"I need the kinda love that can outlast the night
I need the kinda love that is willing to fight
When the going gets tough
And my strength's not enough
I see You showing up like never before
This battle for my heart
You took on from the start
You ar...
Tom woke Addie the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. Addie got dressed and went down to eat with Ginny. The boys were taking a while.
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When the boys finally got down stairs, Molly was telling the girls about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All four of them were rather giggly. Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow.
Leaving was chaos; they were all busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. Addie's bag that continued her four dragon eggs. She was going to speak to Dumbledore about them first before she hatched them. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.
"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."
"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?" He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.
Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.
"They're here," he said. "Addie, Harry, come on."
Mr. Weasley marched the kids across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.
"In you get, Addie, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.
Addie and Harry got into the back of the car and Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy, quickly joined them.
The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Addie noticed that they could slide through gaps that her car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.
Mr. Weasley kept close to Addie and Harry's elbows all the way into the station. Which was a good thing because people kept turning to gawk at Addie.
"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Addie and Harry."
Once everyone was on the other side, Harry and Ron led the way for Addie and Hermione to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Hedwig, the Newt case and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Addie, next was Hermione, and finally, Harry.
"Do take care, won't you, Harry?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. . . . Here you are, Ron . . . no, they're not corned beef. . . . Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are, dear. . . ."
