My mother lectured me the entire way home. She wasn't happy that I had invited the Weasleys over without asking her first, which normally I would've understood, but it was necessary if I wanted them to come over at all.
"Maybe I should call it off altogether," she threatened, "and not even allow this to happen."
"Fred and George have been begging me to let them come over," I said. "They want to meet you. They all do. They've been a big part of my life for the past few years and they feel like they're missing out on a huge chunk of my life. Every time they invite you over, you find a way to get out of it. Please, just meet them once and get it over with. You'll probably never have to do it again which will work out perfectly for both of us!"
"For both of us?" My mother's eyebrows shot up.
"I know you think they're gross, Mum," I sighed. "It's obvious you don't like them. You've been avoiding them and always make comments when I spend time with them. You even told me flat out that I'd better think about who I associate myself with at school. And you told Julian the same thing when he became friends with Ron. Yet you like Oliver and you loved that Julian became friends with the Boy Who Lived. I just...don't like it."
"Unfortunately, Lilah," my mother began, a look of surprise flitting over her features for just a moment, "it's not up to you to tell me how I should be behaving. I'm your parent, so it's up to me to tell you. And for the record, I don't like how you've been behaving. It's been going on for years now. Ever since the day you turned eleven and decided to sneak out of the house against my wishes. Then you go around arguing with me about everything! And making friends with these Weasleys...and telling me what you don't like about my choices." She shook her head. "And I'm still waiting for your grades to go up significantly in Potions. I'll admit, they've been the best they've ever been since Oliver started helping you, but they're still not decent. You've scraped by for five years now. If you want a good job when you leave school, you need good grades. Or else you'll be stuck with no way to help support your family."
I stared at her as if she had slapped me. "First of all," I fumed, the shock wearing off and suddenly feeling so angry that I actually felt like I would explode any second. "My only low grade is in Potions. I do just fine in every other class. Secondly, I'll be fine when I leave school."
"I worry about you," my mother said. "A lot. I want all of your options to be open. I want you to be the best you can be and I want you to be happy. Look at Oliver! What if he doesn't end up the big famous Quidditch player he's expecting to be? And then he's going to have to retire earlier than normal because you need to be quick and young and athletic to play Quidditch!"
"I will be fine," I repeated forcefully. "And so will Oliver. I know your only biggest problem with him is that you're worried that he won't be rich and famous but I don't care! Besides, he has amazing grades. He works very hard because he knows he might need a back-up plan. If Quidditch doesn't work out, he wants to be a Healer like his parents."
"Really?" My mother said, looking both surprised and interested by that tidbit of information. She was quiet for a moment. "Maybe he's even better for you than I thought. I already thought he seemed pretty impressive when I met him on Christmas Eve. He was polite, respectful…he brought over that lovely plant. And he certainly seemed intelligent. His parents certainly must be. And he knows what he wants to do with his life. That's half the battle, isn't it? Knowing what you want? And it's more than I can say for you."
Suddenly feeling exhausted in every sense of the word and having no energy to argue any more, I turned away and stared out the window as tears filled my eyes. Merlin, my mother sure knew how to make me feel as if there were something terribly wrong with me. What if she was right? What if having such terrible Potions grades limited me once I did decide on a career? I knew to be both a Healer and an Auror, you needed to have very impressive grades in all subjects. But neither of those careers really appealed to me. I wasn't sure about going into the Ministry either and I couldn't play Quidditch. I just didn't know what to do. And maybe that was abnormal. Oliver knew what he wanted to do with his life and so did Angelina, back-up plans and all. Katie and Alicia also had ideas of what they'd like to do and Lee was set on being a sports announcer. Tess wanted to be an artist, and even the twins knew what they wanted. It was just me and I couldn't pinpoint why that was. Perhaps it was simply because I was boring and way too average. I didn't have anything special to offer.
