Chapter 328: The Burrow
Chapter 328: The Burrow
A week later.
Outside Ottery St. Catchpole in Devonshire, rolling hills and fertile meadows stretch as far as the eye can see. The Weasley family lives here.
A streak of red appeared on the horizon, and a tall, slender young man emerged from the emerald fields.
Felix walked briskly along a winding path, passing a dilapidated garage, and stopped in front of a small courtyard. A crooked, multi-story house stood before him, with a sign slanted in front that read "The Burrow."
By the front gate lay a pair of high leather boots and a rusty cauldron. A few plump brown chickens pecked at the ground in the yard.
Felix surveyed the place, and just from the layout of the house, he could imagine many stories. From the outside, the first floor looked the most refined, likely the original appearance of the Burrow, with a beautiful red roof. However, the young Weasley couple hadn't anticipated that their family would grow so large, and the space in their home became increasingly insufficient. They added a second and third floor to the original first floor.
Thus, the house began to take on a peculiar and whimsical shape.
The door to the house suddenly opened, and Arthur Weasley welcomed Felix inside. They entered a narrow kitchen, where a long wooden table, scrubbed clean, dominated the space, surrounded by various boxes and cabinets. Molly Weasley, wearing an apron, was clattering around the sink, preparing breakfast, while an old radio played a quirky tune.
"Professor Hep, welcome", Molly Weasley said warmly, turning briefly from her busy work. She pointed her wand at the cauldron, which immediately emitted a puff of steam, and the lid jumped up. She then added sliced sausages and vegetables. "Join us for breakfast. I've made a hearty soup, and there's dry cheese and buttered bread."
Felix smiled and thanked her.
She then turned to Arthur and said, "Dear, go wake the children." Before he could respond, a loud "bang" echoed from upstairs. Molly's hand trembled, and a plate clashed against the sink, breaking a corner.
"Don't be angry, Molly. I'll go talk to them", Arthur hurriedly said as he rushed upstairs.
"It's always like this... always fiddling with their prank products. They've only brought home four O.W.L.s between them", she grumbled, repairing the plate with her wand. "They don't even come down to help..."
She directed the washed dishes to fly to the long wooden table and explained, "Charlie and Bill will be back in a few days. Right now, there are only five children at home."
Felix said, "I saw Charlie a while ago."
Molly's attention was piqued, and she inquired about her second son's well-being, her tone laced with concern. "He always tells me his job is safe, but dragons are dangerous..."
"He has a reliable team", Felix reassured her. He tried to lighten the mood by mentioning how Charlie feeds fire dragons roasted meat, but Molly was visibly startled. So, he switched to talking about Charlie's team leader and a cute Norwegian Ridgeback, who constantly bickered over brandy.
"Sounds a bit dim", Molly said, puzzled.
"Cough, cough! They have a good relationship, more like a game..." Felix said. He walked to the living room and examined the clock on the wall. Unlike the kitchen clock used for daily reminders, this large clock had nine hands, each with a spoon-like end that held a photo of a family member. Instead of numbers, the clock face was marked with possible locations of each family member, such as "Home", "School", "Work", "Traveling", "Missing", "Hospital", and at the 12 o'clock position, "Mortal Peril."
Felix pondered the magic used in this magical object, which likely included tracking spells, name magic, and spells to detect physical conditions. Perhaps the clock itself represented a magical contract.
Soon, two red-haired boys came down the stairs: Fred and George Weasley. The twins were in their pajamas, their eyes lighting up as they saw Felix examining the clock.
"Professor, you really kept your word!"
"Where are we going? Percy said you grew a castle—"
"What kind of magic is that? Can we learn it?"
"Are you planning to buy Zonko's?"
Molly emerged from the kitchen, hands on her hips, and scrutinized their appearance. "Look at you two, what a state. Change your clothes, we have a guest."
The twins hung their heads in shame, turning to go upstairs. As Fred was about to leave, he said with a lingering smile, “Professor, wait for us. We have a new product, I—”
“Fred!” their mother said sharply.
Fred immediately hunched his shoulders and pushed George up the stairs. Just before disappearing, he poked his head out and joked, “Mom, I’m actually George.”
A muffled voice came from beside him, “You’re making it up—”
“Don’t think you can get away with that—” Mrs. Weasley’s chest puffed up with anger, but the twins deliberately stomped their feet, making loud clattering sounds and pretending not to hear. From around the third floor, a voice angrily shouted, “Can’t you be a bit quieter?”
Mrs. Weasley filled the plates with food, “That’s Percy. He’s probably writing a report… He just started at the Ministry of Magic and is very ambitious, working hard to make a name for himself.”
Felix laughed, “Fred and George Weasley are also working hard. Their Lover’s Mirror is very popular.” He didn’t mention their other quirky prank products.
“True…” Mrs. Weasley paused, “I just think they’re too young to be thinking about making money. They still have two more years before graduation.”
“Mrs. Weasley, they’re just choosing what they love early. You know them best. What do you think they’ll do after they graduate, given their personalities?”
Mrs. Weasley hesitated. Despite her reluctance to admit it, she couldn’t imagine these mischief-makers ever dressing up neatly and going to work at the Ministry of Magic. Or, for that matter, doing any job that required following rules.
At that moment, Mr. Weasley returned, followed by a little red-haired girl. She was the youngest Weasley, Ginny, who was curiously examining Felix. Today, he was dressed without a hint of the magical world.
Ron yawned and trailed behind, his eyes half-closed as if in a daze. Percy and the twins were the last to arrive. Percy had his hair neatly combed and was wearing a formal suit.
“I’m working as Mr. Crouch’s assistant now. Every day is fulfilling, and today I’m going to the Quidditch World Cup,” Percy explained, speaking with great admiration for his boss. From Felix’s perspective, Percy was deliberately imitating Barty Crouch’s style.
The twins exchanged glances, about to say something, but Mrs. Weasley caught them early, “No talking during meals.”
Fred muttered, “Mom’s so biased. She doesn’t even scold Percy.”
“Yeah, because he’s a little boss, managing seven or eight people…”
“More than Dad.”
“But what does he actually do?”
“Weatherby, level the ground—”
“The southern stands are short by two hundred seats—”
Ron and Ginny lowered their heads, grinning widely and snickering. Percy, furious, exclaimed, “You’re peeking at my notes!”
Mr. Weasley cleared his throat, “Children…” He nodded toward Mrs. Weasley, who was holding a ladle, her eyes blazing like an angry lion. They immediately quieted down.
The twins quickly cleared their plates, and Felix put down his knife and fork, saying to the Weasleys, “Thank you for the meal. Oh, Mrs. Weasley, no more, please. I’ve already had three bowls of soup…”
Outside the Burrow, the twins each carried a large bag containing their latest creations.
“We have seven types of fireworks that can be fixed in the air and stay there for a long time!”
“Alright, we have plenty of time to discuss. Hold onto my arms now,” Felix said. The twins gripped him on either side. “Is it Apparition? We’re almost there—” The three of them twisted and vanished.
They reappeared in a small alley in a London district. The twins curiously looked around, staring at a large dumpster, “Professor, this isn’t Diagon Alley?”
“Good observation,” Felix said, “We need to change your clothes first so you don’t scare anyone. We have a busy day ahead.”
(End of Chapter)
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