A Summer at the Weasleys

A Summer at the Weasleys
Chapter 1

Quick steps rebounded through the almost deserted Hogwarts corridors, surrounded by darkness. The sunset of that end of May day was painted with violet shades of the pale blue sky, and the last light of the day, filtering through the deep glasses of the castle´s big windows, made the atmosphere look spectral.

A middle-aged woman appeared from a corner, looking very worried. She wore a dark, long robe, covered by a wizard´s cloak. Her grey hair was combed in a bun at the nape of her neck and hidden by a pointed, black hat. Her eyes, veiled by the thick square glasses, were worried, and it was obvious she was panting. She carried in her hands a copy of the Daily Prophet, the Wizards´ Newspaper.

After passing the corner she saw, suddenly, a group of students who were standing in the corridor, talking about something. They seemed to be very concerned about what they were saying, but the moment they saw her, they rapidly became quiet. The woman got back her normal, dignified look, trying to appear as calm as usual. She walked through the corridor, glaring at the children with a cold, piercing glare.

"Good evening, Professor McGonagall," one of the kids said, with respect, while all three bowed their heads in deference. The woman gazed with affection at the young wizard with bright green eyes that were hidden by a pair of rounded glasses, and messed up black hair covering a thunder bolt scar on his forehead.

He was Harry Potter, one of her most beloved students; the other ones were Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. They were Gryffindors and even through they broke every rule in the Hogwarts´s regulations and they always got themselves into trouble, they were great children, she loved them as the children she had never had.

Minerva replied with a nod to their greetings, a forced smile raising the edges of her mouth.

"What are you doing here? Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, go back to your dormitories, or I´ll be forced to deduct points from Gryffindor!" she said, her voice betraying her panting. But the children didn´t seem to notice it. They apologized and left, muttering something to themselves. I must investigate about what they are plotting, Minerva thought, whilst watching the students walk down the corridor and then disappear round the corner. Every year those three got into big trouble, and she didn´t want it to happen again. Especially not now...

This made her remember the reason for her forced run: she had to talk to Dumbledore. She quickly approached the entrance of the Headmaster´s office, and said whispering "Chocolate Frog."

The gargoyle placed at the end of the steps moved and allowed her to reach the steps, which took her to the top.

Minerva entered Dumbledore´s office, and looked around: the usual portraits featuring the old Headmasters were moving around on the walls. Some of them were winking at her, some were sleeping, and others were blabbing who-knew-what and quietened when she came in. Fawkes wasn´t there; probably the phoenix was out on a hunt, or getting Dumbledore´s letters. The office was a bit messed up... but it was so normal for her to see it in such a state that she didn´t pay any attention to it: Dumbledore may not have been a very organized wizard, but he was one of the best.

I have no choice but to wait, she thought, on tenterhooks. She desperately needed to talk with Albus.

She sat down on a chair, and started to count. She really hoped that Dumbledore would be back shortly.

"Minerva, my dear... please don´t tap your foot like that on my floor; you know, it´s a very ancient one, it could take it badly... and we would both be in big trouble." A voice rebounded from the top part of the office, causing the woman to become startled. Professor McGonagall quickly stood up, as Dumbledore showed himself from behind a high pile of papers that hid him from her sight, at the top part of the office.

"Albus... it´s not the right time for jokes..." she said, frowning a little.

"Yes, I know Minerva... since you´re carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet, I suppose you came here to discuss about the big news of the day," Dumbledore said, whilst walking down the steps, and approaching her. She gave him one of her piercing glances through her squared glasses, and she threw the newspaper onto the desk in front of her, pointing at the headline on the first page. The images portrayed in it were moving, and in one of them a tall wizard and his wife were staring at her, an annoyed glare in their eyes while they strutted around the photograph´s background.

"Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy... they disappeared yesterday. Nobody knows where to find them."

"Yes, that´s what I was told," Dumbledore replied. He glanced back at Minerva, and turned around, going slowly to his desk. "Probably they had something better to do than working all the day for the Council. They´re adults after all, you know..." Dumbledore said.