When we finally got home, I jumped out of the car and immediately made a move to get my things out of the trunk of the car. I grabbed Julian's trunk as well and passed it to him. Then we caught up with my mother, who was already letting herself in the front door. Julian and I followed her in and two steps into the house, we heard a voice call out from the kitchen, "Joanna? Is that you?"
"It's us!" she called back, grinning widely.
Julian and I looked at each other in alarm. "Who the hell is in our house?" I asked.
"Lilah! Watch your language," Mum scolded. But then she smiled and fixed her hair in the mirror hanging on the wall before turning to me and Julian. "I have a surprise for you." She paused. "I've actually been…seeing someone."
My mouth fell open as I promptly dropped my trunk on my foot. I hadn't even gotten the chance to set it down yet and now I was being hit with this news.
"Lilah, be careful, you'll wreck the floors," Mum said irritably. Of course that's what she worried about. The floors. Never mind my now aching foot.
I ignored her. "You've been what?" Julian and I asked at the same time.
My Mum smiled and nodded. "It's been a long time since your father and I split," she explained as I heard footsteps moving through the kitchen towards the foyer. I assumed they belonged to whoever this guy was that my mother was seeing. Any second, he'd enter the room.
"Yeah, so?" I asked, feeling utterly astounded. She hadn't even told us about this until now! I hadn't heard one peep.
"Well, I'd like to move on," she said. "And I've finally found someone I'd like to do so with." She turned slightly towards the door that lead to the kitchen. I followed her gaze as the mystery man appeared in the doorway.
He was tall and probably around her age. A part of me had to admit that he was good looking. Dark hair, blue eyes, tall and a very large smile. He was dressed casually—nowhere near as formally as my mother usually dressed. I rarely ever saw her in jeans—but he wasn't dressed badly. I don't know what I expected. Maybe something to one of each of the two possible extremes. A man just as formal and uptight as my mother, or a man who was so comically her opposite that I'd go crazy at the hypocrisy.
"This is Sam." Mum beamed at him before turning back to us. "Sam Mackenzie."
"Nice to meet you," Sam said with his wide smile, holding his hand out to me. I just gaped at him.
"Shake his hand, Lilah," Mum said.
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I slowly reached out and shook Sam's hand. "Nice to meet you," I finally said. Although I still wasn't sure if it was all that nice.
Sam shook Julian's hand next and I smirked at how my brother looked just as bothered and shocked by this as I was.
"Your mother's told me a lot about you two," Sam said, still beaming.
"Unfortunately, we can't say the same about you," I replied, raising an eyebrow at my mother.
"Now, Lilah," Mum began.
"In fact, we've heard nothing about you."
"Lilah," Mum said again.
"Well it's true!"
"It's okay, Joanna," Sam said. He looked back at me. "Your mother didn't know how to tell you. She wanted to tell you in person, but she didn't want to wait until she saw you today..."
"She could've mentioned it in a letter," I said. "We wouldn't have cared if she did. I'd have rather her done that than wait until now." I paused. "How long have you been seeing each other anyway?"
"Since the beginning of March," Mum answered.
I stared at her. "Three months."
"Two and three quarters, technically," Mum said with a smile and an airy laugh as she glanced at Sam.
Julian and I didn't smile back. We weren't amused in the least. My mother was acting like a lovesick teenager.
"I just wish you'd have told us," I said.
"You didn't ask," Mum said with another airy smile and laugh as she fixed her hair.
"Was I supposed to?" I asked, giving her a look.
"Lilah," she began, pursing her lips, but then Sam touched her arm and shook his head. "It's okay, Joanna. I would honestly be shocked if she wasn't acting this way."
I shook my head. "I just...I need a moment. Excuse me." With that, I heaved my trunk up a few inches and began walking towards the stairs.
"Let me get that," Sam offered, taking a step towards me.
"I've got it," I replied through gritted teeth.
Sam stopped, but then he paused and waved his wand. I pursed my lips and refused to look at him as my and Julian's trunks flew up the stairs and went, I assumed, into our bedrooms. How he knew where they were, I didn't know and I'm not sure I wanted to. I hated the idea of this guy making himself cozy in my house for the past three-excuse me—two and three quarter months.
