"...We have a second cousin who's an accountant, but we don't talk about him much..." -Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J.K Rowling)
Chapter 2
The Weasleys were all gathered around the small clearing where their distant relation was to appear. Most of the family had managed to show up despite their busy work schedules. Ron and his older brothers Bill and Charlie were sitting on the ground listening to Fred and George as they plotted ways to make their cousin feel welcome.
"Wicked! Where did you get the idea for something like that?" Ron asked, looking at his brothers in admiration. "That would be bloody useful if you wanted to put one over on somebody; do you think Mom would care if we gave it a trial run?"
The boy's laughed as Fred and George acted out the possible reactions of their cousin. Their little sister, Ginny, couldn't help but join in on the conspiracy. A unanimous vote had decided Astrid's fate earlier: she was going to be a test subject for joke products. If she wanted to be apart of the family she had to serve her time and that meant testing prototypes for Fred and George's store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
"Arthur what time is it? Shouldn't she be here by now? I hope Ginny can get her settled comfortably in—in his old room. Oh, I do whish that American Ministry had told us more about her, the poor thing." Mrs. Weasley, a very protective and plump witch, said as she paced back and forth. She kept glancing every now and then at the marked off area in the middle of the yard. The Ministry of Magic had arranged it so that the incoming American would be able to get settled in right away with her godparents.
"Calm down Molly, I'm sure she'll be fine. Didn't you meet her father once?" Mr. Weasley, an exhausted, but cheery man, asked changing the subject.
"Yes, I did." Mrs. Weasley pressed her lips together.
"I was visiting our cousin Mildred and her family while they were visiting from America, oh, years ago! Anyway we got to talking and she mentioned that her nephew, Kevin, had finally come to visit. He'd gone off to be an accountant or some such nonsense." Mrs. Weasley sniffed disapprovingly.
"Well when Mildred was on her way to passing over, he showed up. Unpleasant man, he looked down his nose at us. Eventually he asked me if I would take Mildred's place as his daughter's godparent. He seemed uncomfortable about it, but I—" Whatever Mrs. Weasley was going to say was interrupted by a thunderous crash, Ginny's scream, Fred and George's curses, and the collective gasps of the rest of the family.
"Blimey!" Ron scrambled to his feet. He caught up to his brothers as they gathered around the girl huddled on the ground. The trolley cart was crumpled into a heap of useless metal, the trunk, two duffle bags, and backpack were now resting at least ten meters from what was left of the trolley cart. Their distant relation groaned, her face smudged with dirt as she looked up at them.
"They always say to make a good first impression. I just didn't know they meant literally." Her eyes closed, and they knew she'd blacked out.
"Did you see that? She must have been hit by at least two of those bags, and I saw that larger heavy looking case slam into her right at the end there. Bet that hurt." Ron stared agape next to Ginny, who had her hand over her mouth. Fred elbowed George and they started to pick up the various bags scattered over the yard.
"We'll have to keep this area looped off." Fred chuckled as he lifted one of the large duffels.
"Yeah, we'll tell every one that's where the asteroid hit!" George gathered up the other duffle and followed his twin inside.
"You three, put the rest of her luggage in her room. Arthur, pick her up and place her on her bed while I check my family potion kit." Mrs. Weasley ordered before hurrying into the house.
"You heard your mother, lets get to it." Arthur pulled out his wand and floated Astrid into the house and up the narrow, creaky steps. Bill, Charlie, Ron, and Ginny gathered up the rest of her stuff and followed suit.
A/N:
Short, but I thought a different point of view would make it more interesting.
This attempt probably isn't much better but there you are. Only constructive criticism, if you flame you've wasted your time; flames will be ignored, criticism accepted and appreciated. Don't bother yourself if you don't want to because I rarely check my mail anyway.
Well, if any of you remember that short blurb in the first book when Ron and Harry first meet, Ron mentions a second cousin. I've modified it to serve my needs.
Enjoy, the author.
