Missing in Action

Missing in Action

Chapter One: Where's Harry? And While We're At It, Where's Ginny?

Ron Weasley:

Dear Hermione,

I paused, nibbling on the end of the Everlasting Sugar Quill I was using to write my letter to Hermione.

How's your summer been so far? Did you enjoy your visit to Bulgaria? I hope you had a good time, you deserve a break occasionally.

I haven't done much of anything, but Dad did get a promotion in the Department, so we'll not have to be so tight with our gold. Ginny's rapt, she can finally buy those dress robes she's been nagging Mum about.

I haven't heard from Harry much- no, not at all. I'm starting to worry about him. Maybe the Muggles are stuffing him around again. If I find out that they are, I'm going to Apparate, or Portkey at least, over there and give those awful people a piece of my mind. Harry doesn't need that junk they give him, what with all the events of last year.

Have you heard from Harry at all? I need to know, the bloke's starting to really scare me.

Write to me again soon, Pig's getting restless without any mail to deliver. Oh, and Mum wants you to stay here for the last two weeks of August.

Love from,

Me.

Scrawling Hermione's address onto the envelope, I tied the letter to Pig's talons and opened the window over my desk. Pushing him out of the window, I shut it and went down to breakfast.

Hermione Granger:

Dear Ron,

I didn't know what to write. For once in my life, I, Hermione Granger was clueless about something.

Thanks for writing to me- usually I'm the one always writing the letters! I'm not going to tell you anything about Bulgaria, because I don't actually know anything about how Bulgaria is in summer.

Translation: I didn't visit Viktor. I didn't want to, and anyway, it's too unsafe, with all the Muggle attacks around the world.

No, I haven't heard from Harry at all. I'm worried too.

Ron, I have to admit to agreeing with you on the topic of those Dursleys. Let's go and give them two pieces of mind, so there's even more for them to deal with. Just kidding! But yes, I am scared.

Tell your Dad congratulations from my parents and me! Your Dad must be thrilled, what a great event, you really deserve it.

Thank you for that invitation. I'd love to come and stay. My parents won't mind, as they're going to visit my aunts and uncles in Wales.

Love from,

Hermione.

Harry Potter:

"You... don't deserve a place here!" Uncle Vernon yelled, shaking his fist in my face. The bloke had finally 'had it up to here' with my 'ridiculous nonsense'. He'd finally found the loose floorboard in my bedroom, which concealed my spellbooks, wand, and a whole selection of treats from Hermione and the Weasleys.

"That CRACKPOT OLD FOOL is asking too much now! I want you OUT!" he screamed. And for once in my life, I was scared of Uncle Vernon. It was like he was possessed, the way he was barging about, screaming the roof off, and just generally acting like a madman.

"Don't talk like that about Professor Dumbledore!" I yelled, sticking my wand in his face, "And believe you me, I don't enjoy living here at ALL!" Vernon paused, then raised his hand to slap me.

"How... dare... you!" screeched a new voice. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley all congregated in one corner of the room, leaving a space for a petite, red-headed witch who had just stepped out of the faux fireplace in the living room. Her wand was pointed directly at Vernon's heart, and she was pale. Her eyes were radiating sparks, and to top it off, she was angry. Not angry. Furious.

"And who the hell are YOU?" laughed Aunt Petunia. And the next words the scarlet-headed sorceress spoke made my jaw drop.

"My name is Virginia Weasley. And what you have in your midst are not one, but two teenage mages. I suggest you back off from Harry. You see, he killed a giant snake called a Basilisk and saved me from the Chamber of Secrets and the monster that MURDERED his parents!" Ginny snapped. "And he's also quite powerful. So am I."

"Listen here, you little brat, no-one asked you to interfere in our private matters," Petunia said in a sickly-sweet voice.

"Oh, yeah? Well, me and my friends- who far outnumber you- are wondering where Harry is. They haven't heard from him all summer long. So they sent me to investigate the matter. And I'm taking Harry with me. I've got back-up, you know. So don't try anything."

I turned to her, and spoke, "I just have to... grab my school stuff."

"Need help?" she asked.

"If you want," I answered.

"Yeah, I'll help," she said.

"This way, then," I said, motioning for her to follow.

Ginny Weasley:

"I think that's all," Harry said, stuffing the last pair of socks into his trunk and letting the lid slam shut.

"Do you... want to Floo to my place? Or hang around Muggle London, or whatever..." I began. Harry's eyes lit up.

"Your place," he said decisively. I took the little bag of Floo Powder out of the pocket of my Capri pants and dropped a pinch into Harry's hand. "Although... we should send someone over to fetch that," he said, gesturing at his trunk.

"Hee hee," I giggled. "I'll get Gred and Forge to do it. They've had an obsession with menial Muggle tasks. I think Mum cursed them."

We ran downstairs. The Dursleys were stock-still, and the way was clear for us to enter the fireplace. I chucked the Floo Powder into the fire- which my Dad had made magical for an hour- and dragged Harry in with me. We began to spin... and spin... but something was wrong with the way we disappeared.

The last thing I knew was Harry gripping my hand. I squeezed back.

Then everything went black.

Ron Weasley:

Mione,

I apologise for using that name, I know you hate it!- but Harry and Ginny are missing! Ginny was supposed to bring Harry straight here from those wretched Dursleys, but she hasn't. I don't know where they are.

I'm really scared, Hermione. You-Know-Who could've done something. Floo over here pronto. Take a pinch of the powder from the sack Pig's brought, and chuck it into your fireplace- Dad's put it on the network for an hour.

Mum and Dad need you here. I need you here.

-Ron.