"Lilah, I hope you know I expect you to be nothing but nice to Sam," Mum said. "So far, I'm not quite sure you have been. Julian hasn't said a word."
I snorted. I knew Julian hasn't spoken only because he was fighting to hold his tongue. He was better at it than me. Nothing new. But I also didn't think I had acted in any way unreasonable towards the current circumstances. Excuse me for not fawning over this man I've just met and never heard of until now and who's been seeing my mother for nearly twelve weeks without my knowledge.
"Come on, Jules," I said quietly. "We'd better go put our things away."
He nodded and began to follow me up the stairs. My mother always made us put our things away the moment we got home. We cleaned out our trunks, threw out things we didn't need, and put away all of our clothes and school things until it was time to go back on September first.
This time, though, Julian didn't go straight for his room like he usually did. Instead, he followed me into my room and fell back onto my bed as I began hanging up my clothes in the closet.
"What do you think?" he finally asked, staring at the ceiling.
"I told her everything I was thinking," I said, reaching down into my trunk and pulling out a slightly wrinkled shirt. I shook it out and slid it onto a hanger. "I don't care if she had to write us a letter. I just wished we had known. She could've even told us in the car on the way home from the station! But no, we just had to walk in to our own house to find some man in the kitchen."
"She looks like she likes him, though," Julian shrugged. "She seemed a little different."
"Maybe a little more smiley," I said, "but she's still herself." I snorted. "Telling me to be nice and then comparing me to you because you hadn't said a word. I know you and I are on the same page. Aren't we?" I glanced at him as I folded up the latest Weasley sweater I had received.
Julian nodded as he folded his hands behind his head. "Yeah, I wish she would've told us too. But, I mean…maybe she'll be happier now. Maybe he'll be good for her. Maybe she'll work less."
I looked at him sadly. "Oh, Jules, don't get your hopes up," I sighed. "That'd be great, but…she won't. It's been all about work for years."
"But now that she's not with Dad anymore….Now that she's found a new guy, maybe he'll—"
"Maybe he'll what?" I asked. "Start paying for everything so Mum doesn't have to work? She'd work even if he did do that. She likes being independent and she likes her job. It provides her with money and now with a little bit of fame with that new program starting at St. Mungo's. Besides, there's no way this Sam guy is better than Dad."
"I didn't say that," Julian said. "But maybe we could give him a chance."
"I guess that's fair," I said. "But I'm just saying that I wish I had known a little more in advance that he existed and has been going out with Mum."
Julian nodded. "Me too."
"I wonder how they met," I said a moment later, finishing putting away my clothes and kneeling down to start lifting my schoolbooks out of my trunk.
Julian shrugged. "Probably not at work. I don't remember seeing him at the Christmas party."
"There were a lot of people there," I argued with a shrug, sliding my books onto the bottom shelf of my bookshelf.
"Well, she's never talked about working with anyone named Sam."
I let out a dry laugh. "Clearly, that means nothing."
"True."
We were silent for a minute as, one by one, I finished putting away everything in my trunk before sliding the trunk itself under my bed and standing up. "Do you need any help unpacking your things?" I asked.
Julian sighed heavily and got up off my bed. "No, Lilah," he said irritably. "I don't need help doing simple tasks. It may surprise you, but I can do them. I can even use the toilet on my own, too!"
"Julian," I pleaded. "Come on, I was just asking because I'm already done and I'm willing to help if you wanted it. Please don't be that way."
Julian paused in the doorway. His head was down so I could only see his profile.
