A Mission Like No Other

"So, this is Athena’s Folly," Ron said, looking at a old, greasy restaurant. The missing "F" was by no means the only sign of damage. "Haven’t the Muggles ever heard of maintenance?"

"You could say the same thing about the Ministry," Ginny pointed out.

"Well, that’s government," Ron replied. "Governments never work — it’s the rule." Ginny nodded in agreement as they stepped inside.

"Can I make you kids anything?" the man behind the counter asked.

"Whoa!" Ron said in amazement. "What can we be?"

"I meant, can I make you something to eat?" the man replied irritably.

"Oh," Ron said sheepishly. "I knew that."

"He’ll have what I’m having," Ginny said, stepping forward, "And I’ll have a hamburger."

"How many pounds do you have?" he asked her.

"I dunno," Ginny answered. "About a hundred and twenty, I guess. Why? Wait, are you taking about my weight or the weight of the hamburgers?"

"I meant pounds as in money," the man said, not being subtle about how much he thought they were wasting his time.

"Oh, money," Ginny said, suddenly understanding. "You were talking about Mug— about money. Sorry, I, uh, just wasn’t thinking." She laughed, hoping it would somehow distract from the crimson hue her face had taken on.

"So, do you have ten pounds?" he asked her. Ginny felt her face turn even redder.

"Actually, I, uh, don’t have any money," she said somewhat timidly. "Isn’t that ironic?" she added hopefully.

"I’ll buy it for you," a pleasant male voice said suddenly. Ginny tuned around a saw a slim and trim man with chestnut hair. He was probably about the same age as Lupin and Snape.

"Yes, I’m Ernest Midgarth," he said, answering her unasked question. "You were sent here by Dumbledore and are here to convince me to support the Order, right?"

"Right," Ginny said, taken aback. "How did you know?"

"Please, you and your brother stick out here like a sore thumb," he told her, as he ordered a meal for the three of them.

"How d’you know he’s my brother?" Ginny contested.

"Well," he answered as he led them over to a table in the back of the restaurant, "You look so much alike I immediately assumed you were related. I suppose you could be cousins or something, but I can tell from your tone of voice that you are brother and sister. I’m also fairly sure you’re Weasleys. Is that correct?"

"Yeah," Ron said, before Ginny could even suggest they not give out their last names.

"Aw, yes," Midgarth said casually. "I knew — I don’t know who you are — how do you fit into the family?"

"We’re Ron and Ginny," Ginny explained matter-of-factly. "Arthur and Molly Weasley are our parents." After Ron’s blurt out, it seemed just as well that Midgarth know exactly who the are.

"Oh, I knew them once," Midgarth said cheerfully. "Last time I saw them they had three little boys. What were their names?"

"Bill, Charlie and Percy," Ginny said immediately. "After that, they had Fred, George and us."

"Oh, that’s right," Midgarth said a voice that, to Ginny’s ears at least, bordered on sarcasm. "They were some of those people Dumbledore sent to me twenty years ago to try and convince me to not cut off myself from the wizarding world. You’re following in their footsteps — how wonderful!" There was no doubt about it — he was definitely being sarcastic now.