With everything that was happening, Fred's death could only be the topic of conversation for so long. In the span of a month, dozens more have been stricken with the disease. Over half of them are dead.
Every selfish bone in my body is thankful for them.
I hear my parents argue as I lay in bed. I can't make out what they say word for word. I don't care to. They have been going at it nonstop for the last two weeks and I have no idea why.
I fold my pillow over my ears to muffle their voices and close my eyes. With the faint sounds coming through my window from Diagon Alley below, it isn't long before I start to doze off.
I'm only sleep for what feels like seconds when a sudden tapping noise stirs me. I lean my head back to see Hartley, my Barn Owl, trying to stuff her head through the small opening in the window. I groan as I sit up and move to let her in.
She lands gracefully on her perch and I give her head a quick pat. I'm surprised when I see a piece of parchment tied to her foot since she was only out hunting.
I pull it away and unfold it. The scratchy script on the front of the post is easily recognizable, however it only confuses me. How did Hartley get to Cornwall and back in less than an hour to deliver a post from Dominique?
Come down stairs!
Oh. She didn't. Why is Dominique down stairs? And why doesn't she just come up?
"Piss off, George!"
Oh.That's why.
I open my door slowly and poke my head out of it. From the pitch of my parents' bickering voices I can tell that they're in the lounge. I creep down the hall. Neither of them notice me as I move right by them. They're too immersed in their argument, which I still don't understand, but I'm quick to avoid.
I close the front door quietly behind me. Even after I get down the stairs and into the shop, I can still hear my mum yelling at my dad.
Dom stands by the front counter next to Uncle Ron who is sitting behind it with his feet kicked up, eating a Cauldron Cake.
"What are you doing here?" I say as walk toward them.
"Emergency family meeting," Dominique says. "What's going on up there?"
I shrug. "I have no bloody idea. They've been at it for weeks. The only time either of them shuts up is when they're sleeping."
"Angelina's scaring away all the business," Uncle Ron says as he chews.
"You look terribly worried over that, Uncle Ron," Dom snorts.
"Well, in this economy..." he starts, but has to stop to swallow his giant bite of cake.
I grab one of the Cauldron cakes from the container. "What did you mean when you said emergency family meeting?" I ask before Uncle Ron can continue.
"I'm not sure," she says. She crinkles her nose up as she watches me eat my Cauldron Cake in the same manner as Uncle Ron. Like a complete slob. "How are you so thin?! You're always shoveling those disgusting things into your mouth."
"Have you met either of our fathers?" I mumble, mouth full. "They're not disgusting either. Anyway, focus, Dom. What's up with the family meeting?"
"Like I said, I'm not sure," she says again. "Uncle Harry stopped by this morning and said he wants everyone to come around his for dinner. I was sent by Dad to tell your lot. Apparently he's got something to tell the lot of us."
"Oh!" Uncle Ron says, slamming his hand down on the countertop. "That's right. Hermione owled me about that this morning. M'supposed to get Rose and Hugo and bring them over."
"Do you have any idea what he wants to tell all of us?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "Mione didn't give me much detail. Said she'd explain everything when we get there."
"Do you think Albus knows anything?" I ask Dom.
"He might," she says. "Do you want to head on over?"
I nod. I want to get as far away from the shop and my flat as I can, as fast as I can.
"Er, Rox," says Uncle Ron hesitantly, "you don't reckon you could go tell your mum and dad about the meeting, do you?"
I laugh dryly. "Not a chance."
He sighs, defeated. Dom grabs my arm and pulls me away from the counter and over towards the fireplace. I pick up a handful of Floo powder and step onto the hearth.
Emerald flames rise around me as I throw the Floo powder at my feet and say, "Godric's Hollow."
I see several flashes from other fireplaces before the travel stops and I'm looking into Aunt Gin and Uncle Harry's living room. I quickly step out, not wanting Dom to land on top of me.
I see Aunt Gin from where I stand, sweeping the kitchen floor. It seems like a pointless task, as James is walking behind her dropping crumbs.
