star shopping ✰ d.m.

CHAPTER THREE

Arabella and Ron entered the kitchen to find it mainly empty except for Arthur, Helena, David, and another man that they didn't recognize but did notice looked a lot like David.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered as he looked at the dining table. "That is a long table."

"I can't even see the end of it," Arabella mentioned.

Ron looked at her. "Why not?"

"Because it's all the way down there!"

"I can see it. You really can't see it?"

Arabella tried to focus on the end of the table, but no matter how hard she tried, all she could see was a variety of colors sort of mixing together. "Well, I can see that it's there, but it's awful fuzzy."

Ron's brows furrowed together in confusion and concern. He held two fingers in front of her face. "How many fingers am I holding up?" After receiving a glare as an answer, he grinned. "You might want to ask Harry for his glasses when he gets here." At the thought of his best friend, he turned to Arthur. "When is Harry getting here?"

"Soon," his father told him.

"When is soon?"

"Soon."

"Yeah, I heard you the first time, but now I'm asking-"

"Take a seat, son."

"Okay, I see how it is." He sat down at the end of the table next to Arabella. "Can you see it now?"

"Obviously," she grumbled.

Just then, Hermione, Ginny, Evelyn, and a young girl who looked like she could be Evelyn's sister entered the room.

"Oh, hey guys," Arabella greeted them. "How's the cleaning going?"

Hermione glared at her but didn't answer as she sat down across from her.

"We're nearly finished, no thanks to you," Ginny said, sitting down next to her.

"Hey, I helped," Arabella reminded her.

Hermione gave a cold laugh, but when Arabella looked over at her, she was looking elsewhere.

"Got something to say, Hermione?" The brunette stayed silent. "Come on, spit it out." Still silent. "What, Crookshanks got your tongue?" Still no reply. "Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment right now?" Hermione finally looked at her and shrugged. "Fine. Two can play at that game."

"Can you, though?" Ginny questioned. "I mean, be honest, Bella, have you ever actually stayed silent?"

"All right, Jenny, no one asked you." In response, Ginny flicked Arabella's forehead. "Ow!"

Arabella never got to retaliate, however, because there was a popping sound behind them as Fred and George Apparated into the room. Arabella let out a shriek at the sudden loud noise and appearance of her elder brothers.

"Honestly, must you two Apparate everywhere?" Hermione asked in exasperation.

"Yes," Fred and George said casually.