"We never got to really talk after we fought in the hospital wing after Ron broke his leg," I continued. "Or, at least, we never got to talk about the argument." I paused. "I don't baby you to try to make up for what you missed out on, although Merlin knows I wish I could redo those years for you. I guess I always worry and try to take care of you because you are my little brother and I know what we've gone through. I know it's been hard for me so I can only imagine what it's been like for you. For a long time it was just me, you and Dad against the world. At least that's what it felt like. And then Dad was gone and it was just me and you. And even though we each have our own friends now and I don't feel as…lonely, I still feel like when we come home, it's just me and you all over again. Nothing is easy out there, Jules. Things happen and they hurt you and maybe I just want to shield you from that for as long as I can."
Julian was quiet. He still didn't look at me. "I know things hurt, Liles," he finally said. "I was hurt when Mum and Dad split and you and I being essentially on our own after that didn't help. I felt lonely, too. So I know what being hurt feels like. I know what lonely feels like. And you can't shield me from things like that. At least not forever. Because they'll hurt so much more when I finally do feel them. I won't know how to handle it or deal with it on my own."
I blinked before breaking into a smile. "You've always been very wise and insightful, even as a little boy."
I saw a fleeting smile pass over his face. "But if it makes you feel better," he said. "I feel the same way you do. You get it. You were all I had for a long time, too. You're my sister and truly, I know I can go to you about everything."
I nodded and smiled as I felt a lump form in my throat. "Of course," I whispered.
Finally, Julian turned around and I could see tears forming in his own eyes. I'd only seen him cry once or twice since the night our parents divorced. Usually, he held it all in well in his attempt to behave like a grown up
"That being said," he continued, his voice shaky. He paused. "Honestly...I don't know if I want Mum to see someone else. I don't want anyone to replace Dad."
"Oh, Jules," I whispered. "No one is going to replace Dad. He's our Dad and no one can take that away. Maybe he doesn't live here anymore, but that means nothing. What means something is, well, the legal stuff, first of all. That stuff states he's our dad and no one else. Secondly, it's how he's treated us. He's always acted like a father to us, no matter what Mum thinks about him. Okay?"
Julian nodded and I beckoned him over with a tilt of my head. He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around me as I kissed the top of his head and hugged him tight.
"Mum has a new boyfriend."
Fred, George and I were sitting out by the pond that was out in their backyard. It was far enough from the house where someone could go there to get a bit of privacy without being overheard by someone hanging up the laundry or by Mr. Weasley working in his shed of Muggle devices. In fact, that was something I loved about the Burrow. It was in the middle of nowhere. There weren't any other houses around except for the Lovegoods and the Diggorys, both of which were a few hills over in either direction. So, technically, the Weasleys had a very, very big backyard.
Anyway, we had all gone for a swim and now we were sitting out on the dock that Mr. Weasley had built, using magic only on Mrs. Weasley's insistence. He had wanted to build it by hand, but no such luck. Angelina was hanging out with us as well, but she had gone up to the Burrow with Ginny to get us something to drink.
The area around the pond was filled with setting sunlight. The yellow glow filtered through the green leaves and rays of light shone over the shimmering pond water. Everything was still and quiet as if this was the only place on Earth and we were the only people.
I glanced up from staring down at my feet dangling in the water to see the twins staring at me with wide eyes.
"She does?" Fred asked. "How long have they been together?"
"Nearly three months now," I answered. "I just found out yesterday when we got back from King's Cross and he was in our house."
Fred and George both snorted with laughter. "Seriously?" George asked.
"Seriously," I nodded.
"What's his name?" Fred asked. "Is he nice?"
"His name is Sam and I guess so," I shrugged. "Julian and I hid upstairs for most of the rest of the day. Not that he was there that long anyway. Mum went to work shortly after we got back and he left, too, but then he was back for dinner. I was pretty upset about being kept out of the loop, so I didn't really talk to him. Julian did because he's trying to give him a chance, even though he's not happy either."
"What about you?" George asked. "Are you going to try and give him a chance?"
I nodded. "I mean, logically, that's fair and I suppose he deserves it. But I just need a chance to process it all before I can even fake being polite. So for now it's best to not say much at all."
Just then, Angelina and Ginny returned with the drinks. They passed out the bottles of butterbeer before Angelina plopped down next to Fred and kissed him. "Missed you," she smiled.
