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Chapter Two: New Places and Hallucinations

"When you start seeing things, it doesn't mean you are going insane. It means that you're seeing the world for what it truly is."

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A

/N: This chapter starts a little while earlier than the last and continues simultaneously as the previous chapter goes on.

It seemed just like any other ordinary day in the west of Ottery St.Catchpole. People were bustling about, chatting the day off. Some were buying things from the local grocers and some were enjoying the start of spring.

On the outskirts of the West of Ottery St.Catchpole stood a decent looking two-storey house. It was painted white with tints of red splattered here and there. The door was oak and a cobbled stone path led to it. It had a small driveway and a garage. The lawn was covered with fresh and lush green grass. Bushes of red roses were on either side of the cobbled path. A small umbrella stood, providing a shade to a coffee table and two seats. It was most probably used for outdoor caffeine time. The house was really beautiful and was inhabited by two magical folk. A witch and a wizard. Currently, the wizard, who happened to be an auror, the magical version of a muggle policeman, stood facing his worried wife.

"I will be fine, Hermione," Ronald Weasley reassured his wife. He was currently going to Mexico on an auror mission and his wife was worried sick. It was certainly not his first auror mission but then it was his first time leaving the country on a mission. To top that, Mexico was far enough that Ron was sure to face a timelag.

"Don't go there and fall asleep!" Hermione Granger-Weasley chided. Ron nodded. "Stay awake till it is night time there. Then sleep or else you will face the consequences of timelag! Make sure Harry does the same too!"

Indeed, Harry Potter was going along as well. Ron, along with three more aurors and his best mate, Harry were going to Mexico. The recent attack on Diagon Alley made one thing clear. They were targeting the most known wizards of the Light. The reason for them going to Mexico was for the protection of the Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall. The aged headmistress was visiting a Wizarding school in the North American country for five days and Ron's group of aurors were assigned to protect her.

"Okay, Hermione. You know, I have to tell you something," Ron said.

"Hungry?" Hermione asked almost immediately.

"No, not yet," Ron answered.

"Then?"

"I am buying a flying Ford Angelia in Mexico. Heard that those blokes are making some old modelled ones. Harry is putting his share in too. For dad, y'know. We messed up his old one so we thought, why not buy him this? What do you reckon?" He asked. Hermione looked thoughtful for a minute then smiled and nodded.

"Very nice idea, Ron. I am sure Mr Weasley would love it!" She exclaimed. Ron smiled as she pecked his lips. "Take care!"

"Love you, Hermione. See you soon."

With that he apparated away.

Cold breeze blew against his face as he stood, watching several people in navy blue coloured robes bustling about. He looked around for familiar faces and found three. His fellow aurors, Neville, Proudfoot and Savage were standing together in a corner of the mini airport. He approached them with a greeting smile.

"Oh, Hey Ron!" Auror Proudfoot greeted. He was an aged man, perhaps in his mid-fifties. He wore the usual brown trench coat and had a smile on his face.

"Hi Proudfoot, Savage, Neville!" Ron greeted back. Savage, another auror, a little younger than Proudfoot simply nodded. Neville patted Ron on his back.

"Nice to see you mate. I was beginning to worry if my last auror mission would go on without you and Harry. Speaking of Harry, where is he?" Neville asked. Ron shrugged. It was Neville's last mission as an auror. He was planning to resign the post in order to become a professor at Hogwarts. All of his friends supported him in this decision too.

As if on cue, Harry apparated in right where Ron had arrived. He stumbled for a few seconds before straightening up and walking over to them.

"Hey guys." he greeted, wearing his usual stern expression of a leader hiding his emotions. Ron grinned back and Neville patted Harry's shoulder. Proudfoot greeted back and started a conversation with Savage, who only nodded to Harry in greeting.

"So, how are Ginny and Hermione?" Neville asked.

"Bossy," Ron replied, thinking back to her bossing him around to not fall asleep as soon as they landed in Mexico. Harry and Neville laughed.

"Ginny is good. A bit of temper at times and err she gets emotional but other than that, yeah!" Harry exclaimed, looking happy. Ron grinned. He got the vague news that came along with changing emotions. He was going to become an uncle once again.

"That is. . .good?" Neville asked, obviously not catching the fact.

"Yes!" Ron piped in and Harry raised his eyebrows at him. Ron simply grinned back and Harry's eyes widened. He blushed red and started stuttering.

