12
A white cottage sat stately off the main road to a village. The lawn was well taken care of and the large tall green hedges kept out wondering eyes. The village was still fast asleep today as it was Sunday. Church was at 10am and the villagers knew they wouldn’t see anyone from the white cottage there. Sometimes they saw fancy black range rovers drive up and stay for hours. Most of the time they saw a small suv with two older people in it. Other times they saw the mini-cooper that was owned by the people in the cottage. Today the mini-cooper was parked in the detached shed. If one was walking on the public foot path they would have seen an owl fly to the upper most corner window and land waiting. Soon a man with red hair opened the window and took the letter the owl held. He read it quickly and thanked the owl. The small owl flew off. Ron went back to bed and put the letter on his bedside table. He had magazines stacked up and his watch sitting on it. It was just a note from Harry. He was at the Ministry early again. Hermione was still asleep thankfully. Ron tried to get back to sleep but couldn’t-the shop would need fixed. He had made a list last night when he couldn’t sleep. Sleep did come eventually. Harry’s note said-“We haven’t found anything new yet, nothing more we can do yet, get some rest mate”-Harry. Eventually Ron gave up and went downstairs. Photos lined the stairs neatly framed. Rose as a baby. Hugo as a baby. The bottom photo was a few years old now-their family at Rose’s wedding. Ron stood next to Rose then Scorpius, Hermione next to him then Hugo by her. They were all smiling happily. He paused looking at it then went to make a cup of tea. A meow found him finally. A black and white cat. “Come on then”, He said to it opening a can of food. He set the food in the cat bowl and refilled the water. This cat liked him thankfully. This was their fourth one as one had ran away and the other got sick. This cat was called Mittens. He made his tea and sat down at the table. The Sunday paper wasn’t here yet so it was still early. He thought of calling Harry but what would it matter. The note had been enough. The wireless would wake her also. He went into the front room and Mittens followed. He sat on one of the sofas falling asleep after drinking his mug of tea. Around 9am Hermione was fully dressed for the day and showered. She was looking for her book. She saw Harry’s note also. If Ron wasn’t in bed he was on a sofa and she was correct. She didn’t find her book either. She then went to the kitchen to start breakfast. Maybe Butty sandwiches. She got to work on the sausages. Ron woke up from the smell and sounds. “Sorry about falling asleep”, Ron said entering. “Not the first time”, She joked, she was well rested finally. “Coffee?”, She asked him, He nodded getting two plates out and silverware. He set the table and sat down. “I thought we should go on a walk today, get outdoors”, She said, He sat looking at the paper that had finally shown up-nothing new yet he scanned just the same details. She walked over, “Don’t worry they will get them”, She said kissing him on the head. “Yeah”, He said quietly. She made the sandwiches and put them on the table. She waved her wand turning the oven off, cups of coffee flew gently down to met them at their seats. “Milk?” She asked, “Yes and some sugar”, He said, “Oh listen to this now”, Ron said rattling off some quidditch story. They ate breakfast. The room brighten up a bit now with laughter between them. “A walk would be nice”, He said getting up, “Give me um 15 minutes”, Ron said going back upstairs to the third floor to their bedroom. She got her light coat and boots on. It was wet in the fields she knew as it had rained last night. He came back downstairs in shorts and a long sleeve shirt. He put his hiking boots on also and they left through the back door to the side gate to the trail that went by their house around the village farms and back into the village itself. It was a good two miles or so. They arrived back three hours later or so from the walk and came with a few groceries. Harry Potter was sitting by the back door waiting for them dressed causally in shorts and t-shirt with converse on. Ron smiled and felt relieved to see his best friend at his home now.