Chapter Four: An Honest Wizard

Things didn't get better. Nor did they get worse, but my focus was on the fact that Fred hadn't had more than a one-word conversation with me since... Merlin, I couldn't even remember the last time we'd really spoken.

Christmas approached at a Flobberworm's pace and I was eagerly anticipating the company of my friends and family. Neville and Lizzy had kept writing to me up until the week before their holidays started; he was telling me about the new professor's 'Slug Club' for outstanding students, and how crushed he had been when he didn't make it in. I'd been given the chance to comfort him in no time.

The day of reconnecting with witch and wizardkind alike was upon me and I could not have been more ecstatic. Just the packing to go back home for a few days sent shivers down my spine; I never figured that I'd be packing up at my new flat to go back home. It made me feel so... grown up. It was kind of depressing, actually.

Apparating to the porch of my house wasn't the thing that got me nauseous – it was the idea that I had to knock on my own front door to be let inside. I made a fist and pounded twice. Halfway through the third knock, the door swung on its hinges and my mother jumped at me.

"Sara!"

"Mum!" I laughed and hugged onto her tightly. She smelt of home, and the dinner she'd obviously been working on for our company that would be arriving later that night.

George told me that Fred had told him I should go home early to spend time with my family before my friends got there. I appreciated the thought, but he didn't even tell me himself. I was growing frustrated with him.

"So how's it been at the new place, sweetheart?" Dad sat me down in the living room and pulled a chair up. Apparently the parallel couch wasn't close enough for his liking, though it seemed to be suitable for Mum.

I forced a big smile on my face. My parents would not be finding out that I hated living there – not tonight, anyway. "It's brilliant!" The lie hurt as much as the truth would have. "It's a lot of work mind you..."

"Oh, of course!"

"But we're having so much fun together!"

"Fred's treating you right?" Mum inquired, sounding more like a journalist than a curious parent.

I got into my character once more and chuckled before taking a sip of my coffee. "Yes, yes he's still an honest wizard."

"Have you..." I knew what she was trying to say, but I didn't expect it to come out the way it did. "Have you... been intimate yet?"

"Mom!"

"What? You live together – I want to know!"

"I'm out of here." Without many more movements, Dad stood from his chair and left the room muttering. "I wish she would warn me when it's time for girl talk..."

"Well, the answer is no. We haven't."

"Is something wrong, dear?"

I was so relieved I could talk to my mum like a friend, but at the same time, I hated how she could read me so well. "No, just... busy is all."

"Okay, well if you ever want to talk about anything, it's been made clear you should come to me and not your father."

A real chuckle escaped my lips – the first one in weeks – and I smiled at her. "Thanks, yeah?"

"Anytime, dear."

"They're coming, oh Merlin, they're going to be here soon!" You'd think I would be the one panicking in excitement to see my friends again, but that was actually my dad. He got very anxious during occasions and ended up running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

There was a knock on the door and two familiar faces entered; Tonks and Lupin strode into our house and beamed at the sight of us. "Matthew, Jennifer! How have you been?" Lupin had clasped Dad in a double-handed shake while Tonks was hugging my mom. Mr and Mrs Weasley shortly followed. Apparently they'd become the couples my parents went out with to have fun.

Not long after, my sister arrived with Ron, Hermione and Harry. I'd have thought Ron would bring Lavender to the party, but her absence seemed to make both Lizzy and Hermione quite happy.

"Lizzy!" I embraced her, not wanting to let go. She hugged back with the same devotion.

"Sara!"

"Is it just me or have you grown a lot since the summer?"

"Stop it now." Lizzy obviously didn't appreciate my teasing in front of the youngest Weasley boy, for she had started to glare daggers at me.

I chuckled. "Okay, okay. What about you three? What have you been doing this year?"

"It's been pretty uneventful if you can believe it." Harry admitted with a shrug.

"I don't." I replied in all seriousness, causing Ron and Hermione to burst into a fit of laughter. "I am glad to see you all again, though. It's been kind of lonely at the shop to be honest."

"Really? I'd think you and the twins would rock and roll all night and party every day!" Hermione danced in a jerking fashion and chuckled at the muggle reference no one else understood.

"It's a lot more work than you'd think." What they didn't know was it was not only physically draining, but emotionally, too.

There was one more arrival I was eagerly anticipating, and when his not-so-round face appeared at my threshold, I had to fight back tears of joy. "Neville Longbottom, get your arse over here!"

He beamed at the sight of me and scooped me into his arms, lifting me from the floor. "Sara!"

"It's so great to finally see you!" I found myself laughing I was so happy.

"Great to see you, too!" He said when he finally put me down. "Hey, how's the whole Fred thing going?"

"I haven't seen him yet. Katie told me they were picking some people up, so they'd be late."

"How late?"

"Oi, Sara!" He was addressing me. I heard his voice and spun in my place. One of his arms was draped over Angelina's shoulder in a side hug-type manner. "Katie and I went to get Angie and Alicia; hope you don't mind."

My heart wrenched. "I don't care." Neville could tell I'd just gotten depressed, so his arm went out to me in another hug – this one less joyful than the first. "Hey Neville," I'd said once I realized Fred had gone off with his group of friends and could no longer see me. I wasn't in the mood to remember that night. "Let's get a butterbeer."