An Army of Flying Hobnobs
“You would think alien ships would look cooler.”
“Ron, this is serious they work for the same guy who pulled off the Chitari invasion.”
“Hermione, it’s a flying donut”
It had been 7 months since the battle of hogwarts, and things had settled in a sense. It still hurt, scars where still visible, but the incredibly domestic scene now taking place on the floor of a half renovated Grimmauld place felt like a step in the right direction.
Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry all sat on cushions around an ancient coffee table, each place held the multiple ring marks of several cups of tea. Over the past few months each member of the group had slowly drifted into Grimmauld Place. Ron and Harry where technically the only people who lived there, announcing their moving at the same time after Harry had expressed interest a week earlier, Hermione stayed at the burrow another week before buying her own small flat in London and Ginny still ‘lived’ at the burrow. In truth both Hermione and Ginny slept more nights at Grimmauld Place than their respective housing. No-one really took note except Mrs Weasley and no-one wanted to point out the fact they moved due to her. Living at the burrow was suffocating, since Fred died Molly had pounced at the chance to care for her children, including Harry. Had they eaten enough? Did their clothes fit? We’re they grieving properly?
Harry new from experience that the last question didn’t have a proper answer. Everyone needed space, to grieve, to grow, to move on. Grimmauld Place gave them that, enough freedom to learn who they were without a war, but they were never alone enough to be left brooding. It seemed to be working, or at least it felt like it did to Harry.
The only one left at the burrow was George. He had reopened Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes 3 months after the war, he had tried to live in the flat above the shop alone but it proved to much. After showing up on the door step of number 12 sobbing and drunk, Harry and the gang took it upon themselves to move him back into his family home. He seemed happier there, the family was always passing through and he could still run the shop without having to worry about his own welfare since Molly happily took care of that. He was doing better, they were all doing better.
“The next time Rita Skeeter writes an article I’ll have to grab my flying hobnob.”
“Wouldn’t that just crumble under attack.”
“Nobody likes a smart arse Harry”
“I thought you did, y’know, because of all the -
“Eugh, I do not want to hear about my sisters love life, and as a sorry one of you can get more biscuits.”
“I’ll go see if I can get the bat bogey hex to work on biscuits, then we’ll really have a good stand against those aliens, and Ron.”
Ginny got up from next to Harry, grabbing the empty plate from the middle of the table and her mug.
“Harry, Hermione, want another cup?”
“What about me?!”
“Well, I didn’t know if you wanted ME making a cup of tea for you, I mean, these are the same hands I use to-“
“Ginny!” Harry gasped out, whilst in an attempt to down the rest of his tea to get more.
Ginny burst out laughing.
“Ok Ron. Hand the cup over.” She said smiling.
“You know I can take back my blessing.”
“We don’t need your blessing.” Ginny yelled back as she left the room for the kitchen.
“So what are these aliens’ plans?” Harry asked, “They attack New York then what?”
“World domination?” Ron suggested nonchalantly.
“I don’t know. They didn’t say. I still can’t believe we just missed the fact that an alien invasion happened.”
“I mean, we were in the middle of fighting a war,” Harry reasoned.
“I know, but an entire alien invasion?”
There conversation was halted by a smash seemingly from the kitchen.
“Ginny,” Harry called, “you ok?”
“Umm… Harry?”
Harry turned back to Ron to see his hand disintegrating, and then he was gone.
“Ron!” Hermione screamed, and then, as if someone breathed to hard, Hermione simply turned dust.
“Hermione!” Harry yelled, wand already in hand, looking for the attacker.
There was no-one there.
“Ginny!?” He shouted, racing back to the kitchen to see nothing but a smashed plate and a tipped over mug dripping tea on the floor.
“Ginny!”
She couldn’t just be gone.
He sent a patronus message to head auror Robards.
Knowing that help would come by floo he ran back to the living room.
Harry stood on guard for 5 minutes. No-one came.
Suddenly the floo flared. George stepped out.
“Harry.”
“Stop! What was Your and Fred’s Christmas tradition?”
“To swap jumpers. Harry what’s going on?” He sounded desperate.
“I don’t know.”
“Bill and Charlie came back for their birthdays, and we were having dinner and then…”
“They turned to dust.”
“Yeah.” Then with horrible realisation, “Harry, where are Ron and Ginny?”
Harry just shook his head.
“Shit.”
“Hermione too.”
“It’s just a spell, right? We can reverse it?! We just-“ He rambled, sounding increasingly desperate with every passing second.
“George.” Authority filled Harry’s voice, it was the battle of Hogwarts all over again, he needed to regain control of the situation. “I don’t know what’s happened but I reckon Kingsley will and if he doesn’t we need to inform him.”
He marched towards to floo with George trailing behind and stated in a clear voice.
“Ministry of magic.”