2

CJ

So, let me start in our third year. That's when things started... shifting.

It was a week before school started again and it's been a month since I saw the rest of the family and my best friend. Me, mum, dad and my siblings had been on a month-long family vacation with my uncles, Bash and Charlie. Teddy and I were starting our third year together, which means little Vicky (don't ever tell her I said it like that, she hates it) was going to start her first year. Victoire was the closest to our age from all the kids at the Weasley family, but still, two years is a big difference at our age. For more times than I can count, I was happy to have Teddy as the same age as me. Teddy was born on the hight of the war, me not only a few months after. That's why when we started school, we noticed how small our group was. It shouldn't have surprised us, because we didn't meet anyone our age before going to Hogwarts. The group was even smaller than when my uncle Harry went to school, his group was small too, due to the first war. I think we were only with eighteen kids that started that year.

We were walking up the hill towards the burrow when my mind flashed back towards Teddy and me being sorted.

Teddy a few inches taller than me, stood next to me as we waited in the small room that led to the great hall. My hands were shaking with nerves, normally I could school my features into a blank expression but now they were written all over my face. Teddy must have noticed because he nudges me with a grin.

"It's just a talking hat, no worries."

"I'm not afraid of the hat." I rolled my eyes, wringing my hands together. "What if we're not put together? What if we go into different houses?"

Teddy's face paled instantly. It's like the thought had never crossed his mind. "Well, that's not possible." He shook his head, staring back at the door. "We will be in the same house even if I have to tear the hat into shreds. You're going before me, so I'll just demand the hat to put me in the same house. Uncle Harry said the hat takes our preference in consideration."

"Maybe." I said, still not convinced.

"It will be okay." Teddy's eyes flickered to my hair. I had a feeling what was happening. Because every time the nerves get the best of me, grey streaks appear in my hair. Teddy reached over and squeezed my hand. "Relax, I'm not leaving you."

The whole family talked to me and Teddy about the sorting and the houses, all claiming they won't mind which house we end up in. Everyone was quite sure where Teddy would end up in, Hufflepuff like his mum. I don't know why they never thought he could belong in Gryffindor like his dad. He was certainly brave enough. But me, nobody knew where to place me. Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. My mum and father were in Hufflepuff, while my dad, the one who raised me and everyone in his family was in Gryffindor. The only one I knew from Ravenclaw was Harry's wife, Luna. And I met Draco Malfoy in passing when I visited Uncle Harry at work where he was consulting on a case, a Slytherin.

I glanced over to my best friend, who seemed at ease as he leaned against the wall. But the tight grip on my hand said otherwise. What would happen if we're not placed in the same house? Would we stay friends? Would we find new ones in our own house? I glanced around the small room, kids scattered around it. If divided fairly, it would only be like four or five kids per house. Not much to choose from. I looked back to Teddy, his purple hair a stark contrast against the dark wall. We could always just sneak in each other's common room. Mum did that during her years on a regular basis from what I heard. My thoughts were interrupted when the door opened and revealed the potions professor, Draco Malfoy. He was the potion teacher here for the last four years.

"Please, follow me." He gestured us over. Teddy squeezed my hand one last time before he let go. I swallowed thickly before I followed the others out. While most of the kids, glanced around the room in wonder and excitement, Teddy and I were looking at our feet. Both of our parents died here in the castle, it was no wonder for us, it was like being slapped in the face. I was lost in thought again, my memories taking me back to when my mum and Andy took me and Teddy to the castle a few years ago.

"It's almost your turn." Teddy suddenly nudged my side.

"W-what?" I blinked confused.

He nudged his head to the stool, where a girl with brown long hair was sitting on, the hat covering her eyes. "You're up next. So, far three in Slytherin and one in Ravenclaw."

"Right." I nodded, the lump back in my throat.

"Gryffindor!" The hat called and the girl hopped off the stool with a beaming smile, walking over to the cheering table.

"Cedric Junior Diggory-Weasley." Professor Malfoy called out, his grey eyes on me.

I took in a deep breath and walked forward, not looking at anyone else in the room. When I slid on the stool, I looked down at my lap until the hat covered my eyes.

"Oh, you're an interesting mix." The hat said inside my head. "I see a bit of everything in here. You have quite the set of brains on you, loyalty and love for your friends and family, no doubt about that. And bravery, you're braver than you think you are, young Northon. I feel you have strong feelings that you want to stay with your best friend." I risked a glance over to Teddy, who was visibly nervous himself now, biting on the nail of his thumb. "Yes, he hasn't been placed yet, makes it more difficult." He said, reading my thoughts without a second thought. "But I can't place you just because of your friend, I need to see what place suits you best. And that is... GRYFFINDOR!"

I wasn't smiling as I walked over to the red filled table, I wasn't paying attention to the others being sorted, not until my only and best friend took his place on the stool. He gave me a determent nod before the hat slid over his eyes. I don't know how long it took, it seemed like hours for me, but it would probably be a few minutes, if not less. But when the hat called out, a piece of my heart broke.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

I never, but I mean never, seen Teddy so angry. I was glad Professor Malfoy saw this too and quickly plucked the hat from his head, before Teddy would tear it off. He stomped off to the yellow table, sitting behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, Teddy was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest, his hair turned red in anger. His eyes found mine and said one thing – I tried.

CJ

I was ripped away from my thoughts about the ceremony, about how much and how little things have changed since then, when a body collided against me. Purple hair tickled my nose. His hug was tight, and I hugged him back just as hard. It was our way of saying, I missed you, without actually saying the words. When he pulled back, he looked to my parents and uncles.

