ааааааааForge gulped and glanced at Gregor. The man seemed to be paying no attention. He stared idly at the wine in his glass as he swirled it.
аааааааа"IЕ yes," Forge said. "It takes more time, of course. It isn't merely a matter of replacing the paint. The correct potions must be determined for each colorЕ unimportant bits have to be scraped and reused to get the proper compositionsЕ it's very delicate, but I have achieved a level of success."
аааааааа"That's very fascinating," the pale man said, his blue eyes boring into the goblin. He's mad, Forge thought.Completely nutters. I wonder if the other one knows it. I wonder if they are both mad, but in differentways.
ааааааааThe pale man stood. "We have a job for you, Mr. Forge. It will be rather difficult, I am afraid, but I suspect a goblin of your obvious skills will find it a worthy challenge indeed. It is a priceless family heirloom, you see. For the longest time, we believed it was lost. Funny, isn't it, how things tend to turn up when you need them most? It's been rather dreadfully damaged by, er, vandals. But if there was anything you thought you could do to help, we'd be most eternallyЕ grateful."
ааааааааThe thin voice was gibbering again as the pale man began to turn the middle chair. Suddenly, Forge absolutely did not want to see what was there. He wanted to run, or at least avert his eyes. He knew if he did, they would probably kill him. He watched and listened, and as the chair turned, the voice finally became intelligible.
аааааааа"Show meee himmm!" it rasped in its awful, tiny, broken voice. "Show himmeee!" And it began to laugh, high and crackling, a thoroughly mad, fragmented, twisted laugh.
ааааааааThe portrait was not large. It was almost entirely destroyed. Only a few shreds and scraps remained: the corner of the mouth, two fingers of a thin, pale hand, a single glittering red eye. It had been slashed. The back of the frame showed dozens of deep gouges and punctures.
аааааааа"Make him repairrr meeeeЕ," the portrait screamed in its thin, insectile voice. "Do it, Luciussssss! Make himrepairrr meeeeeeЕ"
аааааааа"It will be his pleasure, my Lord," the pale man smiled, looking up at Forge, his eyes wet, glistening.
аааааааа"M-my Lord?" Gregor said, as if shocked to hear the decimated portrait speak so clearly. "You remain! But we thoughtЕ"
аааааааа"It matterssss not!" the portrait of Voldemort cried. "The Gatekeeper isss descended! The work of ourforefather is at hand! Vennngeance!"
ааааааааGregor seemed hopelessly at a loss by this sudden change of events. "ButЕ but how will we find it, my Lord?"
аааааааа"Weeee will notЕ," the portrait hissed. The sound of its broken voice flapped a shred of the canvas. Forge dreaded the sight of the horrible thing, dreaded what they were going to make him do to it. But he dreaded most what he knew it was going to say next.
ааааааааThe painting sighed deeply and said, on the exhale, "It will findussssЕ"
1.ENDINGS ANDBEGINNINGS
"C ome on, James!" Albus cried, hopping impatiently. "Let me give it a try. Nobody will tell!" "You know I can't, you Skrewt," James replied calmly, swinging a leg over hisаThunderstreak. "You're underage. You'll just have to learn in school like everybody else does." He kicked off, leaning forward so that the broom rocketed out over the garden.
аааааааа"You just want me to look as much a fool as you did on a broomyour first year!" Albus called, running after his brother. "It won't work! I'm gonna be brilliant! I'll fly circles around you, you watch!"
ааааааааJames smiled as the wind whipped through his hair. He pulled up and banked, circling back toward Albus. Albus stopped, frowning, and ducked as James flew past, tousling his younger brother's hair.
ааааааааJames hugged his broom and climbed into a streaking corkscrew, pulling up into the blue dome of the sky. Below, the Burrow spun lazily, casting its shadow out over the garden and the nearby fields. James drew a deep breath of the rushing air, and then dipped his broom, pulling it toa sudden, practiced stop. He knew he shouldn't show off in front of his brother, but he was quite proud of his increasing skills. His dad had been working with him over the summer, and James had become cautiously confident that he'd make the House team this year after all.
