Broken Fate

Chapter Two ~ The Unexpected Invitations

Will surveyed the landscape as they continued down the street. It's so beautiful, he thought wistfully. So...unmarred.

"You have the money, Will?" Jamie asked. Will was the one who had been put in charge of bringing along their supplies.

"Do you have to ask?" Will set Molly on the ground, and she immediately clung to his Muggle jeans. He was so used to it that he barely noticed. He swept aside his cloak, revealing a bag slung across his shoulders and hanging by his side. He dug into it and pulled out a small brown bag of their precious wizard coins. He had a blue bag full of Muggle money. The coins were from this time, and had been carefully collected. Will, Jamie, and Shay had had a whole year to gather the things they would need for this trip.

"Right then," Jamie said a bit nervously, once they were out of the sight of any houses. "Mum and Dad said the Knight Bus worked by holding out your wand hand." She carefully pulled out her wand and stuck it out.

There was a loud pop, and a bright purple triple-decker bus appeared, skidding at two trees. On the windshield, gold lettering read: The Knight Bus. Will was sure the bus was going to crash, but the trees simply slid out of the way as the bus screeched to a halt.

Trying not to stare, Will followed Shay to the bus. A young man whose face was covered with acne stuck his head out. "'i, there. Where're you 'eaded?"

"Ottery St. Catchpole," Will answered. Shay slipped past Stan onto the bus.

"Right, then. I'm Stan Shunpike, an' I'll be your conductor this evening. For all four of you, that'll be two galleons an' six sickles. Or you can pay three galleons an' five sickles an' get 'ot chocolate, an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush-whatever color you want."

Knowing they needed to save as much of their money as possible, Will said, "Uh, we'll pay two galleons and six sickles." He stood aside and let Jamie board. His stomach knotted uncomfortably when he saw the way Stan was staring at her.

"'ey, Ern! She looks like 'arry Potter, don't she, Ern?" Stan asked an elderly wizard with thick glasses. He was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel.

Jamie pursed her lips. "The Boy-Who-Lived? I wish!" She rolled her eyes and disappeared to the back of the bus.

At least she can play her part. But we're going to have to be careful! Will thought. He paid Stan, then pulled Molly's hand off of his jeans so he could hold it. He tugged her onto the bus. Shay and Jamie weren't on the first floor, so he took Molly up the stairs and found them on the second floor.

Will sat next to them, plunking Molly on the seat beside him. "You have to be really careful, Jamie," he muttered. "You look--"

"Too much like my dad. I know," Jamie sighed. With her straight black shoulder-length hair and piercing green eyes, all she needed was her famous father's scar to complete the picture. There were bits of her mother in her--her nose and her smile, to name two--but most of her looks came from Harry Potter.

Most of the trip was spent in silence, while they clung to their seats as the bus banged! in and out of different streets. Finally, Stan's voice, magically magnified over some kind of system on the bus, said, "Ottery St. Catchpole!"

Grateful that the ride was over--Will's parents had told him about the Knight Bus, but they had never said what riding the bus was actually like--Will led the way down the stairs and off of the bus.

The bus departed with another loud crack! Will looked cautiously around the village. "Now to get to the Burrow," he said.

It wasn't hard to find, as they had been there numerous times. Will wasn't sure what to expect as they approached the land that held the Burrow. This had been his father's home for so many years...it had always been a happy place for his father, and for Will, it had been a safe haven for a time. It had been his, Jamie's, and Shay's hideout for almost a year, until Molly was a year and a half old. Then they had been forced to move to another area. It was also one of the many places his family had stayed in their constant movements to try to throw off Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Here, his parents and others had plotted the Dark Lord's downfall.

And all plots had failed.

"It's just around that corner," Jamie stated the obvious.

"We don't know for sure that no one's home," Shay cautioned.

"They should be at the Order's meeting place," Will returned. "That's where they were supposed to have spent this summer." Still, he knew caution was called for, as it was likely that they traveled to and from the Burrow. "You guys wait here. I'll go check it out, and see if I can find it." He didn't have to mention what 'it' was. He handed Molly over to Jamie, then walked around the last bend before coming to the Burrow.

His first thought upon seeing it was, wow! It's so...together! Yes, the house looked like it had been thrown together and added onto so many times that it was impossible to see what the original building had been. Still, it was neat and orderly, the roof was still on, and there weren't holes in the walls. It was a great improvement from the Burrow he remembered from his time.

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure the others really had stayed put--with Shay and Jamie, you really never knew--he cautiously continued to approach the Burrow. He stopped at the front door and touched the doorknob, hesitating. Should he knock, and if someone answered, say he had the wrong house? Or should he just walk in, and if someone was home, make up some excuse? Choosing the latter, Will carefully turned the knob and let the door swing open. He glanced into the clean kitchen. When he didn't see anyone, he slowly stepped inside. He headed for the living room, looking for the grandfather clock in the corner. Sure enough, it was still there.