"Don´t try to make fun of me, Albus. I know that you don´t believe what you just said. I know you´re perfectly aware that Lucius is an old Death Eater..."

"He told us he had been under the Imperius´s spell, Minerva, so we must believe that whoever performed those actions wasn´t Lucius himself. Nobody really believes in this, but we must pretend to do it until the Ministry or someone else gives us the evidence of the truth." The old wizard had a quick look at the newspaper´s headlines, then he continued, "Besides, it´s not a big problem, they´re old enough to take care of themselves. There´s just one problem," Dumbledore frowned, and Minerva got worried. When Albus lost his funny glare and got serious, it meant that things were turning hard.

"Is the problem Mr. Draco Malfoy?" she asked. Dumbledore nodded and a shiver ran through McGonagall´s spine. "What can we do about him?" she wondered to herself. It wasn´t truly a question, but Dumbledore thought a reply was needed.

"I really don´t know. I found out the news by Cornelius´s owl, this morning. He said that he´d give me the task to look for a new home for him until his parents are found. I don´t know what to do with this boy..." Dumbledore sighed and stared at the newspaper for a while, and then he continued, "He´s underage, so I can´t allow him to live alone. Malfoy´s property has many House Elves, but we can´t let a child live alone for two months..." The wizard looked very worried about it. McGonagall didn´t know what to suggest; for once in her life, she was speechless.

"Well... doesn´t he have any living relative who can take care about him?" she asked, after some time thinking. Dumbledore sent her a piercing glance.

"I don´t know. That´s why I sent Fawkes with some letters asking about it. He should be back shortly. Ah, here he is..." In fact, just a second after Dumbledore spoke, a bright red phoenix flew into the room through the window, and landed on the desk, carrying a letter tied to his right claw. Dumbledore took the piece of paper, and the bird left, going back to his perch to drink some water and relax. The more he read the letter, the more Dumbledore frowned.

"What´s happening, Albus?" Minerva was really worried now.

"Seems like Mr. Malfoy has two uncles and three aunts, but two of them are dead, one is in Azkaban, and the others are away on long trips. So we can´t count on them, after all..." he said, causing McGonagall to frown more than ever.

"This really is a problem..." she said. But she couldn´t finish what she was saying , because at the same moment a knock at the door put them both off the conversations subject.

"Do come in," Dumbledore said. The door opened, and a tall, red haired and thin wizard entered the office. His robes were old and scruffy, dark green, with a black cloak.

"Headmaster. Sorry to disturb you. But I must talk to you about..." he began. Then he glanced at the copy of the Daily Prophet that Professor McGonagall put on Dumbledore´s desk, and he stopped. "Oh, but I can see that someone else informed you about it."

"Yes, Arthur. What are you doing here?" Dumbledore was a bit amazed: Arthur Weasley was the head of the Misuse of Muggles Artefact´s department at the Ministry of Magic. Why should he care about this?

"I´m having a very bad time today, about the Malfoys´ disappearance. Didn´t you read the article in the Daily Prophet?"

"No, I´ve not had time to read it yet. Minerva brought it here just few minutes ago. I received an owl from Cornelius that told me about it, but I really had no time to read the article in detail."

"Well, not only did the Malfoys disappear, but the Aurors of all the Wizarding World are looking for them: it seems that some Muggles have been found dead, as if they were victims of the Avada Kedavra. A couple of other Muggles have been found stunned.""

"I see..." Dumbledore sighed, and he sat back on his seat. "So... what can I do for you, Arthur? Why are you here?"

"I wondered if you had some news about them or if you might be able to give me some important information about where they can be?" Arthur said. Dumbledore lookedat him through his thick half-moon glasses.

"No, unfortunately I have no more news than what you already have. And we have a big problem too about the Malfoys´ disappearance."

" What´s the problem?" Arthur asked. He was truly curious, and thought he may add the problem to his schedule of things to ask Lucius when the Ministry of Magic finally found him.