I hear the flames rise behind me as Dominique arrives.
"You've spent too much time with your Uncle Ron," Aunt Ginny says, swiping at James' calf with the broom bristles. "Grab a bloody plate!"
"Ow!" James jumps away from her, causing more crisp crumbs to hit the floor. "Y'know, Mum, you could spell the broom to sweep the floor for you."
"Well, you could learn to do a thing or two by hand," she says, hitting him again.
Dom and I snort, and it is then that they notice us.
"Roxy, Dom, I didn't even know you were here," Aunt Gin says.
"We just got here," I say.
"Perfect timing, if you ask me," Dom says. "It's always nice to see someone give James a good whack."
"Why are you two so bloody violent?" asks James.
"Ole Roxy's the violent one," Dom says, patting the top of my head. "I just have a good sense of humor."
I shove Dom away. I can't stand when she, or anyone else does that to me. It reminds me of how bloody short I am. I don't bother addressing the fact that Dom says I'm violent, though. It's partially true.
"I don't think she's violent," says Aunt Gin. She smiles at me. "You're just feisty. You get it from me, you know."
"That's what I've always been told," I say. It was true. Ever since I can remember, I was told I'm just like Aunt Gin.
"Aunt Gin," Dom says, "what's with this family meeting Uncle Harry called for?"
"Some news he got at work today," she says. "He'll explain everything once he's home and everyone else is here."
Dom and I exchange a look. Uncle Harry is the head of the Auror's office at the Ministry. What kind of news could he have gotten that he would want to share with all of us?
We find Albus in his bedroom. I don't know why I'm surprised to see Scorpius Malfoy there with him. They've been mates since our first year, and ever since Scorpius' dad died he has practically been living with the Potters. I don't like the idea of having anything in common with him—but we seem to be dealing with our losses in a similar way. Outwardly ignoring them.
"You're here early," Albus says, looking up at Dom and me as we step inside of his room. Scorpius pays us little attention, only glancing up from the Quidditch magazine he's reading. I feel sick at the sight of it. I don't understand how he's reading it.
"Well, we wanted to see if we could get any information from you," Dom says, kicking articles of clothing out of her way as she walks. "Ugh, Albus when is the last time you cleaned this filth?"
"Those clothes are mine," Scorpius sneers. "Stop kicking them around."
"It's nice to see you, too, Scorp," Dom says plopping down on Albus' bed.
I sit on Albus' other side. "So, what do you know?"
"Not much," Albus says. "Dad stopped saying too much about what's going on in the house. I'm pretty sure it's upsetting Mum…Anyway, I just know that whatever he's got to tell us has to do with the…"
"Disease." Scorpius scoffs. "You don't have to tiptoe around the conversation, Al. We all know my dad died because of it. Say what you have to say."
"I thought we agreed that it's not Scrofungulus," I say.
"We did," Albus says. "It's not Scrofungulus. But the Ministry is still calling it that."
"Okay," Dom starts, "so the Ministry doesn't have any updates then?"
"As far as I know, no. Not about that part of it anyway," he says. "But Dad got some information this morning. Apparently it's big news."
"How big?" asks Dom.
"Big enough to be in the Prophet," he says. "I heard Dad telling one of his co-workers who stopped by that they're supposed to be releasing a statement."
"The Auror's office is releasing a statement?" I say. "Or the Ministry?"
"The Ministry," he says.
"…But you just said that they don't have any updates," Dom says. "How can they release a statement if they don't have any updates?"
Albus shrugs. "Like I said, I don't know much."
"But they must know something," I say. "Your dad wouldn't call all of us around for no good reason."
"Right. And Uncle Harry wouldn't feed us lies from the Ministry. We all know he doesn't trust them," Dom says.
There is a knock at Albus' door and we all look to see Rose as it opens.
"I need air," Scorpius says suddenly. He throws the Quidditch magazine down on the floor as he stands and brushes by Rose without even looking at her.
"You wanker!" I snap. "Watch where you're going."
