I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 3 – Further Disquiet

Harry was thinking as he made his way back to Gryffindor tower.

Part of him was truly happy. Flying was wonderful, so freeing. When he was in the air on his broomstick he felt like he could leave his problems behind. Things that happened to him when both feet were on the ground did not seem to apply while he was airborne. He could fly faster than his problems, outrace his thoughts. He could act on, what he found to be surprising, instinct. He could do something physical that he was actually good at it.

He knew he was not the best. It was the first time he played properly after all and it was still practice, not against another team. He could get better, learn more, become even more comfortable.

His shoulders curled a little and his stomach churned some. He was still embarrassed with how he acted around Angelina. He was so elated from flying, from catching the Snitch, that he was not aware she had approached him. She was very light on her feet and quiet. In his experience the boys that were that tall or even bigger were not that graceful.

In hindsight she had not struck him, not like Dudley Dursley or his friends. Normally when they attacked him from behind, he would go flying and his whole body would ache, the part they hit would be temporarily numb.

It was never numb for long though.

His reaction was deep set and literally beaten into him from years of being hurt by Dursleys and Dudley's friends. He tried to make himself as small of a target as possible and not fight back. He tried to apologize for whatever slight he had made, whatever problem he had caused. Sometimes it meant he would get off lightly.

Sometimes it did not matter at all.

He did feel bad though, not physically, when he saw Angelina's expression. It was one he was not used to. She looked shocked. She looked ashamed. There was no pride, no cruelty, no malice. No sneer. No harsh words or harsher actions. She had looked as shocked as he felt. She was as confused as he was.

His steps scraped on the stone floors. He felt glum. He imagined he would get kicked off the team soon, for making her feel bad. It was his fault after all and she was older and had been on the team longer. The others were her friends. The rest barely knew him. Fred and George were Ron's brothers and Harry was friends with Ron, but he knew they would stick with Angelina over him.

It was only right. He was the newest, the youngest, the least experienced. He only made the team out of luck.

I might as well enjoy it while it lasts, he thought. He sighed to himself.

The sigh made the empty corridor feel colder than it should have.

-0-

Fred slowed as they approached the entrance to Gryffindor tower. George automatically slowed as well, staying in step with his twin.

George did not need to ask Fred why he slowed. Nor did he need to ask why Fred looked unusually solemn. As much as the twins liked to trick others by claiming some kind of magical bond between them, the main reason they usually knew what the other was thinking was because it was usually a reflection of what they personally were thinking.

"You as bothered as me?" George asked softly.

"Probably not more than you at least, but yes, probably bothered just as much."

"You reckon she's right?"

Fred shook his head. He was not disputing that Katie was potentially right. More than he did not want to entertain what it meant if Katie was right. "I don't know honestly."

"I hope she's wrong," George said.

"Me too."

The twins walked up to the Fat Lady, the painted guardian of the tower. "Oculi Aperti," they chorused together.

The Fat Lady nodded and the painting swung aside, revealing the tower's interior. The twins climbed through the hole, looking about the common room. It was later afternoon, not quite dinner time but after classes so it was fairly busy.

The Gryffindor common room was a very comfortable place. It was filled with couches and chairs, scattered tables for those that wanted to play games or attempt to do work. A large hearth dominated the wall beside the portrait hole, almost always lit by a warming crackling fire. Large windows lined the other walls giving a magnificent view of the grounds.

The twins looked around and saw their little brother sitting on the ground, a chess board before him. They wandered over and George sat across from Ron, moving a piece. "King me!" he said with a flourish.

Ronald Weasley, usually known as Ron, looked at George with contempt. "Wrong game."

"I know that," Fred said, standing beside Ron.

"Then why did George say that?"

"I didn't say he knew that."

Ron sighed. "What do you two want?"

George grinned. "Ooh, ickle Ronnie's tired of his loving older brothers?"

Ron snorted. "Loving?"

"You wound us, brother," Fred said, holding a hand to his heart. "You know we have nothing but…an appropriate level of care for your well-being."

Ron's eyes conveyed deep distrust, cultivated by years of living with the twins.

"I suppose that's fair. Anyways, we have a question for you."

Ron's suspicion deepened. "I didn't do it."

"Good to know but it's not about you actually." Fred looked about before he spoke softly. "How's Harry doing?"

