The Journey Home

Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

"She hasn't come out since morning," said Charlie.

"Fleur's been in and out trying to console her," said Bill.

The Burrow was never so quiet. Fleur came down the stairs, looking tired. Her Veela aura seemed to dim with each step.

"I am sorry," she said in her heavy French accent. "She refuses to come out. There is nothing I can do for her."

She placed a tray of cups into the sink and set them washing themselves with her wand. She sat down next to Bill, holding onto his arm, resting her tired head on his shoulder.

An hour passed with hardly a word until the door burst open. The Weasley twins came in, carrying duffle bags. Together they tried to close the door with little success. Finally Charlie stood up and with one hand pushed the door closed. They said thanks, gave everyone a small hug and sat down.

"We came as quickly as possible when we heard the news," said Fred, brushing snow off his clothes.

"How is she?" asked George, looking genuinely concerned.

"She been up there ever since we told her the news," said Ron. Hermione patted him on the shoulder consolingly.

There was a silence, as if everyone was trying to hear what was going on upstairs. There was nothing but the crackling of the fire, warming the kitchen and casting long shadows behind everyone.

""What happened?" said George finally. "What caused all this?"

Ron explained the dream he had, the note that came attached with Hedwig. He gave the ratty looking parchment for the Twins to look at. They read it, four times over. One of the even flipped it over seeing if there was anymore to the note.

"Poor Hedwig," said Hermione, "he was near death when Ron saved him. I can't believe Harry would do that to her."

"And that's it?" said Fred, severely disappointed. "A bloody note telling us to pick up our sister like she's some kinda luggage?"

Bill nearly knocked over the table as he scrambled over to throttle Fred's neck. Fleur and Charlie held him down, preventing him from grabbing his wand out of his robes.

"You bastards!" Bill yelled. "What are you thinking talking about her like that?"

George stood, looking him right in the eye, "Now see here Bill! She's our sister too dammit! Considering how this note is written, it's Harry who's insulting her death."

A hush fell over the table as Bill stopped struggling, panting heavily. Fleur let go slowly. He wretched his arm away from Charlie, straightened his robes and sat down again. George still shaking, placed his hands on the table as tears started to drop onto the letter.

"Why?" he started. "Why does he have to be this way? What happened to her? After all we've been through…"

Fred got up and hugged his sobbing twin. Hermione never saw them like this before. So torn up, so sad. Even when Mr. Weasley passed away, they'd still crack jokes about his fascinations with Muggles. How'd he mispronounce common Muggle names or how his eyes would light up at the most simplest of items. She remembered how only Ginny came to the funeral that day. Everyone was so happy the week she managed to stay, but it still ended terribly with arguments that could be heard even out in the garden. Harry was hardly ever discussed afterwards, not that even before that incident he was the nightly topic.

"Come on Hermione, it'll be a long day tomorrow. Time to go to bed," said Ron.

"Where are you two off to so early?" said Fred.

"What happened to Ginny?" said George, gathering his composure.

"That's what we're going to find out," said Hermione. "Ron and I decided that we should be the ones to go out and bring Ginny back home."

"Why you two?" said George.

"I think it's pretty obvious," said Ron. "We are closest to him. It should be…"

"You were close to him," corrected Fred. "I think, this being a family affair, we should all go up there and…."

"Enough!" shouted Charlie.

The chatter died. Even the Twins shuddered at the volume of their older brother's voice.

"We've made the decision," said Bill. "It will be Ron and Hermione regardless of the current status of their…friendship. If this letter indicates anything, Harry intended for them to fulfill the request. Besides…traveling to where he is, it's not well suited to put all of us in danger."

There was a silence as if everyone was deep in thought. The reality was that no one knew exactly where Harry Potter lived. They knew he had traveled up north when Ginny still sent them owls. Even Viktor Krum, currently the headmaster of Durmstrang, said that he saw Harry pass his school never returning the other way. After that, even Ginny started to send owls less and less. They became less about her life and inquiring about home.

"Good night," said Ron as he headed upstairs.

Hermione said good night to everyone and soon followed after.

-==*==-

The next morning did not bring any better weather. It was still cold, the sun shone brightly and the wind was less harsh. Ron and Hermione woke and began to bundle up for their trip. By the time they made their way downstairs, they heard a clattering of breakfast being made.

"Mum!" said a surprised Ron. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Oh, I have to make you dears breakfast before you head off. Mustn't leave without a proper meal in your stomachs," she said as she frantically magicked eggs to flip, bacon to fry and porridge to stir.

"Mum…Mum!" Ron pleaded, trying to get her attention. ‘It's alright…here let me help."

Mrs. Weasley swatted his hand away, "That'll be fine dear. You just sit down with Hermione and…and..."

She stopped talking, as if lost in a dream. Hermione reached out and placed her hand gently on her mother-in-law's arm. She jumped a bit, as if breaking out of a trance and looked over at Hermione smiling while tears formed at the edges of her eyes.

"Here let me help Mum," said Hermione as she took out her wand. Ron guided Mrs. Weasley to an empty chair trying to comfort her with consoling words. They sat there in silence for a while as Hermione prepared breakfast. Finally, as other people came down rubbing their eyes and helping out with setting the table, they all sat and ate breakfast.

