2. Six Problems
“Ginny!” yelled Molly, rushing down the stairs. “What happened? Are you alright?”
The worried mother ran towards her daughter and kneeled down next to her. She held Ginny’s angry face in her hands and looked into her eyes, which were burning with fury.
“Are you hurt?” asked Molly.
Hermione, Louise, and Gabrielle were walking down the stairs. They were also alarmed when they heard the scream.
“We’re locked up!” said Ginny. “The men locked us up with them!” She pointed at Louise and Gabrielle.
“What?” asked the other four women in unison.
Ginny threw the letter at her mother and stood up. She went towards one of the windows and tried to open it, but was unsuccessful. Molly’s face went through a whole range of emotions while she read the letter.
“FRED! GEORGE!” she yelled through the door. “What is the meaning of this?” She kept yelling, even though her sons were nowhere near the guesthouse.
“My ears,” whined Gabrielle, as she covered her ears with both hands.
“What is zis nonsense?” asked Louise. She walked up to Molly and took the letter from her hands. “Zis is a sick joke,” she said, after reading the letter.
Hermione moved towards the door and directed Molly to the side. “Alohomora!” she sang, but the door didn’t open.
“I already tried that!” spat Ginny. “Nothing worked.”
“Zis sons of yours!” said Louise. “Zey’re monsters! Don’t you have any control over zem?” she asked to Molly.
“Don’t you dare insult my sons!” replied Molly.
“Well, it’s understandable,” said Louise. “Zere so many you’re bound to lose control.”
“Are you saying I’m a bad mother?” Molly’s face was slowly reddening.
“Let’s try to stay calm,” said Hermione, standing between the two women.
“What’s going on?” asked Fleur, on the top of the stairs. Her hair was messy and she had a puzzled look on her face. “Why eez everyone yelling?”
“Your soon to be brother-in-laws ‘ave locked us all up,” said Gabrielle, in a dramatic tone. “Why does zis ‘ave to ‘appen to us?”
Fleur looked at her sister in a shocked manner. She knew very well that Fred and George liked to play jokes and pranks on people. Bill had told her all of the things they used to do when they were younger, but this time, they had gone too far.
Hermione took the letter from Louise’s hand and read it carefully. “Let’s remember that all of the men planned this, including your father,” she said, glaring at Gabrielle. “As it’s stated in here, there is a way to get out. I’d suggest we start looking, unless you’d like to spend the rest of the day locked up.”
The other five women agreed silently and went their separate ways. They checked all the windows, the chimney, the back door, the bathrooms, the kitchen, and Ginny even checked under the carpets, but there was no sign of something that looked like an exit or a clue to how to get out.
Beaten and tired, the ladies found themselves again sitting on the couches in the living room.
“Mimi!” called Louise.
“Who’s Mimi?” asked Hermione.
“Our ‘ouse-elf,” said Gabrielle, in an unnecessarily proud tone.
It wasn’t strange that a family like the Delacours had a house-elf; in fact, it was expected. A loud crack noise invaded the living room, and a female house-elf appeared.
“You called, Madame?” asked Mimi, with a serious expression.
“Bring us some refreshments and a few biscuits,” said Louise, while lighting a cigarette.
“Oui, Madame,” said the house-elf, who quickly fled the living room.
“How did the house-elf get in here?” asked Ginny.
“Of course!” exclaimed Hermione. “How could I have been so stupid? Apparition.”
The faces of the other five women lit up at the idea, but none of them wanted to admit that they hadn’t thought of it, either. Admitting it would be agreeing with what Hermione had said - that they were indeed stupid.
Hermione closed her eyes tightly and concentrated. She had barely mastered the art of Apparition, but she still decided to try. Ron would be very impressed if she managed to get out of the house on her own. After some hard concentration, she did manage to Apparate, but on the wrong side of the door. She was still inside the house.
Gabrielle applauded with a smirk on her face. “Is zat what ze smartest girl in ‘Ogwarts can do?” she asked.
Hermione shot daggers at her. “There is obviously an anti-Apparition barrier.”
“I’ll try now,” said Fleur, standing up from the sofa.
“You can Apparate?” asked Hermione, surprised. She never imagined that a girl like Fleur would be interested in learning how to Apparate.
“I wasn’t chosen to represent Beauxbatons at ze Triwizard Tournament for nozing,” said Fleur, walking towards the door.
