Chapter 20: Appreciating the little moments.
For the next few days following the events that evening at Hogwarts the Weasley's and Hermione and Rachai, spent most of their days lounging around or visiting the hospital to see their father, who thankfully was on the mend. Hermione and Rachai, helped the Weasley's as much as they could, making it a top priority to be there for their friends, making them teas of coffees, reading to them, playing wizard's chess. Even sometimes, being a shoulder for them to cry on when things with Arthur got to much.
Even though the situation was awful, Rachai couldn't help but be grateful for the moments she got to spend with the Weasley's and Hermione, an opportunity to get to know them and bond closer even more. Making her feel officially part of the group, and someone, she was glad to hear from Fred last night, part of the family. Causing her to unwittingly start to cry for happiness, knowing all to well what it was like not having a proper family, she was glad for her new-found adopted one.
Another thing the two girls noticed over time, that helped make the happiness swell in them at the sight, was seeing the laughter and light returning to the Weasley's eyes as the medical state of their father, largely improved. Ginny's soft little chuckle returned when she spoke, Fred and George's spring in their step and mischief tendencies resumed and Ron's sarcastic humour made a comeback. Making Rachai feel like everything was finally ok with the world, for now.
It was a few days before Christmas, excitement bubbled in her at the idea, a holiday she left beyond belief. She glanced out the window and smiled quietly to herself as she noticed the fresh alabaster snow that blanketed the ground and lay draped around the trees, setting the view into an undisrupted wonderland. For years before Hogwarts, Rachai never knew the existence of magic, never believed it was real but looking towards the snow utopia she couldn't quite believe she never believed.
The house had been artfully decorated yesterday by Rachai and Hermione while the Weasley's were off to see Arthur. It was nice to spend some alone time with Hermione and she enjoyed the simple task of putting up the Christmas tree and studiously arranging the decorations. Both merrily obliging to dressing it in Gryffindor red. The tree smelt of real, woody pine, eliciting deep set memories of holidays spent in the log cabin in the woods. The deep cherry and garnet red complimented the pine coloured green of the tree, the fairy lights added a magical glow, bewitched to twinkle more brightly casting the kitchen in sparkling grotto. The girls arranged the presents in a neat pile under the tree all neatly wrapped with the tender hands of Molly Weasley, which Rachai knew was also done with a strong motherly love.
Rachai turned away from the window, distracting thoughts of Christmas eddying away. Taking the opportunity of the peace of being the only one awake at that time, the quiet snores and sleeping breaths of Ginny and Hermione confirming that fact. Rachai decided to write the long overdue letter to her twin Blaise. With the rush of the events that occurred at Hogwarts regarding Arthur, Rachai never got the chance to say a proper goodbye before the winter break, meaning Rachai wouldn't be seeing Blaise again for another 2 weeks. Which meant she didn't quite like the idea of not speaking to him, so she settled down at the desk, took a sheet of parchment and her quill and began to write.
Dear Blaise,
First, I'd like to apologise for my abrupt goodbye from Hogwarts a few days ok, something very important and dire came up with the Weasley's that needed my help and I couldn't abandon them. Which is why I couldn't say goodbye. Secondly, I hope your Christmas break is as magical and exciting as mine is. Have you decorated your tree yet? I'm very curious to see if you'll decorate yours in green like we've done ours in red. Anyway, I hope your Christmas and new year go swimmingly, don't get too drunk mister. And hopefully I'll see you soon. Just know I miss you terribly and so wish I could talk to you about so many things. We'll just have to have a massive catch up when we see each other again.
Love your always
Your twin, Rachai.
P.s, How's Mum?
She sat for a while pondering if she really should mention mum, her and Blaise never discussed the topic of her, they only thing she knew was she remarried after dad and that his stepfather was awful. Yet, bar that the conversations on her mum had ceased. Rachai without a doubt wanted to know her mum, after the happiness of reuniting and knowing her brother so well, she wanted the same thing with her mum. However, the situation was a touchy and hard topic and she was too scared to ask Blaise to meet her, she was waiting for the information. Despite that she decided to keep the question in her letter, and she folded it up, slotted it into an envelope and gave it to her owl Athena to deliver it. She watched from the window as her owl fluttered away in snow towards wherever her brother was.
For some reason, today Rachai felt overwhelmed with the desire to cause a little mischief, hopefully cheer up the Weasley's a little more and what a better way to do that then with the kings of mischief themselves. She found the said twins of trouble in the upstairs sitting room, seated on the sofa before the coffee table reading, they looked up at her and smiled when she entered.
They wore casual clothes both lounging in their identical frayed jeans and woollen jumper, except George wore grey and Fred wore Khaki. A little nod here and there to help people distinguish between the two. Rachai who went with the similar comfy look was wearing her black tracksuit set and her white trainers, hair neatly plaited into two tight cornrows.
"well hello their sunshine, come sit with us." George chirped, smile blanketing his face, warming Rachai's insides, it wasn't normal seeing the twins without their beaming smile.
"Yeah come sit with us." Fred followed up, she ambled over seating herself next to Fred, it was nice to see them returning to there normal selves. She offered the boys of playful smile, mischief shining in her eyes, the boys leaned forward, interest spiking at the sight.
"Ok so I have a trick for one of you, And If I outsmart you, I get to keep your big box of Bertie bots every flavoured beans, Deal?" The twins glanced at each other, clearing conversing in the twin way that only twins would know, before they nodded in agreement before turning back towards her.
"Ok deal, you can't outsmart us, the true kings of mischief." George boasted, arms displayed outwards as he posed, Rachai giggled at the sight.
