Breaking the shadows

Home

1998

Saturday June 13th

When we arrive at the burrow Molly and Arthur greets us with a big hug, Molly hugs each of us, and as she hugs me, she takes my arm, looks at the bandages and says worried: "What happened to you dear?"

"Nothing really."

Hermione: "Astra put her claws in her skin."

Molly: "Oh dearest, that could get infected."

"Hermione took care of it, it's fine really."

Molly: "Does it hurt?"

"A little but not much."

Molly: "If it hurts more later, you come to me okay dear."

"Yes."

Molly: "Good, now come inside."

As we enter the burrow every mirror in the house seemed to be covered up, Ginny notices my confusion, she whispers in my ear: "George covered them up, looking at his own face makes him miserable."

I nod in understanding, Molly seems down too, she has lost a son, so no-one questions the Weasleys grief, I've heard Ginny cry, almost every night. But in the morning, she hides her grief and her sadness. I want her to be happy, but I can't force her to tell me her thoughts.

Molly had made some of Ron and Ginny's favourite foods, I sit down between Ginny and Luna, and as Molly places food on my plate I feel instantly nauseous, I haven't eaten in days as I feel nauseous just at the thought of food.

Hermione nudges to me and whispers: "You have to eat."

"I can't."

Hermione looks worried at me and says: "Harlow, you haven't eaten in days."

"Hermione, please understand."

I get up and goes to Molly and asks: "Where is Astra?"

Molly: "In the living room, in her cage."

"Thank you."

I go to the living room and Astra hoots loudly as she sees me.

"Hi there my girl." I say quietly.

I open her cage, and she flies to my shoulder, I go outside and Astra flies high in to the air, I start running into the fields, I stop by a fallen tree, I sit down, burry my face in my hands and start crying. I don't know why, all my feelings are at their highest right now, I can feel a transformation wanting to form, but as my emotions is a mess I can't transform into anything specific. I just keep crying, Astra is flying happily above me, but suddenly she lands on my thigh and nudges her beak on my hands, I remove my hands from my face and Astra hops closer to me, she nudges my hands and I pet her a bit on her feathers. 

We sit like this for ages, out of nowhere I hear something in the wind, and as I look up another owl has appeared. "Astra, come on."

Astra hops onto my shoulder and I start running towards the burrow, I knew that the owl I saw was Orion, if he is here can only mean that Ashton is near. 

I storm through the door and almost fall into Ginny. She holds me as I fall to the floor, sobbing. Hermione and Luna hears me too and comes, they both sit down beside me. Between sobs I stammer: "O-Orion, h-here."

Hermione understands and translates for a vey confused Luna: "The other owl, he's here, which means, Ashton can't be far away."¨

"Let me handle Ashton." Draco says. He has appeared in the doorframe.

Luna: "You can't do it alone."

Draco: "I know him better than anyone, and I can handle him."

Harry has appeared too: "Just be careful." He says

Draco: "I will, but Ashton is no problem."

Draco goes around Ginny, Luna, Hermione and me. 

--

As I'm done crying Hermione helps me up, I go with her, Luna, and Ginny upstairs to Ginny's room, I sit down on her bed and Hermione ask: "Is there something you aren't telling us?"

"Maybe." I say hesitantly. "I dont remember much, but I've been sore, down there."

Hermione: "What are you saying?"

"He told me, he wanted to do with me what Ginny had done a few days before."

Hermione: "So you're saying that he has done things to you, sexually?"

"I think so, you found me in the forest naked."

Hermione: "Wait a minute."

Ginny get's up as she knows what Hermione is about to say and just as Ginny is about to leave Hermione stops her by saying: "Not so fast."

Ginny sits down again and Hermione continues: "You and Ginny, are doing it?"

"Yeah." This conversation just got really awkward. 

Ginny: "But so are you and Ron."

Hermione: "Not the point. But do you fee okay?"

"I guess so."

Ginny: "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was ashamed."

Luna who has been quiet all this time suddenly says: "It's good to be home isnt it?"

"Yes Luna, it's good to be home."

--

Luna, Ginny, Hermione and I go downstairs to find Draco sitting with Harry covered in blood, we all hurry to him and Luna ask: "What happend?"

Draco: "Doesnt matter, Ashton is taken care of."

Hermione: "You killed him?"

Draco: "No, of course not, I just told him that he had to go through me, to get to any of you. And he knows he can't do that, so he ran away ashamed."

Luna: "So we won't see him anymore."

Draco: "Doesnt seem so."

"Thank you Draco."

Draco: "I'm a part of the group arent I? And we stand up for each other."

Ron: "Of course you are a part of the group."

--

At dinner Luna and Neville had went home, so it was just Harry, Draco, Hermione, me, and the Weasleys left. George still looked dreadful, Molly had let Draco stay here for a bit, but he had to promise that his father wouldn't bother the Burrow. 

Draco promised as he and his father haven't been on speaking terms since he ran away. 

Molly belived him. And she sat up an extra bed in Rons room, so Harry, Draco and Ron shared Ron's room and Hermione, Ginny, and I shared Ginny's.

What a fun sleepover. 

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Puplished: 03-07-23