Scattered

Ginny was obsessed with clothes.

"That's what Fred and George said to pack," she panted, dashing around the room she and Hermione shared. "But what clothes? Do I need my robes? My uniform? A coat?"

"Bring a coat. Forget about your uniform."

"What if we go someplace really warm? Then the coat's just a bother."

Hermione turned, wand in hand, muttered a few words, and shrank the coat in Ginny's hand down to a doll-sized square of fabric.

Ginny gaped at her. "Hermione, I'm not supposed to--"

"Take a deep breath," Hermione ordered her, taking the other girl by the shoulders and forcing her to stand still for a moment. "Don't panic. But Gin, this isn't the time to worry about Ministry rules. Now finish packing, okay?"

Ginny nodded, her mouth trembling, and moved off with a more focused air. Hermione turned back to her own packing, quickly shrinking a few bulkier items of her own. She stopped to think if there was anything she'd missed.

There on the bed, where she'd tossed it when they came in the room, was the battered copy of Hogwarts, a History that she'd been reading downstairs. Without thinking she picked it up and began to cram it inside her bag... And then she realized she wasn't thinking straight. Shrinking books was a complicated business, something that took time and precise Arithmatic calculations. She clearly couldn't do that now, and she was being frivolous. Now wasn't the time for... Now wasn't...

"Are you both done?" Ron said from the doorway, his own knapsack slung over his shoulder. He looked pale and sickly, and didn't meet either of their eyes. Hermione nodded.

She set the book down carefully on her nightstand, fingers trailing over the cover as she moved away. She stood frozen in place, her hand still slightly outstretched, and, she realized, shaking. The house was eerily quiet, save for the noises Ginny made as she finished packing. Hermione shuddered fiercely and felt Ron's hand on her arm. He was shaking just as hard as she was.

"Where are you?!" a voice suddenly bellowed from the kitchen, causing all three of them to gasp. "Ginny? Hermione?"

"We're here, Bill!" Ginny shrieked, a note of pure hysteria in her voice. She hurtled towards the stairs, leaving her knapsack behind, forgotten.

Hermione picked up her friend's bag and her own and headed out the door. Ron held out his hand, though, and took it from her. He still wouldn't meet her eyes but he grabbed her small hand with his own larger one, holding it tightly.

"Ron," she whispered. "It's bad, isn't it? This isn't -- this isn't the usual, oh, it's terrible, but the usual attack, we've been through that before. This is--"

"Worse," he agreed.

Their bags slid to the floor and Hermione buried her face in his sweater, his arms wrapped tight around her shoulders. "At least we're together," he said brokenly. "I mean, we're not, really, because Harry's--"

"Don't say it," she cut him off fiercely. "He's fine, I know he's fine."

"Right," Ron agreed. "He's not here, but, at least, you know, we're--"

"I know, I know," she mumbled, trying to calm her racing heart. "We're here, not off alone somewhere. We'll get through whatever it is."

She eased back from him and tried to smile. So did he. Together they headed down the stairs.

Bill had his arms around Ginny, who kept crying and shaking her head, obviously arguing with him about something. To Hermione's great surprise, the room contained one other occupant -- Professor McGonagall. For some reason, the sight of her favorite teacher was not the comfort it should have been, however; seeing Minerva McGonagall here, at the Burrow, in robes that looked more suitable for traveling than for teaching, and with a knapsack of her own... The very sight sent a sinking feeling deep into the pit of her stomach, a feeling Hermione suspected wouldn't be going anywhere for a long time.

The professor, however, hardly seemed to notice her. "Ronald? You're -- still here?" She seemed alarmed.

Ron glanced at Hermione; their eyes met and she reflected back her own confusion to him. "Yes, well," he stumbled, "where else would I be?"

"Remus Lupin hasn't been here?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"No, Professor," Hermione answered.

The older woman passed a tired hand over her eyes. "Perhaps... Maybe he's just..." she trailed off uncertainly and, with a jolt, turned to Bill and Ginny, who was still crying miserably. "I'm sorry, but we have to go."

"I know," Bill replied, disentangling himself from Ginny as quickly and kindly as possible. "Gin, you have to. You have to. And now. It's dangerous even standing here talking about it. For all of us. Be a Gryffindor, Sis, one last time."

Ron and Hermione stared.

Ginny quieted abruptly and gave her oldest brother a long, hard look. "Really?" she whispered finally.

"Yes," he said simply.

With a deep, shuddering breath, Ginny nodded and hugged him fiercely, breaking away and reaching out her arms to Hermione, and then Ron. They hugged her in return, still in the dark but each with a nagging worry that the whole story, when they learned it, would be even worse than they could imagine.

Wordlessly, Ron handed his sister her knapsack. Ginny took it gratefully and smiled at all of them through her tears. Then she stepped back and took Professor McGonagall's hand, and a moment later, they were both gone.

At her side, Ron took a deep breath. "Okay," he said determinedly. "We're ready. Let's go."

