The Last Goodbye

The shock of losing Mad-Eye hung over the house in the days that followed; I kept expecting to see him stumping through the back door like the other Order members, who passed in and out to relay news. I couldn't sleep, I sat at the breakfast table with Harry and Ron. Mr Weasley and Bill had just left for work, Mrs. Weasley had gone upstairs to wake Hermione and Ginny, while Fleur had drifted off to take a bath.

"The Trace'll break on the thirty-first." Harry whispered to Ron, thinking that I couldn't hear them. I kept my head low in my cereal, convincing them that I had heard nothing. "That means I only need to stay here four days. Then I can-"

"Five days." Ron corrected him firmly. I looked up slowly, watching them from the corner of my eye. "we've got to stay for the wedding. They'll kill us if we miss it." By 'they', he must've meant Fleur and Mrs. Weasley. "It's one extra day."

"Don't they realise how important-?" Harry started.

"Course they don't. They haven't got a clue." Ron said. "Now that you mention it, I wanted to talk to you about that." Ron glanced towards the door into the hall to check that Mrs. Weasley was not returning yet, then leaned in closer to Harry. "Mum's been trying to get it out of Hermione and me. What we're off to do. She'll try you next, so brace yourself. Dad and Lupin've both asked as well, but when I said Dumbledore told you not to tell anyone except us, they dropped it. Not Mum though. She's determined."

I frowned at my bowl. Harry wasn't supposed to tell anyone except Ron or Hermione? Then why did Ron tell me about the horcruxes?

"Ron." I hissed. He looked up. "Can I have a second please?" He nodded and followed me outside. "Dumbledore told Harry not to tell anyone except you or Hermione? Then why did you tell me?"

"I did?" Ron asked.

"Yes, you did. At school on the Astronomy tower." I growled.

"Oh right." He said, blushing slightly. "Harry's going to kill me!"

"Do you want me to tell him?" I asked, feeling a little sorry for him.

"No, I think it'd be better if I told him." Ron said.

"And don't let anyone else know that I know, I don't want Mrs. Weasley riling me up too, alright?" I asked and he nodded. I went back in, swiped my empty bowl from the table, washed it carefully while Ron and Harry murmured to each other again and put it back into a cupboard.

"She- WHAT?" Harry screeched. I span around and leaned against the bench.

"Please don't be mad at him, Harry. He didn't mean to." I said. He looked furious.

"I asked you not to tell anyone!" Harry yelled at Ron.

"Yes, but Harry, I'm skilled and knowledgable about the Dark Arts. Obviously he would ask me questions." I looked over to the empty hall, rechecking if anyone were watching. "If you have any questions at all about horcruxes over the next few days before you go hunting, please ask me."

"I thought you would ask to come with us." Harry said.

"No, I couldn't bare being away from here, not knowing if Fred and George were okay. I think I should just help you while you're here." I murmured.

"Oh, well that went better than I thought." Harry said.

"I promise I won't tell anyone. I'm not as careless as Ron." I said and grinned at him.