Odd Packages

*Chapter 2*

"So let me get this straight," Draco said. "You guys want me to help you rescue Fred and George from some unknown evil guy?"

"Yes," said Hermione exasperatedly.

"Well, alright then," he said smiling broadly. "I'll show you guys to your rooms for the night." Harry and Ron gaped at him.

"That's it?" Harry said incredulously. "No 'Get out of my house Scarhead you stupid git'?"

"Uh, no..." Draco said honestly. Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged astonished looks.

"But that doesn't mean we're good either," he said quickly. "Now follow me."

As they followed Draco, Ron whispered in Harry's ear. "Now that's more like the Malfoy we know and love-I mean hate" Harry snorted. They followed Draco down a series of halls and up many stairs. By the time they reached the first room, all three if them were completely lost.

"Alright, this is your room Weasly," Draco said showing Ron into the room. Without saying another word, he shut the door behind him. On they moved to the next room, which Draco said was Hermione's. After they had left Hermione, they reached the last room-Harry's. Draco showed Harry in and shut the door with a soft snap behind him. Harry's eyes raked the room-it was huge. The ceiling seemed to stretch ahead for miles, ending in a brilliant sunroof. There was a large bed at one end of the room, and it seemed on the whole, the room was as big as the Dursley's kitchen and living room put together. Harry sank down onto the bed and opened up a backpack he had brought containing a few personal belongings. He rummaged through it, taking out spare clothes and laying them out. He stopped suddenly though when he saw something at the bottom of the bag. He picked it up and studied it. It was a picture of Hermione and him from when they were dating. He and Hermione had been sitting together under the shade of a large oak tree on the edge of the lake at Hogwarts. Suddenly Hermione's soft voice rang in his ears.

"Harry, I'll always love you no matter what happens between us."

Harry sat, these words running through his head when the sound of Ron's voice brought him back to earth. "Harry what are you doing?" Harry hastily shoved the picture under his pillow.

"Oh nothing," he lied. Ron sank down onto the bed next to him.

"I dunno about you but Malfoy isn't fooling me," Ron said scowling. "He's definitely acting strange."

"Yea," Harry agreed, not really listening.

* * *

Ginny sat in a chair next to Lee, who lay in Bill's bed. He was motionless, breathing in slow, rhythmic patterns. He seemed to be doing better than he was before, but he still didn't look very good. Ginny sighed angrily. "Thanks for leaving me behind guys," she muttered. Ginny looked around the room for something to occupy herself until Lee woke up, and her eyes landed on a small purple crystal hanging on a thin gold chain. It was lying on the bedside table.

"Harry must've forgotten this," she thought. She picked it up and fastened it around her neck. At that moment Lee opened his eyes.

"Where am I?" he asked groggily, propping himself up on his elbows.

"This is Bill's room," Ginny said. She grabbed a goblet from the nightstand. "Here drink this." Lee drained the smoking goblet and sank back onto the pillows. Ginny looked out the window. Rays of golden sunlight were just starting to disappear behind the snow-encrusted mountains in the distance. Harry and the others had left that morning. And poor Ginny had been there all day, watching Lee sleep. It was a very boring deed, but every once in a while he'd mutter random things like "Can I bake cookies too, Mommy?" and "But I want to ride the pony!" which had Ginny burst out laughing.

"How long have I been sleeping?" Lee asked.

"About 11 hours."

"Well, I feel-"

"Shhh!" Ginny hissed suddenly. "Did you here that?"

"Here what?" said Lee, raising his eyebrows and causing them to disappear under his dreadlocks.

"Listen," she whispered, standing up. It was so quiet and still in the house that Ginny could distinctly hear the crackling of flames coming from downstairs.

"That's funny," she thought. "I don't remember starting a fire." She crept out into the hall where the smell of smoke met her nostrils.

* * *

And again he had a nightmare. Harry dreamt that he was walking through a blazing inferno, though unharmed by the flames engulfing him. He was wandering aimlessly with no idea where he was. As he walked on he became aware of two dark figures huddled together on the ground amidst the flames. Two redheaded boys sat back to back, their heads lolling on their chests. Harry frantically ran forward and grabbed George's arm. It was cold as ice, as was Fred's. Fear tore at his insides, but after a while Harry got a tingling sensation in his stomach, and the hairs on his neck stood up. He looked up to see the same hooded figure from the woods. To Harry's horror, the figure once again extended a bone-white hand with five long, bony fingers. Those hands were oddly familiar-

Harry awoke as a strangled yell shot through the air.