"Ok then which one of you is stepping up to the plate?" She murmured, excitement prickling at her with the anticipation, she couldn't wait to truly outsmart these two.
"I am" uttered Fred as he leaned forward on the coach. Rachai leaned forward to placing the water bottle on the table and unscrewing the lid. She then took a coin from her pocket, showed it to Fred before placing it underneath the plastic bottle. Fred and George watched transfixed, concentration lining there faces, trying not to miss a single detail.
"Ok I bet that I can get this coin through and into the bottom of the bottle without using magic." Rachai declared to the boys, she knew she wasn't going to get the box of beans, but she knew she'd get a good laugh instead.
"Haha that's impossible!" Declared George from across the couch.
"Yeah that's impossible!" Returned Fred, smugness written over there features.
"Well ok then just watch and see then, prepare to be outsmarted boys." She goaded, hoping Fred took the bait which he did. He leaned over the lid of the bottle watching the coin, waiting for her to perform the trick. Yet, instead she squeezed the plastic in her hand and a burst of water exploded through the top and splattered all over Fred's face. He jumped back with a cry, his face and shirt front soaked. Rachai and George erupted into giggles at the sight as Fred tried to dry his face.
"Mmm I guess it is impossible to do." She murmured sarcastically to Fred, who replied with a mock glare, a hint of a smile tarnishing his face. Before he too erupted into laughs of his own and eventually all three were amplifying the room with the sounds of their laughter.
After the success of achieving the title of outsmarting Fred, she was more determined to do the same to George, getting both twins in the same day would be a great sense of achievement. So, she ambled down to the kitchen, still in the same clothes as earlier but her hair was free of the plaits and was freely flowing down her back in waves. She entered the kitchen finding Ginny and Hermione reading, Molly doing some crotchet and Ron playing with a deck of cards.
"Does anyone wanna see me play a trick on George?" She asked to the group, everyone bar Molly looked at her with excited gleeful expressions, clearly wanting to see someone finally turn the tables on the twins. Ginny noticing her mum's hesitation uttered,
"Come on mum! It'll be funny, we can finally get them back for once!" She proclaimed, looking at her mum with urgency, hoping as they all were, she'd say yes.
"Alright, aright. Go on then!" She replied but her face lit up with a smile, obviously agreeing with them at the prospect of outwitting the twins. So, she walked over to the sink filled a glass of water, reached for the broom that perched on the wall. She pulled a chair from the table and positioned it in the centre of the room at the end of the table, in clear view of the group clustered around. As she was so short, she stood atop the chair, and with a bit of help from Ron, placed the glass of water and held it to the ceiling with the broom. Once in position she shouted from the chair, loud enough to reach George wherever he was in the house.
"George can you come help me with something please?" joint pairs of footsteps pounded as the twins bounded down the stairs and appeared at the threshold.
"What's up?" George asked, confusion written on his face as he tried to figure out why exactly she was standing on a chair with a glass held to the ceiling via a broom.
"Can you just come hold this for me for a second?" She asked politely, hoping she portrayed her voice enough that he would be more inclined to help her. George not being to let a girl down who needed help. Rachai was thankful that neither Fred or George noticed or heard the sniggling occupants of the table as he ambled over. As he was tall enough, he was able to just stand their broom in hand. Rachai got down from the chair, returned it to the original place under the table and stepped back. Where the people assembled finally let out there held laughs. Fred and George just bared them confused expressions.
"Good luck trying to get out of that one." Rachai laughed, as realization dawned over George at his predicament.
"Your joking me! Rachai!" He moaned, causing everyone to erupt into another fit of giggles, this time Fred included, and it wasn't long until George joined in too. Shaking his head in his free hand as he laughed.
He stood there for a few minutes clearly deciding what to do, until he eventually just took the broom away from the glass and let it fall to the ground. Molly quickly stalled the glass with a flick of her wand before it smashed on the floor and returned it to the side intact. Rachai couldn't help but think George knew Molly would do that.
The topic of that evening throughout dinner and into the night was Rachai finally being able to outsmart the kings of mischief. The laughter continuing for hours about the poor misfortune of both Fred and George. Which was nice, a welcome sound to hear the Weasley's once again laughing, as a family. It wasn't long though before it got late and the others one by one began to leave for bed, Fred and George surprisingly leaving first. Leaving Rachai alone in the kitchen, fire burning away in the crate, warming her chilled bones.
She read for a while, a novel on romance to help chase away the pain of her own failed relationship, before her eyes became heavy from fatigue. So, she gathered up her things and began to climb the stairs when she heard a crash and a thud from above. She glanced up and noticed in the dim light a body tumbling down the stairs towards her, she noticed the blue denim jeans and the khaki woollen jumper as it barrelled towards her. Shock and disbelief filtered through her as she shrieked, turning away hysterically, flapping her hands around her face. He landed with a thump at the bottom unmoving, Rachai was scared to look, but she needed to check and see if Fred was ok. She gingerly lent over, fear gripping her stomach when she noticed the plastic face staring back at her that was clearly not Fred's.
That's when she heard the giggles escaping from above and she glanced up to see the Weasley's and Hermione leaning over the banister, laughter transmitting down to her.
"You idiots!" She shouted, but she couldn't stay mad for long as she couldn't hide the laughter escaping from her own mouth.
"We admit you got one up on us today, but you'll never fully beat us." George chuckled from above.
"Yeah were unbeatable." Fred replied, warmth exploding within at the sight of them displayed before her, she was grateful for her little family, even though they all weren't here together just yet she still appreciated these moments.