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

Chapter 9: Shell Cottage

When Aria opened her eyes, she and Ron were standing on soft, cold sand and a salty breeze rustled her hair. They were on a cliff, overlooking the majestic sea which sounded to Aria like the breathing of a great slumbering creature with the ebb and flow of the tide coming in and out. Not too far in the distance, was a cottage, embedded with shells and whitewashed, towards the edge of the cliff.

Before Aria had a chance to ask where they were, Bill Weasley emerged from the cottage followed by his wife, Fleur. Aria hadn't seen either of them since their wedding.

"Ron! Aria!" Bill shouted as he hugged his brother.

"Aria!" cried Fleur taking Aria by surprise when she wrapped her arms around her, "We thought you were dead!"

"What is this place asked Aria as the four of them walked across the beach towards the cottage.

"It belonged to our aunt." said Bill, "Now it's our home or more of a safe house, I reckon."

"Please, come in." said Fleur opening the door to their home. Aria and Ron followed the couple in.

The sitting room was quaint with only an old sofa with feathers poking out of its side and a wobbly wooden chair. It was obvious Bill and Fleur had not been expecting guests but rather been in the middle of fixing the place up. Aria could tell this by the broom slowly sweeping in the corner and the feather duster dusting the mantle of the small fireplace. The many windows brought light upon the wooden floorboards and made the dust glow like snow.

Aria and Ron took a seat on the sofa and floor sat next to them. The wooden chair across from them wobbled a bit as Bill sat down upon it.

"Is everyone okay?" Ron asked almost immediately, "What happened after we left?"

"They tortured us for information." said Bill, calming his brother, "Dad took the Cruciatus curse pretty badly, but he's alright. Charlie got stunned but he was alright as well." Bill turned to Aria as Ron processed this information, "After they took you, Aria, they let us go. We all thought you were dead. Mum was crying her eyes out."

Aria imagined Mrs. Weasley weeping as if Aria were dead and her son's comforting her. She imagined the family cleaning up the thrashed wedding tent and wondering what had become of Ron, Aria, Harry, and Hermione.

"What happened?" Ron asked Aria and she knew Bill and Fleur were wondering the same thing.

She cleared her throat, "They tortured me for information on where you were but I didn't have any."

"So they decided to use you as bait instead," Ron said. Aria nodded solemnly.

"Zat's how we knew you were alive." said Fleur, "I'll make some tea." She rose from the couch and hurried off towards a door Aria assumed led to the kitchen.

"But where did you go?" Aria turned to Ron, "You were attacked by Death Eaters."

"Yeah, at a cafe." said Ron, "Wait--how'd you know?"

"I watched Bellatrix send them."

"Lupin said they had tracked you," said Bill.

"But how?" asked Ron.

Aria suddenly remembered what Dobby had said, "Did you say You-Know-Who's name?"

"Why?"

"It's taboo." said Bill, "It's how they track people."

Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Bloody good to know that now." Fleur then returned with her tea, her sheet of silvery blonde hair floating behind her.