The Lewis House 39 страница

"Don't!" Bill hissed.

But it was too late; she had turned around, and Ron grinned at Bill's positively purple complexion as Fleur's eyes flitted disdainfully over him, then focused on Ron.

"Ron!" she called in return. "But 'ow nice!" She picked up her purse and shopping bag, and unnecessarily ran a hand over her hair before coming toward him and kissing him on both cheeks. Ron knew he was glowing red, but he didn't care.

"Nice to see you too," he said, as evenly as he could. "This is my brother, Bill - Bill, this is Fleur Delacour. She was the Beauxbatons champion at the Triwizard Tournament."

Fleur acknowledged Bill with a curt nod and returned her full attention to Ron, who felt highly gratified. It was usually the other way around.

"What're you doing in London?" he asked.

"I 'elped your brother Sharlie wiz his dragons, and now I am 'elping wiz enchantments at Gringotts."

"Ah," Ron said, smiling widely. So Bill had seen her before, and hadn't worked up the nerve to talk to her. "Well, you're working with my brother, then. He's a Curse Breaker for the bank. You should show her around, Bill." Ron elbowed his brother in the ribs. "Make a few introductions, give her a tour of Diagon Alley, that sort of thing."

"Oh, I know my way around," Fleur said airily, giving Bill a wide, white, catlike smile. "I do not need 'elp. But," she said, turning back to Ron, "you are terribly sweet." She leaned forward and kissed both Ron's cheeks once more. "I must go. I 'ope we will see each other again - you work in Diagon Alley?"

"He's on trial at the Ministry courthouse," Bill answered, and Ron tensed with embarrassment. He made a note to stop by Fred and George's shop soon, and find something horrible to send to Bill's flat.

But Fleur's Cheshire smile faded; she looked instantly concerned. "You are all right?" she asked Ron, putting a hand on his arm. "Were you accused in ze war?"

Ron stopped glaring at Bill and soaked up Fleur's sympathetic look. "No, it's nothing that serious, but thanks. I'll be fine."

"What is zat?" she asked, frowning at his temple. "Were you 'urt?"

Ron looked blankly at her, then remembered that his temple had been torn open when Malfoy had hit him with the ring. Even though Hermione had treated it properly, it had never really healed. He reached up and felt the scab to make sure it wasn't bleeding,. "Nah," he answered. "That's nothing."

Fleur looked relieved. She gave him another winning smile. "Well, ze next time you come by Gringotts, ask for me and we will 'ave lunch."

"Yeah, all right," Ron said, and though he knew he was grinning stupidly, he couldn't stop himself. "I'll bring Harry, if you like."

"Oh! Yes, bring 'Arry. You both..." Fleur trailed off, looking suddenly distant and sad. She shook her lovely head. "You were both very kind to me, at 'Ogwarts," she said quietly. "I 'ave not forgotten it." She went absently towards the door and pushed through it.

"Say hi to Gabrielle for me," Ron called after her, but he wasn't sure if she'd heard. The door swung shut. The next thing he felt was a very un-brotherly punch in the shoulder; Ron hollered in pain, and turned on Bill. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he yelled.

"Her little sister disappeared months ago -" Bill said hotly, baring his teeth like a guard dog. "Gabrielle was abducted from Mont. Ste. Mireille - way to bring it up, you halfwit." He glowered at Ron.

"How was I supposed to know that?" Ron asked angrily, and then stopped. "Wait a minute. How do you know?"

Bill went back to looking purple, and said nothing.

"Ohhh..." Ron rubbed the sore spot on his shoulder, suddenly understanding. "Got a thing for her, have you? Done your research on her?"

Bill looked daggers at Ron, but shut his mouth on whatever curse was about to come out of it when Madame Mbaye bustled back into the room with her arms full of fabric.

"Did I hear fighting?" she asked, giving a low, silky laugh. "Now boys, play nice. Here's what I think you ought to be wearing - stunning pattern. Just the thing. Very animal, you know, very primal." She held a huge swatch of cloth up to Ron, toga-style. The cloth was orange and blue and brown, decorated with black African-styled patterns, and the whole thing shimmered with gold flecks. "Oh, now that is nice," she mused. "Gold brings out that hair of yours very nicely."

Ron stepped away from the toga and shook his head. "I just need a set of professional robes," he said quickly. "Blue or black. Or really dark green. Something solid."

