Chapter 4
The tallest Weasley crushed me between his outstretched arms.
"Lily, what the hell happened out there?" I felt so secure in his arms as he started to stroke my hair.
"Uh… I defeated the Dark Lord?" I felt the arms of his twin circle me from the other side, then another and another until the whole of the Weasley clan was circling around me, except Percy of course.
"I guess that's just all in a day's work for the greatest witch of our age." George said, chuckling a little as he said it.
"Well…" I say, a smile playing on my lips.
I liked it. Surrounded by my family, free from the confines of needing to be the greatest of kill the all powerful Dark Lord. Just being a normal kid. The butterflies that constantly took residence in my stomach had apparently went home. I felt light as air. Cool as the breeze.
When suddenly Mrs. Weasley broke the silence, "Do you need to buy your books?"
"Uh, yeah!" I suddenly perked up and remembered one of the best parts of going back to school, shopping.
"Okay baby, why don't you and your father go do that, while we'll go and then you can come over later for dinner? Harry and Hermione will be there in a little while anyway."
I looked hopefully over at my father.
He looked back at me, "Why don't you and the twins go shopping and I'll go help Molly with dinner."
"Really Papa! Thanks!" I run over and hug him tightly. Then he reached into his cloak and handed me his wallet.
"Now, don't spend all of it on books, and if anyone asks anything, don't answer anything. Tell them you're not sure what Dumbledore wants you to tell them yet."
"Ok Papa, love you see you later." I perch on my tippy toes to kiss his cheek them grab one of Fred's hands and pull him along Diagon Alley to the bookshop.
"Lily, do you really need all of those?"
"Of course. My Monster Book of Monsters ate itself last year. I need the new spell books. I spilled a potion all over my book a few days ago and I need a few other books."
"You need another copy of Quidditch Throughout the Ages?"
"Yes, my other one I loned to Ron and he spilled coffee on it."
"So you need a new one?"
"Yes. Don't question me George."
I walked up to buy my books to many stares and questions, which I tried my best to ignore. After leaving the shop I went to buy a new robe, only one to add to the ones I already had that fit. When we stumbled across the abandoned shop at the end of the alley. As usual, Fred and George went up to the windows to the sides of the door and looked in. Like it changed much. People were afraid of this shop, ghosts were known to frequent it, but the bad kind of ghosts.
"When are you guys gonna have the money to set the down payment on it?" I ask them, from on the pavement where I watch them.
"Who knows, if Hermione doesn't let us test our products 'on her watch'," He says, shaking a finger and doing a spot on impression of Hermione, "than never."
"Well I know a secret. And it might help you out."
They both whipped around at this, and flew down the short staircase to where I stood.
They made odd whimpering noises and had lost puppy looks on their faces that I couldn't help but laugh at.
"Dumbledore told me that we are going to be hosting the Triwizard Competition this year."
Their jaws nearly hit the floor.
"You mean like, Triwizard-Triwizard. Like the tournament that got disbanded?"
"Yeah, and there is a significantly ample prize for the winner."
"Wait," Fred interjected, "who are we facing?"
"Beauxbatons and Durmstrang I think, at least that's what Dumbledore told me."
"He told you this?" Fred looked incredulous.
"Well, more like he told my Papa, while I eavesdropped."
"Nice going. Now we just have to make sure that one of the two of us wins Georgie." Fred says.
"One of the three of us," I say, "trust me, I plan on entering that contest. And when I win, my prize money is going to you guys. I want you to have this store as much as you do."
At this they engulfed me in their arms.
And there we stood, comfortably basking in each other. But I can't say I'm not leaning on one brother more than the other.