"Err. . . Ron, we were pla-planning to t-tell!" He stuttered.

"I know mate, can't believe that the densest Ron Weasley found out first, eh?" Ron joked causing Harry to laugh and Neville to look even more confused.

"Pardon me, guys?" Neville tried. Ron made a clicking sound with his tongue.

"Not my news to tell."

Neville looked at Harry who grinned uncontrollably.

"Oh." the corners of Neville's mouth turned into the perfect shape of an 'O' which was very quickly replaced with a broad, warm smile. He patted Harry's shoulder again, grinning.

"Congratulations mate! I shall meet Ginny soon. Perhaps after this mission. I will convey my congrats to her personally! I want to visit my little godson as well!" Neville exclaimed happily.

"Thanks, Neville."

The three men talked about several other topics. One of them was about Neville's nervousness to start teaching.

"You will not mess it up, mate," Ron reassured him when he voiced his concern. Harry nodded in support.

"You have lead the DA when we were away. I am sure you can do this!" Harry said.

"But it was different! Ginny and Luna were with me. Now. . . they can't!" Neville said, looking down. Ron placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Madam Sprout will be there and she favoured you," Harry said, speaking instead of Ron who nodded in agreement. "She will help you out."

"Yeah, I think. Thank you guys," Neville said, smiling at them. They smiled back. They were alerted by a cough.

"Aurors, your ride is ready. It is time we start the journey," a man in navy blue robes said, walking over to them. He was the assistant pilot on board. The five aurors nodded in return and followed him. The aurors were asked to come by flight due to some circumstances on the other side. However, Headmistress McGonagall flooed to the school it self.

Soon enough, the group of six men reached the air vehicle waiting for them. It was a mini airplane which was painted white. It had the text, 'Auror Airways' on it. It was specifically made to transport aurors. Ron walked in to find it comfortable enough to seat ten people. However only eight would be travelling. Five aurors including him, the assistant pilot and two main pilots.

"Introductions are in order. I am Henry Lisman, the assistant pilot of this airplane," the man said with a smile. He looked about thirty.

"I am Auror Karl Proudfoot. I am glad to have met you," Proudfoot said, bowing slightly. The man returned the bow.

"I am Auror Stevens Savage," Savage said. Henry bowed to him as well.

"I am Auror Longbottom but you can call me Neville," Neville said with a smile. Henry smiled back.

"I am Auror Weasley. Call me Ron," Ron said and smiled. Henry returned the greeting.

"I am Auror Potter. Please call me Harry though," Harry said. Henry smiled back. He was polite enough to not start admiring Harry.

"Sure, aurors. It is my pleasure to meet you all. The pilots are John Rainey and Kasper Wilkerson. They are currently examining the plane. Hasn't been used since the war but pretty much in shape, I assure. Our journey might take at the least seven hours. I request you to kindly stay patient. I shall now look into the pilot's seat and come back. Thank you," Henry said. The aurors nodded back and he left.

The journey was as long as Henry had said. During this time, every single auror on board mingled with each other and caught up on recent worldly affairs. Proudfoot had striked a shockingly great friendship with the ever silent Savage. Ron mentioned his idea of buying a flying Ford Angelia to his fellow aurors. They agreed to let Harry and Ron out of the patrolling job for an hour or two in order to buy the car. Savage too discussed several of his own experiences as an Auror as Proudfoot added his own tales of bravery as well. In all, the three youngest aurors learned the history of the department and it's workers in those long seven hours. Ron often found Harry sombre about something and look melancholic. He denied such happenings when Ron asked him. Ron assumed that it was probably because Ginny was an expecting mother who was alone at a huge house with two kids. It was natural of Harry to get worried about that but still, Ron felt something else. He had a gut feeling about something going terribly wrong but he just couldn't place it. He hoped Hermione and his baby Rose would be alright as well.

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The skies were several shades of orange, red and yellow when the group of aurors landed in Mexico. Ron looked at his watch and noted that it was half past nine in the evening at Britain. His watch still showed the time of his country. He shrugged and asked Harry the real time. Harry checked his watch and raised his eyebrows. He looked around and then shrugged. Even he did not know the time. He then began counting something using his fingers.

"Err I think it is around three thirty, mate," He answered. Ron nodded his thanks. The magical automobile shops would be opened.