аааааааа"About time, Potter," Ted called, swinging in next to James on his old but well-maintained Nimbusа2000. "Three-on-three is hard enough, even with experienced players. You'll need to play Beater and Seeker. Just keep an eye on Angelina. She'll let you think she's delicate as a flower until she drafts you into a tree. George is playing Beater and Keeper as well, so he'll be plenty busy, but his long-range Bludger will still find you if you don't watch it. But the one you've really got to keep an eye on isЧ"
ааааааааSomething red and green roared between Ted and James, forcing them into opposite tumbles. James gripped his broom and swung it around, craning to look. His mum spun to a stop and drifted gently over him, grinning, her cheeks flushed and her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She was wearing her Holyhead Harpies tunic.
аааааааа"What do you think, James? Still fits!"
ааааааааJames heard the sound of an appreciative whistle behind him. He looked and saw his dad smiling at Ginny, pulling his broom into position thirty feet away.
аааааааа"Dad! Mum!" James reproached, stifling a grin. "Quit it! You're both an embarrassment!"
ааааааааGinny blew a stray hair out of her face. "You just watch your back out there, love. I may be your mum, but that doesn't mean I won't broadside you to get to the Snitch." She grinned at him, and then spun on her broom and zoomed to the opposite side of the pitch.
аааааааа"She's not serious," James said, turning to Ted.
аааааааа"You better hope not," Ted answered, watching Ginny fly off. "I've played against her before, and I tend to think your only hope is that she won't Bludger her own son in the back of the head."
аааааааа"You're a great help," James said, but Ted had already dropped back into formation.
аааааааа"Knock James off his broom, Mum!" Albus yelled from below. James glanced down and saw him standing at the edge of the orchard. Nearby, Lily, Rose, and Hugo sat on a huge tartan blanket, grinning and squinting up into the sunlight. Charlie's twins, Harold and Jules, were perched in agnarled old oak tree by the barn.
ааааааааRose nudged Lily with her elbow. "Go for it, Aunt Ginny! Knock him flying! You can always have another kid! One with better manners and less stinky feet!"
аааааааа"I heard that!" James called down.
аааааааа"I should hope so," Rose said primly, putting her fists on her hips and smiling coquettishly. Lily giggled.
аааааааа"Enough, Rose," Aunt Hermione admonished from a deck chair at the edge of the garden.
аааааааа"I'd play on your team, Harry, if I could," Ron yelled from the chair next to her. "But three-onthree's the tradition. Maybe somebody will get hurt enough not to play and I'll be able to sub in, eh?"
ааааааааHermione grimaced and scowled at him.
аааааааа"What? A guy can hope, can't he?" Ron protested. He looked back up at Harry. "Looks like we'll have to host an all-out tournament by next year!"
ааааааааHarry nodded. "None of us were kidding when we said we wanted to have enough kids to make a Quidditch team, were we?" he called back.
ааааааааCharlie stood in the center of the garden, below the players. He had one foot on the family's bedraggled old Quidditch trunk. He held a Quaffle, yellow with age and grass-stained, in his right hand.
аааааааа"The Annual Weasley Family Quidditch Match is now underway!" he boomed, grinning. "I want to see a mean match. I want to see plenty of blagging, loads of bumphing, and a good bit of blatching. Any player not bloody by the end of the match will be deemed unfit to remain a Weasley andwill have to defect to the Potters. Understood?"
аааааааа"Throw the Quaffle or get on a broom, Freckles!" Harry yelled, resulting in a round of laughter and catcalls. Charlie grinned crookedly.
аааааааа"Ball up!" he shouted, lobbing the Quaffle and releasing his foot from the Quidditch trunk. The lid exploded open and the balls soared into the air.
ааааааааJames gulped, gripped his broom, and lunged into the fray.
