“Are we all ready to go?” Mrs. Weasley asked.
“Yes,” they all chorused.
“Did anyone forget anything? Their school lists? Did you all go to the bathroom? You know what’ll happen once you step into the fire if you didn’t,” she warned.
“We’re all fine,” Bill answered for all of them. “Can we go now?”
“Yes,” their father said, taking the flower-pot from the fireplace mantel and passing it to Ron. “You first,” he said.
Ron’s mouth fell open. “Really?”
“Why not?”
“Nothing,” Ron said, fidgeting. “I’ve just never gone first before, is all. I won’t know when to get out.”
“Yes you will,” his father said firmly. “The fireplace will look just like it does when you go second or last. You know what Madam Malkin’s fireplace looks like, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“So?”
Ron sighed and took the flowerpot from his father.
“Why does he get to go first?” Fred demanded. “I’m older.”
“So what?” Bill asked. “I’m oldest and I don’t care.”
Ron stuck his hand into the pot, taking a pinch fo the glittery powder lying at the bottom of it. He scattered it over the lit fire, stepping forward as the flames turned a brilliant emerald green and, with a roar, rose out of the fireplace and above his head. He looked back at his mother uncertainly, and she gave him a reassuring nod. With a resigned sigh, he turned back to the fire, and saying loudly and clearly, “Diagon Alley,” stepped into it.
Nearly eleven years of traveling by Floo Powder and he still wasn’t used to the sensation. He almost gasped, but knew better; if he opened his mouth just a fraction, it would fill with ash. He kept his arms pinned to his side, watching the other fireplaces as they flew back. He stopped himself just in time from laughing when a little girl dropped her toast and started crying as he whizzed by her, obviously scaring her.
He recognized Madam Malkin’s grate just before he missed it and ducked his head, stepping forward. He fell to the floor, putting his arms out to brace his fall. He stood up, brushing the ash off his clothes and quickly moved away from the fireplace, not knowing how close behind him the next family member was.
“Damn,” said a voice behind him.
He turned around to see Fred. “What’s wrong?”
“To be honest,” he answered with a frown as he moved away from the grate, “I was hoping you wouldn’t make it.”
Ron made a face at him, turning to the center of the store.
“Are you customers, or just using the fire?” a youngish girl asked, walking over to them as George shot out of the fire, crashed into the floor and landed them both in an ungraceful heap.
“Using the fire,” Ron answered, blushing.
“Oh shoot!” she exclaimed vehemently, stamping her foot. “It’s not fair! We’ve only had two customers today! How am I supposed to get any training if there’s no one to fit?” She glanced down at Fred and George, still on the floor and trying to untangle themselves. “What year are they in?” she asked, wrinkling her nose at them.
“Third,” Ron answered.
The girl gaped at them. “Really?” she whispered. “But they’re so short“I mean“” She stopped and blushed. “How old are you?” she asked Ron, giving him an interested look.
“Eleven. I’m starting at Hogwarts this year.”
“But you’re so tall!” she gasped, and then blushed again. “Me and my big mouth,” she muttered.
Ron blushed for her.
“What year are you in?” Fred asked, popping up, George at his side, frantically brushing dirt off themselves.
“Second,” she answered, turning away from Ron without a second glance.
“You’re from the States, aren’t you?” George asked, looking at her with the same interested expression she had been looking at Ron with a moment ago.
“Yeah,” she answered eagerly. “New York. Just spending the summer here. Umm...maybe you should step away from the fire?” she said as Percy emerged, just missing knocking into them.
They all took a big step to the side and Fred picked up the conversation again. “Which school did you say you go to?”
“The Salem Institute of Witchcraft. It’s an all-girls school,” she explained. “Best in the States; right before the one in Roswell. Ever heard of it?”
They shook their heads.