"Give him maroon," came a voice from the door. It was Harry, dressed in full dragon riding attire, and looking much older for it. "Hey, Ron. I just saw Fleur and she told me you were here. What did I miss?" Harry looked very tired, and he was rubbing his temples, but he managed to smirk. "Did you ask her out again, or anything?"

"You... asked her out?" Bill said, looking at Ron in disbelief.

"Sure," Ron said, trying to sound like he had once made a practice of dating veela. "Before Hermione and me, of course."

Harry sniggered, but didn't elaborate, and Ron shot him a thankful look.

"Maroon?" Madame Mbaye looked a bit crestfallen. "Well, I suppose I can find something plain..."

"Not maroon," Ron corrected in a panic. "Anything else."

The shopkeeper's sister disappeared into the back again with a sigh. She returned with something she called "military blue" and held it up to Ron. "Well, you do make the dull colors look nice," she finally said, making him blush again. "Anything for your brother, while I'm at it?" Or your friend?" She pointed to Harry. "That's a dashing ensemble, dear," she said appreciatively. "Very daring. Something else like that, perhaps?"

"Er - plain black robes," Harry answered. "Two sets."

Madame Mbaye was finished with the tailoring in a very short time, and Ron changed into his new robes in the dressing area. He checked himself from every angle and puffed up proudly - Bill might have been right about the professional thing. He looked damn good. And it might have been his imagination, but when he, Harry and Bill stepped back out into Diagon Alley, he thought a couple of girls turned to look at him. He wondered what Hermione would think of him, dressed up like this. She'd always glowed whenever he'd worn dress robes for anything, and these were even better somehow. More adult. Ron set his shoulders and drew himself up to his full height.

At the bottom of the Gringotts steps, however, he checked his watch and slumped nervously. Noon. Trial in an hour. His insides fluttered unpleasantly.

"What are you doing all the way over here?" someone cried from halfway down the street. Ron shielded his eyes from a sudden glare of sunlight and saw Ginny hurrying toward them. "I thought you'd be down by the Ministry, by now - I was worried."

Bill grabbed Ginny and hugged her, lifting her feet off the ground. "Hi, Ginner Pinner," he said fondly. Ginny shared a private look of disgust with Ron; he raised his eyebrows in sympathy. "Did you get those potions ingredients all right?"

"Yes, it all worked out. Thanks for the help." When Bill let her go, she stepped close to Harry, who put his arm around her and rested his hand on her waist.

Ron stared. That was new. He'd seen them touch now and again at home, but never in public - not that it bothered him so much. Ginny fingered the thick goggles that hung around Harry's neck, and tugged at the cords that hung out of his vest, all the while asking him questions about his day. Harry answered easily, handing her a pair of Omnioculars so that she could play back a few moments of dragon riding for herself, if she wanted to. He looked amazingly levelheaded for having spent so many days around Dementors, and if Ginny was the person keeping his spirits up, then Ron supposed it was all right. She looked more worn out than Harry did, really.

Bill didn't seem to notice that his little sister's love life was developing right in front of his face. He kept looking up the stairs towards the bank as if expecting to see someone. Ron wondered if he was trying to catch another glimpse of Fleur, and realized that he hadn't really heard what Bill had said earlier. Fleur's sister... Mont. Ste. Mireille... it was awful. Fleur had been mad about her sister. Ron's thoughts turned automatically to Percy and he sighed quietly to himself.

"Aw, don't cry, ickle Ronniekins - we're here!"

"And we've got ammunition."

Fred and George grinned around at their startled faces. Both their pairs of eyebrows shot up at the sight of Harry's proximity to Ginny.

"Ammunition?" Ron demanded, hoping to distract them from saying something that would embarrass them all.

The twins turned back to him. "That's right," Fred cackled, "our latest -"

"- and greatest brainchild," finished George, fingering his goatee with the air of a mad scientist.

"Don't you dare try anything in the courtroom," Ron began, but Harry looked delighted.

"What is it?"

"A Glumbumble," George replied, pulling a small, glass jar out of the pocket of his robes and holding it up. Inside it buzzed a flying insect, furry-bodied and gray.

Ron rolled his eyes impatiently. "You hardly invented that," he said. There was a nest of the things inside one of the hollow trees, near the Burrow.

"Ugh, I used to get stung by those," Ginny said. "They make you feel sad for days."

"Ah yes," Fred said. "They induce melancholy. Make a person slow-witted, depressed, and distracted."

"Well get it out of here," Bill said, suddenly coming back to the conversation. "We all need our wits this afternoon."

