It was a week before Emma would board the Hogwarts Express and she was absolutely impatient. In the beginning of the summer, Emma and Harry had written each other because they were too far apart to use their minds, but when his aunt and uncle found out, they locked Hedwig in her cage and wouldn't let her out. "Your bags are packed?"
Emma nodded. She was sitting in the living room waiting for her dad. The room was filled with bookshelves, all of which held tons of books. One of the bookshelves served as a doorway to more of the house. Severus shut the bookshelf door behind him and sat down beside her. "Can't I just go with you dad?"
Severus shook his head. "I've got to be there a week early to start prepping for classes. No student's will be there and you'll get very bored." He smiled and stood up. "You'll like staying with the Weasleys" He lead her over toward the fire place and set her luggage inside. "They have lots of children and you're bound to befriend one of them. You won't want to miss out on the Hogwarts Express, either". He pressed some Floo powder into her hand as she stepped into the fireplace.
Emma smiled up at her dad and, throwing down the powder, said "The Burrow!" She watched with curiosity as her father and their house disappeared and she stumbled out of the Weasley's fireplace. She'd never met them before and though she was a little weary of staying with virtual strangers, she was also rather excited.
A small red-headed girl looked up from her breakfast as Emma stumbled out of the fireplace. She rushed over to help Emma with her luggage and introduced herself. "You must be Emma. I'm Ginny Weasley" Ginny smiled brightly and Emma knew that they would be friends.
"Nice to meet you" Emma grinned and followed Ginny to her room, where she would be staying.
"They moved my older brother Bill's bed in here for you." She motioned with her arm toward a bed across the room. "You can just shove all your stuff under it."
Emma slid her Hogwarts trunk underneath the bed, and set the empty owl cage down beside it. Cecey was hunting at the moment and would be showing up at the Burrow sometime later. "Are you going to Hogwarts too?"
Ginny shook her head and sighed. "No. I'm not old enough. I've got to wait another year, but I'll be there next year." Ginny weakly smiled. "It is going to be so boring around here! I'm the only one of my siblings not going off to Hogwarts." Ginny sat on her bed and held her chin in her hands. "Bill and Charlie graduated already. Bill is in Egypt working for Gringotts. He's a curse-breaker. Charlie is studying dragons in Romania, and Percy, Fred, and George have all been attending Hogwarts. This will be Ron's first year...and I'm just left behind. I don't want to wait anymore." Ginny pouted at the wall opposite of her. "I want to go"
Emma liked Ginny and wished that she could be going to Hogwarts with her. "Wow. Dad wasn't joking. You really do have a big family." Emma sat down beside Ginny. "I wish you could come too. It'd be fun with you there."
Ginny smiled at Emma and asked, "What house do you think you'll be in? My whole family has been in Gryffindor"
Emma shrugged. "I don't know. My father was in Slytherin, but they don't seem like a very happy bunch." Emma thought for a moment and smiled. "I like to traits that are in Gryffindor. Bravery...I'd like to think I'm brave, but..." Emma shrugged, "I haven't had the chance to learn that for myself yet."
Ginny nodded. "I know what you mean. I know that I'd never be in Ravenclaw...I'm no genius..." Ginny was interrupted by a tall red-headed boy barging into the room.
"Ginny, have you seen my...Oh, hello. You must be Emma." He shook her hand almost pompously...as if he was the Minister of Magic and she was incredibly lucky to be in his presence. "I'm Percy Weasley. I'm a fifth year and I've been made one of the Gryffindor Prefects. If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to ask."
"Ummm...thank you. Nice to meet you." Emma didn't like Percy very much, but he was alright.
Percy turned to Ginny asking, "Have you seen my Prefects badge? It was on my dresser this morning, but I can't find it."
Ginny shook her head. "No Perce. I haven't seen your precious badge. Try Fred and George. They're always nicking your stuff."
"I did. They didn't know where it was either."
"Perce...its Fred and George."
He huffed and said, "Good point. I'll just search their room myself." Percy turned on his heel and left the room.
Ginny grinned and Percy's receding figure and said, "This should be interesting. Let's follow." Emma grinned and followed Ginny down the hall. "Fred and George are regular jokesters, and they just love messing with Percy. It's they're favorite thing. Especially since he got his Prefects badge. It's been non-stop."
Emma laughed. "I think I've seen their work. I've never personally met either of your brothers, but I kind of practically live at Hogwarts, and they're rather infamous."
"You live at Hogwarts?!"
"My dad is the Potions Master."
"I knew that...but I figured you just stayed with other people during the year...Wow"
I smiled. "Yeah...It's pretty interesting."
"I bet." She grinned and pulled me along. "Time to meet the rest of the Weasleys"