"It's fine, Roxy," Rose says timidly. She sits down in the seat Scorpius vacated. "He's just upset."
I huff. It's really hard to deal with Rose sometimes. A lot of the time. She's too nice for her own good.
"Doesn't give him the right to be a complete arse," says Dom. "Oi, Rose. Aunt Mione works with Uncle Harry. Did she tell you what's going on?"
Rose shakes her head gently. "I tried asking. She says it isn't anything to worry about and that she and Uncle Harry will explain what's going on at dinner."
"Why do I feel like that gives us every reason to worry?" says Dom.
"Because it usually does," I say.
"See why I kept saying we have to talk about this?" Albus says. "They're being too cryptic."
"ROXANNE WEASLEY!" my mum's voice booms suddenly. We all jump.
"Bloody Hell," Dom pants, her hand clutching the left side of her chest. "What did you do, Rox?"
"I didn't do anything," I say. "I literally haven't even—"
"GET YOUR ARSE DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!"
"I'm coming!" I snap, pushing up from Albus' bed. I stomp out of his room, down the hall, then down the stairs.
I see my mum standing at the bottom of the staircase, my dad standing behind her.
"What?" I say, unable to hide my annoyance.
"Don't what me," she seethes. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Standing here," I say, "getting yelled at for no reason?"
My dad snorts but quickly covers it up as a cough as he puts his hand over his mouth.
"Don't get smart," she says. "Did I say you could leave the flat?"
"Erm, no, but I didn't ask either, so…" I shrug.
"What makes you think you can leave without asking permission?" she says.
"Oh come on, Ange," says Dad. "She's been going in and out on her own since her fourth year and it's never been an issue."
"Yeah, well, that was before our son died!" she snaps. "I dunno about you, George, but I'd like to give Roxanne a fighting chance!"
I feel my heart begin to race and my hands begin to shake from anger. I ball them into fists. My anger rises as I watch my dad's eyes drop to the floor. I don't know what infuriates me more. The mention of Fred or that my mum seems to be blaming my father for what happened to him.
"Maybe if you weren't always bloody screaming at him, I'd stop to tell you what I'm doing," I yell. "Or maybe you'd notice I'd left in the first place! I did walk right by you when I left."
"Don't you dare speak to me like that!" she says.
"Don't treat me like I'm a bloody child and I won't!" I say.
"You are a child!"
"I'll be seventeen in less than a month," I say, "so no, I'm not."
We attract an audience. Aunt Gin, Uncle Ron, Uncle Bill, Aunt Fleur, Aunt Audrey, Uncle Percy, and several of my cousins gape at us. Even Rose, Albus, and Dom have come to watch us from over the banister at the top of the stairs.
The only thing that takes the attention away from us is a loud POP. Everyone turns to see Uncle Harry standing in the middle of the room looking wide eyed and confused.
"We'll be talking about this later," Mum hisses at me. She bumps into my father as she storms away.
"It looks like everyone is here," Uncle Harry says awkwardly. "Erm. Teddy should be along shortly. We'll get started then."
Ϟ
We all sit around a table that has been spelled to accommodate everyone in the family. Harry stands at the end of it with Teddy and Aunt Hermione. I'm not sure what Teddy's purpose is. Comic relief, perhaps, as he keeps changing his nose into snout behind Uncle Harry's back. Lily and Lucy laugh quietly as they watch him. I'm too angry to do much of anything but stare ahead coldly.
"So," Uncle Harry starts. "I know you're all wondering what you're doing here so I'm just going to get straight to it. We're all aware of the disease that's been spreading. We're all also aware that it isn't Scrofungulus even though the Ministry still claims that's what's causing…everything…Right?"
Everyone nods.
"Good," he continues. "I don't have to list the fatalities or what the disease does to someone who is infected with it, but I do have to say what we all know. That it drains one of their magic. The reason I have to say it, is because more of us in this room than not, can't tell if their powers are gone. The lot of you who are underage can't do magic outside of school to know either way."
Dom, Albus and I glance at each other.
