Shell Cottage

**Shell Cottage** is the home of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, after their marriage in the summer of 1997. It is located on the outskirts of Tinworth, Cornwall, near the coast, and is described as a "*lonely and beautiful place.*"

Sea Lavender can be found growing around it. It was a safehouse for various members of the Weasley family and other allies of the Order of the Phoenix during the height of the Second Wizarding War. Protected by the Fidelius Charm, its Secret-Keeper is Bill Weasley.

## History

### 1970s/1980s

> "*It was our aunt's. We used to come here as kids.*"
> ― Early history of the cottage[source]
>
>

The cottage was built sometime in, or prior to, the 1970s or 1980s, and was by that time owned by an aunt of the Weasley children. Molly and Arthur Weasley used to take their children there during their young years.

### Second Wizarding War

**Hermione Granger**: "*But where have you been, then?*"
**Ron Weasley**: "*Bill and Fleur's new place. Shell Cottage...*"
— Ron regarding his stay at Shell Cottage[src]
Newlyweds Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour moved from Bill's family home of the Burrow to Shell Cottage after their wedding on 1 August, 1997.

Bill's younger brother Ron came to stay at Shell Cottage shortly after deserting Harry Potter and Hermione Granger during their mission to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes in the autumn of that year. Although he disapproved of his brother's actions, Bill did not give him a hard time about it seeing that he regretted his actions, even deciding not to go to the Burrow for Christmas so as not to expose Ron's actions to the rest of their family. Ron stayed for many weeks, leaving in late December to return to his friends.

Around Easter in 1998, Ron, Harry, and Hermione were captured by Snatchers and brought to Malfoy Manor, Death Eater headquarters. This exposed Ron's cover that he had been ill at home with spattergroit, making it too dangerous for the rest of his family to go to their respective jobs. They used the Fidelius Charm to conceal their locations, and Bill was the Secret-Keeper for Shell Cottage.

 File:Dobbyshellcottage.png
Ron, Harry, and Hermione managed to escape from Malfoy Manor with the help of Dobby, who was sent to assist them by Aberforth Dumbledore. Fleur immediately tended to Hermione, who had been tortured into unconsciousness by Bellatrix Lestrange. Dobby also transported fellow prisoners Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Mr Ollivander, and Griphook to Shell Cottage, but was killed in the rescue.

Harry dug his grave by hand between two bushes at the end of the garden, where they held a small funeral. The inscription on his smooth, white tombstone reads *"Here Lies Dobby, a Free Elf."*

 File:2010 harry potter and the deathly hallows p2 034.jpg
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed in the cottage while planning their break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank with the reluctant assistance of Griphook. He made a deal with Harry to help them break into the Lestrange Vault and retrieve one of Voldemort's Horcruxes in exchange for Godric Gryffindor's Sword. Bill also warned Harry that goblins have different concepts of ownership than do witches and wizards, and that it would be dangerous to double-cross them.

Also during their stay at Shell Cottage, Harry and the others were visited by Remus Lupin, who announced that his wife had given birth to a son, Teddy, and made Harry the newborn infant's godfather.

### After the War

Following the end of the war on 2 May, 1998, Bill and Fleur Weasley raised their three children — Victoire, Dominique, and Louis Weasley — at Shell Cottage.