Bill hesitated, glancing uselessly at the clock. "That's the thing," he said, frustration and worry etched into his voice. "I'm -- I'm only here for Hermione."

* * * * *

"What?!" Ron replied disbelievingly. "I don't know what the bloody hell's going on, Bill, but you're planning on just leaving me here?"

"No," Bill told him firmly. "Of course not. It's just that Lupin is supposed to be here... In fact, he was supposed to get here first. Maybe he just got held up but this is crazy, Hermione and I should have left already--"

"Then just take me with you."

"That's not what's supposed t--"

"Damn it, Bill, I'm not letting you take Hermione anywhere without me anyhow," Ron spat out angrily, shouldering his knapsack and grabbing Hermione's hand in an almost painful grip. "So let's go. Wherever it is we're going. Now."

They stared at each other furiously for a moment and then Bill shook himself, as if he'd just remembered there wasn't time for arguing with his youngest brother anymore. "Fine. Fine. We'll figure it out. There's no time. God, I hate it when the twins are right," he muttered cryptically. He then crossed the room swiftly and took a small figurine of a bird out of his pocket, holding it out to them. Hermione reached for it with her free hand, and then Ron did the same. There was a quick rush of air, a strange tugging sensation, and The Burrow disappeared.

Hermione had squeezed her eyes shut, unable to control the impulse. Within seconds, though, she could feel the ground beneath her feet again. Bill's hand slipped away from hers but Ron still held on tightly. She looked around cautiously, amazed.

They were in a room crowded with overstuffed sofas and chairs. The walls were literally covered in shelves that were crammed with knickknacks, most figurines of birds just like the one Bill held, all twittering away at the sudden disturbance.

"Pipe down!" a strong woman's voice hollered, and the birds fell silent. Bill set his bird down on the mantel.

"Mrs. Longbottom?" Bill said, stretching his hand towards the old woman ensconced in a chair by the window. "I'm Bill Weasley--"

"I know who you are," she snapped, annoyed. "There's no time for that nonsense. You're here for the boy, aren't you?"

Bill nodded. "There isn't actually much time."

"That's what I'm telling you. NEVILLE!!!"

"I'm right here, Grandmother," a small familiar voice said from the hallway.

Hermione moved quickly towards her friend. "Neville, thank goodness you're okay, too."

"Y-yes," he said uncertainly, shouldering a bag identical to theirs. "Grandmother told me to pack but I don't know--"

"You'll find out soon enough, young man, I told you. Now go."

Neville hesitated. "Gran, if there's some kind of danger, I mean, what about you?"

The old, dignified woman waved her hand at him dismissively. "I'm not on any Death Eater's list. But I'm leaving as soon as you're on your way, regardless, never you mind. Now do as you're told and stop worrying."

Neville looked at Bill for confirmation. "She really is, I promise," Bill told him quickly. "And we really do have to go."

"Okay," Neville said, looking slightly less terrified. He started to join Ron and Hermione and then stopped uncertainly. His face was inscrutable as he crossed the room instead, leaned down, and kissed his grandmother's wrinkled cheek. "Gran... I'll see you again soon."

She snorted delicately as if exasperated, but Hermione could see a bright dampness in her eyes. "Of course you will. Now go, my boy."

Bill retrieved a single glove from his pocket. "Okay. Ron, Hermione, same drill. Neville, take a hold of that edge there. Hold on tight. Okay. Now."

And once again, there was a sharp tug and the world went black - for the briefest of seconds. Hermione kept her eyes open this time but to no avail. There was nothing, and then there was something. An empty train compartment, to be exact. And just as she turned to look out the window, the train slowly began to move.

Bill immediately collapsed onto the seat, his head buried in his hands. He stayed that way, taking long shaking breaths. Neville stumbled a little, and sank down gracelessly onto the floor of the car, pulling his knees up and staring at their nondescript surroundings.

Hermione stood, swaying, trying to think, to get her much-touted brain to start moving along just a little bit faster, thank you very much, and to somehow catch up to this moment -- the one they were currently in. The Burrow, she thought. And then, Neville's house. And now -- a train.

"This isn't the Hogwarts Express," Ron said suddenly.

Hermione turned to him, suddenly more glad than she could have ever imagined to just be able to look at his familiar face.

"Bill," he said urgently. "What train is this?"

Bill leaned back in the seat, his eyes closed and his face flushed. "It's an ordinary Muggle train, Ron. There are tickets here for us already. Well, for me and Hermione and Neville. I don't know what Lupin's travel plans were. Give me a second to catch my breath and I'll transfigure one for you, too."

"Bill--"

Hermione cut Ron off. "Let him just -- let's get settled in, okay?" she said softly, sinking onto the cushioned seat opposite Bill.

Ron stood there a moment longer, tense and undecided. Finally he threw his hands up in the air and roughly flopped down next to Hermione. "Fine."

