Remember I update by the year but it has multiple parts, so be checking what chapter you're on so you don't lose your place. Please, please , please drop a comment on what you think. Thanks guys!
Once five o'clock hit I headed downstairs to start dinner but I found a random blonde woman in the kitchen with an apron on who I assumed was Candy, Mike's new girlfriend, already well on her way to a roast. I shrugged and headed back upstairs to wait and see if my Mom would let me get away with taking an evening off. It was an hour before she called us all down for dinner and we were all a little less than thrilled.
My Dad was sitting at the head of the table as always with Mike sitting directly across from him at the foot. I sat next to my Mom as usual which unfortunately put me right next to Candy as well. My Mum kept nudging me to talk to her but it quickly became clear we had exactly zero in common.
"Did you go to Hogwarts?" I started with the simplest question you could ask any British witch.
"Oh no, my parents just taught me at home. I'm not really one much for magic."
"What?" I didn't get the contempt out of my voice fast enough and my Mom chastised me.
"Amelia, be nice."
"Sorry. I mean, why?" I tried to cover.
She shrugged. "I can do things with my hands faster than with a wand. I have one but I honestly haven't picked it up in years."
"Just like you, Mike." my Slytherin sister chimed in with a little smirk. Usually I hated her attitude but right now I could have hugged her, and even my other brother had to hide a smile.
"Just because not all of us are brainwashed into thinking we need magic, doesn't mean your're better than me." he spat at her.
"I was just saying you two have a lot in common." she gave an innocent sort of look.
"Where are you from, Candy?" my Mum cut in before it could get too heated.
"London, but I moved to Scarborough to be with my baby." she pinched Mike's cheek and I tried not to gag into my roast.
"Well I better get going." my other brother stood up, taking his plate to the sink. "I have to report to the base in an hour for patrol."
"No!" all us girls were immediately taken off the thought of Mike by smothering our prefered Y-chromosome carrying sibling in a group hug.
"Don't leave us." I whispered and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.
"Just be nice, and remember to respect Mum's wishes." he kissed my forehead before shaking us off to bid everyone else goodbye.
We watched out the front window as we usually did as he walked down the garden path past the Anti-Apparition ward. He spun on the spot and disappeared, leaving us all feeling that much more down. My sisters went upstairs to avoid any unpleasantness as long as they could but I returned to the kitchen to help my Mom with the dishes. She was sitting at the table with the other adults but I caught her eye and spun my wand a little, asking if I could use magic. She shook her head and I groaned, setting it on the counter and rolling up my sleeves to start scrubbing.
It was a record for how quickly I had ever done the washing up with me stepping out of the kitchen not five minutes later. A voice grated against my ears right as my foot touched the carpet of the sitting room.
"Why don't you get us some tea, Amelia?" Mike asked. I didn't have to look to see the smug smile on his face.
I shot my Mom a look but she just gave me a sort of apologetic smile. I waved my wand at the kettle and set it on the stove.
"Get it yourself." I snapped, leaving before my Mom would yell at me.
My Mom came in our room before bed, glancing over to see my sister who was already asleep. She sat on the end of my bed and waited for me to finish the passage in my DADA book, placing one of my fancy bookmarks Cad had got me last Christmas between the pages.
"That was pretty rude today, Amelia."
"I'm sorry Mum, but you know how he gets to me."
"He's going to be staying with us for a little while. I would really like it if you'd be on your best behavior." she tucked some of my hair behind my ear. "I know you two don't get along too well, but he's just here to see his family."
I scoffed and she scowled heavily, so I rolled my eyes and sighed. "I can try, but I don't make any promises."
"I think it would be best you stayed here at the house until Mike leaves. I'm going to need you around to help me, and I know Candy would enjoy the company."
"I can try." I said slowly.
"That's my girl." she smiled and kissed my forehead. "Make sure you don't stay up too late."
"Yes ma'am."
She left the room, closing the door behind her, and I tried to prepare myself for the next week. I tried to be nice and make breakfast for everyone the next morning but instantly regretted it the second Mike walked down. My sisters weren't huge fans of him either so they cleared out almost the second he sat down which just left him, his girlfriend, and little old me.
"So do you have any plans while you're here?" I asked Candy, putting on my best fake smile.
"I'm not sure. I usually just do whatever Mikey does." she gave him a honeyed look and I was immediately put off my food.
"I have a lot of friends who are wanting me to come around, but I'm not sure if I will." he slid three more sausages on his plate. "Not that it's any of your business."
"I know you said you're from London, I was just curious. Diagon Alley has a few new shops that are pretty interesting." I tried to talk to her again.
"Oh my family doesn't really talk to me anymore. If Mikey wants to go shopping I will, but he usually doesn't like to."