"Uncle Harry," says Victoire in the brief pause, "I thought that the disease was only affecting…older witches and wizards. I mean, there haven't been any reports of anyone particularly young…"
Uncle Harry sets his jaw. "There was a fatality reported yesterday. A student—"
"Who!?" Albus says suddenly. "Dad. You didn't say a word about this to us!"
He sighs. "I'm not allowed to say everything I hear at work, Albus," he says. "It's an on-going investigation. We're not completely sure that the disease is what caused it, but it looks as though it could have been."
"You still didn't tell us who died," Albus says. "Who is it?"
Uncle Harry hesitates. He looks at Aunt Hermione. She nods. "Tell them, Harry."
"Lorcan Scamander."
I put my hand over my mouth. Everyone around me gasps. Lorcan is my age. Was my age. Lorcan was wiped from existence. My heart suddenly feels heavy. I want to cry. My lip quivers. I clamp my hand firmer against my mouth to stop it. I want to scream. I grit my teeth instead.
"Wh—what happened?" sputters Dominique. Her voice sounds strained. Like she's being choked.
Uncle Harry sighs. "We can't say…It's too soon to know anything for sure. Like I said, it's being investigated."
There is a sudden uproar at the table. Lily, Lucy, Molly, Hugo, Albus, Dom, Victoire all speak over each other, shouting questions at Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione.
I don't say a word. I can't. If I speak I fear my words will be strangled by the tears that burn at my eyes and threaten spill out. I curl my fingers into tight fists. They shake. I bite at my knuckle. I refuse to cry.
"Listen!" Uncle Harry finally says, slapping his hands onto the tabletop. The room falls silent. "I know you have questions. We all have questions and I wish more than anything that I could give you the answers. But I can't. I didn't call all of you here to announce Lorcan Scamander's death. I'm sorry…I know all of you knew him. I know it's not easy. But the purpose of this meeting was to inform you of something else entirely. We had been wondering if younger witches and wizards were at risk, but really there was no way to know and until yesterday there had been no reports of anyone underage being affected."
"So when word reached our office," Aunt Hermione speaks up, "we went straight to the Minister of Magic. It's in the best interest of everyone, really, to know either way. So we developed a test. A quick way to test your magical abilities on a scale of functionality. All students will be required to take it."
"All students?" says Victoire. "Even those of us who can do magic outside of school?"
Aunt Hermione nods. "Yes," she says. "You see, the disease doesn't wipe them out immediately. It's different for every person, but it's usually a slow decline in function. The test will measure your abilities on a scale adjusted to fit you individually. For example, as an up and coming Seventh year student, your magical abilities would be stronger than Molly's, who is only going into her Fifth year It would be impossible to compare the results of people on different magical levels. So the test is tailored for each of you, based on year, abilities, and previous grades."
"What exactly is this test like?" asks Dom.
"It's very simple and very short," she says. "You'll be asked to perform a series of spells and the efficiency and power of each spell will be monitored. That's all."
"And we'll find out then?" Dom says. "You know, if we're okay or not."
"You'll get your results as soon as they're processed," Aunt Hermione says.
"When is this happening?" asks Albus. "When are we doing the tests?"
"Tomorrow morning," says Uncle Harry. "It's the Ministry's number one priority."
Ϟ
Dom, Rose, Victoire, Hugo, and I all stay at Aunt Gin and Uncle Harry's house that night and wake up early the next morning. We use the Floo network to get to the Ministry of Magic and we are taken by Uncle Harry to a floor with a long, wide, dark corridor to wait.
Uncle Harry, Aunt Hermione, and Uncle Percy are all helping with the tests so we sit and stand amongst every other Hogwarts student until we begin to be divided by year.
Louis, Lucy and Hugo are the first to go, as they're called to join the up and coming fourth years. Then Lily and Molly join the group of up and coming fifth years. Albus, Dom, Rose and I are the next to leave to join the sixth years. We are accompanied by Scorpius, who stayed with the lot of us the night before.
