Chapter 209: Mr. Weasley

High on a hill in an enchanted garden, enclosed by tall walls and protected by strong magic, flowed the Fountain of Fair Fortune.

Once a year, between the hours of sunrise and sunset on the longest day, a single unfortunate was given the chance to fight their way to the Fountain, bathe in its waters and receive Fair Fortune for evermore.

Three witches, each with her burden of woe, met on the outskirts of the crowd and told one another their sorrows as they waited for sunrise.

The first, by name Asha, was sick of a malady no Healer could cure. She hoped that the Fountain would banish her symptoms and grant her a long and happy life.

The second, by name Altheda, had been robbed of her home, her gold and her wand by an evil sorcerer. She hoped that the Fountain might relieve her of powerlessness and poverty.

The third, by name Amata, had been deserted by a man whom she loved dearly, and she thought her heart would never mend. She hoped that the Fountain would relieve her of her grief and longing.

Pitying each other, the three women agreed that, should the chance befall them, they would unite and try to reach the Fountain together.

It was almost half-past one and Chris was reading her favourite Beedle the Bard story "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" again. Ginny, Danielle and Lauren all were in deep sleep. But Chris was having trouble sleeping, because of the early bad vibe her heart was giving her that something bad was going to happen. Chris decided to take her mind out of it, and a magical fairy tale story always helps her for that.

Asha and Altheda were angry with Amata, who had accidentally brought along a knight.

Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.com www.webnovel.com for visiting.

"Only one can bathe in the Fountain! It will be hard enough to decide which of us it will be, without adding another!"

Now, Sir Luckless, as the knight was known in the land outside the walls, observed that these were witches, and, having no magic, nor any great skill at jousting or duelling with swords, nor anything that distinguished the non-magical man, was sure that he had no hope of beating the three women to the Fountain. He, therefore, declared his intention of withdrawing outside the walls again.

At this, Amata became angry too.

"Faint heart!" she chided him. "Draw your sword, Knight, and help us reach our goal!"

And so the three witches and the forlorn knight ventured forth into the enchanted garden, where rare herbs, fruit and flowers grew in abundance on either side of the sunlit paths.

They met no obstacle until they reached the foot of the hill on which the Fountain stood.

"Miss Weasley?" 

A voice brought Chris back from her fairy tale. She threw the covers aside and sat up. 

It was Professor McGonagall, who just had waked a very sleepy Ginny. She gave Chris a curious look as she saw Chris holding her wand and a book in her hands. Then she turned to Ginny. 

"You need to come with me, Miss Weasley. It's urgent," said Professor McGonagall.

"What happened?" Ginny suddenly looked very much awake and alarmed. 

Danielle and Lauren were also up now, even they were trying to hear what was going on.

"I will explain you that on our way," said Professor McGonagall briskly. "Now, put on your dressing-gown, your brothers are waiting."

"Brothers?" Ginny looked seriously panicked now, as she jumped out her bed and met Chris's eye.

Chris jumped out of her bed too. This could be a family thing, said a voice in her brain. But it looks serious, said another voice. Chris decided to go with the second voice.

"What happened Professor?" she asked. "Everything alright?"

"Not now Miss Norton, we need to move," Professor McGonagall said curtly.

"So can I go too?" Chris asked hopefully as Ginny put on her dressing-gown.

"Miss Norton —" Professor McGonagall looked she was going to criticize Chris for interfering then she looked at Ginny who was looking a little afraid. Professor McGonagall sighed. "Get ready quickly."

Fred and George were waiting at the common room and judging by their expression they were as confused as Ginny and Chris. They all followed Professor McGonagall through the portrait hole, and off along the Fat Lady's moonlit corridor.

"Where is Ron?" Fred asked. "Shouldn't he be here too?"

"Your brother and Potter are already in Headmaster's office," Professor McGonagall replied.

Chris, Ginny, Fred and George exchanged worried looks.

"Potter said, he saw your father getting attacked and he is injured," Professor McGonagall said and before anyone could ask anything else she continued, "There is no time to answer all of your questions, we need to go before she realizes —"

There was no need to say who was this "she". Chris squeezed Ginny's hand as she looked frightened and shaken up. Chris also never saw Fred and George this pale before.

They quickly reached Dumbledore's office. Harry, Ron and Dumbledore looked up at them.

"Harry — what's going on?" asked Ginny at once. "Professor McGonagall says you saw Dad hurt —"

"Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order of the Phoenix," said Dumbledore before Harry could speak. "He has been taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. I am sending you back to Sirius's house, which is much more convenient for the hospital than the Burrow. You will meet your mother there."

"How're we going?" asked Fred. "Floo powder?"

"No," said Dumbledore, "Floo powder is not safe at the moment, the Network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey." He indicated the old kettle lying innocently on his desk. "We are just waiting for Phineas Nigellus to report back. . . . I wish to be sure that the coast is clear before sending you —"

There was a flash of flame in the very middle of the office, leaving behind a single golden feather that floated gently to the floor.

"It is Fawkes's warning," said Dumbledore, catching the feather as it fell. "She must know you're out of your beds. . . . Minerva, go and head her off — tell her any story —"

Professor McGonagall was gone in a swish of tartan.

"Professor, can Chris go with us?" Ginny asked.

Chris had almost forgotten in the chaos that she wasn't supposed to be there and by the looks of Dumbledore, he hadn't found it very unnatural too.

"Of course, she can Miss Weasley," he replied, "And I think I'll inform Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood and Mr Creevy tomorrow morning about this."

"He hadn't returned yet," said a bored voice behind Dumbledore; a wizard had appeared in front of a Slytherin banner, in a portrait. "I met the girl, she said they should go as soon as possible. . ."

"Come here, then," Dumbledore said to Chris, Harry and the Weasleys. "And quickly, before anyone else joins us . . ."

Chris and the others gathered around Dumbledore's desk.

"You have all used a Portkey before?" asked Dumbledore, and they nodded, each reaching out to touch some part of the blackened kettle. "Good. On the count of three then . . . one . . . two . . . three. . ."

______________________________

To be continued. . .