Lost Memories

xliv. pissed off

Living with the Weasleys had been an adventure in itself. Between constant yelling and fighting, there was never a dull moment at the Burrow. Currently, Ron and Hermione had been arguing over who got to use the bathroom first while Ginny and I helped Mrs Weasley clean up before Harry arrived tomorrow morning.

"Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger! If you do not stop fighting, I will have one of you sleep in the chicken coop," Mrs Weasley shouted next to me. Quickly, the noise stopped. "Thank you, dears," she said sweetly to the silence.

The absence of the Weasley twins was because they lived in the loft above their joke shop. Bill and Charlie were both working, even though it was the summer, and Percy... well, he's a disgrace to the Weasley family now, even if Mrs Weasley won't admit it.

In the morning, Mrs Weasley informed us that Harry had popped in, with Professor Dumbledore, in the middle of the night. Running to Fred and George's old room, Hermione, Ron, and I stormed in pulling the curtains back.

"Wuzzgoinon?"

"We didn't know you were here already!" said Ron loudly, giving Harry a sharp blow to the top of his head.

"Ron, don't hit him!" I laughed.

Harry quickly shoved his glasses onto his face and looked at us.

"All right?"

"Never been better," said Harry, rubbing the top of his head and slumping back onto his pillows. "You?"

"Not bad," said Ron, pulling over a cardboard box and sitting on it. "When did you get here? Mum's only just told us!"

"About one o'clock this morning."

"Were the Muggles all right? Did they treat you okay?"

"Same as usual," said Harry, as Hermione perched herself on the edge of his bed, "they didn't talk to me much, but I like it better that way. How're you, Hermione?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Hermione smiled.

"You, Lottie?"

"Dandy as always," I laughed.

"What's the time? Have I missed breakfast?" Harry rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"It's almost noon. Mrs Weasley's serving lunch soon," I decided to take a seat on the floor. "So, what's goin' on?"

"Nothing much, I've just been stuck at my aunt and uncle's, haven't I?"

"Come off it!" said Ron. "You've been off with Dumbledore!"

"It wasn't that exciting. He just wanted me to help him persuade this old teacher to come out of retirement. His name's Horace Slughorn."

"Oh, he's cool," I responded. "A little weird though."

"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, yeah? So, er, what's he like?" Hermione sighed.

"He looks a bit like a walrus, and he used to be Head of Slytherin," said Harry.

"So did Slughorn seem like he'll be a good teacher?"

"Dunno," said Harry. "He can't be worse than Umbridge, can he?"

"I don't know anyone who's worse than Umbridge," I scoffed.

The rest of the morning was spent catching up on what we've missed from each other's lives over the past few weeks. Harry said that Sirius would come to the Dursleys' in his animagus so they wouldn't find out it was Sirius– it lasted about a week or so. I updated Harry on Ron and Hermione's constant bickering, which resulted in more fighting. I left out the part where I'd spent a few days crying over the fact that Draco had sent back all of my letters that I tried to send him, never responding.