"I've also brought a few of these," Fred said cheerfully, pulling a small, clear bag of nettles out of his pocket. "They eat them."

"So we Banish a few nettles into old Malfoy's helmet-hair -"

"Release the Glumbumble -"

"And watch him get stung and fail miserably on the stand," George finished triumphantly.

Fred put a hand over his heart. "It's a disgrace, how these creatures manage to get into highly-classified Ministry areas. We'll have to have a word with Dad about security."

"You can't do that," Bill protested.

"It's interfering with the testimony of a witness," Ron added, but he had to admit it was a pretty good idea.

"I'll Banish the nettles," said Harry, taking them from Fred.

"Don't worry," Fred said, smiling at Bill's look of disapproval. "We'll only do this as a last resort."

"You're jeopardizing Dad's position -"

"Oh, let Mum give us the speech, Bill, honestly. She misses it so."

"We've got to go meet Mum, actually," Ginny said, checking her watch. "She wants us all near her in the courtroom."

The Weasley children gave a collective groan.

"I think Penny might be bringing Leo, too," Ginny added, and everyone perked up at that and started walking toward the courthouse. Ron wished he could hold the baby on the stand - maybe he'd get sympathy points. It was bizarre, to think that they were all walking to a trial in which he was the accused. He couldn't get used to the idea that there might be consequences for an action that had never been his fault. How helpless Sirius must have felt, when they'd convicted him. Ron shuddered.

"You all right?" Ginny asked quietly, edging close to him. She kept one arm tucked into Harry's, and gave Ron her other one. He took it.

"Fine," he said stiffly, looking around absently, expecting something to appear. He wasn't sure what he was looking for.

"You must miss Hermione," Ginny said, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm sure she's thinking of you."

He'd been looking for Hermione. Ron glanced at Fortescue's as they passed it, and at Ollivander's - he remembered when she'd come with him to get another wand. Everything here was loaded with memories of her. Especially Flourish and Blotts, where the windows were now decorated for autumn, piled high with spell books and fiction. Hermione loved that place. Maybe after the trial, he'd stop in and get her a book to send back with his letter. She hadn't taken any books with her to Cortona - she must be starving for a good read by now - no matter what he sent, she'd probably read it out of desperation. Ron cheered himself up thinking about the different Quidditch periodicals that he could send her. She'd finally know what he was talking about half the time.

They'd reached the bottom of the courthouse steps. Everyone cleared a sort of half circle around Ron, and looked at him with grave, supportive faces.

"Charlie would be here if he could," Bill said. "But he's got to ride Draco's shift. He says you'll be brilliant, all right?"

Ron nodded.

"Good luck," Fred said soberly.

"Clobber him," added George.

"I love you," Ginny said, sounding a little choked up. She hugged him, and Ron reddened. It wasn't often that the Weasley siblings got serious like that. "He hasn't got a chance."

"Malfoy won't win," Harry said flatly, reaching out and clapping Ron's shoulder when Ginny let go. "And if he does, I've brought the Invisibility Cloak." He patted his satchel. "I'll smuggle you out."

Ron tried to smile. Everyone was being really great. But there was only so much they could do to help - this was his problem - and he had a sudden idea of what Harry must have felt like, all through school. Everyone all around, ready to assist with something they couldn't touch. It was a lonely feeling.

"Ron!"

Ron swiveled and looked up the steps; Sirius was bounding down them at top speed, looking haggard but jubilant. His black hair swung in his eyes and he victoriously brandished a scroll of parchment in the air.

"You won't believe what's happened - I almost didn't believe it myself -"

Ron's heart sped up. "What is it?"

"Malfoy's fallen off his dragon and drowned?" Fred asked hopefully.

Ginny glared at him. "That's not funny," she hissed, touching Harry's arm.

"Malfoy," Sirius said, coming to the bottom of the steps and grinning, "has decided to take his representative's advice."

Ron wasn't sure he was hearing things right. "What advice was that?" he asked shakily.

"To drop the charges." Sirius handed Ron the scroll he was holding; Ron unrolled it and scanned it, holding his breath. It wasn't possible that Malfoy was passing up an opportunity to make him suffer - but here it was, in print, with Malfoy's signature at the bottom. He barely had time to finish reading before Bill grabbed the scroll and read aloud, confirming what Sirius had said.

