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OoO

I always had a great memory. I can remember the smallest things from when I was little and then just ask my mum about it years later. She always looks so surprised when I come up to her with the strangest things, like when I found a pinecone that looked like a niffler when I was two, or a memory an old pirate ship, stranded on a beach when I was three.

I had happy childhood. A really happy one, full of love and laughter, even though I never got to meet my real dad. But I got an amazing one who loved me like his own. He never made me feel like I was just my mum's son or a cousin or something like that, he always made me feel loved and that I was his. He would tell me stories about my real father, about him and my mum. He was an amazing storyteller, he carried me away from the first sentence.

One of my ultimate favourite memories is one with him and my mum. Every time I think back at that memory, I wanted that for myself. The look he gave her– no wait – let me just tell you the memory, okay? That will be easier.

So, I was six years old. Me and my mum just moved in above a joke shop in Hogsmeade a few months ago. We had moved in with my dad, the famous redheaded jokester. I loved living there but hated missing my best friend. My dad and my uncle are pretty amazing and smart as a whip, even though they are the owners of a mega successful joke shop imperium. I mean, you can't not be smart with the products they invent and make themselves. But back to my point. Because I missed my best friend so much, they altered the floo that was connected to theirs. They made a special floo powder, instead of the yellowy-green or silver one, it was all the colours of the rainbow mixed together with glitter in it. The first time they showed it to us, my mum made a comment that it looked like a unicorn had thrown up in there. Not understanding the muggle reference, I thought the unicorns in our world threw up like a glittery rainbow, too bad I found out the hard way that wasn't the case. But that may be a story for another day.

So, it was about two months after Christmas and I was sitting on the couch, sipping hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows when the floo roared in front of me. My best friend, with flashing purple hair walked in wearing heavy snow boots, a thick homemade knitted hat, scarf and gloves and an overlarge coat. If it wasn't for my hot chocolate, I would have rolled off the couch laughing.

"Not funny." Teddy grumbled, tossing all of his winter gear off. "Gran thinks we're going to play in the snow."

I scrunched up my nose a little. I didn't like the snow all that much. The last time I was playing in the snow, I stepped on the frozen over lake behind the Burrow, but due to the snow I didn't see it. Even with my small frame and light weight, the ice cracked, and I fell in the icy water. I wasn't in there for long as George, my dad, had ran over quickly and dived in after me. The moment I was out, my mum held me tight against her chest. She looked pale, almost greyish at that moment as she cried on my hair. I didn't understand her reaction then, but I do know now. She thought she lost me, like she lost my father. So, yeah since then I didn't play in the snow. Even years later, it was just not something I did. Even though my friends, except Teddy, tried to convince me. Not only because I could feel the icy water on my body or down my throat when I think back at it, but the look of true terror on my mum's face. I don't ever want to see that look again.

"What's that?" He asked. I looked up from the marshmallows that were floating in my hot chocolate. Soft music was coming from the room next door.

I shrugged but put my hot chocolate down on the coffee table and the two of us crept silently in the next room. We crouched down behind a small dresser and peered over the top. My mum and dad were dancing with each other. Slow and close on the music. I've seen my mum dance; I've seen my dad dance but never like this. When they dance with us it's funny, extravagant, wild. This was something entirely different. He didn't twirl her around or danced like the crazy person he is. He held her in his arms, close and protective. He looked down at her with a soft smile and a twinkle in his eyes. When they turned a little, I could see my mum look up at him. She had her hands on the nape of his neck, her fingers in his hair. I didn't know much about love at that age, but that's when I knew what love looked like, real love. If I ever questioned if love was real, I think back at this moment. The look, the smile, the twinkle in their eyes that they only have for each other. Even now, after all those years, it was still there. And ever since the moment I was old enough to love myself, I've chased after a love like that. I craved for love like that.

Teddy and I watched for a long moment, just watching them sway slowly on the music. Back then, I didn't know what Teddy felt about seeing them. It was only years and years later that I found out. I didn't know, because I didn't look at him. I couldn't take my eyes off my parents slow dancing.

