'You've got to be kidding me!'
Her father sighed. 'No, Ange. I know this is short notice, but-'
'Short notice!' Angelina Johnson had never been more furious in her life. Well, not counting six months ago at Hogwarts, but that was beside the point. 'So, just out of the blue, suddenly my parents are getting divorced and just like that, just like that, you expect me to choose?'
Her parents stared blankly at her. They had no idea, no bloody idea how she was feeling at the moment, and she hated them. She absolutely hated them.
'I'm not a child anymore. I don't have to do what you want me to, and right now, I'm pretty bloody furious, so I'm not. I'm not going to stay with either of you. I've got a job, I'll find a place and I'll decide when you can see me.' And with that, she turned and ran up to her room.
Angelina could hear her mother calling her name, but she ignored her. Inside she was seething as she threw all her things into her old school trunk and slammed the lid. They thought she was weak. Nothing compared to her angel brother Raphael, with his pretty wife and important job. She'd show them how strong and independent she could be, and she'd never come back.
George Weasley looked around the storeroom of Weasley Wizard Wheezes. It had taken him months, but finally it was all re-cataloged and sorted. It had been a while before he'd even been able to come in here without breaking down, but now he knew he'd done the right thing in keeping up the shop. And slowly, slowly but surely, he could feel himself "coming back to life", as Lee would say, with it. Fred would be proud.
His musings were interrupted by someone banging on the door. He nearly yelled out ''we're still closed!' but realised they were knocking on the door that led to the flat, which opened onto a side alley. He sighed. It was probably Mum, inviting him to dinner yet again.
He wove his way through the back of the shop, found the door and opened it.
'Angelina! What are you doing here?'
'Is that the way you greet all your friends?' she didn't smile; she looked horribly strained. 'Can I come in?'
'Sure.' He stepped back, then stared. 'why have you got your trunk?'
'I'll tell you later. Is there somewhere I can leave it?' George grabbed the other end and together they man-handled the trunk upstairs and dumped it on the kitchen floor.
'You're not in the middle of something, are you?'
He shook his head. 'I just finished up, actually. D'you want tea? No offence, but you look horrible.'
'Yes please, and yes, I suppose I do.' George turned, wand in hand, and saw that she had dropped into one of the chairs and had covered her eyes. George quickly made the tea and sat down opposite her.
'So what's happened to you?'
So it all came out. He parents, always fighting and favouring Raff in everything, their divorce, and the question they'd only just sprung on her today.
'I can just hear them: "Who's going to tell Ange?" "You should." "No, you should." "We can't her boyfriends just-"' she gasped and broke off. 'Do they expect me not to understand? I'm not a child, they could have given me a bit of notice...' Suddenly she burst into tears. 'And now I have to find a place to stay, oh Merlin...'
'You can stay here if you like.' He said it without thinking, and she stared at him in surprise. 'I mean, there's a spare... A spare bedroom now, and... I could do with some company, but if you don't think-'
'I... I'd like that.' She gave him a shy smile. For a moment they just looked at each other.
Then she thumped her hands on the table and looked at him expectantly. 'Well, if I'm staying, I might as well make myself useful. When exactly is the shop re-opening?'
