Hermione and Ginny shared the duties of carrying Ginny’s trunk while Harry carried the trunk shared by Ron and himself leaving Ron with Hermione’s. “For the love of Gryffindor, what in the bloody hell do you have in this thing?” Ron growled. “Stonehenge?”
“Very funny.” Hermione scowled. “Only the things that are absolutely necessary. Clothes; quills; parchment; books; cauldron…” She listed on and on.
Harry laughed under his breath at the two of them. They would never stop. But if they did they wouldn’t be Ron and Hermione. It was like second nature for the two of them to disagree. “The staircase is waiting.” He finally announced as they approached, trying to interrupt them yet again. He felt like that was his job; maintaining peace amongst his allies.
Ginny being the first to reach the door leading into the office of their headmaster, knocked.
“Enter” The headmaster chimed from behind the massive door of oak.
As the door opened the group watched an extremely festive Dumbledore directing a few things into a bag as the firelight danced warming the room and casting a glow around the room. He turned with a smile beaming on his face. Looking over the rim of his glasses he began to speak. “Very good, I was beginning to worry that you might have stood me up for another frolic in the snow.”
Puzzled faces soon turned slight shades of pink knowing that he somehow had known what they had been doing just hours earlier. Ginny then took this embarrassing opportunity and turned it around. “Pardon me Professor, but if I could ask, where are we going?” She raised her eyebrows as she asked and lightly sat down her end of the trunk.
With a flick of his wand his bag shut itself and a belt tightened itself around the bag.” Well, being that families have opted to retrieve their children for the holidays you four are the only thing keeping me here. So, since I prefer to spend my holiday somewhere other than here you’re coming with me.”
Harry and Ron smiled at the idea. This should be brilliant.
“Not to be rude Professor, but we still don’t know where we will be going.” Hermione quizzed as she examined the cheerful man.
“Miss Granger, my dear, that is a secret…and a surprise.” His eyes twinkled with delight at the sight of his student stand bolt upright without fear of her headmaster.
Harry and Ron didn’t seem to mind in the least bit. They figured the opportunity to go somewhere other than school was a treat.
Dumbledore handed each of them an address on a small slip of paper. “Once you step inside the fireplace you will state the destination that I have written down for each of you.”
As each of them studied their own slip of parchment Dumbledore waved them forward. “Miss Granger, you first.”
Hermione stepped forward. “What about our trunks, Professor?”
“Leave those to me. They shall be waiting on you.” And with a tap and snap the trunks disappeared.
She continued on into the fireplace taking the floo powder that was offered her. She took one last look at the destination on her front of her. “#14 Village”
A large flame danced in front of them and as quick as it did Ron quickly looked over his parchment. “Professor, I think there’s been a mistake. My address is different.”
“No mistake has been made Mr. Weasley. Now get moving. I’m not getting any younger.”
Ron didn’t dare argue with a man that could turn him into a pile of ashes in approximately 2.1 seconds. But he couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. He took a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace dropping the powder. “#13 Dorse “
Professor Dumbledore turned his attention to the couple standing close together. “Miss Weasley?” He invited her forward.
Harry quickly interrupted. “Couldn’t we go together Professor?”
“Mr. Potter, when have I ever given you a reason to not trust me?” Professor Dumbledore gestured in a questioning manner.
Harry thought quickly that he might have offended the man. “Never sir, I just thought…”
“I’m sorry, but there is a reason for all this. Now Miss Weasley, if you will.”
Ginny looked a bit unsure about going somewhere she knew nothing about. She gathered herself and felt Harry pat her shoulder. She took an apprehensive step forward and looked at her parchment one last time. “#8 Griffin”
Once Ginny was gone Professor Dumbledore smiled at Harry. “Once you have gone safely I will meet you there.”
Harry nodded and stepped forward. “#7 Castle”
*****
It didn’t matter how many times she did that Hermione just couldn’t get use to traveling by floo. She didn’t find it healthy on her lungs. She stepped out of a large fireplace that held a cauldron that was bubbling and popping. A large kitchen surrounded her filled with smells that proved to be quite wonderful.
Hermione noticed several doors placed sporadically around the room that seemed to be 12 feet tall. She debated over whether or not to explore beyond the room she was obviously suppose to be. ‘Surely Professor Dumbledore will be right along’ she thought to herself. She noticed a teapot and decided to remain in the room and proceeded to make herself a pot of tea.
As she placed the pot of water over the fire and very loud thud and scream came from above her. “Oh for the love of Merlin someone better get her quickly.” She felt her skin begin to crawl with fear of what that could have been. She watched the fireplace hoping that her friends would soon appear.
*****
The space spun uncontrollably as Ron plummeted through the fireplace transportation system that most every wizard used. He hated it. He counted down the days until he was able to take his aparation exam. He finally landed with a thud and found himself in a tight space that was, he assumed, a fireplace. As he squeezed himself from the small stone box he looked around at the room he now occupied.