George and Fred gave a unanimous, earsplitting whoop. Ginny and Harry each grabbed one of Ron's arms and started congratulating him, relief heavy in their voices. Ron barely heard any of it. There was a buzzing disbelief in his brain. Something didn't feel right.

"Really?" he asked Sirius. It wasn't real. It couldn't just be over. Malfoy was not the type. "But why?"

"No details, they said, and he won't speak with us - but I reckon he's scared. I had told his representative to make him aware of all our evidence, and to tell him that a further investigation into his personal affairs would follow our countercharges."

"Someone should investigate him," Harry said darkly.

Ron fidgeted uneasily. It wasn't a good enough explanation. "So that's... it?" he asked slowly. "I can just - what - go home?"

"Go home!?" George demanded indignantly.

"You're going out with us and celebrating!" Fred declared.

"I'd say that's in order," Bill agreed, rolling up the parchment and handing it back to Sirius. "This is fantastic news. Good on you, Ron. I'll go up and tell Mum -"

"No need," said Sirius. "I got in touch with your mother before she arrived and she was so relieved that she burst into tears." He laughed. "Your dad looked tempted to do the same thing. Oh and Ron - another bit of good news."

The first announcement hadn't sunk in yet, but Ron nodded dazedly at Sirius. "Yeah?"

"The Courtenay trial is over. She was proved innocent this morning - your theory worked out. The same officer assigned every Death Eater she defended - he's the one we want. Not Darla. She went home today for the first time in four months."

"One innocent prisoner released," Ron said, vaguely realizing what that must mean to Sirius. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Two in one day, if we count you," Sirius replied, looking younger and more energetic than he had in weeks, which was especially amazing considering that the full moon had been just last night, and he probably hadn't been able to sleep.

"Come on," said Fred. "Leaky Cauldron. Let us memorialize this moment with a few fine butterbeers."

"Well spoken," said George, a smile brightening his face.

"Not the Leaky Cauldron," Ron said, snapping out of his daze. He wasn't going to jail - he didn't even have a monetary fine. Hermione was going to be ecstatic. He was ecstatic. His unease evaporated and left him feeling giddy. "London's overpriced, we're going to the Snout's Fair and drinking free." His heart was growing lighter by the second. "Goldie wanted to know the verdict first thing, so he'd know whether to hire another bartender or not." He smiled. "Guess he doesn't have to, poor old man. He's stuck with me. Let's go tell him, Harry."

"Wish I could," Harry said, giving Ron an apologetic look. "But as there's no trial, I should go put in the other half of my shift."

"Oh, can't you stay?" Ginny pled softly. "You should come with us."

"I would, but I don't think Malfoy's going back and it's not fair to..." He looked torn for a moment, but came swiftly to a decision. "I'm sorry, Ron. We'll celebrate later, all right?"

"'All right," Ron said, clipping Harry on the arm. "I'll have one for you, in the meantime."

"Thanks." Harry pulled his wand out of a funny pocket on the side of his trouser leg, and glanced at Ginny. She still looked disappointed but, as Ron watched, Harry leaned over and gave her a very quick - but very definite - kiss on the cheek. "See you soon," he said, and hardly had a chance to turn red before Disapparating.

Sirius and Bill both stared at Ginny, their eyes wide. Neither seemed to believe what he had just seen.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" Fred crowed, pointing at her. "Well, it looks like somebody's investment is finally paying off!"

"I remember all the words to their first valentine," George chimed in, giving a fake sniffle and wiping at his eyes. "Touching stuff, that. Ahem. His eyeees are as greeeen -"

"I'll meet you in Stagsden," Ginny muttered to Ron, red to the roots of her hair. "I have to go by Floo powder - I'll use Dad's office." She turned and raced to the Ministry's steps without looking back.

"Well." Sirius still looked a bit shocked; his eyes followed Ginny until she disappeared. "It's good that this is all cleared up - if you'll all excuse me, I need to start working on -"

But Ron didn't let him finish. "No you don't," he said. "You're coming with us."

Sirius smiled patiently. "I can't, I have -"

"Sirius, come on. You need a break, and - here, I'll make you a deal. I'll help you make up for lost time, I'll keep on coming up here with you until you're caught up." Ron said all of this very fast, and hoped very much that Sirius would agree. Partly because he really did think that the man needed a break - but mostly because he didn't want to be finished with trial work. He'd looked forward to it every day for weeks, and considering that it meant getting up before sunrise, he supposed it had to mean something that he actually liked it.