We wait in a small but packed room that is far too quiet for the amount of people occupying it. The tension in the room builds as names are called out in alphabetical order.
Some walk out of the test room looking relieved. Smiling, even. While others walk out looking terrified. Some even crying.
"This isn't good," Albus whispers. "This is bigger than anyone thought it was."
Even knowing that he's right, I don't feel nervous. I don't allow myself to feel anything.
"Malfoy, Scorpius," calls one of the testers. Scorpius moves to his feet.
"G—good luck, Scorp," says Rose kindly.
Scorpius glares at her before walking away.
"Do you think I could get away with hexing him here?" I say, glaring at the back of his platinum head.
Dom snorts. "Please try it."
Rose sighs. "Guys, leave him alone."
"What?!" Dom and I say in stereo. "Rose, he's horrible to you," I say.
"Yeah. He's a smug little git," Dom says. "I don't know why you like him. Or why you're even friends with him, Alb."
"He's going through a lot right now," Rose says.
"Yeah, he doesn't really have anyone," Albus agrees. "I mean, his dad died. His mum is sick. Both sets of his grandparents are dead. All of his aunts and uncles are…We're all he has."
That's enough to shut both Dom and me up. I still don't like him. Or the way he treats Rose.
A little while later, the door opens up and Scorpius makes his way out of it. Considering he always looks like he smelled something foul, it's hard to read his expression.
Rose and Albus move to their feet.
"Mate," says Albus. "How did you do?"
"How do you think I did?" he snaps. He says nothing else as he storms by us and out of the room completely. The door slams shut behind him.
Rose immediately falls onto her seat. I don't even like Scorpius Malfoy but I feel a sting in my chest. He's infected.
We sit in silence until Albus' name is called. We wish him good luck and he nods graciously and disappears. It feels like hours go by before he returns. I know as soon as I see him that he's okay. I sigh in relief.
"What happened?" Dom asks as soon as he's sitting with us again.
Albus explains the test in detail. It seems to go exactly how Aunt Mione had explained it.
"Weasley, Dominique."
I smile at Dom. We aren't the emotional type so I don't offer a hug nor does she go in for one. She simply nods, smiles back, and turns away. I'm not nervous…but I am for Dom. She isn't just my cousin. She's my best friend. My sister. The thought alone of losing her makes me feel like I'm choking.
She returns to the room, smiling and almost bouncing as she mutters things in French. I know she's okay.
"Weasley, Rose."
I'm not the hugging type, but I try to give Rose a one armed one. I know she wants it. Dom does the same. Together we give her what would be equal to a real hug from one person.
"You're going to be fine, Rose," says Dom.
Rose nods. I doubt she's worried about her own results. She has no reason to be. When she returns, her eyes glisten with tears but she's smiling. Sweet Rose is fine.
"Weasley, Roxanne."
I set my jaw and stand, wand in hand. Dom smiles at me, as does Rose and Albus. I nod.
I follow the woman through the door and into a room that's dark and glows blue.
There are a line of people, Ministry officials, seated on one side of it. A single chair rests in the middle.
"Please step forward and present your wand," says an elderly man. As I approach him, I notice that Teddy is standing in the corner of the room, grinning at me. I try to grin back, but it's weak and doesn't reach my eyes.
I set my wand before the old man, who picks it up and examines it. "Core, wood, and length?"
"Unicorn hair, willow, nine inches," I say.
"And this is your first and only wand?"
"Yes."
He hands it back. "State your full name, date of birth and age."
"Roxanne Belle Weasley. Ninth of September, 2003. I'm sixteen years old."
"You're going into your sixth year at Hogwarts?"
"Obviously," I say.
The man looks up at me with a slight glare. "Take a seat and we'll begin."
I sit in the stiff, cold chair, my wand resting between my palms.
"Ms. Weasley, please cast Lumos."
"Lumos," I say. My wand tip lights up.
"And Nox."
"Nox," I say. The light goes out.
"Summon this paperweight."
