Before the Dawn | George Weasley

70

I returned home as soon as I could, but found an empty house. I stood in the front room and looked around with a sick feeling in my stomach.

They'd left.

And I didn't know how to find them.

I sank into an armchair in the parlour, feeling bile rise in my throat. What was I going to do? I had to warn Harry, I had to alert the others, I had to somehow find a way to delay the attack, I had to—

A silver wolf, a Patronus, materialised before me, its jaws opening and Remus's voice escaping.

"There was a Death Eater on the premises. We had to relocate. Send a Patronus with news to the Burrow. Arthur is waiting there and will relay."

I let my head fall back against the chair as the wolf faded away. Thank Merlin.

Drawing my wand, I conjured a Patronus, my little silver fox watching me curiously as I spoke, telling it everything I knew about the impending battle. Then, with a flick of my wand, it bounded away, passing through a window and disintegrating.

I stared at the spot where it had disappeared, my mind racing. There was no time to waste.

I pulled myself to my feet, climbing the stairs to my bedroom and rummaging through my trunk for my special quill and ink, then pulling out a few rolls of parchment. I padded back downstairs, summoning Thea.

She landed on the kitchen counter and I absentmindedly kissed her face, earning that familiar happy hoot.

"You'll have to make a few stops today, alright, pretty girl?" I said in a low voice. "But you'll need to fly fast."

She blinked at me in understanding.

I finished the first letter and folded it shut, tying it to Thea's lifted leg. Then I started on another. And then another.

When I'd finished the fourth letter, I held it up to show it to Thea. "I don't have an address for this one. Can you make sure it still goes where it needs to go?"

Thea hooted, and I tied it to her leg, taking that as a yes. I opened the window and sent her on her way.

I'd used up nearly all of the special ink on the letters. Once I was out, I'd have to send the rest by Patronus. Jamie's owl landed outside, then, right on cue, and I opened the window to let him in.

I started another letter, but just before I could finish it, a knock on the front door drew my attention. I set the quill aside and threw the door open with an irritated sigh.

It was George.

"What?" I huffed.

"The Order sent me to collect you."

"Collect me?" I asked wryly. "You make me sound like I'm the daily mail."

"Gather your things, we have to go," George said. "Remus is expecting us."

I left him in the doorway, walking to the kitchen, where I started writing again, finishing the letter and tying it to Jamie's owl's leg.

"Are you listening to me?" George asked sharply, following me through the house.

I raised my eyebrows, opening the window to let the owl out, and turned to look at George, who was watching me with a frustrated expression.

"Who could you possibly be writing to, at a moment like this?" he demanded.

I gave him a cold stare. "I'm trying to get you as much help as I can before everything goes to hell."

"Me?"