Chasing Love

Chapter Fifty-One - Sixth Year

Changing into a pair of black skinny jeans and a red jumper, Eliza stared at the rain that was still beating down on the window. After a couple of minutes she decided to go downstairs to the kitchen, it was empty when she entered except for Mrs Weasley who was cooking breakfast for them all.

Mrs Weasley turned around and smiled softly at her, "Morning dear."

"Morning, do you need any help?"

Molly shook her head, "No, no, I've got everything under control." She stared at Eliza for a moment, "I would just like to say you're the second daughter we never had. You're just as much part of the family as any of the children."

"Thank you Mrs Weasley, you're the mother I've always wished for." Molly smiled happily as she began to tear up.

Suddenly, Amos Diggory's head popped up in the fire, "Arthur!" Mrs Weasley shouted loudly, "Arthur! Urgent message from the Ministry!"

The boys all entered the room to see Mrs Weasley rummaging through the drawers with Eliza while Mr Weasley was talking to the fire. ". . . Muggle neighbors heard bangs and shouting, so they went and called those what-d'you-call-'ems - please-men. Arthur, you've got to get over there -"

"I found it!" Eliza said holding up a crumpled quill before passing it to Mrs Weasley who gave it to her husband along with a piece of parchment and a bottle of ink.

"- it's a real stroke of luck I heard about it. I had to come into the office early to send a couple of owls, and I found the Improper Use of Magic lot all setting off - if Rita Skeeter gets hold of this one, Arthur -"

"What does Mad-Eye say happened?"

"Says he heard an intruder in his yard. Says he was creeping toward the house, but was ambushed by his dustbins."

"What did the dustbins do?" Mr Weasley wrote quickly.

"Made one hell of a noise and fired rubbish everywhere, as far as I can tell. Apparently one of them was still rocketing around when the police-men turned up -"

Mr Weasley let out a groan, "And what about the intruder?"

"Arthur, you know Mad-Eye. Someone creeping into his yard in the dead of night? More likely there's a very shell-shocked cat wandering around somewhere, covered in potato peelings. But if the Improper Use of Magic lot get their hands on Mad-Eye, he's had it - think of his record - we've got to get him off on a minor charge, something in your department - what are exploding dustbins worth?"

"Might be a caution." Mr Weasley said, "Mad-Eye didn't use his wand? He didn't actually attack anyone?"

"I'll bet he leapt out of bed and started jinxing everything he could reach through the window but they'll have a job proving it, there aren't any casualties."

"All right, I'm off," Mr Weasley then dashed back upstairs with the parchment in his hands.

"Sorry about this, Molly," Amos said to her, "Bothering you so early and everything but Arthur's the only one who can get Mad-Eye off, and Mad-Eye's supposed to be starting his new job today. Why he had to choose last night."

"Never mind, Amos. Sure you won't have a bit of toast or anything before you go?"

"Oh go on, then," Molly placed a piece of buttered toast from the table and using tongs transferred it into Mr Diggory's mouth.

"Thanks." He said before vanishing.

"I'd better hurry - you have a good term, boys, Eliza." Mr Weasley said to them all, "Molly, are you going to be all right taking the kids to King's Cross?"