After lunch the mood was a bit strained, but everyone decided in the end they would need to keep reading.
"I'll go now." Molly said tentatively. Arthur smiled at her and passed her the diary.
10th December 1987
End of the first term tomorrow. Last day of lessons and then we all pack up and go home. The Christmas holidays are three weeks long. I'm very excited to get home. I can't help the stubborn little twinge of hope, that my younger siblings will be pleased to see me as much as Bill and Charlie, no matter how much I try and push it away. I know better.
"We were pleased to see him." Molly said sadly.
I've written to Mia about when we can meet. We've made arrangements for the twelfth. That's going to be the best thing about this holiday. I can't wait to share what I've learnt and she's going to teach me about Shakespeare, whoever he is.
"He's a muggle playwright." Ginny said. Everyone looked at her.
"What? Hermione told me."
I'm mentally preparing myself now for whatever Fred and George have cooked up for me during my absence. Fingers crossed it's not too painful.
11th December 1987
Home at last.
Everyone sighed remembering the Burrow.
Everything's covered with a dusting of snow. It definitely gives the Burrow a Christmassy feel. The twins prank wasn't painful in the end, just humiliating. It involved a trip wire and manure. Enough said. I didn't let anyone see me cry. I never do, they'd think me a sissy.
The twins exchanged a glance of guilt. They didn't even notice their mother's patented glare.
Mums convinced I'm not eating enough and she's taken to hovering over me at dinner time to make sure I finish my plate. I think she forgets sometimes how much the Weasleys can eat without gaining any weight.
Everyone chuckled but Fleur who looked slightly jealous.
Mum and Dad went out after lunch today and I left my book in the kitchen. I was halfway up the stairs before I realized, so I turned around to get it. I paused at the kitchen door just out of sight. All of my other siblings were still there and I caught a few words of an interesting conversation, so I decided to listen.
"Eavesdropping Percy, were so proud." Fred and George said in unison. Charlie and Ginny laughed, but Bill had frozen in his seat the memory of this particular conversation paralyzing him in horror.
"Bills the smart one." Ron said
"And Charlie's the brave one." Fred and George chimed in.
"The twins are the funny ones, Ron's the strategical one." Charlie added.
"Ginny's the talented one." Bill said.
"What about Percy?" Ron asked. There was a moment of silence and a feeling of dread slowly inched its way up my spine.
All those who had been present were now frozen just like Bill.
"Percy's the loser!" Ginny giggled and they all laughed.
"YOU DID WHAT?" Molly yelled and they cowered in guilt and shame.
The bottom dropped out of my stomach and my veins turned to ice. I was numb, paralyzed, I literally couldn't move in shock. Then the pain kicked in, waves of agony ripping through my chest. That's how they saw me. That's all I was to them. Chairs scrapped back, they were leaving, and they would know I'd been listening, but I still couldn't move. I was literally drawing blood where I was biting my lip so hard to keep from sobbing.
There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Heads were bowed in shame and Ginny was actually crying on her mother's shoulder in remorse. Said mother wasn't any better.
The feeling flooded back into my legs just in time and I bolted up the stairs. I didn't let the tears loose until I reached my room and it was quite some time before they stopped.
Loser! Loser! It repeated in my head over and over like a mantra. Taunting me. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.
"We didn't mean for him to hear!" Bill anguished.
"You shouldn't have said it in the first place." Arthur snapped.
"It's my fault." Ginny mumbled.
"No it was all of us. We laughed; we were just as to blame as you." Fred told her.
"We were young and stupid and we didn't mean it." George said.
"Thees was a long time ago." Fleur assured them gently. "I'm sure e is over eet."
12th December 1987
You know you have a good best friend when you have to physically restrain her from marching over to your house and attacking your siblings when you've finished recounting yesterday to her.
"He should have just let her come." Charlie muttered.
Of course I didn't start with that story, what a way to greet a friend you haven't seen in over three months by complaining. So we did all the other stuff first, talking about school and exchanging gifts. She got me a book of muggle kid's stories because she was tired of telling me that she'd never heard of Babitty Rabitty. I got her some cool ink that changes colour. She was wearing the bracelet I got her for her birthday.
"She liked it then" Molly smiled.
Never took it off apparently which put me in a great mood. Then I'd told her about yesterday.
"Let go of me Percy Weasley if you want to keep those fingers unbroken!"
"Not unless you promise me to calm down." I said much more bravely than I felt. She could give mum a run for her money with the death glare.
The younger Weasleys shivered.
I'd not expected her to react like that. I'd thought she'd just comfort me and then we'd move on, but she surprised me. She does that a lot. She leapt to her feet, eyes sparking with rage and spun round on her heels heading towards the Burrow, muttering death threats under her breath. It took me a moment to react and then I sped after her, having to literally grab her by the arms to stop her.
The boys looked a bit alarmed at this.
"If you won't stand up to them then I will." She told me furiously.
"I will."She looked at me sceptically. "One day." I added. Her expression softened.
"Oh all right." She conceded. We sat down again and I idly wondered if I this was going to happen often. I couldn't help but feel a fuzzy feeling of joy that I had someone to stand up for me.
"So tell me about Shakespeare." She smiled this time, frown disappearing and the day got better from there.
"We should apologise to him." Charlie said.
The others agreed. "When we've finished." Bill proposed.
"Let's not tell him about the diary reading. I like my face the way it is." George muttered. "And that girl scares me."
There were noises of unanimous agreement.
"Who wants to read next?" Molly asked.