I hold my wand out and say, "Accio paperweight," as I give it a flick. The paperweight rises and soars towards me. I don't know if they expect me to catch it, but I don't. Instead I dodge it and watch as it hits the ground and breaks.
Teddy snorts from his corner of the room then clears his throat. Wordlessly, he repairs the broken paperweight and sends it back to its spot on the counter.
"Are you able to cast a Patronus charm?"
I nod. "Yes."
"Is it fully formed? If so, what shape does it take?"
I grimace. "That of a cat," I say.
"Okay, now if you could, please cast your Patronus."
I hold my wand out again. "Expecto Patronum!" I say loudly. Blue mist spews from my wand…but it takes no shape and quickly disappears.
"How many times have you cast your Patronus successfully, Ms. Weasley?"
"I'm not sure," I say.
"Would you say you've done it more than twenty or so times?"
"I don't know. I don't keep a tally."
"Would you like to try again, then?"
I nod. I hold my wand out, focusing harder this time. "Expecto Patronum!"
There's a jolt through my wand that knocks me back. Blue mist shoots out of it quickly. It takes the form of a cat that runs wildly around the room.
I smile as I watch it. Mostly out of pride, because I loathe cats. I don't understand why my Patronus takes that form.
The men and women at the table exchange unreadable looks before the only man who has been speaking looks at me. "I see from your records that you received an Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration on your O.W.L.S. Please stand, come forth, and transfigure the paperweight into a goblet."
I stand and walk forward. I point my wand at the paperweight…and just as I flick it, the paperweight crumbles into thousands of tiny pieces of metal.
Teddy is fast to repair it. Again.
"All right, Ms. Weasley," says the old man. "That's all."
"Well," I say. "How did I do?"
The old man hesitates. "Your results are inconclusive."
Ϟ
"What did they mean by inconclusive?" Dom asks. "How could your bloody results be inconclusive?! You can either do magic or you can't."
"That's not true," Albus says. "Aunt Hermione said that the test measures power and efficiency. It's not just about being able to do it or not being able to do it. It's about how well or unwell you can do it."
"Yeah, until your powers are gone completely," Dom says.
"You two are really making this so much better for me right now," I say bitterly, plopping down on a chair at the kitchen table. We're back at Albus' house, waiting for an adult to fully explain my test results to me.
"But your powers aren't gone, Rox," says Dom. "You were able to do everything, weren't you?"
"Except for transfigure the paperweight," I say. "And something weird happened when I cast my Patronus the second time."
"Weird?" says Albus.
"It hurt," I say. "Like it was too strong or something. It jostled me."
There are three loud POPS in the next room and within seconds I see Aunt Hermione, Uncle Harry, and my dad rushing into the kitchen.
"What's going on?" Albus says.
"We were just informed of Roxanne's results," says Uncle Harry. "We stopped by Diagon Alley to get George."
Aunt Hermione is holding a scroll of parchment. She sits down next me and gestures for my dad to join us. I'm glad they didn't get my mum.
"As soon as I heard of your results I asked for a copy of them," Aunt Hermione says, pulling the parchment straight. "I helped develop the test so I can find out why they were inconclusive." She scans the parchment silently. I stare at it without seeing anything.
"Your overall functionality wasn't so bad. A little low for someone at your level and with your grades, but it's not bad enough to confirm the disease."
"But not good enough to deny it?" I say flatly.
She shakes her head. "That's not exactly how it works. I mean, it is, but they take an average from the spells you cast. Your Patronus is what made them inconclusive."
"What about shattering the paperweight?" I say. "I mean…It literally shattered."
"Yes, but that could have been a fluke," says Aunt Hermione. "You see, they used the same one on everyone and there's only so much transfiguration an object can take. Plus, it says you didn't catch it and it shattered when you summoned it."
"Yeah. Teddy had to fix it," I say.
"Which could have been another reason it didn't transfigure for you," she says. "But your Patronus…You see, they're a very special sort of magic. Very…emotional. Your test givers didn't know about Fred to know to take it into consideration. When someone goes through something emotional…It does things to their Patronus."