ааааааааTechnically, it wasn't James' first Quidditch match. He'd played several matches over the summer with whoever happened to be around. Granted, most of them had been two-on-two matches, sometimes using 'ghost players', which Ted provided from a small box he'd bought from George. Apparently, it was a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes test product. When the tiny wooden box was opened, it released four Boggarts, all of which had been specially hexed to only take the shapes of famous dead Quidditch players. They looked extremely convincing even if they were a bit transparent. The problem wasthat the Boggarts didn't have the slightest idea how to play Quidditch; thus, despite their impressive appearance, they tended to simply swoop randomly over the pitch, their arms in the air, making ghostly noises. Also, Bludgers flew right through them.
аааааааа"Still," George had concluded, "they do add a certain something to a match lacking the right number of players, don't they?"
ааааааааNone of the matches James had taken part in that summer compared to this, however. Not only did the Weasleys tend to be fiercely competitive, but all the players knew each other eerily well. This was sometimes a benefit, such as when George ducked beneath a Bludger and lobbed the Quaffle over his head, knowing Angelina would be directly behind him to swat it into the goal with her Beater club. It was also sometimes a dread drawback, such as when Ginny predicted Ted's favorite maneuver and plucked the Quaffle from beneath his arm the very moment he swooped to score. Despite thefervor of the match, there was plenty of laughter and hearty encouragement on all sides. James knew he'd probably influence the match very little. He was mostly concerned with staying on his broom and not letting his own mum make a complete fool out of him in front of Rose and the rest. To his great pleasure, however, he did manage a few lucky swats with his club, sending the old Bludgers careening into the fracas and even occasionally striking their marks. One of them caromed off of George's broomtail, sending him into a wild, momentary spin. When he recovered, he glanced back at James and gave him a huge, toothy grin.
аааааааа"Look at James!" he called to the other players. "Giving the 'old guard' a warning shot! Next one will be my head, eh, James? Nice shot!" And he dove back into the melee.
ааааааааRon couldn't help jumping up and down at the edge of the pitch, shouting instructions and warnings through cupped hands.
аааааааа"Dragon formation!" he bellowed furiously. "Dragon formation, George at the wing! Harry's left is weak since that hit with Angelina! They've no defence against it! Ginny, you're drifting to the right! Fix your tail! Your tail! Oh, come down here and give me your broom!"
ааааааааRight next to him, Albus matched him shout for shout, sometimes shoving his uncle aside with both hands. "They're planning a Waterloo Skidoo, Dad! Stack up and plow the center! Ted! Mum's stopped to fix her broomtail! She's exposed! Forget she's a girl and Bludger her back to the Stone Age!"
ааааааааHermione had moved to the blanket to sit with Fleur. The two of them were pointedly ignoring the match, lost in their own animated conversation.
ааааааааAnd then, just as the sun was beginning to redden, James caught a flash of gold flickering near the fifth story of the Burrow. He glanced around, opening his mouth to alert the Seeker, and then rememberedhe was playing Seeker. His heart trip-hammered and he lunged forward, touching his chin to his broom handle. He shot forward, banking around Angelina and a wildly spinning Bludger. The rickety walls of the Burrow swayed in front of him, its windows winking daggers of burnished sunlight at him, half blinding him. There it was again, the flash of gold, darting through a stand of birch trees at the corner. James leaned, and the Thunderstreak responded with perfect control, ticking down and to the right, homing in on the Snitch. He strained forward, nearly climbing off the end of his broom, and reached for the tarnished golden ball.
ааааааааThe Snitch suddenly bobbed upwards, just over James' reaching hand. He shot under it, swore loudly, and then tucked his head as he whipped through the branches of the birch trees. They tore at him, but he barely noticed. He leaned so hard that he nearly fell off his broom, slewing to a halt and craning his head back to find the Snitch. The setting sun dazzled his eyes. James squinted and saw the tiny golden form of the Snitch. It hung in the air near the corner of the Burrow's roof, bobbing in the air like a bumblebee. A darker shape appeared behind it, blocking the sun. It was Ginny. She saw the Snitch, and then saw James. She grinned, and hugged her broom, rocketing forward.