She knew he was completely agitated, and likely to become even more so, the longer they had to wait for Bill to explain just what in the world had happened. Not that she blamed him exactly, but Ron and Bill shouting at each other -- something that had been on the verge of happening since the moment Bill had Apparated into the Burrow -- wouldn't help matters at all.

"I brought socks," she said finally.

Ron stared at her as if she'd grown a second head of bushy brown hair. "You brought socks?"

"I did," she assured him, smiling. "Just like you told me to." She was beginning to feel a little hysterical, actually, as the adrenaline that had been rushing through her system suddenly realized her body was at an abrupt rest.

He snorted. "This is what it takes for you to listen to me about anything?"

She nodded, unable to speak. And then the smile turned to tears she couldn't control. Ron raised his hand and clumsily attempted to wipe them away, then wrapped an arm around her, pulling her head down to his shoulder. "It wasn't that bad of a joke," he said teasingly.

"Yes it was," Neville piped up, picking himself up from the floor and settling cautiously onto the seat next to Bill.

"Yeah, you're right," Ron agreed amicably.

They were all silent for a moment. Hermione felt the wild hysteria she'd sensed creeping up on her ebb away -- it wasn't gone, but it was something she could manage again. She felt a little embarrassed, but knew it was a natural reaction to the tensions they'd been living with all summer, and now... this. She lifted her head from Ron's shoulder and gave him a grateful look. He smiled slightly, leaving his arm stretched out across the seat behind her.

"I don't mean to, well, be pushy or anything," Neville said to Bill finally. "But--"

"No, you're right," Bill responded instantly, looking much more determined again. He sat up and seemed to regain his composure entirely. "And I apologize for making you wait. The three of you must be terribly confused. And scared. And I don't blame you. I didn't have any choice, though. We were in, well, we were in quite a bit of danger every moment until we reached the train and there just wasn't time. I... I was starting to doubt I'd be able to get you all here safely," he admitted, faltering just a bit before going on as before. "But we are safe, for awhile anyhow. Thank you for doing as I asked, Ron... and you, Hermione and Neville. And for being packed and ready. It made the difference."

Ron shrugged. "You can thank the twins. They told us to pack right before they tore out of the house."

"I'm glad."

Hermione felt Ron take a deep breath. "Where were Fred and George going?"

"They had people to pick up, like I did. Young wizards who'll need portkeys, and who aren't in the Order yet," Bill explained.

"Are they on this train, too?"

Bill shook his head. "No. We're none of us together, that's the one thing I know for sure. I don't know where the twins are."

Ron fell silent, taking this in.

Hermione broke in suddenly. "Do you mean, no adult wizards are together, or by none of us, you mean, well, none of the Weasleys?"

Bill gave her a startled look, then laughed. "I don't know why I'm still surprised by how perceptive you are, Hermione. Well, I wasn't going to get into this later but -- both. The older members of the Order are spread pretty thin and traveling different routes and that is, well, part of the plan, so to speak. But also, you're right. None of the Weasleys are together, except Mum and Dad. Or at least they weren't supposed to be," he added, glancing at Ron. "How'd you pick up on that?"

She shrugged. "Why didn't the twins just take us with them, since they were already there? Why did Ginny go with Professor McGonagall? Why wasn't Ron supposed to come with us?"

"Well, exactly. Ron was supposed to go with Lupin but... he didn't arrive at the Burrow at the scheduled time. I don't know what happened, Hermione," he said, sensing her question. "And I can't find out -- well, not now. I can't do that kind of communication magic now, it's not safe. Later."

Ron huffed out a breath. "Why are we split up?"

Bill looked - more serious, suddenly, more than he had been thus far, and that was saying something. "It was... Dumbledore's decision. He set up everything in advance, and he planned it all out. It's not just our family, though. It's all the Wizarding families that are involved in the Order. He said, well, it was something he learned from Muggles, actually. Something about not putting all the sons from one family in the same, what did he call it, unit. Dumbledore felt we'd be safest and strongest, all of us, if we split up our resources."

Hermione stilled, feeling his words sink in. They'd split the Weasleys up on purpose, she thought, because some of them... some of them might die, and no one wanted to tell Molly Weasley she'd lost all her children at once.

How bad...

"In fact," Bill continued quickly, watching what he'd just said register across their faces, "There's another reason you're not supposed to be here, Ron - Dumbledore said you and Hermione and Harry would be safer in separate groups, as well. I guess he thought you'd be too much of a target all together. But it's okay, we'll adjust, don't worry."

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, sitting bolt upright. "Where is Harry? Is he safe? Who is he with?"

Bill shook his head. "I can't tell you. It's safer that way."

"No," Ron said suddenly, his voice low but full of fire. "There are... there are limits, you know? I mean, we're sitting here with still no idea of what the hell is going on, but we're going along with it, like you said. We're not stupid. But there are some things I'm just not going along with. I want to know where Harry is. And Ginny. And Mum and Dad. And that's all there is to it."

"Ron--"

"No. I'm not budging on this. I'll get off this train right now and go find them on my own if I have to. So just tell me where they are."