Aria Ashborn and the Deathly Hallows (A Harry Potter fanfic)

Chapter 3: The Ghoul in Pajamas

The next few days at the Burrow seemed longer than they actually were. This was because Aria was itching to speak to her friends but her efforts were constantly intercepted by Mrs. Weasley who made it her mission to separate Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Aria. While Harry had not mentioned to anyone besides those four about the Horcrux hunt, Mrs. Weasley still suspected that they had something planned and would be leaving. So, she gave them little time to chat with each other and instead busied them with menial chores to get ready for Bill and Fleur's wedding.

Muriel had sent Aria's things to the Burrow and so Mrs. Weasley often had her cleaning out her owl's cage or cleaning out Ginny's. Mrs. Weasley had made the mistake of asking Harry to clean his only to discover that Hedwig had been killed during the attack the previous night. After that, Aria was no longer asked to clean her owl's cage. Instead, it was clean the kitchen, wipe the windows, or when there was nothing else to do she'd have Aria look for gnomes in the garden.

The new Burrow was very similar in appearance to the old one, though slightly smaller and more worn. If Aria squinted, it would almost be like the house had never been burnt down at all. It was the small details that had changed like the number of floors, the absence of a fireplace, and the color of the walls. It still carried the scent of the Weasleys which Aria had come to know and love.

One morning, Mrs. Weasley had left to go and buy food for Harry's birthday dinner the following evening. In a rush to do so, she had accidentally given Aria and Hermione the same task. Hermione and Aria were tasked with getting a room ready for the Delacours to stay in when they arrived for the wedding. Excited to finally get to have a real conversation, they gladly made their way up the stairs towards the room. Hermione carried the sheets for the bed which Aria carried the pillows.

"She's really badgering us about this isn't she?" asked Aria, after Hermione told her how Mrs. Weasley had cornered her on the way to the loo to ask if the four of them would be returning to Hogwarts.

"It's irritating but at the same time, can you blame her?" Hermione replied when they reached the third-floor landing, "Her son is about to leave on a dangerous mission without the hopes of ever seeing her again and she doesn't even know what the mission is."

"Speaking of which," Aria began as they entered the small room where the Delacours would be staying, "Harry isn't going to let me go."

"I know." Hermione sighed, "He's pretty adamant about it, isn't he?"

"But Dumbledore left the job to him and gave him permission to only tell you, me, and Ron," Aria said. She had lots of time over the past month to rehearse her argument. "It sounds to me like I have just as much a right to go as you and Ron do."

"I agree," said Hermione as the sheets in her arms began to put themselves on the bed.

Aria had not been expecting this. "You do?"

Hermione nodded. "I've told him he's being ridiculous and forbidding you to go isn't going to stop you."

"You've got that right."

"If you came with us, Ron and I wouldn't stop you," Hermione said with a smile.

"Thanks." Aria smiled back.

"But maybe you should try talking to Harry." Hermione offered, "You haven't communicated all summer. Maybe he'll change his mind." The sheets and pillowcases had just finished putting themselves on the bed.

"I've tried talking to him." Aria sighed irritably, sitting down on the bed, "It's a bit hard with Mrs. Weasley keeping us all separated and breathing down our necks."

"I know." Hermione said gently, sitting down next to Aria, "Ron, Harry, and I have only a few moments to stow away."

"Having meetings without me?" Aria scoffed sarcastically.