аааааааа"Oh no you don't!" James growled. He lunged, forcing himself to keep his eyes on the Snitch and not to check to see where his mum was. The Snitch seemed to sense the pursuit. It zigged out over the pitch, threading through the players. James hugged his broom, willing it to go even faster, and was suddenly reminded that the Thunderstreak was equipped with a rudimentary ability to read its owner's mind. It leapt forward, faster than James had ever gone before. He dipped under Ted and his dad, who had noticed the Snitch flash past them. James heard them cheering him on raucously.A shadow fell over the end of his broom and James couldn't help glancing up. His mum was directly over him, swooping toward the Snitch, her tunic flapping. James did the first thing that occurred to him. Suddenly, wildly, he steered to the left,away from the Snitch, still reaching forward as if to grab it. Instantly, he corrected and threw himself forward on his broom. It had worked! He sensed the movement over him as Ginny feinted left, believing James had seen the Snitch move aside. She'd been watching him rather than the Snitch itself! The Snitch didn't dodge away from him this time. He strained forward, brushed it with his fingers as it flew, and then clamped his hand on it. The wings buzzed against his palm for a moment before going still. The game was over.
ааааааааJames turned on his broom exultantly, holding the Snitch over his head. Far behind him, Harry and Ted threw their hands into the air. They were shouting at him. A second later, James realized they weren't celebrating. They were making warning signs. James hadn't stopped his broom. He whipped around to see where he was going just as the gnarled apple tree at the back of the pitch loomed over him. The breath socked out of him as a branch swept him from his broom. There was a sickly sensation of weightlessness, and then he thumped to the ground.
аааааааа"Ooh," he moaned. Running footsteps approached and a moment later his mum was kneeling over him.
аааааааа"James! Tell me you're all right!" she commanded. Lily peered in next to her, her eyes wide.
аааааааа"He's all right, everybody," Ted said as he landed nearby, laughing. "He only dropped eight feet. Besides, all those rotten apples broke his fall."
ааааааааJames sat up and felt the sticky mush of a dozen rotten apples plastered to his back. He moaned and shook his head, flinging gobbets of apple pulp from his hair.
аааааааа"Gah!" Lily cried, sputtering. "Warn me next time you do that, idiot!"
ааааааааSuddenly, James remembered the Snitch. He glanced down at it in his hand, and then showed it to his mum. A huge grin broke out on his face.
ааааааааGinny smiled down at him crookedly. "Nicely done, son. Just don't expect to beat me twice."
аааааааа"Did we win, then?" James asked as Ginny gave him her hand and pulled him to his feet.
аааааааа"I hear Albus and your uncle arguing about it even as we speak, but I'd guess you did."
ааааааааIn the near distance, James heard Ron and Albus heatedly arguing the final score.
аааааааа"Excellent grab, James," Harry said to his son, brushing rotten apple off the back of James' shirt as they returned to the Burrow.
аааааааа"Yeah," Ted agreed happily, "great use of the old dodge and feint. I was sure your mum was gonna beat you to the gold, but you really took the biscuit, didn't you?"
аааааааа"I'll say," George said sourly, turning and walking backwards so as to glare pointedly at Ginny, his broom slung over his shoulder. "In fact, if I recall correctly, I think it was a member of this very family thatinvented that maneuver."
ааааааааGinny looked innocently at her brother. "I haven't the faintest idea what you mean, George."
аааааааа"No? Hmm! Well, if I remember rightЧand IdoЧthe Harpies' announcers used to call it the 'Ginevra Gambit'. Funny thing, you falling for a maneuver named after you, isn't it? Right suspicious, in fact."
ааааааааGinny simply shrugged and smiled. George continued to walk backwards, fuming at her. Finally, Angelina tripped him.
аааааааа"James, why don't you go gather your brother and cousins for dinner?" Harry said, ruffling his son's hair. "Your grandfather will be home soon and we all want to be there for the big surprise."