After a moment, Mrs. Weasley dropped her utensils. "I don't want you two to go."

"What?" said Ron, bacon halfway up to his mouth.

"I..I…I don't want you or Hermione to go get Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. She avoided eye contact.

"Mum," said Hermione, "we'll be fine."

"No, you won't!" Molly yelled, eyes now watering. "We've lost her…our precious Ginny. And I can't bear it…if I ... my youngest boy, now. I just…can't."

"Mum," pleaded Ron. "We'll be alright. There's nothing to worry about."

"Yes, there is, Ron!" shouted back Mrs. Weasley. She was looking at him straight on. "What if he did something to her? And he's sending an owl just to get you next? What if…what if he's…"

"Mum, Harry's not like that," said Ron unconfidently. "He'd never do anything to hurt Ginny."

"Seen that in your crystal ball then, eh?" said Fred off handedly.

"Had a nice chat with Harry over the floo network did you?" continued George.

"You two stop it!" yelled Hermione, her face livid. "Look at what you're doing to your mother!"

"What we did?" said George, he pointed out of the door. "It's what's he is doing. He started all of this. How do we know he's not some whack-job now? You seen him before he left. He wasn't exactly 'peachy' back then either."

Ron stood up letting his chair hit the floor. He was tall, almost taller than most of the others. He just looked at the table and spoke in a clear voice. "I don't reckon that Harry did anything to harm Ginny," he said. "Even in the worst of times…he just doesn't have the heart to harm people, especially those closest to him. When it came down to it, he loved her and she loved him. We're going to find out what happened…and we're going to bring Ginny back home."

He sat back down to finish the rest of his breakfast. Hermione reached over and held Ron's hand as Mrs. Weasley was lead back upstairs by Fleur.

-==*==-

The Burrow looked like a giant snow-covered tree with flecks of red from the outside. Bill, Charlie, and Fleur were outside wishing Ron and Hermione a safe journey.

"Those Weasley sweaters should come in handy this time," said Charlie shaking his brother's hand.

"Take care Hermione," said Bill as he hugged her.

A suddenly crash of a door caught the group's attention. Fred and George ambled outside, each wearing waist-length scarves that swung to and fro. On their backs were matching duffle bags, and they looked like young little elves helping out Santa — young mischievous elves.

"Ok, you lot shove off. We need to get going now. Can't waste all day here," said Fred.

"What's this all about?" said Ron as he gently stepped in front of Hermione, shielding her from an expected prank.

"We're going with you," said George with a great big smile.

"The hell you're not," said Charlie, putting a hand in front of them. "They should go alone."

"And let them have all the fun?" said Fred

"Besides, at least two of us should be the brains of the operation," said George winking at Hermione. "It's not like we have anything to do."

"What about the joke shop?" said Hermione. "It's going to be dangerous searching for him, we don't know if we'll ever find him."

"And we'll be there," said Fred, "to keep spirits up if you don't."

"Harry was our friend, too, you know. It's not like you two are his exclusive buddies," said George.

Ron fumed. He thought about hexing them but Charlie put a steadying hand on his shoulder.

"I think it's a good idea Ron," Charlie said. "You're going to need all the help you can get."

"But…but…" sputtered Hermione.

"No buts," said Bill. "It'll be good to have these two with you. If anything happens to you or Ron, Fred and George can back you up."

In the end, they begrudgingly accepted, knowing that even if they declined, the Twins would follow them. Ron had swished his wand and made the luggage disappear in a swirl of snow, sending it off to their future destination. Just as they were about to walk off they heard a sudden crack and a crunch of snow. They looked back and saw Percy Weasley standing by the garden. Even the wind seemed to have died down as they stared at him. He was looking uncomfortable, as if he was wearing robes a few sizes too small. His glasses began to fog so he took them off.

"What do you want?" said Fred and George together.

Percy just walked up to Ron and gave him a surprising hug, "Bring her back…just…"

Ron could hear a small sob at the end but he patted him on the back and looked at him. His eyes were all red and it was as if he had confessed something terribly wrong. Ron gave a half smile; still remembering some of the old wounds caused by the history between his older brother and his family. old had He gave him a solid pat on shoulders and handed him off to Bill and Charlie who seemed more accepting of their brother's return. As Ron took a final look up at the Burrow, he saw his mother's face behind a frosted pane. She had wiped away the frost to see out better. He gave a small smile, not even knowing if she'd seen it, and walked back to Hermione's side.

"Oi," said Fred through chattering teeth. "Where are we disapperating to?"

Hermione replied, "We are going to the Shetland Islands. We have to board a ship to meet someone."

Ron gave a small glare at Hermione. Fred and George just shrugged their shoulders at the peculiar glance. With a final wave of their hands, they all looked at seemingly impossible scene of their family waving their hands in front of the Burrow wishing them a safe journey. With a swirl of snow and an echoing crack Ron, Hermione, Fred and George were gone.

Bill, Charlie, Percy and Fleur stood there for a while, not saying anything. There was more on their minds than the death of their sister, the circumstances surrounding it and even the cryptic letter that brought them all together. They slowly shuffled into the Burrow wondering if they'd ever see any of them ever again.