"Not again," Harry grunted angrily. He untangled himself from the blankets and swung his legs over the side of the bed. The hardwood floor creaked under his bare feet as he made his way out into the hall. The noise seemed to have come from Draco's room. Harry hesitated outside the door, but pushed it open to reveal a truly disturbing scene. Draco sat on his bed, tangled in sheets. He was wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts with little yellow ducks on them, and on the bed next to him was none other than- Ginny. Harry would have been laughing hysterically if the situation didn't look so serious. Ginny, whose hair was normally a vibrant shade of scarlet, was now an orange-ish gray color. She had black scorch marks on her face and clothes, and she was crying something dreadful. Soon Ron and Hermione came rushing in, and Harry turned around just in time to see Ron's eyes out of their sockets so far it was frightening.

"M-Malfoy," Ron sputtered, looking from Draco to Ginny and back again. "What are you doing?"

"Your sister and I were having a enjoyable snog session," Draco said grinning. "Would you like to join us?" Ron made to lunge at Draco but Harry caught him by the arm.

"Cut the crap Malfoy," he said. "What's going on?"

"Ask her," Draco said, pointing at Ginny. Everyone turned to look at Ginny.

"I was attacked," she said desolately. "By Dementors." This statement was followed by a silence so think you could have cut it with a knife. Not to mention Ron looked completely shocked.

"Um...Ginny?" Harry said uncertainly. "Are you sure that's what happened?"

"Y-Yes," she stammered.

"Well, not to be boorish, but why do you look like you've been torched?" Draco asked. Ginny shuddered.

"Because they set the house on fire, I only just escaped." Ron's looked positively horrified now. He sank down on the end of Draco's bed. His breathing was now coming in short gasps and he buried his head in his hands.

"Ron-" Harry said rushing forward.

"But why would Dementors just show up and burn down the house?" Hermione wondered aloud. "It doesn't make any sense."

"No, it makes perfect sense," Draco said. "Don't you guys see? Whoever has Fred and George sent them there. He's obviously wants someone dead. Or maybe he wants something we have."

"But what?" Harry asked.

"Well, your guess is as good as mine. But it's probably something to do with you." Nobody said anything for a while. Then-

"Ginny," Hermione said. "Where's Lee?" Ron pulled his face out of his hands to look at Ginny. "Oh," she said quickly. "I took him to St. Mungo's." With a sigh of relief, Ron put his face back in his hands.

"Well, I think you should all go back to bed because we're leaving tomorrow," Draco said.

"Malfoy!" Ron said jumping up. "Ginny and I have got to go back! Our parents are probably worried out of their minds!"

"Weasly!" Draco yelled, likewise jumping up. "Don't you get it? You're being tracked! We've got to keep moving or we'll all be killed!" Ron said nothing, but his hands were balled into fists at his side.

"W-Well, we really should get back to bed," Hermione said timidly.

"I'll show Weasly to her room," Draco said, calmed down a bit more. They all headed out the door, going their separate ways. Harry was halfway down the hall to his bedroom when Ginny's voice called out to him.

"Oh, Harry wait!" she rushed over to him. "I have something of yours." She unfastened a chain from around her neck. It was his crystal.

"You left it at my house." Harry took it from her, a wave of relief sweeping over him. He hadn't noticed it was gone, but all the same, but he was grateful to have it back.

* * *

"Remus..." Someone was calling his name. "Remus..." Remus Lupin opened his eyes. There was a dark shape moving around the already dark room.

"What is it?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbows and rubbing his eyes, that were puffy with sleep.

"I heard something downstairs," Tonks said. She threw open the drapes on the window and the silver light from the half moon threw her into sharp relief. "Will you go down and see what it is?"

"Honey, its probably just a raccoon or something," he said wearily.

"Remus..." she pleaded. The moonlight reflected off her almond brown hair, making it sparkle. He never quite knew what she really looked like because she was a metamorphmagus, she could change her appearance at will. Remus smiled.

"Alright," he said. He grabbed his wand from the bedside table and pulled himself out of bed. He walked out into the hall, and with his wand held steady out in front of him, crept down the stairs.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs he searched for any trace of life.

"It's alright honey, nothing down here," he yelled up the stairs. She came down and lovingly wrapped her arms around him.

"Thanks Remus," she said. Just as she said this there was a loud rap on the door. Tonks and Remus both instinctively raised their wands. Slowly Remus made his way to the door. He rested his hand on the knob. Then, he raised his wand high and thrust open the door. When he saw who it was he was relieved. Molly and Arthur Weasly stood on the doorstep. Except the only problem was, Molly was sobbing into her husbands shoulder.

* * *