Chapter Seven:
Creative Copying Tactics

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When Harry's eyes fluttered open, not for the first time that day, he saw smoke. And burning flames. The Burrow was on fire!

Gathering up all the strength he could, he stood up. "AGUAMENTI!" A slow jet of water spurted out of his wand, which, when he remembered Mrs Weasley and the other inhabitants of the place he looked up as his second home, rose steadily until his Holly wand had turned into a water gun of sorts.

"Mum's inside! Anti-Apparition wards are set up! She can't Apparate!" George exclaimed in panic. He was trying to douse the fire as well.

"This is hopeless! The fire isn't getting doused!" Neville stated, exasperated.

"I'm going in," Ron declared, but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"No, Ron! That's too dangerous! Let's try to put out the fire! The gravel can help!"

They tried for two minutes more and Harry knew it was an impossible task. So, he did what he thought was right even if it meant it was extremely reckless. He ran into the fire.

—xoxo—

The flames emblazoned the walls, carving weird designs and letting the ash fall. The temperature was scorching, as if the sun itself was starting to come down upon the house. Heatwaves shook him, but he kept going; step by step, in a huff of determination to get Mrs Weasley out. Charred remnants of the burning roof fell down, but were deflected by the shield charm Harry had cast upon himself. This was a conflagration, something done on purpose. Harry knew it. It was a cursed fire. Cursed to burn the Weasleys down. If it wasn't, then the anti-Apparation wards would not have been put up.

"Mrs Weasley!" Harry shouted, in hopes of finding her.

"DON'T COME IN!" Her voice echoed throughout the burning living room.

"WHERE ARE YOU?! I'M ALREADY IN AND THERE'S NO BACKING OUT!" he exclaimed back. A hand grabbed his arm just as he was about to advance towards the first floor.

"This is a dangerous flame, Harry! We can't get her out like that!" Ginny reprimanded, trying to hold him back. Part of the wall beside her burned down. Harry quickly pulled her towards himself to prevent her from getting scorched.

"Why the hell did you come in?!"

"I promised to follow you wherever you go. Let's work smarter, Harry."

Harry was moved, but he did not show it. It was not the time. "H-how?"

"Why, copy a cat, of course." Without elaborating, Ginny jumped onto the second stair. "If we walk, we are at the risk of attracting fire. We must jump. The air will move along with us when we do so, expelling the fire to some extent. If we cannot extinguish it, we can, at the very least, expel it."

Harry smiled to himself and followed her. They hopped all the way up to the first floor. The door to Ginny's room was ajar, and the crackling of low flames could be heard from the other side. "Homenum Revelio." The tip of Harry's wand pointed at the same room and they skipped their way in, trying as much as possible not to burn themselves.

Thankfully, the fire had not managed to spread to the first floor as much as it had on the ground floor, but it was not saying that it never would. Harry and Ginny found Mrs Weasley on the bed, crouched down and hands closing her ears. "Mum!"

The matriarch looked up immediately at the voice of her daughter. Harry thought he saw tears welling up in her eyes, but he was not quite sure thanks to the heat making the air thicker. "Why did you both come in?" Mrs Weasley asked, weakly.

"Mum, there's no time to explain. We must jump out of the window before the fire spreads here!" Ginny guided. "Hermione has placed the cushioning charm on the other side so that we don't get hurt. Come on! Come on, Harry!"

Harry lent his arm to Mrs Weasley, who, upon taking it, straightened herself. Together, they crossed the short distance to the window and Harry helped her to jump. He wheeled around, extending his palm to the redheaded girl. The combustion had, by now, reached the outside of the door and was quick in spreading. "Ginny, come on! Quick!"

Her eyes, however, were focused on something behind him. "Harry, jump!"

Harry could not act upon it on his own accord. He was pushed down the windowsill, something falling onto his back lightly as gravity overtook his fall. The ground drew closer and closer, he was nearer to the grass, almost touching it. Then, he bounced off and landed face first onto something soft. Remembering Ginny, he craned his neck towards the window. His face fell and tears stung his eyes when he saw flares bursting out of the window, eating up the glass and the bricks and the cement which had held the house so long.

"I'm here, you silly." Harry felt relief course through him upon hearing her voice and seeing her smiling down at him from beside him. So, she had been the weight that had fallen on his back as he let gravity take control of his body, just a few seconds ago.

"Ginny?"

"Yeah. All I did was copy the shooting star which passed right when you turned around. Send the star forward and come behind as a tail." Boy, was she brilliant.

"Never do that again, damn."

"And never run off like that again, heck."

"I was only trying to save your mother. Besides-" Harry raised his brow, sitting up. "are you copying me?"

She merely grinned before her eyes widened at something behind him, again. "Oh, no. Hold on-" But Harry never got to listen to her complete the sentence. He felt sleep overtake him and, despite himself, he fell asleep almost uncharacteristically, involuntarily, accidentally. His head hit the grass with a small thud — he now doubted if he had a lump on that particular side of his head — and he blacked out, not for the first time that day.

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Miyoko x