"If you want to be inconspicuous." My mum's voice said slowly. "You should really change your hair in a darker colour, Tedster." She looked over her shoulder and grinned at us. Teddy squeaked a little before he ducked behind the dresser and tugged on my sleeve, pointing at the door.

"Do you boys think you can really hide from us? The masters of hide and seek?" George's voice filled the room. It was a challenge, definitely a challenge. Teddy and I shared a look before we ran out of the room, laughing. Hearing the footsteps of George and my mum behind us.

We didn't play in the snow that day, we didn't go out at all. We played hide and seek, we played muggle boardgames, we made more hot chocolate and George provided us with their safe muggle and wizarding experiments kits to play with. But when I fell asleep that night, covered in thick blankets that almost consumed me, I didn't think about any of that. I thought about them dancing, the love that was so visible and pure around them, that even at six years old could see it, no feel it.

OoO

I had love around me growing up. My mum loved me unconditionally, she said it at least once a day, because she needed me to know, she wanted to be sure there wouldn't be any doubt. And I never doubted about that. It was my uncle Bash, another one who loved me like my mum, that explained where that fear came from. He was there when I went to Hogwarts from the first time. My mum hugged and kissed me on the cheek, telling me she loved me on a full platform of kids. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. Let me tell you how it went -

"Mum." I groaned after she hugged me again, telling me she loved me, again. I wanted to disappear as I saw people glance at us and snicker behind their hands.

"Oh." She pulled back, seeing my hard eyes, she was hurt. "I'm sorry." She started to fuss about my new brother and sister. I felt bad for making her feel like that, but I was eleven now, not a baby anymore.

"CJ, a word." My uncle guided me towards the wall, away from the others. I loved my uncle Bash. I mean I loved all my uncles and aunts, but Uncle Bash and Uncle Charlie, they were something else. I thought he was going to give me advice for school or the sorting, I didn't expect him to say. "Do you know why your mum tells you she loves you, every single day?"

"Because she is my mum? Don't all parents tell that to their kids every day?"

"Hardly." He scoffed a little, and I looked at him wide-eyed. "You are eleven now. How many times have you seen your grandparents? I mean, our mum and dad."

"Uhm, like four times maybe."

"That's for a reason. Our parents weren't really loving parents. I mean, sure they love us, but they chose their careers over us, we didn't see them much when we were younger or even later in life. They almost never told us they loved us. Me and your mum only had each other. And she never wants her kids to think she doesn't love them, because she does. With everything she has, with all her heart." We were silent for a beat, as I registered what he was saying. "And it's not only that, your father died when he was young. They were friends for ages and of course they knew they loved each other but they didn't say it much. When they got together, the words fell more from their lips that they had in the years prior, but even now I think she still hates herself for not telling him more. I think she still thinks, she ever made him doubt the love she has for him. And she won't make that mistake again, not with you, or George, or Olivia or Damian. She tells all of you every day, because she needs to know that you know."

I glanced over my shoulder to my mum. My dad had his arm around her as she leaned against his shoulder. I saw something flash in her eyes, before she hid it quickly when she saw me looking. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. I looked back at my uncle and hugged him.

"Thank you." I whispered against his shirt. After what he told me, I didn't care anymore if other kids saw me hugging my family. Fuck them! My family was everything to me, my mum was my world, and I would show it to everyone.

"Any time." He padded my head softly before I let go. I walked over to my mum and without waiting another second, I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her close.

"I love you, mum." I smiled against her dress, as she stroked my hair softly.

"I love you too." She kissed the top of my head and then it hit me, I'm not going to hear her say that for months on end. I hugged her tighter because of that.

So, I know my mum told you her story, so let me tell you mine. I won't go into too much detail. I'll just skip to the good parts. Like the moment a girl almost came between me and my best friend, or when I had my first crush. The first time I fell in love or seen someone I care about break from it. Let me tell you about my family and my memories. I didn't want to tell you about the unicorn thing at first, but my mum said to put it in. So, that will come up sooner or later. So, yeah, you can choose to stay around to listen to me rambling about friendships, family and school. About love and heartbreak and so much more. But it's your choice, if you don't want to, it's fine by me. I just wanted to put my story out there.

The story of CJ Diggory-Weasley. Here starts my little tale of Chasing Love.