonks, Lupin, and Brian Rexford. Rexford was a former Auror from Australia, who Mad Eye trusted. Rexford was a great find because none of the Death Eaters knew who he was. Mad Eye was also prowling around somewhere under his invisibility cloak, and, if that was not enough, all the people in the cafe that day had a small device that would call every member of the Order. With in a few seconds the Order would quickly fill the place, wands drawn, ready to fight.
After looking at the menu Harry realized just how hungry he was, breakfast had been a long time ago and he had not eaten all that much. Harry quickly ordered, and Percy just had a cup of tea.
“So, you wanted to speak to me?” Harry’s tone was very business like.
“Yes, well… well, I wanted to talk to you about. Well, talk about my family,” said Percy looking very apprehensive. After a quiet pause, Percy was about to continue, but waited as the waitress brought their order. Starting again, Percy seemed to have gained his confidence, “Well, Harry, as you know, my parents and I have had a little disagreement. And, well, I would like to settle our differences.”
Even Percy did not miss the sarcasm in Harry’s laugh, “You really don’t get it, do you?" Harry asked incredulously. With a shake of his head he continued, “Your mum and dad would take you back and all you have to do is say hello and give them a hug.”
Harry could see Percy’s pride fighting his feelings. He had never really felt sorry for Percy until now. How could he not see what a great family he had? Harry would have done anything to have a family like Percy’s. As he thought on it Harry realized that he had that family now.
“Percy, I know that your mum and dad’s greatest wish is for you to come home. It’s the rest of the family you need to worry about. You insulted them by hurting your parents, but no matter what they say or do, you should grant your mother’s wish,” finishing Harry began to eat, and left Percy to think about what was said.
As Harry finished his food, Percy stood and began to pay for his tea. Harry put out his hand to stop him, “Don’t worry I’ll get this, you just think about making your mother’s wish come true.”
Percy was about to object, but said nothing as Harry put a Galleon on the table to cover the cost and leave a sizeable tip.
After returning to Godric’s Hollow, Harry let Kingsley inform everyone of what had happened at the Ministry, as he wandered out to grounds in thought. He really wanted to talk to someone about the lunch with Percy, but he didn’t want that someone to be a Weasley. With Harry being the only non-Weasley around there was no one to talk to. Hermione and Ron were visiting her parents, Neville was at his uncle’s making plans to lay his gran to rest, and Lupin was out trying to find Mundungdus. As he walked on his thoughts drifted to Sirius, then to Dumbledore, and that led to Hogwarts. He started to wonder if not returning was a good idea.
Losing track of where he was and what the time was, Harry’s trip around the grounds was filled worries and second-guessing. One thought that kept recurring to him, ‘Would Dumbledore agree with the way he was handling things?’It was the question that Harry was sure that he would never know that answer to. He was drawn from his reverie by movement in the distance.
A few seconds later Harry spotted what had made the movement; it was Ginny flying around the pitch. It was not until he got closer that Harry realised that she was on his Firebolt. Laughing to himself, Harry remembered Hermione telling Fred and George how Ginny had become such a great flyer.
“I guess she has not stopped borrowing others’ brooms,” said Harry smiling to himself forgetting his melancholy mood. Making his way to the pitch, Harry had a great idea.
“Oy, thief, get down here,” he shouted up at young woman on his broom.
Ginny quickly landed. “You don’t mind that I borrowed your broom?” she said, but before he could answer she leaned in and gave him a kiss. She pulled away with a smile and a bat of her eyelashes.
With a shake of his head, Harry took his broom away and sat it on a bench on the edge of the pitch. “Hold on tight to my arm,” he said with an evil smile dancing on his face. With a crack they were gone.
With a crack Harry and Ginny were standing outside of the Leaky Cauldron. “What are we doing here?” she asked.
With a grin Harry gave his answer, “Keeping others’ brooms safe from you.” Taking her hand they entered the Leaky Cauldron. After greeting Tom, the establishment’s owner, Harry led the way out to Diagon Alley.
“Where are we going?” Ginny demanded.
“Keep your shirt on,” he replied
“Are you sure you want me to keep it on? I could take it off,” her tone suggesting something lewd and lascivious, making Harry’s face match her hair.
Heading up the alley, he led her straight into Quality Quidditch Supplies. Quickly entering, Harry approached the counter, and waited for someone to help them. To Harry’s surprise it was Oliver Wood who stepped out of the back and asked if he could help them.
“Well, hello, Harry, how have you been?” Wood asked with a friendly smile.
“I’m doing well, and how have you been? Last I had heard you were playing with Puddlemere United.” Harry returned the greeting.
“I’m still with Puddlemere, I’m first back up this year,” his pride was obvious as Wood spoke. “I just work here in the off season.”
“Well, that’s great, Wood. I wish I could chat more, but we are in a spot of a hurry. I need a new broom, a Flame Strike if you have one, or a Firebolt will do,” Harry inquired.
“Harry James Potter, you’re not spending that kind of money to get me a new broom,” shot Ginny.