"Oh." I gave up the venture, luckily interrupted by an owl tapping on the window. I let in Cad's barn owl and she took a perch on the back of one of the chairs, giving the two others a look.
Aims,
I was looking for you in the Alley but I guess you stayed home. Tempy was wanting to know if you could come help her with decorating a project tonight for school. I offered but she said she needs a 'girls' touch. Let me know.
Cad
I ran upstairs and wrote a quick letter to my Mom at work, sending Matilda off with it to give Cad's owl a break. I fed it bits of sausage while I waited for my Mom to respond, and luckily she said I could after she got home. I sent Cad's owl off with a confirmation and it was eventually decided I would come over for dinner and help Tempy after. I waved my wand at the dishes to do them quickly before running upstairs to pack my satchel with my wand, my coin purse, and a few odd and end crafting materials I kept for things like this.
To make it up to my Mom I cleaned the house a little. I did a few loads of laundry and cleaned out the owl's nest in the barn. I banged out the living room rug, cleaned all the kitchen surfaces, swept out the fireplace, and straightened the Christmas decorations a little bit as they'd been thrown up in a hurry. After sandwiches for lunch I started dinner to make Mom's not a little easier. At about four I was sitting in the living room by the lit fireplace ready to go with my bag and everything, bouncing my leg and listening for my Mom's Apparition crack.
"What are you waiting for?" Mike shot at me.
"Mum." I didn't pay him too much attention, keeping my eyes trained on the window.
"Why?"
"Because I can."
He glanced at my bag. "So where are you going?"
I ignored him, praying to the Apparition gods she would hurry up.
"Hey, you'll answer me when I talk to you." anger edged into his voice and I shot him a glare.
"I don't have to do anything except pay taxes and die."
He slammed his hand on the table and I jumped, my wand stopping its spinning. I wasn't stupid enough to point it at him, but the handle was firmly in my grasp and it was pointed at the floor.
"Don't give me attitude. I asked you a simple question."
"And I chose not to answer it."
"Mum's really let you walk all over her, hasn't she?" he gave a mean chuckle.
"What would you know?"
He scowled and bored his dark eyes into mine. "You better watch your mouth."
"Or what?" I hissed.
He jerked forward and I raised my wand in front of me, taking a step back. He chuckled and settled back down on the couch. "I knew you were still just a scared little kid."
"A little kid that could turn you inside out, mind." I didn't lower my wand and red sparks shot out the end of it. "Oh wait, can't do magic in front of Muggles, can I?"
He stood up this time, the ghost of a smile wiped off his face. "You take that back, you gobby piece of shite."
"What, I thought you were 'enlightened'? I thought you didn't need magic."
"Just because I choose not to be brainwashed doesn't mean I'm not good at magic. I bet I'm better at magic than you. Anyways, I don't need magic to shut you the fuck up."
He took another step forward and I held my wand higher, preparing a curse on my tongue. The door next to us burst open and my Mom ripped my wand out of my hand. "Amelia, how dare you threaten someone!"
"You ask the one who is threatening children here." I didn't take my eyes off Mike's.
"That's rich, you're the one waving a wand around even though you have no idea how to use it." he sneered with that infuriating smirk on his face.
"Oh yeah, it's not like I'm going to school to learn how to use it. Oh wait, sorry, you wouldn't know, would you?" I hissed softly, trying to bait him.
It worked like a charm and he raised his hand. I flinched and the coffee mug in the coffee table, the glass bowl full of fruit, and the mirror above the fireplace all shattered. My Mother shouted as the glass rained down.
"Amelia!"
"I can't stay with him, Mom. Either he goes or I do." I yanked my wand out of my Mom's surprised fingers, slung my bag over my shoulder, and was through the Floo before anyone could react. "Ollivander's!"
I stumbled over the threshold and fell onto the rug, staying on my knees to catch my breath and try to calm my heart rate. I heard a door in the back of the shop open and figured someone had heard me come in, luckily I looked up and saw Cad's beaming smile.
"So much for Ravenclaw intelligence. I knew you'd forget." he teased but faltered a little when he saw my face. "You okay?"
"I will be." I sighed as I stood up. "Just family drama."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Just my brother."
"Really?" his tone was disbelieving. "He seemed cool."
"Oh no, not that brother. My oldest brother, Mike. He's a complete arse and my Mother defends everything he does."
"Rough."
"You have no idea. He just feels like he can walk all over me because he's older."
"He any good at curses?"
"Oh no, he doesn't use magic. He thinks we're 'brainwashed' by the Ministry into thinking we need it. That if we use magic we fall under their laws and they can control us." I rolled my eyes at the mere thought of it.
"Wow, that's...something." he gave an attempt at a chuckle.
"Don't get me started."
