Everybody Party Till the Gasman Comes

"Sam, it's time to get up."

I groaned and rolled away from the voice, pulling my blankets up above my head. I heard Mrs. Weasley sigh and move on to attempt to wake up Ginny and Hermione. The other two girls also groaned, but I heard the rustle of sheets and knew that they were getting up.

"Make sure she gets up," Mrs. Weasley said before leaving the room.

My blankets were yanked from my body and I immediately opened my eyes to the glaring light in Ginny's room. I looked at the end of my bed where Hermione was standing, holding my quilt in her hands.

She picked my bag for our coming venture up from the floor and then threw it at me. Ginny laughed when it hit me in the face. "Get out of bed and get dressed, Sammy. We're leaving soon."

I hopped off of the bed and threw my night clothes off. I struggled into a pair of jeans and threw a grey sweater on over my t-shirt. I fell back onto my bed while I waited for the other two girls to get dressed.

"I am so tired," I commented, earning glares from both Hermione and Ginny.

Five minutes later, Mrs. Weasley pushed the door open and scolded us for taking so long. We followed her down the stairs and into the kitchen where everyone, it seemed, besides us was already assembled. Ginny walked over and plopped down next to her father. I skipped across the room to hop up onto the counter next to where George was.

"Hi, Georgie."

He grunted in reply and I laughed. I laid my head on his shoulder and spaced out while Mr. Weasley explained to Harry about how we'd be getting to the World Cup.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Mrs. Weasley said sharply, "George!"

"What?" His tone feigned innocence and I got a pretty good idea of what his mother was getting at when his hand inched forward to the front pocket of his trousers.

Mrs. Weasley eyes narrowed. "What's that in your pocket?"

"Nothing!"

After the outrageous lie was said (everyone knew there was something in his pocket that shouldn't have been), Mrs. Weasley used a summoning charm to find out exactly what George was hiding. Five or six bright colored objects flew over to her.

I knew where this dispute was headed and jumped down from the counter, shouldering my knapsack and walking outside to the garden.

After the shouting stopped, I heard Mrs. Weasley saying goodbye to everyone. Fred and George, faces sporting identical sour expressions, walked passed me and I quickly jogged to keep up with their long-legged strides.

"I told you you should've put them in your knapsacks," I said quietly, as we were still pretty close to the Burrow.

Fred glared down at me. "Shuddup, Sam."

"I'm just saying. If you hadn't put them in your pocket, George, there wouldn't have been a bump in your pants and your mum wouldn't have noticed anything."

Fred snickered and George looked down at me with his eyebrows raised. "There was a bump in my pants, was there?"

My cheeks flared up and I was happy for the mostly-darkness of the morning. I turned around and back-tracked until I was walking with Ginny and Hermione. "I hate your brothers, Ginny," I complained, glowering ahead at the twins' backs.

"Do you really? I was under the impression you liked one of them quite a bit."

I scowled at my friend. "I hate you, Ginny."

***

If you've ever got to go somewhere on the opposite side of Stoatshead Hill than you're already on, I suggest not climbing it. Apparate, use a broom; it doesn't matter. That is one tosser of a hill and you do not want to have to climb it unless your life depends upon it.

We got to the top of the thing and I almost fell over from exhaustion. It doesn't matter how good of shape you're in, you are going to feel it after going up that blasted hill.

"Arthur, is that you?" Two people were standing on the other side of the hilltop from us. Mr. Weasley led us over to them, though I wanted nothing more than a one, two, or fifteen hour nap.

We were introduced to Amos Diggory and his son, Cedric, with whom we went to school. He was captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, which had beaten us the previous year. I trotted over to the twins to gage their reactions to the niceties.

"Come back to check on my trousers?" George asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that," I said shortly. "No, actually, I came to get a better look at Cedric. He's looking pretty fit this year. Don't you agree?"

Both of their faces became stony and I laughed. I reached up on my tiptoes to rustle their hair. "Ah, c'mon, guys. You know I only like gingers."

"Named George?"

I turned around and saw Ginny behind me, and innocent smile on her face. "You know, Ginny, I love you and all but you are really starting to get on my nerves lately."

"Aw, I love you, too, Sammy."

I opened my mouth to say something in reply but was cut off when someone whispered in my ear. "Come on, love. It's time to go."

A shiver ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cool weather and I looked back at George. He smiled at me, then took my hand and led me over to where the others were huddled around the portkey.