Part Four
The carriages finally arrived in Hogsmeade, and everybody went to the train carts. Tedira walked with the seventh years into an empty compartment. Fred and George kept talking about all the things they were planning to do as soon as they got home. It was amusing seeing them talking, one starting a sentence, the other finishing for him. Twins! Her cousins! What was she supposed to do?
Clearing her throat, she turned to the twins and said "Um, guys? Can I ask you a favor? My cousins Carrie and Cassie are staying over for the holidays. They, like you, are twins, and about your same age. I was wondering if you could show them around? It would be good for them to be with people their own age. Please?"
The boys looked at each other, and with an unspoken sentence, they both nodded. They turned to look in her direction, and Fred said "We'll do it on one condition. Are they pretty?"
Tedira just smiled and shook her head, her gaze going outside the window.
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Her gaze was fixed on the outside scenery, but she was not really looking at it, her mind focused on something or better yet, on someone. She and Severus needed to talk. Why did he kiss her like that, and why she responded like she did?
She shouldn't have any doubts. She had been in love with Bill Weasley for as long as she could remember. And now he loved her as well. Why did that thought didn't comfort her anymore?
Closing her eyes, she focused on long, fiery red hair pulled in a ponytail and mesmerizing blue eyes that smiled at her, when the image suddenly shifted to long dark tresses, an aquiline nose and calculating black eyes.
Opening her eyes, she noticed that they were slowing down as they made their way into platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross station. Getting out of the train with the Weasley twins she saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley waiting for the whole group of students. Tedira walked along aside Fred and George to greet them.
Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly and giving her a warm felt hug said, "Tedira, dear, how are you? We haven't seen you in such a long time! You have to promise you'll stop by and visit, will you?"
Giving a quick wink to the twins, she said, "I will try to stop by, but you know how hectic it gets at home."
Tedira saw the Weasleys depart along Harry and Hermione, so she apparated to her own house. She materialized right in the front of the entrance of her house, knocking on the door. She could hear a muffled voice inside, "Coming!"
A middle-aged witch opened the door, a smile on her lips as she recognized Tedira standing on the doorstep. Tedira hugged her, "Hullo, mum!"
"My baby! You are finally home. Come in before you freeze do death." Taking her wand, she made the trunk disappear to reappear in Tedira's room. Still with her arms around Tedira, Mrs. Anwyl said, "So how have you been? I am so glad you are working in Hogwarts now. I even know that you are seeing that Weasley boy again."
Rolling her eyes, Tedira smiled and said, "You have been talking to Mrs. Weasley, haven't you?"
Mrs. Anwyl just gave her daughter an enigmatic smile, and continued towards the kitchen, Tedira following with curiosity.
Mrs. Anwyl was checking on her pots and pans the cooking she was doing for the holidays, and while she was checking the roast, asked, "So, is Severus staying for the holidays?"
Tedira looked at her mother and sighed, "Yes, he is. I had to practically drag him in here, but he is coming."
Mrs. Anwyl smiled and said, "Good. Is not good for him to spend the holidays alone. Besides, your father and I had grown fond of him."
Tedira looked at her mother like she had grown a second head, "What are you talking about?"
Mrs. Anwyl sighed, "He never told you? He comes and visits from time to time; he is a very pleasant young man once you get to know him. He brings the news you relay with him in person whenever he can."
Tedira raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? I always thought he just owled you with the news."
Mrs. Anwyl just smiled enigmatically again, "If you ever decide on settling down..."
Tedira knew where this conversation was going, and rolled her eyes, "Mom, Severus is my best friend. That is all."
Mrs. Anwyl smiled again, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "I thought Bill was your best friend, Ted."
Tedira blushed and looked outside the kitchen window so she did not have to meet her mother's gaze, "Well, that's different mom. They both are. Bill was my best friend during childhood, Severus mine as an adult."
Tedira was glad for the interruption that happened at that moment, as the sound of the door opening and the laughing voices could be heard getting in the house, "Aunt Cleo, we're home, and wait until you see the tree we got!"
Tedira smiled and popped her head from the kitchen, "It better be a big one, as we have lots of decorations to put in there!"
Two pairs of brown eyes looked at her direction, and two voices screaming "Ted, you made it! We miss you so much!"
Tedira hugged her two cousins, and stepped back to look at them, "My little imps! I missed you too. My, you have really grown."
They had grown to be beautiful girls; those Weasley twins didn't stand a chance.
Giving them a smile and hugging them again, she went towards her father, "Dad! I missed you so much!"
Mr. Anwyl hugged his daughter back, "And we missed you too, angel. I s a good thing your friend Severus kept us informed of your whereabouts."
Tedira bit her lip, and avoided her father's eyes as she said, "Yes, I heard about that. He never said anything."
At the mention of a man's name, Carrie and Cassie looked at their uncle and cousin, and with curiosity Carrie asked, "Who is this Severus? Is he your boyfriend or something?"
Tedira blushed, the kiss popping into her mind at that moment, "No. He is just a good friend. I have known him for a long time and he is a professor at Hogwarts, so now we work together."
Mr. Anwyl chuckled, "Besides, we know that Ted's boyfriend is a Weasley. Isn't that right, Ted?"
Tedira blushed even more at the mention of Bill. Her parents always knew of the crush she had for the oldest Weasley boy, but never expressed it so openly in front of others.
Tedira bit her lip, and looking at her cousins, decided to change the topic of conversation, "Girls, why don't we go and decide were to put the tree?"
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After the furniture was rearranged and the tree put in a very visible corner of the living room, Tedira heard a knock on the door, and getting a mischievous looks from her cousins, she started running to the door while shouting "I'll get it!", while her cousins tried to beat her to it.
When she opened the door, she smiled at the sight. At her doorstep were the four youngest Weasleys plus Harry and Hermione.
With a smile, Tedira said, "Come in! So, what brings you here?"
Fred smiled and said, "We were going to take a walk through town and we remembered what you said about your cousins, so we decided to stop by and see if they wanted to come with us."
Ted looked behind her and chuckling said, "You can come out girls, I know you are listening. I want you to meet some of my friends."
Carrie and Cassie approached the group uncharacteristically timid, and Tedira made the introductions, "Carrie and Cassie, this are my friends and neighbors Fred, George, Ron and Ginny Weasley. And these are their friends Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. Gang, these are my cousins Carrie and Casey DuMont."
The girls nodded and said their hellos, when Tedira's words hit full impact. They opened their eyes in surprise and looked at each other.
Cassie found her voice first, "You mean the Harry Potter?"
Tedira just smiled and nodded, turning to look at Harry who was flushing with embarrassment, staring straight at the floor.
Cassie answered, "Cool. Now we can brag that Fleur is not the only one who has met Harry Potter."
Harry's just shot his head up, "You know Fleur?"
Carrie just laughed, "Yes we know her. We attend Beauxbattons. We wanted to go to the Triwizard Tournament, but our parents didn't let us go."
Cassie continued, "She graduated last year. Last we heard, she was working for Gringotts."
Taking their cloaks, gloves and scarves, the group of young people said goodbye to Tedira with a promise to come back before dinner.
Tedira went back to finish taking out the ornaments for the tree when she heard knocking at the door again. Thinking that one of her cousins forgot something, Tedira opened the door, not ready for whom she was going to see next.
As soon as her eyes met deep blue ones, her breath was caught in her throat, only one word escaping her lips, "Bill!"