Nine golden hands were on the clock, each of them with one of the Weasley's names on them. Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny. Instead of numerals, there were twelve places written around the face of the clock. They read home, work, school, traveling, friend's house, vacationing, lost, hospital, prison, runaway, kidnapped, and mortal peril. Will knew from personal experience that if one of the Weasleys died, the clock would gong loudly, and the person's name would turn from gold to red.

Currently, eight of the Weasley's names rested on work. Charlie's was on traveling. Good, no one's home, Will thought in relief. His eyes landed on the fireplace mantel as he turned his attention from the clock. Pictures of the many red-headed Weasley's stared at him, grinning and waving. Will walked up to the fireplace and stared at them. There was his dad, and his uncles and aunt and grandparents. One of the pictures of his Aunt Ginny caught his attention. She had to be three or four in the picture, and she looked almost exactly like Molly.

Will reached out and touched the photo of the little girl. We're going to try to save you, he promised silently. Calling his mission to mind, he turned and headed for the stairs. The object he was looking for was small, and it was supposed to be somewhere in Ron's room.

When he found the door labeled RONALD'S ROOM, he took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

~*~

"RON! What do you think you're doing?"

Ron looked sheepishly at his mum and quickly put his hand behind his back. "Um...nothing."

"Ronald Weasley, that was a Ton-Tongue Toffee! I know it was!" Molly Weasley stormed forward and held out her hand. "Fred and George may be running a nice little business with...things...such as these, but I will not have them in my house. I suppose you had something to do with Remus passing out at dinner last night?"

Ron heard a snort, and glanced at Hermione, who was sitting in the corner of the room, her face buried in An Advanced Guide to Transfiguration.

"No, Mum," Ron said patiently, shooting a glare in Hermione's direction. "I swear I had nothing to do with the Fainting Fancy." He felt no reason to say that it had been Ginny, and that she hadn't been trying to make Remus pass out--she had been aiming for Bill. He also decided it would be better not to mention that this was not her house.

"If I see another crumb of that candy--" his mum began, allowing her hand to drop to her side.

"I understand, Mum." Ron discreetly tucked the Ton-Tongue Toffee into his back pocket. His mum gave him that look, and he tried not to shrink under it. Then she spun and stormed out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, Hermione peered out over her book. "You know, Ron--"

"Oh, don't start, Hermione," Ron groaned, hearing the tone of her voice. She was about to begin one of her lectures.

Giving him a very prim look, Hermione sniffed and turned back to her book.

Ginny chose that moment to enter the room. "Our school lists just came," she said, waving several pieces of parchment. "Dad's going to take us to Diagon Alley this afternoon." She handed Ron one of the papers, and he looked over it.

SIXTH-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6

by Miranda Goshawk

An Advanced Guide to Transfiguration

by Emeric Switch

The Dark Arts: How to Defend Against the Expected and Unexpected

by Ella Chase

Sixth-Year Students are also required to bring a Reciprocated Mirror.

Ron looked up from his list. "Why do we need a Reciprocated Mirror?"

Ginny shrugged as she passed Hermione her list. "That's on my list, too. I need The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, Transfiguration Theory, and The Dark Arts: How to Defend Against the Expected and Unexpected. Maybe the Mirror has something to do with the Dark Arts?"

"You can have my copy of Transfiguration Theory, Ginny. We had to have them for last year, and my copy's still in very good shape," Hermione said.

Ron snorted. Of course Hermione's copy would still be in good shape. She treated her books as she would if they were precious gemstones.

"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny said.

Hermione nodded absently, still studying he list. "Maybe Dumbledore actually found a decent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," she said, glancing up from her paper.

"If not, we always have Harry," Ginny grinned.

"Where is Harry?" Hermione frowned.

"Backyard. He's in one of his moods," Ginny replied.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Moods?"

Ron sighed. "You just got here yesterday, but you'll see. His moods. He gets really quiet and goes into this dark sulky mood. He usually sits outside and stares at nothing."

"He says he's thinking, but he doesn't want to talk about it," Ginny added. "Believe me, we've tried. Mum says just to give him lots of love and support."

"Maybe I should try to talk to him," Hermione said, a concerned frown creasing her forehead.

"It won't work," Ron and Ginny said simultaneously. "He just needs space to figure things out," Ginny said wisely.

Hermione sighed. "I suppose you're right. Still...I wish there was something more that we could do."

~*~

"Did you find it?" Shay asked when Will returned from the Burrow. He was leaning against a tree, arms crossed. Jamie sat beside him, also leaning against a tree, while Molly sat on the grass beside her, running her fingers over the green blades.