A colossal four poster bed stood at the end of the room surrounded by bed curtains in the deepest shade of purple. Gold braided cords hung majestically from each of the post and were intertwined with the fabric and tied into a loose knot and at each end they were accented with large shimmering tassels.
“I think I have ended up in the wrong place.” Ron said out loud in astonishment.
He turned facing the fireplace in which he had just emerged and noticed a brilliant painting hanging above it.
“Hello, Mr. Weasley.” The woman in the picture said as she waved.
Shocked that the woman knew who he was he half grinned and took a step forward to examine her closer. “Hello to you too, ma’am.”
“I see you have trouble recognizing me, as you should. But I will leave the introductions and explanations to Albus. He should be here shortly.”
Ron left the woman’s comments alone and didn’t pressure her and made his way to the large throne like chair that sat near a bookcase in the corner of the room. He sat and decided to wait patiently for the professor when he heard a squeal come from down the hall.
‘Must be related to the Black woman.’ He thought to himself. He ignored the rustling and laid his head back a stared at the ceiling wondering where everyone else could be.
*****
Ginny looked out from the fireplace noticing the substantial amount of books before her. She stepped out from the fireplace and wondered why she was here. Nothing looked the least bit familiar. A large ornate desk sat facing her surrounded completely by bookshelves that went floor to ceiling. Not one wall was visible through the sea of books. From the look of it there was no possible way another book could be placed on any of the shelves.
She wondered where everyone else could be and if they would join her soon. Professor Dumbledore was acting strangely she thought. Why would he send them to different locations? Well, she wasn’t going to sit around and wait on them she was about to see the rest of the place she landed into.
The hallway that she walked into was as wide as the corridors of Hogwarts but not nearly as dirty. Life size paintings were hung consisting of very majestic looking folks and the occasional pets. The floor was covered with a tapestry rug than ran the length of the hall, the end barely in sight. As she walked slowly trying to notice all of the details along the way and she soon noticed staircases, one leading up and the other down.
Ginny debated which way to go and came to the conclusion that going down would be her best bet.
*****
Hermione was now worried that no one had yet appeared in the fireplace. What was taking everyone so long? ‘This is ridiculous.’ She said out loud, standing and going to the nearest door. She opened it slowly and peaked around it to find a sitting room tastefully decorated with velvet settees and sofas. The room was absolutely exquisite.
Upon entering the room fully she made her way to the mantelpiece and ran her fingers along the meticulously carved wood. Whoever owned this place loved the finer things and obviously paid close attention to detail.
“Bam!!”
Hermione jumped, grabbing her chest from complete fright. She noticed feet and looked up to see Harry standing in the fireplace. “Harry?”
“Hermione?” Harry replied straightening his glasses. “How did you get here? Our addresses were different.” He explained to her about them all and asked if she had seen anyone around this place.
“I actually came in from the kitchen.”
“Crash!!!”
The two of them looked in the direction of the noise and walked to the door at the far end of the room. They swung the door open and there at the end of the entrance hall was a staircase leading to the upstairs of the house.
They both walked forward without thinking to see what was going on.
*****
Ginny picked up the hall table she knocked over and replaced the brass statue to its place. ‘Clumsy’ she whispered to herself. She continued down the next flight of stairs when she heard footsteps. She slid behind a suit of armor trying to keep her breathing quite and her shaking at a minimum.
“Harry, slow down.”
Ginny took and deep breath and from her hiding place saw the recognizable scar of Harry. She jumped out quickly screaming. “Harry!”
“Arghhh!” Harry stopped jumping against the wall.
“Ginny?” He smiled. “Don’t ever do that again, you about gave me a heart attack.”
But the words were muffled by her as she grabbed him around the neck and hugging the life out of him.
“What is going on? Where is Professor Dumbledore? How did you get here?” Ginny asked question after question all the while never letting go of Harry and Hermione, now that she had joined them.
“I am here, Miss Weasley.”
The three of them looked at the bottom of the stairs to the man who even from this angle looked majestic.
“You will find Mr. Weasley on the next floor up in the room at the end of the hall. If you will get them I will meet you in the kitchen and explain what is going on.”
*****
Ron had just counted his 734th crystal that hung from the top of the bed curtains when the door to the room flung open nearly causing to land in the floor from complete fright. “Bloody hell Harry, you didn’t have to do that.”
Harry laughed, nearly doubling over from the look of compete shock on Ron’s face.
Hermione raced over meeting him halfway across the room. “You didn’t even bother to come and look for us…or me.”
Harry and Ginny stayed back to avoid the sparks that were about to fly.
“I was merely dong what the professor told us to do.”
“Well I’m not going to stand here arguing.” She quickly claimed. “Professor Dumbledore is waiting downstairs for us.”
A look of relief fell over his face as she decided to back down. He took her by the hand as they followed Harry and Ginny out the door.