"What do you mean?" Now Ron looked confused. "He's doing okay. Better than, he's on the Quidditch team isn't he?"

"Well yeah, but he's been alright? Must be a bit odd going from practically being a Muggle to being a wizard."

"I mean, he doesn't know some things that we know but he's not doing bad in class or anything. Seamus is half and Dean is Muggle-born and they aren't much different."

"Harry hasn't done anything…weird? Or have you noticed anything weird?" George pressed.

Ron looked at the twins. "What's all this about?"

Fred shrugged nonchalantly. "We're just looking out for him like we do you. Maybe a bit more cause unlike you, he doesn't have kind and amazing older brothers that care about him."

"Kind? What did you do to my teddy bear again?"

"That was George." Fred smacked his twin to prevent the inevitable protest. "Anyways, no need to get defensive little bro. We still care about you too. Just wanted to make sure Harry's alright."

Ron looked thoughtful. "There's…a couple things that I've noticed now that you've mentioned it. He sleeps funny. Like curled up in a ball. I remember thinking that didn't look comfortable."

The twins looked at each other. "You mean like Ginny? You know she curls up like a cat."

"Well, kind of like that, but more you know? Like he isn't used to sleeping in a proper bed. He literally looks like this tiny ball when he sleeps. I asked him about it once and he said that's how he slept for years. I just thought it was weird cause our beds here at school aren't small and he could spread out if he wanted to."

Ron continued to talk, missing the look of distress on Fred and George's faces. "Oh and he eats funny too."

"You mean like you? Noises and all?" George teased, trying to calm his disquiet.

"No he makes like no noise when he eats," Ron said thoughtfully. "He also doesn't eat nearly as much as me, or anyone else. Only a little bit at meal times, like he's afraid to eat more. Remember when Mum was doing that funny diet thing and she only ate a little at meal times but then would snack all day?"

The twins nodded.

"Like that, except he doesn't really snack either." Ron shrugged. "He said that's what he's used to. Didn't want to talk about it so I didn't ask more."

George patted Ron on the shoulder. "That's good. You're a good friend Ron. Just, make sure Harry's doing okay and you can tell me and Fred anything. You know that right?"

Ron looked at them as if they were idiots. "Yeah I do. Harry's my friend." He hesitated. "He's not in trouble, is he?"

I think he might be, George thought, his discomfort growing.

"Not at all," Fred said, keeping his tone light.

"Then what's wrong with you two? Did you guys do something and you're feeling guilty?"

George waggled a finger at the grinning boy. "We didn't do anything to him but you keep making unfounded accusations and we'll do something to you maybe."

Ron snorted and waved a hand. "I've lived with you two. I just assume you've always done something to me."

The twins chuckled knowingly as they sauntered off. Once out of Ron's line of sight they dodged into a corner, ensuring no one was close to hear them speak.

"You didn't like hearing that," Fred said.

"Neither did you," George replied.

"It sounds awful fishy," Fred admitted.

George nodded glumly.

"What sounds fishy?"

The twins jumped, whipping their heads around. Oliver stood behind them, arms crossed. He had spoken softly and he angled his body so he could see if anyone else snuck up on them.

"The piano of course," George said with false light heartedness.

"After it was tuna'd," Fred said with equal fake merriment.

"Hold on, I thought it was tuned by a tuna."

"Oh drat, you're right. I messed that joke up."

"I know you're talking about what happened today, with Harry," Oliver said.

"We're talking about a piano, haven't you heard-"

Oliver held up his hand. "Look, I'm not thick. I can tell something's off. If it's bothering my team, then I want to know. I want to help."

"You do?" Fred asked.

"Of course. I'm team Captain. You guys are my responsibility."

The twins looked at each other for a moment.

"The problem is," Fred said slowly, "we're not too sure what to say. It could be hearsay. It could be a giant misunderstanding."

"But you don't think it is."

The twins shook their heads.

Oliver looked at them. He flattered himself in saying he had a reasonable grasp on their mood. Partially from being their Quidditch Captain the last few years and from what he had learned about them from Percy Weasley, their older brother and his roommate. He could tell when they were plotting something. He knew when they were pretending to be guilty and when they were usually guilty.

He could count on his fingers the few times he saw them genuinely uncomfortable and upset. This was one of those times.

"Tell me what you can then," Oliver said.