“Most boys haven’t,” she said with a heavy sigh. “It’s pathetic really. The only boys who have heard of it are the ones who have sisters that’ve gone. It’s a really exclusive school and“” She stopped short. “I’m boring you, aren’t I?” she asked, looking around the room nervously. “And Malkin looks like she’s about to kill me, the witch; my break isn’t for a while. Can I help you with anything?”
The twins shook their heads. “We aren’t getting robes now,” Fred said.
“Oh, okay. Right. I forgot. Sorry.” She took another glance at Madam Malkin, who really did look ready to curse someone. “I can’t talk to you anymore; I have to look busy. See you around?”
“Sure,” the twins answered off-handedly and she hurried toward the back of the shop where a very confused looking witch was standing. Ron heard a thud behind him and turned to see Ginny sprawled on the floor. He gave her a hand and yanked her up. “Where are Mum and Dad?”
“Coming,” she answered. “They just have to figure out how to get Charlie here.”
“Oh,” he said and then again as his mother appeared out of nowhere.
“Can we leave as soon as Dad and Charlie get here?” he asked.
“Hopefully,” she answered. “We just have to wait for Percy to finish his fitting.”
“His fitting?” Ron repeated blankly.
“Of course,” she said, nodding her head at something behind him.
Ron turned to see Percy standing on a small stand where an older witch had just set a measuring tape to take his numbers as she bustled around the store, picking out different robes for him to try on.
“Percy’s getting new robes?” Ron asked, his face falling as he felt his heart plummet.
“Yes,” she said with a bright smile. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Ron mumbled, trying not to let her see how miserable he was that he wouldn’t be getting new robes.
“Ron? What’s wrong?” she asked, her brow creasing with worry.
“It’s nothing. It’s just that“it’s just that“”
“Yes?” she said, looking confused.
“It’s just that I thought I’d get new robes,” he said in a rush. “You know, because it’s my first year and everything.”
“Oh,” his mother said. And then, “Oh I’m sorry Ron; I didn’t realize. I’ll make it up to you, alright? Somehow. I don’t know when, but I’ll make it up to you. Fair?”
“Fair,” Ron agreed with a smile. What choice did he have?
“Great!” she said, smiling brightly again. “Boys?” she said to George and Fred. “I think we’re ready to go.”
“Where’s Dad?” Fred asked.
“He should have been right behind me,” she said. “He was going to Apparate with Charlie. I hope they didn’t have a problem....”
“Why would they?”
“I don’t know“”
Mr. Weasley and Charlie suddenly appeared right in front of them. Charlie looked sick.
“I hate side-along Apparation,” he moaned, putting his hand over his mouth.
“Where’s Bill?” Mrs. Weasley asked.
“He’s not here?” their father asked. “He left before we did!”
“Maybe he was off a bit,” Fred offered.
“Off a bit?” their mother echoed. “He’s been Apparating for years. Why would he be off?”
Fred shrugged.
Ron looked around the store. A few people were being fitted; the girl that they had been speaking was standing behind the counter, looking bored and“
“Bill!”
“Where?” Mrs. Weasley asked, whirling around to see him walking towards them. “Where were you?” she asked him sternly.
“I had to get some things,” he said vaguely, digging his hands into his pockets and giving Ron a knowing look.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, angry at him now that she knew he was safe.
“Because.”
“Because why?” she demanded.
“Mum, I’m not four,” Bill said, sounding as though he was starting to get upset as well. “I’m a grown man; I don’t have to tell you where I am every second of the day.”
“You may be a grown man, but I will always be your mother and as such it is my DIVINE right to know where you are when you are sleeping under my roof!” she said sternly.
“Understand?”
Bill rolled his eyes.
Their mother opened her mouth, but their father quickly put his hand on her arm. “Relax Molly,” he said gently. “He’s fine, isn’t he?”
She glared at all her children and then squared her shoulders. “Did you pay?” she asked Percy as he joined them, carrying a wrapped package under his arm. “Good. Let’s go,” she said.