star shopping ✰ d.m.

CHAPTER ONE

It had been only just under four weeks since Arabella had ended her sixth year at Hogwarts, and there was still uncertainty around whether or not she and her siblings, Ron and Ginny, would be returning to the school in the fall. They had still not heard word on whether the school would even be open, but even if it was, Molly was unsure if she wanted to send her youngest children back. While Dumbledore was alive and headmaster of the school, Arthur could usually use that to calm Molly's nerves and convince her that the children would be safe there. But now with Dumbledore gone and the Wizarding world gradually becoming more and more unsafe to be apart of, Arthur found himself unable to come up with any reasons as to why the three shouldn't just stay home this year.

The children themselves were unsure as well. Ginny was insistent that there was no need to go back; the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Severus Snape, would obviously not be allowed back to the school, as he had been the one that had murdered Dumbledore and assisted the Death Eaters that had broken into the castle, and the Muggle Studies teacher, Charity Burbage, had apparently resigned. This left two open positions at the school that would most likely not be filled, as no one would exactly be jumping to teach at a school that Death Eaters had so easily broken into to successfully kill the headmaster. Of course, Minerva McGonagall, who was headmistress as far as the children knew, could just choose not to have those subjects taught, but seeing at Defense Against the Dark Arts was arguably the most needed subject in the current climate, this would not be in the best interest of her students.

The twins, Ron and Arabella, mostly agreed with their younger sister on this subject. However, Ron would sometimes subtly hint that he would not be returning to the school for his seventh and final year no matter what was decided. The opposite of him, Arabella knew that if the school was reopening, she would be returning; she valued her education all too much not to.

In the almost four weeks between the last day of term and the present day - four days before the 17th birthday of Harry Potter and the day a select group of people would be retrieving him from his aunt and uncle's house for the last time - Remus Lupin (a previous professor of Arabella's) and Nymphadora Tonks (a good friend of Arabella's) had gotten married. While it was a small, simple, and quiet ceremony, it was a beautiful one, and Arabella found herself crying along with her mother and Tonks's mother. Tonks later lightheartedly made fun of her for it and said that if Arabella ever got married, she would cry obnoxiously at her wedding in retaliation.

Hermione had been able to attend the wedding as well, as she arrived to the Burrow the day before. She had seemed a bit subdued, however, and while she was obviously trying to hide it so as to not worry anyone, Ron and Arabella were still a bit concerned for her, even though she never told them what was wrong.

In present time, the Weasleys were all at their home, waiting for those that were set to arrive any time now before they would set off to collect Harry. Molly, Arabella, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all in the kitchen, as Arabella was once again asking why she couldn't go on the mission to get Harry.

"I'm of age, and Ron and Hermione get to go, so why can't I?" she questioned her mother.

"You act as if it's going to be some fun party or something," Ron said.

"I'm not, I'm just saying, there's no logical reason why I can't go as well."

"Well, I can't very well tell Hermione what she can and can't do," Molly reasoned.

"Okay, so why Ron then?"

"Why not me?" Ron retorted.

"Well - you're-"

"I'm what, Bella?"

The twins just glared at each other, not daring to say anything negative about one another in front of Molly. Meanwhile, the members of the Order of the Phoenix that would be going to Surrey that night along with the entirety of the Wood family were just arriving, Apparating on the front lawn.

"Finally, they're here," Molly said, bustling out of the kitchen to greet them all.

"See, even Mum's tired of you," Arabella said to Ron, noticing how relieved Molly sounded at the distraction from her bickering children.

"Mum's been tired of you both since you were born," Ginny said, rising from the table to join everyone else in the living room. Hermione followed her.

The twins exchanged grumpy expressions before following as well.

Moody, Arthur, Fred, George, Lupin, Tonks, Ron, Hermione, Bill, Fleur, Hagrid, David, Faustus, Henry, Blair Wood, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Mundungus Fletcher made up the group that would be going to the Dursleys house to collect Harry. They would be Apparating there and traveling back by broomsticks, Thestrals, and, in Hagrid's case, a flying motorbike. Half the group would be taking Polyjuice Potion in order to disguise themselves as Harry so that if they were ambushed by Death Eaters, they would not know which was the real Harry. In truth, Arabella was worried about what would happen if they were attacked by Death Eaters, because one can only do so much to defend themselves while airborne, and Harry couldn't do anything at all as he was still underage, but she hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

It seemed that everyone shared her concern, as those who were staying behind at the Burrow made sure to hug their loved ones and tell them to be safe. Arabella joined in on this, pulling Ron and Hermione into a hug.

"I expect you both back in one piece," she said to them.

"We'll try, Bella," Hermione told her.

[word count: 1002]
[written: 10/22/20]
[published: 10/23/20]