"You didn't," Jamie said, seeing Will's expression.

Will sighed and rubbed a hand across his face. "I looked all over my dad's room, and couldn't find it anywhere. So I looked around the rest of the house. I even used the accio spell, but it didn't come, and I tried several other spells. It's not there."

Shay's jaw tightened. "According to everything we know, it was supposed to be in his room."

Jamie nodded. "That was what we had figured out."

"Unless..." Will began.

Shay raised his eyebrows. "Unless what?"

"Unless we missed something, in our time. When we put all of this together, we only had bits of information and my mom's journal."

Jamie buried her face in her hands and groaned. "We were sure it was there. Where else could it be? We know Uncle Ron doesn't have it with him. At this point, our parents didn't even know it existed. And how else would Voldemort and his Death Eaters have known? It has to be there."

"It's not there, Jamie," Shay said.

"You don't know that for sure," Jamie snapped. "You weren't there!"

"But I was. It's not there, Jamie," Will said quietly.

Jamie deflated. "You know what this means?"

Will and Shay exchanged glances. "We'll have to stop this whole thing at Hogwarts," Will said grimly.

As if on cue, an owl suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed in front of the trio. "What in the world?" Jamie stared for a moment, then bent down and untied the letter that was attached to the owl's leg.

Will watched apprehensively. To receive an owl meant someone knew who they were. Or perhaps the owl had gotten lost or was trying to deliver mail to someone else. The latter thought was dashed when Jamie looked up at him, face pale. "There are three letters." She handed them to Will.

Shay looked over his shoulder as Will read the envelopes. The first one read:

Mr. William Weasley

The Woods outside the Burrow

Ottery St. Catchpole

The second read:

Mr. Seamus Longbottom

The Woods outside the Burrow

Ottery St. Catchpole

Will knew what the third would say.

Ms. Jamie Potter

The Woods outside the Burrow

Ottery St. Catchpole

Will passed Jamie and Shay their letters. He opened the envelope addressed to him and read aloud, "It's from 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dear Mr. Weasley, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Sixth Year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September first. I realize that there are unconventional circumstances surrounding your enrollment, and will await your owl no later than August fifteenth. If and when you arrive, you are to speak immediately to me. Yours sincerely, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards.'"

"Mine says the same thing. Well, except it says Ms. Potter instead of Mr. Weasley, of course," Jamie stared at her letter. "Do you think he knows? Professor Dumbledore, I mean?"

"It sounds like it," Shay said, his eyes practically burning his letter in their intensity. "And that doesn't bode well for us."

"It might," Jamie said thoughtfully. "Dad and Mum always said Professor Dumbledore always seemed to know everything, whether he said it or not."

"We can't tell him why we're here, though," Shay said warningly. "I doubt he knows that much. He might know we're from the future, but I doubt he know why we came back. And if we tell anyone, especially Dumbledore, word could get back to the very person we're trying to stop."

"We know, Shay," Jamie said in annoyance.

Will had to contain himself to keep from rolling his eyes. He often wondered just how Shay and Jamie had managed to survive with each other for so long, as they were constantly at each other's throats. "The question is, are we going to accept these?"

There was silence for a moment, and then Shay replied, "You and I should, Will. Jamie shouldn't. She should stay somewhere near the school and watch Molly."

Jamie looked outraged. "What? Just because--"

"You look like your father?" Shay shot back before Jamie could finish her outburst. "What do you think would happen if you went to Hogwarts, Jamie? You would be found out in no time. Will, on the other hand, looks enough like his mother that no one would suspect him as a Weasley, and enough like his father that it's not obvious he's a Granger."

Will saw Shay's point exactly. "And Shay looks almost nothing like his father, and almost exactly like his mother."

"And since my mother isn't at Hogwarts yet..." Shay trailed off and looked pointedly at Jamie.

Jamie pursed her lips. "Great. Just because I look like my dad, I'm going to be stuck doing nothing while you guys go to Hogwarts? Besides watching Molly," she glared at Shay as he opened his mouth.

"Not nothing, James. You'll be able to get information for us other ways. We'll work it out. And if all goes well, we'll be able to have this all sorted out in no time," Will said, trying to sound positive. He knew his cousin was never happy if she was left out or behind.

Jamie sighed heavily and crossed her arms. "Fine. We'll send the owl back saying you and Shay will go to Hogwarts." She looked at the second piece of paper that had been in her envelope. "We'll have to go to Diagon Alley to get these school things. Do we have the money for that, Will?"

"I think so. And if we run out of wizard money, I suppose we can always get the Muggle money changed if we need to." Will patted the bag that was still hanging from his side.

"Right then," Jamie said, still looking quite put out. "Diagon Alley it is."