“Who said it was for you?” Harry asked with a smile.
“Well then who’s it for?” she asked sarcastically.
“It’s to keep you from stealing everyone else’s brooms,” Harry matched her sarcasm. “And it hardly matters, I’m buying the broom. If you decided not to use it that’s your choice, but you know it would kill Ron to see a brand new Flame Strike just sitting there.”
Ginny perked up at hearing Ron’s name. “So I would have the latest and greatest broom and Ron would have his lowly Clean Sweep. I guess a new broom would be okay. After all, it would do me good to hold it over him like he held his broom over me,” it was the glee in Ginny’s voice made Harry reconsider.
“I hate to disappoint, but the Flame Strike has a long waiting list. You will not be able to get one until after Boxing Day,” Wood stated simply then adding, “We have the new Firebolts, but we have last year’s model at half the price and they’re just as good.”
“Really? I’ll take three,” Harry said drawing an inquisitive look from Ginny.
As he was wrapping the brooms Wood explained that the Firebolt hadn’t changed much since the model year of Harry’s broom. The only real change was the look.
After enjoying a drink at the Leaky Cauldron, during which Ginny had convinced Harry not to give Ron and Hermione’s new brooms to them until the next day so she might hold it over him for a little while, they returned home. Where Harry quickly put the brooms for his two best friends in his room and retrieved his own.
The couple spent the day enjoying the grounds on their brooms. They even found a great way to enjoy the pond on brooms. By casting an Impervius Charm on the broom and holding tight just above the tail you could use a broom under water. It was like holding on to a torpedo shooting though the water.
Harry and Ginny crashed under a huge oak tree that provided a beautiful view of the pond. Both were tired from all the flying they had done. They lay under the tree as the day began to grow long. Holding each other, they watched the sun set over the pond. They may have spent the whole night under the tree if Mrs. Weasley’s Patronus had not come waddling up to them with a message that dinner was ready.
“What was that?” Harry asked unable to identify the Patronus.
“Koala bear. Mum’s had a thing for them since she was a kid,” Ginny answered.
After changing quickly Harry and Ginny headed to the dining room where the rest of the family waited. Once the pair found their seats, Mr. Weasley started off by sharing something interesting that had happed to him that day. It was one of Mrs. Weasley’s new rules that everyone had to sit down at dinner and share something about the day they had. Ginny followed her father’s rant on a Muggle invention called a mobile phone.
As Ginny spoke she smiled at Ron the whole time, and her grin grew as the jealously brewed on his face. “Harry and I went to Diagon Alley where he got me a brand new Firebolt.”
After Ginny, it was Harry’s turn, and he shared how they had charmed the brooms to fly under water. It went on like this through the family, until only Hermione, Ron, and Mrs. Weasley were left to share. Hermione sat her glass down on the table before she started to share her day, but was interrupted by a high-pitched scream from Molly. Mr. Weasley, who was half asleep, fell out of his chair with fright. The Ministry had been working everybody very hard of late.
“Oh Merlin’s beard, he did it. Well, I knew it would happen, but I never expected… Well not this soon anyhow,” Molly beamed at Ron, who looked utterly perplexed.
Getting up from the her seat Molly pulled Ron and Hermione from their chairs, wrapping them in a hug so tight their eyes looked as if they may explode. No one in the room had any idea what was going on.
Through a downpour of tears she started to ramble on, “My baby boy is getting married. Oh, such wonderful news in this dark time.”
Ron’s face skipped pink and went straight to apple red. Hermione simply looked confused. It was Ginny who first understood what had happened. “Mum, it’s on her right hand, not her left.”
“What’s that, Ginny dear?” Molly asked releasing the pair so they might breathe again.
“Ron didn’t ask Hermione to marry him. The ring, although beautiful, is on the wrong finger,” Ginny clarified.
“Oh my,” Molly exclaimed. “I’m so sorry dears.”
“It’s okay, Mrs. Weasley, I mean, Mum. My mother gave me the ring today; it was her mum’s engagement ring. She thought I might like to have it. Besides I’m not ready to get married, we’re not even finished with school,” explained Hermione with a look of amusement.
Ron’s face, if anything, got redder as he stood there with his hands fidgeting in his pockets. The rest of the dinner passed merrily as everyone enjoyed a healthy laugh. The exception was Ron, who barely touched his food, and did not say a word during dinner.
Once pudding was over Harry went to his room intending to take a bath, because during dinner he realized he had sand in places he didn’t know he had. To his surprise, he was greeted by Hedwig, who had a letter for him. Taking the letter from her and opening it, he read.
Dear Harry,
I am writing to inform you that Vernon passed away last week of a heart attack. I did not write before because I was sure you would not care to attend the funeral. I am only writing to you now because you said if we ever needed help to write. It may come as a shock to find out that we are about to lose the house. I did not know it, but your uncle’s company went out of business and none of the bills have been paid in months. I doubt that you’re willing to help after the way we treated you, but I just don’t know what to do.
Aunt Petunia