"What did he do that made you so angry?"
"I don't want to talk about it." I turned away from him.
"Well alright, just know I'm here if you need it. Tempy's been waiting for you, she's so excited you're going to help her."
"I'm excited as well." I smiled as he led the way to the back door that led upstairs.
Tempy had overtaken the living room floor with a large poster board and plenty of crafting supplies strewn about. I set my bag on the couch and sat next to her, reading the different things she'd printed out on sheets of paper.
"A potato can power a light bulb? Really? I thought they ran off of lightning."
"What?" Tempy gave me an amused sort of glance.
"Electricity, right? Muggles store up lightning strikes and it powers all their electric things."
She busted out laughing, rolling on the thick carpet and nearly ruining her project. "What?!"
I stuck my tongue out at her. "No need to laugh."
"But that was hilarious." she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Is that what they teach you at Hogwarts?"
"Oh come off it, of course they don't." Cad scoffed. "Most of the time it's how to calm a hippogriff or curse someone's pants on fire."
Tempy picked up one of her papers and handed it to me. "Lights do run off of electricity but we don't store lightning. This experiment is more akin to batteries, not actual powered electronics."
"Batteries? You mean those things those torches run off of?"
"Yes!" she seemed proud I knew what a torch was. "Basically using copper and zinc you can make a chemical process take place that powers the light bulb."
"That's cool!" I read a few of her paragraphs. "It works with tomatoes too?!"
"It works with any acidic produce. Tomatoes, lemons, stuff like that."
"Is this what you learn in school?"
She nodded. "This is science."
"Science is bloody cool!" I flipped through a few more of her printouts. "So what do you need me for?"
"I have to present this project when I go back to school after break. A lot of my grade rides on it so I want it to look good."
"Well I suppose I can bust out my design chops."
"Good, because Cad is no help. He'll just paste brooms and Quaffles everywhere and call it a day."
I giggled as he shot her a face. "I don't mind helping. It's nice to get out of my house for a bit."
"Dinner, kids!" Mrs. Mervin called in from the kitchen.
I stood up but Cad waved me on. "We'll be in in a second. I'm going to help Tempy clean up her mess in here."
"Okay." I said suspiciously but walked into the dining room. Mrs. Mervin gave me a wide smile as I sat at the table.
"Amelia! We didn't hear you come in."
"I accidentally came in through the shop. Sorry, I forgot."
"Oh it's alright. I still do it half the time." Mr. Mervin chuckled as he laid a slice of ham on my plate. "You enjoying your break?"
"Just trying to get through my homework." I shrugged, dodging the question. "Thank you for having me."
"Thanks for helping Tempy. It's hard on her not being able to have any friends over, so I know this means a lot to her. Speaking of which." Mrs. Mervin raised her voice. "Dinner, kids! We're waiting."
They walked in not half a second later whispering but took seats at the table, engaging with their parents in the usual small talk. It was nice having a relatively peaceful as opposed to the crazy meals at my house with everyone talking over each other. His parents mostly talked about the shop and his Dad's upcoming trip after the holidays to go get more wand cores with Tempy filling me in on everything that had happened at her school since the Cup.
Mrs. Mervin refused my offer to help clean up and encouraged us to go and leave her with them. Tempy pulled me into the living room and started directing me on how she wanted her board presented. We pasted construction paper and I busted out my best handwriting to write the title across the top while Tempy showed me how the experiment worked.
About half an hour later Cad and his Mom walked in, the older in a dressing gown with her hair loose around her shoulders. She sat on the couch and looked at our project. "It's coming along."
"I hope it's enough to bring my grade up." Tempy wrestling with the copper wire. "It's taking a lot longer than I thought it would."
"Well, sometimes things take a little longer to be perfect." I remained focused carefully cutting out her paper instructions with scissors.
"Would it be okay if Amelia stayed the night?" Tempy gave her Mom a look and I sensed some Mervin children antics.
"It's the holidays, Tempy, I'm sure Amelia wants to spend it with her family."
"I wouldn't mind." I said probably too quickly, setting down my work. "I can go ask if that's alright."
"Are you sure?" Mrs. Mervin glanced at the clock. "Well, it is getting late. You'd probably have to head home soon anyway. You can go ask if you'd like. It's fine with us."
"I'll go with you." Cad offered, standing up to get the Floo powder.
"It's alright Cad, I can do it."
"Come on, I'd like to meet your sisters." he gave me a smile but I saw what he really meant in the uncharacteristic cold glint in his eye.
I stepped through first but he was so close behind me he stepped on the back of my shoes. Everyone was at the dinner table as we stepped through and I sensed the tension.
"Mom, Dad, I've brought a friend with me."
"Come on in, sweetie!" my Mom called and I heard her chair scrape as she stood up.