Sirius looked like he was about to protest, but gave into the four Weasleys around him, who looked like they might use force if he tried to disagree. "Fine," he said, "but I'm warning you, if you're not careful, you won't have any time left to work at that pub. I'll wear you out."

"Fine with me," Ron said. The busier he was, the less time there would be for missing Hermione. "Let's go, Ginny's going to beat us, and I want to be the one to tell Goldie the good news."

Fred and George moved on either side of Sirius to assure that he Disapparated, and when he did, they followed suit. Bill went next, leaving Ron alone at the bottom of the courthouse steps. He looked up at the massive building, amazed at his luck. It was going to be great, writing to Hermione that the case had been thrown out. It was going to be great writing back to that letter of hers, full stop. She wasn't the only one who could write like that - he took a moment to imagine a possible response, and her possible reaction.

When Ron Apparated into the Snout's Fair, his ears were still pink.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Devotion to Duty

~*~

A/N: Thanks to the wonderful beta readers (now including Caroline): it is a humbling experience to have so many editors find so many different errors, but it is also an educational one.

Thanks also to the attendees of SQOMP. It was a damn good time.

~*~

"Perfect morning for Quidditch!"

Autumn was passing in a blur. It was already the third Saturday of October, and Harry lay on his back on the sofa - the one good piece of furniture he and Ron had acquired - listening to the WWN. It was bizarre, listening to the opening ceremonies of the Quidditch season and knowing that he could have been a part of the excitement. He could have been standing in the team entrance with Oliver and Marty and Firoza and the rest of them, his stomach tangled up in knots, his nerves on edge, clutching his Firebolt in anticipation rather than in dread. He could have heard the crowd around him again.

At least he could have been in the crowd; Ron had somehow got himself a pair of tickets to every game, and he'd invited Harry to come with him. But Harry wanted to rest on the one day he didn't fly a day shift, and it would have been anything but restful to watch Maureen Knight play Seeker. Therefore, Ron had taken Charlie to the match and Harry had stayed at home. He shifted on the sofa, unable to find a comfortable position.

"It's a privilege to be announcing my first game with you two fine sportswomen - I'm sitting here between Catriona McCormack and Gwendolyn Morgan, who haven't aged a day since they were players -"

"And how would you know, laddie?" asked a throaty Scottish voice.

"You weren't born yet," stated a scratchy Welsh one.

Harry wasn't sure why he was torturing himself by listening - he might as well have gone to the match - although it was better to concentrate on Quidditch than on the dull ache in his back. Flying Norbert had become almost natural over the past several weeks, but dragon riding still took an entirely different toll on his body than riding a broomstick. He’d expected to become used to his position in the harness, but he hadn’t quite got there yet, and it was wreaking havoc on his spine.

“Or perhaps I’m just getting old,” he said to himself, shifting again, with a grimace.

“Yes, you're ancient. Soon we’ll have to commit you to a home." Ginny smiled at him and leaned against the doorframe with a steaming mug of tea cradled in her hands. Harry smiled back; she had taken to coming over unannounced, and it was always a pleasant surprise when she appeared, even though she did it every day. "What're you listening to?” She was wearing the green turtleneck that he liked; it fit her too well and set off her hair, which was down on her shoulders, looking very pretty. It was almost enough to distract him from the circles under her eyes, and the fact that her freckles stood out in dark contrast to her white skin.

"Are you feeling all right?"

Ginny hesitated. "Yes. Why?"

"You look a bit worn out."

She shrugged, and looked away. "There's another full moon coming, that's all. I'm making Wolfsbane again this week."

Harry thought there might be more to it, but was distracted before he could answer.

"Gwendolyn Morgan, as everyone knows, fended off a famous proposal of marriage by her opposite number, Rudolf Brand. Asked you right on the pitch, didn't he?"

"He did."

"Clocked him round the head with your broom, didn't you?"

"He hasn't forgotten it."

"Unless he's forgotten everything. And you've been married how long now?"

"Is this Quidditch?" Ginny frowned at the wireless. "Do you really want to listen to this?"

Harry shrugged, and winced. All the bones in his back seemed to be crammed up between his shoulder blades. "Yeah. It's still Quidditch."

"Who's playing?" Ginny sipped her tea.

"Bats against the Cannons."

She frowned more deeply, but didn't say anything, and Harry was glad. He knew it was stupid to listen to the game, when he wanted to be there so much. But he'd never had a chance to listen to a full season of Quidditch while at school, and he didn't want to pass up the opportunity now.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04