"Hurry up we'll miss breakfast, Tess! It only lasts for another hour", bellowed Ron as he was running down the narrow hallway of The Leaky Cauldron. He lunged towards Hermione's cat lounging on a nearby table that screeched at the sudden movement and scrambled off the table bounding down the stairs.
"What's your problem with cats!" yelled Tessa as she watched Ron run down the stairs shortly after.
Harry trudged out of his room shaking his head at the stomping steps hitting each stair until it slowly faded to padding on stone floor.
"Bugger," mumbled Harry rubbing his temples.
"Oh morning Harry! You're looking well," said Tessa as she walked past with a beaming smile.
"Mhm," yawned Harry as he let Tessa pass and followed her down the hall.
Their light steps reached the bottom of the stairs that opened to the main floor of the dilapidated inn.
"This is the last time I tell you to stop messing with Crookshanks," stated Hermione glaring at Ron whom waved her off and sat down next to Ginny.
Harry groaned lightly as he stretched his arms over his head and walked past the fireplace to the four open seats left at the large communal table centered in the room. Ron already started digging into his plate he prepared for himself while grabbing the Daily Prophet off the table.
"I told you Egypt was am-zing we even in th- pa-er again. 'ave a look 'arry," mumbled Ron once Harry reached the table.
"Honestly Ron, you could've waited until you were finished eating," said Hermione leaning away from the dribbling boy.
"Stop bragging about the clipping Ron," said Fred weaving through the tables. As he walked passed, he yanked the paper from his brother's grasp and sat next to Hermione "You've already told everyone about it yesterday—"
"Or have you already forgotten," finished a second voice. Tessa turned slightly to see George taking the seat on her right. She glanced around the room taking in the surroundings before they set off to King's Crossing.
Fred took advantage of this and leaned over the table stealing the biscuit from Tessa's plate and quickly sat down across from the two.
"You better have a replacement biscuit in handy Mr. Weasley." said Tessa without turning her head back at the table.
"That's a serious accusation Miss Thornhill," said Fred dramatically.
George slowly grabbed the basket from a waitress' hand that walked passed, filled with fresh biscuits from the kitchen, and placed it in front of Tessa who yet turned around.
Tessa snapped her head back towards the table leering at Fred. She then looked down and saw the basket. She uttered a small grunt as she glared at the biscuits' grabbing the biggest one with her right hand and reached for jam with the other.
She globed a mass amount of jam onto one half of the biscuit, and stared blankly at Fred who yanked the paper out of Ron's clutches and began flipping through the pages.
"I wonder if he remembers," thought Tessa as she glanced at his neck and wavy hair brushing his shoulders. "I remember."
She didn't realize she had zoned out until a, slowly, focused Fred was crossed-eyed making faces at her.
"There she is," said George leaning back into his chair once she started turning her face towards his.
"Thought we lost you Tess," said Fred smiling.
"Took you long enough", muttered Ron glaring at his nearly empty plate.
"You don't have to take your aggression out on me," said Tessa turning to Ron. "When your brothers are the ones stealing all the attention away from you."
Tessa glanced Hermione and Ginny whom looked relieved at the interruption the twins made. Red faced, Ron looked back down at yesterday's Daily Prophet re-reading the article about their vacation.
"We almost started throwing food at you until Tom decided to walk up and snatch it away," said Fred.
"You still have food in your hand Tess," laughed George who was pointing at the jam filled biscuit dripping on the table and part of Tessa's arm.
"Do you need help feeding yourself?" said Fred.
"We'll definitely help you. If, you ask kindly", said George winking at Tessa.
"I can take care of myself!" Tessa said quickly. "You'd probably pu something into my food."
The twins glanced at each other and began laughing hysterically, so much so that the bartender across the room nearly over filling a kettle trying to see what was going on at their table.
"You should know us better than that", said George once he stopped laughing.
"Yeah, we wouldn't mess with you like that," said Fred.
"It would be much worse," finished George. Fred and George smiled at each other menacingly.
