Chocolate & Honey (A George Weasley Fanfiction) BOOK ONE

Chapter Nine: Train Rides and Triwizard Tournaments

I didn't hear word from my parents until Mr. Weasley returned home from the ministry that night. And even then it was less than illuminating. 

"They are glad you're alright, obviously," He said, "And they do want to explain everything about Morgana to you, but unfortunately it seems there's been an emergency at the Sanctuary. Nothing to worry about, they said, but they would much rather explain everything in person. They'll be reaching out as soon as they can." 

~~~

"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Fred asked. I had relayed the response the them almost a week later, the Sunday before we were due back at school. 

"Why would I not?" I asked. 

"It does sound a bit like they're buying time so they can get their story straight," George agreed, "I mean, you're going back to school, and then they'll probably use the excuse of 'not wanting to distract you from your schoolwork' or something." 

From her seat at the kitchen table, Mrs. Weasley sighed. 

"Your father hasn't had to go into the office on weekends since the days of You-Know-Who," She said, prompting the six of us who were in the loop to exchange a look, "They're working him far too hard. His dinner's going to be ruined if he doesn't come home soon." 

"Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?" Percy explained. "If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first-"

"Don't you dare blame your father for what that wretched Skeeter woman wrote!" 

"If Dad hadn't said anything, old Rita would just have said it was disgraceful that nobody from the ministry had commented," Bill added, looking up from the chessboard between him and Ron, "Rita Sketter never makes anyone look good. Remember, she interviewed all the Gringotts Charm Breakers once, and called me 'a long-haired pillock'?" 

"Well, it is a big long, dear. If you'd just let me-"

"No, Mum." 

"Oh your father's coming!" She exclaimed, her comments on Bill's hair momentarily forgotten, "Coming, Arthur!" 

We all looked up from our activities as Mr. Weasley entered the room with his food in his hand. 

"Well, the fat's really in the fire now," He said, sitting down in his chair, "Rita Skeeter's been ferreting around all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the Prophet tomorrow. I told Bagman he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago." 

I bit my lip, looking down at Bay who was attempting to drag my hand towards the closed jar of wood lice, begging for another snack. 

"Mr. Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks." 

~~~

"That's insane!" Siara exclaimed, from her seat across from me. As soon as we'd found a compartment on the train, along with Fred and George, we'd filled her in on everything that had happened to us over the past several weeks. "You're lucky you made it out alive." 

"George, did you get Finnegan's new order form?" Fred asked, looking up from the pile of slips in his hand. 

"Um...yeah, here." He said, handing it to his brother. 

"Yes well...I have a bad feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg." I told her. "I'm still waiting for my parents' explanation, and I can't seem to find Rolf anywhere."