They were all around a delicious looking stew but everyone's face was pretty sour. Mike was the only one unphased, digging into his food without looking up.
"Everyone, this is Cad Mervin, a friend from school. Cad these are my parents and my sisters."
"Nice to meet you all." he waved, getting some rather unenthusiastic ones back.
"Mum, Tempy wants to know if I can spend the night. We didn't get as much done as we were hoping."
"I'm sure her family wants to spend the holidays together, Amelia." my Mother chided and I knew Cad was the only thing saving me from the 'you're running away from your problems' speech.
"My Mum wanted me to let you know we'd love to have her, Mrs. Hales." Cad smiled at her. "My sister can't have friends over, you see, going to a Muggle school so she rarely gets to spend time with girls her age. And with I and my parents being so busy in the shop during breaks, it'd be nice to have someone keep her company."
"Amelia, are you sure this isn't-"
"I want to help Tempy." I cut her off. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to stay the night."
"That's...fine." my Mother said slowly, pursing her lips. "Why don't I go help you pack?"
I nodded and gestured to Cad I'd be back in a minute, taking the stairs after my Mom. We walked into my room quietly, her sitting on my bed as I pulled out my bag and shoving a few things in.
"Sweetie, you know you can't just run away everytime something gets hard."
"I'm not, Mom. I'm helping out a friend."
"I know Michael can be...difficult, but you don't make things any easier Amelia. You know how antagonistic you can be."
"Because I refuse to be pushed around by him? That's not going to change, Mom."
"He's just defensive because he feels like he doesn't fit in here."
"That was his choice, not mine."
She gave a heavy sigh. "He makes his own choices, and all we can do is support him."
"I'll support him from the Mervin's." I said shortly, zipping my bag shut. I'd packed for more than one night, more like a few days, but I'd hoped it'd slipped under her notice while she'd been chastising me. As she turned to leave I picked up my book bag too, still heavy with my textbooks.
We headed down the stairs to see Cad standing with his arms crossed frowning at my brother. "I don't find it very funny."
Mike waved his hand in the air. "You just don't get the joke."
"Then please explain it to me."
"Well...it's funny because he's a Squib. Squibs can't use magic, you see. So when he asked 'How do I get there?', you know, he couldn't."
"He could take a broom, or the Floo."
"Yeah, but Squibs don't use those things."
"Why not?"
"You know, they don't like magic. It doesn't agree with them. They live like Muggles because they know they don't belong."
Cad's face grew angrier and I set my arm on his shoulder before it grew even more heated. "Advice you could take to heart."
"Amelia." my Mom chided.
"What?"
"That's rude."
"It sounds like his joke was rude."
"You all just don't have a sense of humor." he rolled his eyes before returning to his dinner.
"Make sure you mind your manners, Amelia. Owl me and let me know what time you're coming back tomorrow."
I kissed her and my Dad goodbye before stepping back through the Floo in front of Cad. I purposefully 'forgot' to go to their house and luckily Cad got the idea, flashing into the shop behind me.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly.
"I can see why you're not a big fan." he gave a strained smile. "He's rather unpleasant. I think I prefer your other brother."
"So do I. I'm sorry. I told you you didn't have to come with me. He makes those sort of jokes a lot and I knew it'd upset you."
"I wanted to. I knew you'd need someone in your corner." he lightly punched my arm before heading upstairs.
His Mom was waiting in the living room and after hearing I was staying, bade us all goodnight after reminding us to get to bed at a decent hour even though it was break. I set my bag in Tempy's room before heading back downstairs to get working on her project again. Cad turned the radio to Quidditch while we all lapsed into focus. About an hour later I had to suppress a yawn, glancing up to see Cad passed out on the armchair and Tempy likewise smothering a yawn.
"You want to call it for tonight? We can get started again tomorrow morning."
"Sounds good. You head upstairs, I'll clean up here and slap Cad awake." she giggled.
I headed upstairs and changed into my pajamas, starting to lay out the spare blanket their Mom had left me when she walked in.
"Sleeping beauty in bed?"
"He said 'I'm more comfortable by the radio' so I just left him." she shrugged, pulling a nightgown out of her dresser.
I laid down as she went to the bathroom, thinking through the day. She came back in and flipped the light off as she climbed in bed. "Thank for your help today, Amelia."
"Thanks for conspiring with Cad to get me out of the house."
A beat of silence before she giggled. "You're used to his tricks, eh?"
"All too familiar."
"I do really need your help on it, and it will be nice to have someone around the house during the day. Secretly I'm hoping you'll force Cad to do his winter homework. His teachers wrote Mum and Dad a few times this year saying he's not been turning in assignments."
I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see it. "I knew it."