аааааааа"Now look what you did, Dad," James said, trying to matt his hair back down. "I look like an old picture of you."
аааааааа"That rotten apple's even better than Hermione's hair gel goo," Ted commented. "You should tell her about it. Ron says she spends more money on Muggle hair potions than she does on food."
аааааааа"What?" Hermione shrilled, bumping Ron with her hip. "You did not!"
ааааааааJames didn't wait for the rest. He tossed his Thunderstreak to his dad and turned toward the sound of his cousins' voices.
аааааааа"Hey, it's almost dinner, you lot," he called as he entered the shadow of the Weasley family's small stone garage. As always, the doors were thrown wide open. The cool, familiar smell of the dirt floor and dusty shelves surrounded him. He sighed happily.
аааааааа"Nice grab, James!" the twins, Harold and Jules, called in unison as James approached.
аааааааа"Thanks!"
аааааааа"Too bad you spoiled it by getting intimate with an apple tree," Rose said from where she sat, kicking her legs idly. "What a downer."
аааааааа"Hey," James said, ignoring Rose's remarks. "That's Merlin's car! What's it doing here?"
ааааааааRose glanced down at the bonnet of the car she was sitting on. The old Anglia had been meticulously cleaned and was half-repainted, but one headlight still hung askew from its socket. "This isn't Merlin's, you nitwit," Rose chided. "It's Grandfather's. Don't you remember the storiesabout the flying Ford? Your dad and my dad took it for a joyride back when they were in school. They ended up losing it in the Forbidden Forest. All Merlin did was find it. When he discovered whose it was, he arranged to have it returned here. Grandfather's been getting it back into shape over the summer."
аааааааа"He's making some pretty keen modifications to it too!" Hugo announced, popping his head out the driver's side window. "Watch this!"
ааааааааHe disappeared again and the car rocked a bit as he and Albus moved around in the front seat.
аааааааа"That's probably not a good ideaЧ" James began, and then jumped back as a pair of wood and canvas wings shot out of the sides of the automobile, squeaking and ratcheting as they unfolded. They began to flap up and down violently, making the entire car bounce and rock. A moment later, they screeched to a stop.
аааааааа"It's a good thing you know how to turn those off!" James exclaimed, his eyes wide.
аааааааа"I didn't!" Albus answered, working buttons and levers on the car's dashboard. "They stopped on their own. Looks like they aren't quite finished yet. I hope we didn't break them. Hey, Hugo, climb back there and jump on them a little, why don't you?"
аааааааа"No, let us!" the twins cried, scrambling toward the wings.
аааааааа"No!" James called, throwing up his hands. "Nobody jump on anything! Granddad will leather you with a hex if you break his stuff!"
ааааааааHugo scowled, ignoring James. "Too bad Uncle Percy and Aunt Audrey aren't here. Lucy's the mechanical one. I bet she could get this thing in the air."
аааааааа"I wonder why it needs the wings anyway," Rose commented. "I thought it flew on its own."
аааааааа"Uncle Harry smashed it into the Whomping Willow at Hogwarts, remember?" Hugo called out. "Totally crippled it. That's why it ran off into the Forest and turned all feral."
аааааааа"You've got it all wrong," Albus said. "Your dad was driving. If my dad had been behind the wheel, they'd have made a four-point landing."
аааааааа"Yeah," Rose agreed, "probably right through the windows of the Great Hall."
ааааааааThe twins guffawed and ran around the car, pretending to fly and crash. Harold mimicked the Whomping Willow, thrashing at his brother, who feigned death and keeled over.
аааааааа"Anyway," Hugo continued, "everybody knows about the Alma Alerons and their flying cars. I bet Granddad wanted to see if he could make this fly even better."
ааааааааJames grinned. "Come on, you lot. He'll be home soon. If we don't get inside, we'll miss the surprise."
аааааааа"And the cake," Rose added.
ааааааааThat got their attention. Jules and Harold spun on their heels and darted past James, yelling and trying to push each other out of the way. Albus shrugged and followed Hugo out the driver's door of the car. Rose slid off the bonnet and brushed the dust from her bottom with her hands.