George, Ginny and I all groaned and rolled our eyes exaggeratedly. "Please," I said.
Angelina giggled before leaning up to kiss Fred again. When she pulled away, Fred looked back at the rest of us before smirking and going in to give her an even deeper kiss.
This time, we protested even louder, even resorting to kicking water at them with our feet. They both yelped as the waves of cold water hit their skin and they broke apart, cringing.
"That's freezing!" Angelina squealed.
"Nothing compared to how disgusted George, Lilah and I feel," Ginny muttered.
"Yeah, well…." Fred stood up and dusted off his legs before turning to walk away.
"Where are you going?" I called "Don't tell me you're going to sulk." I let out a teasing laugh that immediately faded as Fred turned around and, faster than I could blink, ran for the end of the dock where we were sitting. When he reached us, he launched himself into the air, pulled his legs to his chest and came splashing back down into the water, soaking George, Angelina, Ginny and I with the freezing cold pond water.
I let out a scream. "Fred Weasley!" I yelled. But then I realized he probably hadn't heard me. He was still underwater.
"Where'd he go?" Angelina asked, peering down into the water.
"Pull your feet up," I ordered, knowing Fred well enough to realize exactly what he was trying to do.
Ginny, George and Angelina did as I said, but right before I had gotten my left foot completely out of the water, a hand shot up from the depths, grabbed my ankle and pulled. I let out another shriek as I fell into the pond. I scrunched my eyes shut as I pushed myself to the surface.
"Frederick Gideon Weasley, I am going to kill you!" I cried, splashing water in the direction of his laughter. When I was done, I pushed my hair back and wiped water from my eyes before opening them and glaring at Fred, who was treading water in front of me, his trademark lopsided grin on his face. I scowled. "Stop smiling." I splashed him again and then finally broke out into a giggle as he splashed me back and tried to dunk my head underwater.
I felt water splash my face as Ginny, George and Angelina jumped in with us. "Get him away from me!" I laughed as Fred grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me closer to he could dunk me.
Suddenly, there was the sound of more excited yells as Ron and Julian crashed through the trees bordering one side of the pond. Julian got to the edge first and jumped, latching onto the rope dangling from one of the branches. He let it swing out as far as it could before letting go with a whoop and crashing into the water, soaking Fred in the process and getting him to let go of my arm.
"Thanks, Jules," I laughed, quickly swimming away from Fred before he could catch me again.
The seven of us played around in the water for a little while longer before Mrs. Weasley came down to call us all out for dinner.
"If you stay in that water much longer, you'll all catch cold," she said, ushering us all out and back up the hill towards the house. At the back door, she made us wait while she got us all towels. We dried ourselves off as best we could before traipsing through the house and upstairs to change.
Angelina and I followed Ginny into her room. I shivered and wrapped my towel even tighter around me. The air felt even colder than the water now that I wasn't swimming anymore. I grabbed my change of clothes from atop Ginny's dresser and dropped them onto her desk chair that was across the room from her bed, where she had already laid out her clothes.
The three of us changed quickly, still shivering. I pulled my wet hair into a bun before pulling the sleeves of my sweater down over my hands and scrunching my shoulders up.
"You ready?" I asked, turning to face the other two girls. They nodded and we all headed back out to the stairway.
"So I hear your whole family's going to Lilah's house this weekend," Angelina said, playfully hitting Ginny in the shoulder. "That'll be fun, I'm sure."
"I'm actually a bit excited," Ginny admitted. She looked at me. "Ron said Julian told him you live in a Muggle neighborhood so that's what Dad's excited about. But Julian also told Ron that you call your staircase a princess staircase." She smiled. "And he said your bedroom has a balcony."
"It does," I said with a smile. It was true that despite everything, I did love my house. I knew it was big and elaborate and kind of empty with only three people for the past five and a half years, but I did love it. It was my house. I'd been there all my life.