Another small group of people arrived and welcomed the team of aurors as they waved goodbye to the aviation team. This group was the foreign affairs department's delegations who were sent by the ministry of Mexico to receive them. They took the aurors to a nearby restaurant where the aurors refreshed themselves and had their long awaited lunch.

After lunch, Harry and Ron bade farewell to the group and left for a nearby magical automobile showroom with the guidance of Mr Elase Lopez, one of the delegates. Mr Lopez was a kind and bubbly man who was very happy to help Harry and Ron to find the right Ford Angelia. In addition to his bubbly personality, the man knew a lot about automobiles having previously worked in the ministry's department of magical transportation.

The model which Ron chose, after ten minutes of decision making, closely resembled the one that he drove into the Whomping Willow, decades earlier. It was a light greenish blue car with brilliant headlights and comfy seats. He was very happy to find the same type of car which his father had proudly owned earlier.

It was well half past eleven in the night at Britain when Ron and Harry paid for the car. Harry was signing the form when Ron was examining the car. What or rather, who Ron found inside greatly shocked him.

A long mane of red hair was the first thing Ron saw when he opened the door of the four wheeler.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Ron asked, hoping to sound polite. The red head turned around and Ron was met by his mother's brown warm eyes. The only difference was that the woman was very, very familiar and was a year younger than himself. It was his own sister! "Ginny! What are you doing here?!" Ron exclaimed. His sister wore an expression of confusion.

"I-I just sensed you both brought a vehicle that Harry did not tell me about. That is why I decided to come here. Well, I think that's all."

"How did you come here? Did Harry smuggle you in or something?" Ron joked as he sat in the driver's seat. He saw his sister through the mirror of the car as she shook her head, her red hair flying about. She seemed unusually silent. Perhaps she was angry at Harry for not telling her about the car. Ron knew that Harry wanted to surprise her so he decided to defend his best mate. "He wanted to surprise you, sis. That must be why he did not tell you," he said. Ginny nodded but otherwise did not tell anything. Ron saw Harry approaching them through the window so he put a finger to his lips and silently told Ginny to stay silent. All she did was nod slightly so he opened the door for Harry to get in. Harry got in and sat, admiring the car. "Mate, turn your head around and look who is here!" Ron said. Harry raised his eyebrows. Nevertheless he turned around but his expression remained the same. Not shock. Nor happiness. It was Ron's turn to raise his eyebrows.

"Who, Ron?" Harry asked, looking directly at Ginny. Ron was utterly confused. Were the couple fighting? But even if they were, Harry wouldn't have grinned each time Ginny was mentioned during the journey.

"Mate, are you blind or something? Wear those glasses properly and look! It's Ginny!"

Harry took out his glasses, rubbed them on his shirt and put it back on. Ginny rolled her eyes. He then squinted his eyes and looked behind and his expression changed to one of utter confusion.

"I am afraid I don't see her, Ron. Are you sure you are alright? How can she be here? It is supposed to be what?" Harry asked the last part to himself and noted the time on his watch. "Half past eleven in the night in Britain."

"But, Harry! I can see her! She is sitting right here! Ginny! Say something!" Ron exclaimed, turning in his seat and trying to see his sister who was seated directly behind him. She shook her head.

"I do not think he can hear me, Ron," she said. Harry, on the other hand, was looking at Ron with raised eyebrows that nearly reached his hairline.

"Did you hear now, Harry?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head no. Ron truly hoped that whatever was happening to him was some silly nightmare.

"Mate, are you sure you are alright?" Harry asked, looking concerned. Ron nodded, thinking that he was hallucinating. Mr Lopez arrived as well and was about to take the back seat but Ron stopped him for some bizarre reason and asked him to sit beside him. He sent Harry to the back seat and a concerned looking Harry obliged.

While they drove to the hotel where they will be staying, Ron saw, through the mirror, Ginny shooting glances of longing at Harry. Harry remained oblivious, watching the scenery that passed by. At times, Ron caught Harry looking directly at his sister but his face was straight and emotionless. Ron thought he was hallucinating and when they arrived at the hotel, he decided to call it day, even foregoing his dinner.

He paid Ginny a visit and asked her to come and stay with Harry or at least him but she refused. She told only one line, "I don't think I can come out, Ron."

A long chapter! Exceeded 2k words! Wow! Perhaps the longest I have written in my lifetime! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Brace yourself for the next one for it is emotional!

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x