Chapter 582 – Morphing Pumpkin!!
Afternoon.
Their luggage had been delivered.
Darren and the others settled down completely at Black's place. Black cheerfully cooked for everyone, and the house was lively for a while.
That was, until Mad-Eye Moody and Tonks arrived to take them to St. Mungo's.
Since Black still couldn't go out, he could only watch Darren and the others leave in a hurry.
On the way, Harry was thoroughly puzzled by Tonks repeatedly asking whether there was any Seer blood in his family.
Apparently, she wanted Harry to help her divine her love life.
But the moment Harry thought of Professor Trelawney, he felt deeply insulted. He solemnly declared that he had no such ability.
Just as he thought Mad-Eye Moody might also question him about prophecy, Moody's gaze instead landed on Darren.
He pulled Darren aside to exchange a few spells and mainly to consult him.
After all, Darren was always astonishingly knowledgeable.
Some of the minor spells Darren had mentioned before had turned out to be extremely useful to Moody, so he took the opportunity to ask him more.
This finally allowed Harry to breathe a sigh of relief.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of St. Mungo's. Darren looked around and exclaimed in surprise,
"I feel like I've been here many times…"
"It's not just a feeling," Mrs. Weasley said seriously. "You really have been here many times."
Fred grinned. "If Harry hadn't stopped Darren earlier, he might've been admitted again today!"
"Shut up. Don't talk nonsense," Mrs. Weasley snapped angrily.
But Fred and George winked at Darren and whispered,
"You really scared us half to death. We kept thinking that if that spell had actually hit you, you might've blown yourself apart right in front of us."
"We'd probably have fainted on the spot, and then everyone would be staying at St. Mungo's together!"
Darren laughed awkwardly, his expression full of guilt, clearly wanting to apologize.
Before he could, Fred stuffed a piece of pumpkin pie straight into his mouth.
"Oh, stop talking, or everyone's going to be moved to tears by you," Fred said quickly.
Darren took a bite of the pumpkin pie—and immediately pouted.
He really wanted to scold Fred.
Because Fred had actually given him a piece of Transfigured pumpkin pie.
He noticed it the instant he bit into it.
His body rapidly shrank, and in the blink of an eye, he turned into a small fox.
The little fox tilted its head and looked helplessly at Fred.
"Wow, that's so cute!" Ginny exclaimed.
She immediately scooped up the little fox Darren and hugged him tightly.
Perched against Ginny's chest, Darren looked utterly resigned.
So that was it. Fred had insisted on making him eat it just for this moment.
"Uh… Darren, I really didn't notice! I thought it was just ordinary pumpkin pie!" Fred said apologetically.
He frantically rummaged through his pockets for the antidote—but couldn't find it.
Finally, George said weakly, "I ate the last antidote… Darren just needs to wait half an hour. He'll change back on his own."
Because of this prank, Fred and George were scolded more harshly than ever before.
Mrs. Weasley repeatedly rapped them on the head with her wand until both of them were yelping.
Fortunately, Darren reached out with his little fox paw and pressed it against Mrs. Weasley's arm to stop her.
That single action made her eyes light up with delight.
Darren had a terrible suspicion that she might want to feed him that pumpkin pie every day from now on—just to keep a particularly adorable little fox around.
In the end, the group—along with a little girl holding a fox—finally arrived at Mr. Weasley's hospital room.
Mr. Weasley was awake, reading the Daily Prophet. When he saw them, he smiled warmly.
"Good afternoon!" he said cheerfully, waving the newspaper.
Mrs. Weasley bent down, kissed him gently on the cheek, and asked worriedly,
"How are you feeling? You still look a bit pale."
"I'm fine. Very fine!" Mr. Weasley said, hugging her with his uninjured arm.
He waved at Ginny and pulled her into a hug as well.
Then his gaze shifted to Harry… and past him.
His expression froze slightly.
He scanned the group again. Fred and the others instinctively stepped back.
They already knew what he was looking for.
Sure enough, Mr. Weasley asked anxiously,
"Where's Darren? I heard he wanted to hurt himself just to come see me at St. Mungo's. What happened?"
"He didn't really get hurt, did he? Didn't you say Harry stopped him?"
Darren jumped straight into Mr. Weasley's hand.
He politely patted it with his fox paw.
Mrs. Weasley blushed slightly and stroked the top of Darren's fox head, the fur still sticking up messily.
"He's here," she said helplessly.
"Your good sons fed Darren a Transfiguration pumpkin. He'll need about half an hour to turn back."
Mr. Weasley stared at the fox in shock, then slowly turned to Fred.
He raised his wand, clearly tempted to do something.
Fred muttered and dodged.
"Mum didn't say it was me! You're jumping to conclusions—are you really our dad?"
Mr. Weasley was torn between laughing and being angry.
"Who else would do something like this if not you two?" he said, pointing at Fred and George.
"But I have to admit… it is adorable."
He burst out laughing.
Then he leaned close to Mrs. Weasley's cheek, blocking Darren between them, and whispered,
"I've always wanted to get you a fluffy little pet, my dear. Romance never dies."
"…Me too."
Darren felt numb.
He really wanted to remind them that he was a person.
Not an actual pet.
And could they please not sandwich him between their public display of affection?
Finally realizing this, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley set Darren down.
They placed him on the hospital bed—but Ginny immediately snatched him back into her arms.
Blushing slightly, she said,
"The bed's too hard. Darren will be uncomfortable. I'll hold him for now."
"After all, my brothers caused this. As their sister, I should make up for it."
Now it was the Weasleys' turn to feel awkward.
Mr. Weasley rubbed his nose with his uninjured arm and laughed.
"That's some powerful sweetness. I don't think Fred or George expected that."
"But Darren's about to turn back. Still… maybe next time you can trick him into eating that kind of pumpkin pie again."
Darren, still in fox form, silently decided that once he turned back—
Someone was going to pay.