"I wish I could have a balcony," Ginny said with a wistful, almost sad sigh.
"They're not all they're cracked up to be," I told her. "I mean, an ax murderer could climb up the tree next to my window and let himself right in. I mean, I lock it at night, but he could break the windows of the doors with his ax."
Angelina snorted. "Why would you ever say something like that?"
"Just trying to assure Ginny that she isn't missing out on much," I shrugged with a smile as we reached the bottom of the stairs.
"But you don't need to say something like that," Angelina laughed.
I grinned and led the way into the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was finishing up dinner.
"Need any help?" I asked her.
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at me. "Can you three bring the plates, napkins and silverware out back?" She asked. "We'll be eating outside and the boys are already setting up the tables."
"Sure, Mrs. Weasley," Angelina said, grabbing the napkins and drink glasses. I grabbed the plates and Ginny grabbed the silverware. When we went outside, we saw that the twins, Ron and Julian were just finishing up putting the tablecloth over the two tables they had pushed together to accommodate all ten of us.
"Right on time," Fred beamed, kissing Angelina's temple when she reached him. She smiled and blushed before beginning to set the things in her arms on the table. Ginny and I followed suit and soon the table was finished. All that was missing was the food.
"Where's Percy?" I asked curiously as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came out the back door with dishes of food in their hands and headed for the table.
"He's been up in his room all day preparing for his new job at the Ministry," George snorted.
"Ah," I replied. Percy had come out of Hogwarts with a job at the Ministry already lined up. He was working in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, so it wasn't the same department as his father, but I was sure having connections certainly helped him get a job so quickly. Although, his amazing grades in school were probably the main reason. Fred and George could tease him all they wanted, but he was very smart.
Percy came outside a few minutes later and we all began dinner, which was usually chaotic with so many people trying to get food on their plates, but once we had all started eating, it was quieter, which was also very common for dinner at the Weasley's house. It would go from loud to silent in a matter of seconds because everyone was too busy enjoying Mrs. Weasley's food.
"So, Lilah," Fred said suddenly, looking excited. "I've been meaning to tell you. Dad got tickets to the Quidditch World Cup. I know you're going with Wood, so we'll probably see you there."
"Yeah?" I asked excitedly, as Julian groaned.
"Are you serious?" he cried. "Come on!"
Fred looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, Jules. But Dad only came home with enough tickets for the family. He hoped to convince Mum to come," he smiled, glancing at his mother. "But she couldn't be convinced. She hates Quidditch. So, Ron thought we should invite Harry too in Mum's place."
"Harry's going, too?" Julian cried. "Not fair."
"And Hermione," George added with an awkward cough, looking away.
"The thing is, Julian," Mr. Weasley said, looking truly embarrassed. "Once we found out Harry was coming, I thought you and Hermione would like to come, too. But since Fred and George told me Lilah was going, I assumed you were going with her. I didn't realize she was going with Oliver by herself until Ron said something and by then it was too late. I'm sorry. Otherwise, I would've tried to get a ticket for you as well." He paused. "I really am sorry."
"No, it's okay," Julian said, looking disappointed. "Lilah said she'll buy me a souvenir."
"I promise one day you'll get to go, Jules," I said. "If I have to start saving up money to take you, I'll do it."
He nodded, but I could still see he was disappointed. This was such a mess. I felt awful. I knew it wasn't anyone's fault, but it felt so unfair that everyone was going to be able to go to such an exciting event, except my brother, who was one of the people who loved Quidditch most of all. I considered offering to let him go in my place, but I knew he'd never accept it. I sighed and rested my chin in my hand as I continued eating. The World Cup was going to be Ireland versus. Bulgaria. My brother supported Ireland, but he was also a pretty decent fan of Viktor Krum. He and Ron had once spent half an hour talking about that one player alone. Maybe I could somehow get him Krum's autograph to make it up to him. Because if I was going to get him a souvenir, it was going to have to be a big one to properly cheer him up.
