AUTHOR's REPLY---Yeah, I was afriad that there would be "Aww"s, but it;s all good. This will be my last update for about three, four days. I'm putting some classic quotes, see if you can recognize any.
Harry was curled up with Hermione when Ron barged in.
"Mum says get up, dinner's almost ready, thanks to Dobby's help. And Lupin and Tonks are arriving soon."
"Whurh?" grumbled a somewhat unintelligient voice from near Harry's right shoulder. Hermione was awake. Harry found her sudden lack of intellect amusing, it made for a nice temporary change.
"Time to get up." he muttered. "Ron, how long've we slept?"
Ron checked his watch. "It's eight o'clock. Two hours, about."
"Felt like a five minute nap," Hermione grunted sleepily. "I just closed my eyes. You're kidding, right?"
Ron shook his head, no. Hermione rolled out of bed and hit the floor with a thud. Both the boys snickered.
"When I eat, I get sleepy," Harry commented. "And when I wake up, I'm hungry. What a great life, eh?"
"That it is," Ron replied. "And Hermione, you sound dumber than Grawp when you wake up."
She scowled at him. "I've heard you when you're in one of your snoring fits. I walked in and thought someone was blowing a train whistle, it was so high-pitched."
"Really?" Ron was not the least put out. "Gee, I would've liked to hear myself like that."
***
The ground floor was permeated with the smell of excellent cooking, a tribute to Dobby and Mrs. Weasley's skills.
"If this is late-evening supper, I'd really like to find out what Christmas dinner looks like." Ron said, inhaling.
Harry agreed, as did Hermione. Even more so when they saw the dishes.
Even though the food was simple, Harry felt like it was better than, if not equal to Hogwarts food. Mashed and baked potatoes with gravy, Sauteed onions, seasoned salad with creamy dressing, buttered scones, chicken legs, and even more were coming.
Dobby walked in, levitating two dishes filled with savoury pies. "Harry Potter, sir! Dobby has been working hard, and he enjoys it, sir!"
"Oh, he is the best kitchen helper I could've ever wished for," Mrs. Weasley smiled at Ron. "Thank you for bringing him to the Burrow, Ronny."
"No problem, mum," Ron said, reaching for a baked potato.
Mrs. Weasley's demeanor changed in an instant.
"Don't you dare touch the food, Ron! I thought you'd learn some manners by now. No eating until everyone's seated, I'm almost finished dinner and I expect Tonks and Remus to arriving shortly."
Ron's face soured, and brightened when he heard knocking at the front door. "That'll be Lupin and Tonks. Come on, you two, we'll get the door."
Tonks came in first, beaming at Harry, Ron and Hermione. Her hair was back to bright spiked pink. Lupin strode in, as shabby as ever, but his smile was undiminished. However, Harry sensed stress and weariness in Lupin, and knew that the loss of Sirius had hit him as sharply, maybe even more so, that it had affected Harry.
"How are you, Harry?" Lupin said, bright eyes examining him closely.
"I'm good," Harry told him. "Never mind me, what about you?"
"I've been getting along. Order meetings, and fending off the general public and all..."
Mr. Weasley came in. "Ah, Remus! Glad to see that you and Tonks could make it here, we're glad to have you stay for supper. Dobby, come and meet Tonks and Remus Lupin."
Dobby came in nervously.
Tonks squealed happily and treated Dobby as women do with babies. Harry grimaced, but Dobby was taking it very well, thoroughly enjoying the attention, in fact. Lupin smiled at Dobby and shook hands with him as if he were greeting an old friend.
"Nice to meet you, Dobby."
"Professor Lupin, sir!" Dobby said. "Dobby remembers you, sir. Dobby is delighted to meet you."
Mrs. Weasley yelled from the dining room. "Dinner's ready, everyone!"
Everyone within hearing range trooped to the dining room, but Harry noticed that Dobby stayed where he was.
"Dobby, come on. Dinnertime."
Dobby shook his head vigorously. "Dobby is not worthy to sit at a dining table of witches or wizards, sir."
"Nonsense!" he ushered Dobby into a chair.
Dobby cringed, as if waiting to be struck down. On the contrary, no one seemed to care otherwise, Fred even offering Dobby some Butterbeer(Dobby politely refused)and Charlie giving him an extra napkin.
"See what I mean?" Harry muttered out the side of the mouth. "By the way, what would the Malfoys do if you sat at their table?"
"Dobby dares not to find out, sir."
Everyone began eating, but Ron interrupted. "Hey, hey! Not a single mouthful until I've said grace, you lot!"
Harry stared, bewildered. Had Ron developed manners in the space of ten minutes?
Politely, everyone put down their eating utensils and looked at Ron, who gave a speedily delivered verse.
"Fates and season bless us all,
for giving us this fare.
But let no greedy robber try,
to guzzle up my share!"
Before everyone said a confused "Amen", Ron was already digging in heartily.
"OK, so I thought wrong," Harry commented to him, slicing a portion of ham pie for himself. "You have no manners whatsoever."
Fred and George noticed.
"Ron, I've forgotten how you used to eat like a pig."
"Nah, pigs tend to chew. I'd say he eats more like a duck."
"Ducks don't shove food into their mouths indiscriminately, though."
"Oh, all right. Ron eats like a wolf, then."
Mr. Weasley put himself into the conversation. "I guess we can all agree on that. Ron eats like a wolf. Amen."
Everyone who heard the sly comment snorted with laughter, Charlie spraying Tonks with Butterbeer by accident.
"Real funny, dad." Ron said, indignant.
i dont have a very good memory. so i cnt recognize anything. but that was really funny and really good. cnt wait 2 read more. 🤣
Originally posted by amkrell
awesome!!! syco freak, what kind of dog is ur picture of? it looks like mine...
and dark sori 4 using ur space.