Let the Games Begin!

Chapters 4-6

Chapter 4

Over the next few days, new Peacekeepers come in to District Twelve, bringing massive television sets for the square and new weapons for harsher punishments. 

The Peacekeepers become more strict and shut down the businesses that they deem to be useless and done for. Nellie Sae's business was shut down, which is a pity, as she sells food for very cheap prices, and just gave birth to her first child, Gracie (people call her Greasy), so she needs money.

People have begun to set up illegal businesses in an abandoned warehouse. 

The public reaping is drawing nearer. I don't see children playing with each other in the fields anymore. Everything is much more quiet, on top of being starved, we have to give our lives to a government that we hate.

I step out of my house to get a breath of fresh air, when I see a stall set up in the square. Peacekeepers stand behind the counter and many children queue up to get there. I walk further to get a closer look.

A sign reads: "Tesserae; Put your name in the reaping several extra times to receive oil and grain. 1 supply bag per 10 times.'

This is brutal. Forcing children to go to their deaths for a meagre supply of oil and grain.

I run from the stall as fast as possible to avoid being forced to put my name down. 

I walk in the door of my house and slump down onto my favourite chair; a sack filled with dirt.

"What happened, Helena?" Mum asks me.

"Have you seen it? The Tesserae?"

"Oh. That."

"Yeah. I have to find a way to escape. The Hogwarts term doesn't start for another three months! The Hunger Games start in six weeks!" I say desperately.

"Will Headmistress McGonagall accept requests to return to Hogwarts early?"

"I don't think so. McGonagall is getting old now. She doesn't even realise that Harry Potter left the school ages ago."

"What should we do?"

"Remember Rose Weasley, daughter of Ron and Hermione?" I ask her.

"Yes, she was in Erudite with me, before the rebellion and the Dark Days." Mum replies.

"Well, she has a daughter in my year at Hogwarts, she's a Gryffindor too."

"Are you suggesting that we move to the Burrow, potentially putting lives in danger, while your brother is on the verge of dying?"

Chapter 5

The Peacekeepers in District Twelve always forget to keep the electric current flowing in the fence surrounding us. I get out my pocket knife and start to hack away at the metal fence. After ten minutes of non-stop sawing, I manage to open a rabbit-sized hole in the fence. By the time my Mum and Dad arrive with our belongings, I have managed to get a human-sized hole cut out of the fence. 

We scramble through the fence and run, keen to get as far as possible from the district. We wait at the waterhole. A blue Ford Anglia comes shooting out of the sky towards us. 

A siren blares from inside District Twelve. I hear the sound of heavy footfall, and it's heading towards us. 

The Anglia parks in front of us, its boot (trunk) open. Mum and Dad throw in the bags and wrench open the door. 

Five Peacekeepers emerge through the fence.

We get in the car.

The Peacekeepers get out their guns.

The door slams shut.

They fire.

The car is peppered with bullets as it takes off for the Burrow. There are massive dents that are visible from the inside of the car. We go into invisibility mode and the car lurches forwards, which signals that we are about to go into hyperdrive. 

"It must be a big effort to live in North America and go to Hogwarts every year." Rose Weasley says.

"Headmistress McGonagall lets me apparate to Kings Cross Station every year, but I'm underage, so I can't apparate until the day that the Hogwarts Express leaves." I reply.

"We just drive to the station every year." Rose's daughter, Minnie, reports, leaning over from the front seat to se us. Her hair is flaming red and her eyes are sea green.

"Thank you for letting us live at the Burrow for a while." Mum says. "Helena keeps saying how friendly and welcoming the  Weasley family are."

I blush profusely. I prefer to keep my praise a secret.

"We like to help people in danger. With you being hunted down by the country and Harry being sent off to die, I think that you qualify as people in danger." Rose says.

Chapter 6

The Burrow looks like a run down shack from outside the muggle-repelling bubble, but when you look closer, it's way more beautiful. In Harry Potter's writings about his adventures, he described it as a small, wonky house that looked like it was falling to bits. When the Voldemort Days were over, the Ministry donated 5000 galleons to the Weasley family for their contribution to the war. The Burrow now looks slightly improved, they obviously wanted to keep its falling apart welcomeness. 

We step inside, the fire is going and a pot of stock is on the boil. A woman of about sixty years walks down the stairs.

"How was your trip? Anything strange happen?" she asks.

"I had a daydream about slaying dragons." Minnie admitted.

"That's barbaric, Minnie!" the woman says to Minnie. "Sorry, I'm Hermione Weasley, and you are?"

"Helena. This is my mother, Josephine and my father, Jupiter." I reply.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." my mother says.

"Hello, Hermione." my father greets.

"Is it true, you're the brightest witch of your age?" I ask her in awe.

"You bet! It's wicked!" a man of about the same age of Hermione descends the staircase.

"Ronald, please stop talking like a child." Hermione scolds.

"Sorry. I'm Ron Weasley." he says to my family and I.

"Right. I have a meal to prepare, you three need some decent British food." Rose points at my family and I as she says it.

"Helena, follow me, I'll show you where you're sleeping." Minnie beckons me.

I follow her up the wooden staircase into a cramped landing. Four doors are built into the walls. Minnie pushes the one on our immediate left.

Minnie's bedroom is small and cramped with quidditch posters. There are about fifty Chudley Cannons posters and several magical toys.