I blink. I don't understand but I don't ask for an explanation.
"Even though the paperweight crumbled, your results would have been fine. It was your Patronus that curved them and put them on the line between functional and nonfunctional," Aunt Hermione went on. "It was more powerful than it should have been. But there's a very big chance that it's because of…everything that's been happening."
"So what do we do now?" Dad says.
"Roxanne will take the test again." She looks at me. "It'll be a longer test, with more spells. As long as your functionality doesn't drop, you're fine."
Ϟ
Teddy escorts me to the Ministry for my retest. It isn't as early this time, but there aren't nearly as many test takers here this time either. We're separated by year again and when we walk into the small room I only see a handful of people. Lysander Scamander being one of them.
I want to say hi to him but I can't find it in myself. I can hardly even look at him. I know his pain. I wish I didn't.
I sit beside Teddy who makes it a point to make lighthearted jokes even though I don't laugh at them. I don't even smile. I just grunt every now and again to let him know I'm paying attention and even appreciate his efforts.
The door to the testing room opens and Lysander is called in. I watch him until he disappears behind it.
"Lupin," says a cold and somehow familiar voice. I lean forward on my seat to look at the ajar door. I know the man standing on the threshold. It's the same man who showed up at my flat looking for Uncle Harry.
I stare at his slightly bronzed, scruff covered face then at his shoulders. He's dressed in black from there to his feet. When I look up again, our eyes meet, but only for a second.
"Sir?" says Teddy.
"A word?" the man says, inclining his head toward the hall.
Teddy nods quickly. "I'll be back in a minute."
I don't say anything, but watch as he stands and exits the room behind the man who looks so out of place here.
Lysander exits the test center and another student is called in before Teddy returns.
"Sorry that took so long," says Teddy as he sits down. "We're busy in the Auror's office. Lots going on. Lots to prepare for. How are you feeling? You nervous?"
Yes. I shrug. "I don't know," I say. "I guess I should be, shouldn't I?"
"I would suggest pretending that they're all in their knickers but that might make you ill," he says.
I actually laugh. He laughs too. "You'll be all right, Roxanne."
The door opens.
"Weasley, Roxanne."
I don't feel all right.
I stand and follow the woman into the test room. I'm asked to present my wand, say its core, wood, and length, then state my full name, date of birth, and year I'm going into before the test starts.
Lumos and Nox are my first tasks. I do them without any issues. Again I'm asked to summon a paperweight. I'm also asked to catch it. I do both with ease.
I'm told to use Gemino to duplicate a piece of parchment. It duplicates five times instead of one. I start to worry. That is until they tell me to use Alohomora to unlock a door. The knob explodes. I start to panic.
However, when I'm asked to transform the paperweight into a goblet I do it with an easy flick.
"Now fill it with water."
"Aguamenti," I say. A jet of water spews from my wand, filling the goblet to its rim.
"We're going to release a boggart," the man says. "Use Riddikulus to transform it."
My throat tightens. I'm terrified of what I might see. Boggarts can take the form of any fear. I hope I don't see Fred.
I don't see Fred. I see a giant bolt of lightning. I point my wand at it and shout, "Riddikulus!" It bursts into air like one of my dad's explosives.
"Your last spell will be your Patronus," says the elderly man. "When you're ready, cast it."
I think about what Aunt Hermione told me. Patronuses are emotional spells. Then all I can think of is Fred. I don't want to think of Fred. I set my jaw and grit my teeth, my arm reared back.
"Expecto Patronum!" I say. My body is pushed back by an invisible force and I stagger until I fall. The blue mist forms a cat that runs around the room just like it did last time.
Something warm and thick trickles from my nose. I wipe my fingertips across it and look at them. They're covered in blood.
I try to stand, but I can't get past my knees. I look up at the row of Ministry officials. They stare back me.
"Ms. Weasley…" the man begins. He adjusts his glasses. "We regret to inform you that, according to your results, you have Scrofungulus."
I feel pain. I feel fear. I feel fury.