аааааааа"Grandfather's quite peculiar, isn't he?" she said, glancing around at the Anglia and the collection of mismatched Muggle objects that filled the shelves nearby. James had seen them a hundred times, but there were always a few new things. He followed Rose as she approached the collection and ran her hand lightly over some of the items, drawing lines in the dust with her fingers. Alongside the assortment of batteries and electric can openers, extension cords and nose hair trimmers, James saw the newer additions. There was an old laptop computer, a video game controller, and a digital alarm clock in the shape of a cartoon character.
"Why do you suppose he loves all this stuff so much?" Rose asked.
аааааааа"I don't know," James said. "I think part of it is because he grew up a wizard, not like us. My dad grew up with Muggles. Your mum too. They brought a bit of the Muggle world with them, so to us, it's no mystery. But for Granddad, the Muggle world is as foreign as aliens would be tous. He just loves figuring out how it all works, and what they use it for."
аааааааа"He could just take a Muggle Studies course, nowadays, couldn't he?" Rose said as the two of them turned toward the door. "They didn't have classes like that when he was a kid."
ааааааааJames shrugged. "I guess so. I don't think he wants to learn it like that though. That's not the point for him. I don't really know what he thinks the point is though."
ааааааааRose tilted her head. "He just loves the mystery of it, don't you think?"
аааааааа"Well, what's the point of a mystery if you never find out?" James frowned.
аааааааа"You're such a boy, James. The moment the mystery is solved, it's not a mystery anymore."
аааааааа"Granddad's a boy too, you know."
аааааааа"No, Grandfather's a man."
ааааааааJames rolled his eyes. "What's the difference, then?"
ааааааааRose sniffed. "Well, a man can catch the Snitch andnot come out smelling like a rancid cider house."
ааааааааJames chased her the rest of the way to the back door.
ааааааааInside, Grandma Weasley was frantically arranging the final details as the family milled around, mostly trying to stay out of her way.
аааааааа"Hugo! Dominique! You get your fingers away from that cake this moment!" she admonished as she passed by the table, her arms full of plates and cutlery. "Fleur, would you be a dear and help me with the pudding? It's Arthur's favorite and I want it right in the middle of the table. Oh, when did this family become so large that we can't eat indoors without sitting on each other's laps?"
аааааааа"It's your fault entirely, Mum," George said reasonably. "You can't go having seven kids and not expect the lot of us to see it as a dare to have more."
аааааааа"Don't you start," Angelina said, grimacing and throwing an arm around his neck.
аааааааа"You knew what you were getting into when you got engaged to me," George replied airily. "The thing I love best about you is your childbearing hips."
ааааааааAngelina tightened her grip around his neck, dragging him into the parlor where everyone was gathering.
аааааааа"How'd the match go, James?" Bill asked from his seat next to his son Louis.
ааааааааJames shrugged and grinned. "Pretty good. Nobody got killed. I caught the Snitch."
ааааааааLouis smiled crookedly. "Rose told us all about it already."
ааааааааJames rolled his eyes as Bill laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
аааааааа"Oh! Arthur will be here any moment!" Molly fretted, wringing her hands on her apron and glancing around at her gathered family. "I just know I'm forgetting something. He's so dreadfully hard to surprise. James! You didn't change your shirt! You're covered with rotten apple! No! Don't sit on the sofa! It's too late now to do anything about it, I supposeЕ"
аааааааа"Mum," Charlie soothed, "calm down. It's a birthday party, not a military campaign."
ааааааааShe heaved a quick sigh, letting Charlie massage her shoulders for a moment. "All I can say is it's a good thing he agreed to that consultant position at the Ministry. At least it gets him away from the Burrow a few times a week. Otherwise, I'd never have got him out of the place long enough to arrange such a thing. Especially since that Merlin character returned that awful carЕ Oh! That's what I forgot! Ronald! Do you have theЧ"
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