The Healer | Part 2: The War

Finally

Edith

After breakfast, I cleared the dishes and washed them while George and Fred got dressed. It was shaping up to be another hot day outside, but the flat was gloriously cool. The official-looking wizards remained outside until the shop opened at ten o'clock. They disappeared inside and then reappeared shortly after, walking back up the alley. The staff must have informed them that George and Fred weren't expected back until Monday.

'I suppose we ought to check on the quills,' Fred said after he and George had emerged from their bedrooms, dressed in shorts and t-shirts.

'Yes, the Order are expecting an update,' George nodded. I watched from my seat at the kitchen table as they walked over to the shelf by the front door where the quills stood poised to write on their rolls of parchment.

'What are they?' I slid off my chair and followed them.

'They're our ears,' George indicated to the flesh coloured string that hung from the wall. 'I'm down to just the one now, so I need all the help I can get.'

'But where do they go?' I asked.

'These two are in Diagon Alley, one outside of the shop and another in the Leaky Cauldron,' Fred pointed to the two pieces of parchment closest to the door. 'And those two are in Hogsmeade, one in the Three Broomsticks and the other at the Hog's Head.'

'Hogsmeade?' I repeated, my eyes going wide. 'How have you managed to get two Extendable Ears all the way from here to Hogsmeade?'

'It was quite the task,' he nodded. 'For the most part, they camouflage into their surroundings. We're pretty sure no one knows they're there.'

'And so they listen for new information?' I asked.

'Right you are,' Fred replied. 'And these quills will write down anything that may be important. Mostly Ministry information, any people who have gone missing or been killed, stuff that people let slip after a few drinks.'

'What about the one outside your shop?' I asked.

'We're just nosy about what people have to say about us,' George winked. He reached for the parchment that must have been connected to the Extendable Ear going downstairs. 'Those blokes didn't have much to say, absolutely nothing here.'

He put the parchment down and picked up another while Fred examined the other two.

'There's a muggle family dead,' Fred said sombrely.

'What? Where?' I exclaimed, my heart had stopped.

'Cardiff,' he answered. My heart started again and I sighed in relief, though it was short lived.

'Cardiff?' I repeated. 'They're killing muggles in Wales?'

'They're killing muggles everywhere, Edith,' George said. 'There's another one dead just outside of London and a couple missing in Portsmouth.'

I felt sick. It was starting already. I hoped against hope that my parents would have the sense to get to safety. If muggles were being killed in Wales, surely it wouldn't be long before they moved to Scotland.

'Pius Thicknesse is the new Minister,' Fred went on.

'Shocker,' George replied dryly.

'Who's he?' I asked.

'He's with You-Know-Who,' George answered. 'He's not a Death Eater, but we're pretty sure he's under the Imperius Curse.'

I had enough of the news from the Extendable Ears. I left George and Fred to review the rolls of parchment while I went back to the sofa. I picked up my leather clutch and rummaged around until I found one of my new Healing books and buried myself in it. Fred returned from the shelf, picked up one of the leather bound notebooks and started scribbling all the updates in it at the kitchen table.