"Next time I'm coming with you." He said pointedly, making me laugh.

"You know you are always welcome, Teddy." Mum smiled at him, pulling him in for a hug. "But it's not my fault your Uncle Harry wanted to take you to every Quidditch match this summer."

"Next year, he can take James. He should be old enough right? Then I can come with you guys."

"We'll talk to him about it." Dad clapped his shoulder with his free arm, in the other he held four-year-old Damian.

"Brilliant!" He beamed. He turned his attention to Olivia. "Hey, Ollie. Dom, James and Molly are already out back at the pond -" He didn't get to finish his sentence because my younger sister was already running towards the edge of the tree line.

They were all born in the same year, so they all clung together like glue. It's going to be hard when the group will be split in two. Olivia and James would start a year earlier then Dominique and Molly due to their birthdays.

Teddy chuckled before he pulled on my hand and started running towards the house. I glanced behind me and saw my mum grinning at me, waving to me to go and have fun. I thought he was going to pull me inside the house, but before we reached the kitchen door, he took a beeline and ran up to the large tree next to it. If you climbed up high enough, you could see and spy on everyone on the garden.

I climbed in the tree behind him. Teddy might be taller, but I was an excellent climber. I quickly climbed past him and choose my favourite spot in the tree. I was perched on the end of the branch, I angled my head towards the blinding sun, feeling the heat on my cheeks. I just looked down at our families when Teddy reached the same branch. He plopped down and leaned against the trunk.

"Show off." He grinned, his eyes sparkled a little. "So, how was your vacation?"

I swivelled on the branch to look at him. "Brilliant! Uncle Charlie and Uncle Bash let me tend to the baby dragons. I helped feeding them and clean their wounds. Then the last two weeks we went to south-Africa. Met up with Kai, he's about nineteen now. Mum says he turned into a very handsome young man."

"What do you think?" He asked. I frowned a little at his clipped tone.

I shrugged, turning back to watch my parents down below. "Haven't really thought about it." I saw golden blond hair running towards the tree. "Oh, your biggest fan has arrived." I chuckled and heard Teddy groan behind me.

Victoire's crush on Teddy started just before summer when we came back from school. I don't know what happened between them or if Teddy might have changed because he still looked the same to me. I think if Vicky would calm down a little, Teddy might be interested when she's older. She's not bad to look at, if you thought about it.

"Hey, Vicky!" I called out, waving down. "Teddy is right here!"

"I hate you." The purple headed boy grumbled behind me.

"Don't call me Vicky!" She called back, tilting her head high. So, much like her mother that one.

"Come on, I don't want her up here. I haven't seen you forever, I need my CJ time." Teddy said before quickly looking away. I didn't understand his reaction, I felt the same way. A month was the longest time we've been apart from each other, we're best friends. It's normal to want some alone time, right?

"Oh, relax." I waved my hand. "It's Vicky, she can't climb a tree if her life depended on it. Dominique on the other hand." I laughed. I loved Dom, she was one of my favourite cousins. She looked so much like her mother, blue eyes and long golden locks, but her character was entirely her fathers. Dom was a real tomboy. She could climb trees almost as good as me and she's only eight. She played quidditch and wrestled with James, or even me or Teddy. She had the driest humour possible; she was extremely funny. The thought about her only going to school when I'm in my last year made me a little sad. "We're safe up here. Except for Vicky, everyone knows to leave us alone. Dom will probably come up to say hi, but she waits."

"Yeah, you're right." He relaxed against the tree. "I hope it doesn't get too bad at school."

"Depends on what house she'll get into, I guess." I shrugged. I let my legs hang loose on either side of the branch, swaying them a little. "But when she meets girls her own age and schoolwork starts piling up, she'll have her hands full."

"I hope so."

"How was your summer?" I asked, pulling off a leave from the branch above me.

"I like Quidditch but seeing so many games was a bit much. But I loved to spend time with Uncle Harry and Aunt Luna."

"What about James?" I asked grinning, because those two just couldn't get along.

"He's a little bastard."

That statement made me laugh loudly, making my head fall back. I was clutching my side, trying to stop laughing but it was hard.

"What's so funny?" Victoire called up. "Never mind, can you just help me up? I can't do it alone."

"Sorry, Vic." Teddy called down. "If you can't climb the tree on your own, you don't earn our help."

Victoire groaned loudly, making me and Teddy grin at each other. "I'm telling mum and dad."

I looked behind me and saw her stomping towards the large table in the yard. Her hair bouncing on her shoulders. When she stopped in front of her parents, she was putting on a show. Large, sad eyes and a trembling lip. She was good at getting what she wanted, but I wasn't afraid. This was one thing, her parents weren't going to intervene in. She pointed her small, delicate hand towards us. Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur looked at me, Teddy still hidden behind the branches and leaves, and I waved happily at them. They waved back before turning back to their daughter. I saw her shoulders drop; she glared over her shoulder to me before stopping off to sit on the swing of another tree.

I turned back to Teddy, and I noticed a little change in his hair. I leaned forward and tugged on it. "Your hair is different."

"Well, I am a Metamorphmagus." He shot me a lopsided grin, but he averted his eyes.

"Oh, really. I had no idea." I barked out a laugh before I put his head in a headlock and ruffled his hair. "Show me." I dared and his hair changed every colour imaginable as he tried to get out of my grip.

CJ

Since it's my birthday, I'm going to update all three of my current stories! Hope you enjoy!