“’Orrible times,” said Gabrielle. “I was traumatized, and I’ve been terrified of water since zat Tournament!”
“That explains why you smell so funny,” said Ginny, with a grin.
Gabrielle shot daggers at her and then said, “I won’t sit ‘ere and allow to be ‘umiliated by you. All zis stress has exhausted me; I’m going to take a nap.” She stood up and went up the stairs.
Hermione congratulated Ginny in her head for her great comment and waited while Fleur tried to Apparate. She did Apparate, but ended up at the same place.
“No wonder you didn’t win ze Tournament,” said Louise, exhaling the smoke of her cigarette.
For a brief second Fleur had a hurt look on her face. However, she quickly composed herself and went back to join the women in the living room. Hermione wondered to herself if it was normal for Louise to make hurtful comments to her daughter.
Mimi entered the living room, carrying a tray with glasses filled with juices and some biscuits. She gently placed it on the coffee table and left.
“Thank you, dear,” said Molly, but the house-elf was already gone.
Ginny looked at the biscuits in disgust; she hadn’t liked any of the food since they had arrived in France. “I’m going upstairs,” she said.
“Don’t get into any trouble,” said Molly.
Louise put out her cigarette and grabbed one of the biscuits. “Do you ‘ave a ‘ouse-elf?” she asked, looking at Molly. However, she already knew the answer.
“No, we don’t,” said Molly.
“They believe in the freedom of house-elves!” said Hermione, feeling proud of her cause.
Molly gave a puzzled looked at Hermione. “Well…um…I guess so,” said Molly. “And I’ve also never needed any help to take care of my family.”
Louise tightened her mouth and then laughed. “You’re just jealous.”
“Jealous?” asked Molly, confused.
“It’s only natural for you to feel zis way,” said Louise, raising her chin. “I’m beautiful and rich, and you’re ugly and poor.”
Fleur and Hermione stared in shock at Louise, who had a smirk on her face.
“Mother!” said Fleur.
Molly’s anger was almost palpable. She was about to say something back, but Hermione interrupted her. “Please Molly.”
“Aren’t I allowed to protest? Did you hear what she said?” asked the enraged Weasley mother. “What a dreadful woman,” she muttered under her breath.
Ginny was walking through the hall on the second floor. They were a couple of rooms decorated in the same manner as the living room downstairs. It was unbelievable that the guesthouse had two floors. It was almost as big as the entire Burrow, but it was nothing compared to the actual Maison. The Maison was a huge house where there was enough space for four small families to live comfortably.
As she walked down the hall, she noticed some movement in one of the rooms. It was Gabrielle. Ginny thought it would be fun to spy on her to see what she was doing.
What Ginny was expecting to see certainly wasn’t what she saw when she peeked into the room. Gabrielle was standing in the middle of the room wearing Fleur’s wedding dress.
“Aren’t you a bit old to be playing dress up?” asked Ginny as she pushed the door open.
Gabrielle jumped when she heard the voice and turned around quickly. Her expression changed from shocked to angry when she saw Ginny the one who had made the comment.
“If you tell anyone, I swear…” threatened Gabrielle, but she was interrupted by Ginny.
“Or what?”
Gabrielle took out her wand and pointed it at Ginny. The redhead did the same.
In the living room, things were still tense. Louise and Molly kept directing mean comments to each other. Fleur and Hermione tried to calm them, but nothing seemed to work.
“Is zis the kind of people you want to marry?” asked Louise to Fleur. “When you marry someone, you marry zeir family, too!”
“Oh, poor Bill,” said Molly, collapsing on the sofa.
“You never liked Bill!” Fleur said to her mother, sounding upset. “Why can’t you just be happy for me?”
“What are you talking about?” asked Louise. “I’m delighted! You’re marrying a penniless werewolf! Of course I’m happy!” Her voice reeked with sarcasm.
“Actually, it’s never been stated that he’ll be a complete werewolf, just that he’ll have werewolf-ish traits.” corrected Hermione.
“Shame on you!” said Molly to Louise.
The four women fell silent for a moment.
Louise calmed herself a bit and then said, “I just think that you’re marrying too fast.” She paused to fix her hair and continued, “Marriage is a sacred union and you’re not taking it seriously.”
Fleur stood up from her seat and looked at her mother misty-eyed. “’Ow dare you?” she asked. “’Ow dare you preach to me about marriage when you’re ‘aving an affair!”