"Well, you know... summer holidays are approaching, and Mr. Draco Malfoy has no home now." When Arthur heard that name, his eyes widened. Probably he hadn´t thought about this small detail.

"Yes, I see. That really is a big problem!" Arthur said. "Can´t you send him to one of his relatives´ houses?" Dumbledore looked at him tiredly.

"I tried to notify his relatives. However, not one of them can host him; one has died, one is in Azkaban and the others are off on a long trip. So, unfortunately, we really don´t know where to put Mr. Malfoy. We´d need someone reliable who can be easily reached if ever Lucius and Narcissa are found." Dumbledore muttered to himself. Then, he suddenly looked at Arthur with one of his most piercing glances. The man frowned.

"I know what are you thinking, Headmaster. My reply is NO. I won´t EVER host a Malfoy in my house! Even if he is a child..." Dumbledore chuckled, and stood up at his desk.

"Come on, Arthur. After all Draco is just a kid. He´s not Lucius himself!" He noticed that Arthur wanted to reply, and he put his hand up to quieten him. "I know, I know. Your children can´t stand the kid, and there may be problems during the summer if he goes to live with you."

"Yes, Headmaster. And they´re not the only ones who can´t stand the Malfoy´s brat. I can´t either... He´s too much like his father. A spoiled kid..." Arthur snorted, while his eyes took on a scornful glare. Dumbledore chuckled again. "Can´t you send him to the Crabbes´ or Goyles´? After all their children are friends!"

"I thought of it too, Arthur. But unfortunately Mr. Crabbe replied that he had a death in his family some days ago, and they´re not in the mood of hosting someone for the summer. Mr. Goyle and his family must leave on a trip they prepared for several months ago, and there´s no space for Draco. That´s why I´m asking you to make this small sacrifice..." Arthur frowned even more.

"I understand your reasons, Mr. Weasley, but remember that you´d only need to take care of Mr. Malfoy for a very short time, until his parents are found. You wouldn´t need to take care of him for a lifetime!" Professor McGonagall said, trying to help Dumbledore to convince him. After all, it would be the best thing to do; Arthur worked for the Ministry, so his house was easily controlled. And staying at the Weasleys would surely be better for Mr. Malfoy, than spending his summer at Hogwarts, having them to take care of him. With all the things they had to do during the summer! It would be impossible!

"Anyway, Arthur, I understand that you may have problems with it. We won´t need a reply immediately. You can go home and think about it. Then, we shall see you again in one week´s time so you can give us your definitive answer. Go talk about it with Molly, and decide together. I know you´re an impulsive but good person, you won´t let an underage kid spend his summer here at Hogwarts..." said Dumbledore with a smile, a little amused at Professor McGonagall´s surprise. It was as if he had read her mind.

"I really don´t know, Headmaster. But... I WILL ask Molly about it. If she says me that she can handle the situation, I´ll force myself to accept the boy. But..."

"What?"

"If ever the kid makes trouble for my family... I´ll bring him back IMMEDIATELY, and I won´t have anything else to do with him for the rest of my life." Now it was Arthur´s turn to point his finger at Dumbledore. The old wizard glanced again at Mr. Weasley. His eyes had a fatherly look now.

"Good. Go talk to Molly about it. I hope to have your reply soon. And please, give my respect to your wife." Arthur Weasley bowed his head to Dumbledore and to Professor McGonagall, and he told them once again to call the Ministry if they received any important information. Then he left, closing the door behind him.

"Albus, do you think it´s the best thing to do? Mr. Malfoy may not agree to go to the Weasleys."

"If Arthur accepts the idea, Mr. Malfoy WILL go with him. Staying at the Weasleys, he´ll be more controlled and I´ll be happier about it. Now, Minerva, if you´ll excuse me... I have plenty of important business to take care of. I´d really prefer to stay here talking with you... but unfortunately I can´t." Professor McGonagall blushed on hearing the last part of Dumbledore´s speech, pleased. She bowed her head, in respect, and she left the office.