"I thought I told you two to stop pranking the girls," said Mrs. Weasley sternly.
"Oh Mum, you know that will never stop happening. They'll start back up once you—".
"Oh goodness, the time!" said Mrs. Weasley interrupting Ron. "Up the stairs everyone; go get your things!"
The group groaned as they got up from the table. Tessa grudgingly stood up with the help of George and went upstairs.
They were out the door before Mrs. Weasley could finish checking out of the inn. Once they reached their destination, tons of muggles were in front of the gate for Hogwarts.
"Christ, of all the days to be busy," mumbled Tessa to Hermione.
"There must be an event going on it wouldn't normally be this crowded", replied Hermione.
"What events would you have in the area?" Asked Mr. Weasley quickly.
"Well…I guess it's probably a convention", said Tessa. "Conventions are places where people with similar interests, whether for business or media come together and just talk about muggle things", finished Tessa.
Hermione gave her an approving look as if to say she did well explaining the basics, but it could take an entire dinner discussing conventions and the many interests of muggles in such social events. Before Mr. Weasley could ask more questions Mrs. Weasley pushed through the group to the front.
"Alright you lot there's an opening to the right side of the pillar. Single-file everyone! Tessa could you help Ginny cross through," said Mrs. Weasley as she waved the two girls to the front. Tessa had never been more grateful to go to the front of the line. Tessa lurched her cart forward making a path for her and Ginny running through the wall to Platform 9 ¾ without any problems.
On the other side she finally felt comfortable. She went to the pillar across the entrance while Ginny walked towards some of her friends who had already said Goodbye to their parents.
"Tess, good morning".
She turned around to see Luna Lovegood waving at her.
"Hey Luna!" said Tessa.
"So glad to see you," said Luna dreamily. "I won't keep you for too long, but I hope you do well in Quidditch tryouts this year."
She walked away without a second glance and got on the train. Tessa shook her head and smiled.
"Arthur we don't have time to ask every muggle how they make a quill portable every time you see one in their pocket. We have places to be, and so do they. Oh Harry could you gather the group to say goodbye", said Mrs. Weasley as she tried to rush towards Ginny before she pushed further into the crowd.
"Oh boys; be careful in school this year. I don't want to be sent a letter that you've locked a first year in one of the haunted bathrooms with the lights off again," said Mrs. Weasley sternly as she walked back to the group with Ginny in tow.
"Don't worry Mrs. Weasley, I'll make sure that they'll be nice this year," said Hermione.
"Thank you dear. I hope they won't be a handful." Tessa smirked at the thought of Hermione trying to keep order between Fred and George's antics.
"I'll keep her at bay", Tessa thought.
"Thanks Mrs. Weasley for everything I really appreciate you taking me here with my parents being busy and what not," said Tessa as she said her Goodbyes last.
"Of course," said Mrs. Weasley. "You are family so there's no trouble in the matter." Arthur wrapped his arm around Mrs. Weasley's shoulder and smiled.
"Alright it's time to go, you know the good seats need to be taken by us", said an impatient Ron already picking a window to claim for the long journey.
"Bye guys! And be safe!" said Mr. Weasley as the group got onto the train.
Tessa led the group through the Gryffindor cart, and they split from the group once they chose a spacious compartment.
Lee, Fred, George, and Tessa all fit comfortably in the cart with wide windows only showing a curly haired Hermione and Crookshanks, stuffed in her arms, trying to find a compartment with Harry and Ron. She turned to look at Fred watching Hermione. From the angle he was sitting he could see everything she was doing. \
She glared at the profile of his face, which thankfully was hidden from George and Lee who were already rummaging through everyone's bags and pulling out a chess board and card games for the journey.
"Excuse me guys. I'm going to go to the lavatory before the train gets going," said Tessa. She stood reaching over the rack behind her causing her shirt to ride up past her navel.
They all looked at her up and down, while she rummaged in her bag, and waiting for her to turn around before responding with numerous whatever's before she shut the door.
"That was weird", she thought, but she let it go and walked passed the compartments and opening the door to the next cart.