Changing Paths

I walked through the forest, dead leaves crunching loudly as my bare feet stepped on them.

The darkness wasn't what scared me. In fact, I was rather intrigued by it. No, the night wasn't frightening… IT was.

I sat up, breathing hard and quickly.

The memory of my dream played through my mind again.

This time, it didn't scare me.

I sighed and pushed the covers off as the loud call of "Breakfast's Ready" sounded up the stairs.

If someone else were in my room that didn't live here, they would've thought there was a stampede in the house.

I walked over to my door, still in my pajamas, and cracked it open. The youngest of my brothers, Ron, flew by.

I slowly and groggily went down, and when I reached the foot of the steps, everyone was already eating.

"Ginvera Molly Weasly!" My mum barked when she laid her eyes upon me.

I flinched at the sound of my first name. "Yes, mum?"

She didn't seem to like or fall for my innocent act. "How many times have I told you to get up earlier?"

"Fifty-eight," I replied automatically. "But that's including six times from yesterday, unless you want to make that as one time. Now, if you consider your question telling me also, that'd be fifty-nine, or fifty-three, how ever you want to look at it."

George, who always staid home a week before we have to go off to school, laughed in his plate at my response.

My mum glared at him and turned to me, face red. "If you think you're funny…"

"Actually," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was being quite serious."

I gave her a cherry smile, grabbed a piece of toast, and walked out the back door.

After about only a minute, it swung open again.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Fred cried, sitting on the porch next to me.

I grinned. "Thanks. She's getting out of hand though, all moody and stuff. Did anyone else besides me notice?"

George nodded his head. "I did, and we've only been here for a day!"

"I'm bored," Ron sighed.

Fred and George exchanged quick glances, smiling.

"Uh-oh," Ron muttered upon seeing this.

"If you're bored out of your mind with nothing to do…"

"Fred and George are here for you." George finished.

Ron stuttered as he spoke. "Wh-what d-do you t-two have in m-mind?"

"Jump of the roof!" George said suddenly.

"You weren't supposed to say it like that!" Fred hissed.

His twin shrugged his shoulders. "At least he got the point."

"But we have to do it right." Fred cried.

George sighed. In an excited voice he said, "We dare you-"

"To jump off the roof!" Fred finished.

George rolled his eyes. "Happy?"

"Very."

Ron's face flushed. "No way am I doing that!"

"I'll do it too!" I said, standing up. "But only if you do also."

George grinned devilishly. "You're not going to do it, but a girl will? She's your sister and younger than you are too! Jeez, Ron! You're a chicken!"

"All right, all right, I'm in!" Ron blushed.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

I was levitated to the top, quickly followed by Ron.

"Do you want to jump first, or shall I?"

"Same time," his hoarse voice said.

I grabbed his hand. "One… two…"

"GINNY!" My mum roared.

I looked down.

She was standing there, hands on her hips. "What are you doing?"

"I'm jumping!" I yelled back down.

"Don't you dare!" she screamed.

I looked at Ron. "Are you ready?"

He nodded his head.

We jumped.

The wind rushing past my face made me feel like I was flying.

Ron let go of my hand.

I landed on all fours, but Ron toppled madly around, finally halting.

My mum rushed straight past me to Ron, who was still lying on the grass.

"This is all your fault!" my mum screeched, staring madly at me. "If you hadn't talked him into it-"

"I didn't make him do anything!"

I ran to my room.

I threw my self on my bed and let loud sobs escape my mouth. Finally, the crying subsided and I sat up.

Walking over to the mirror, I looked at myself.

My appearance was pathetic.

My eyes were red and swollen, my hair was wild, and on the knees of my pajamas were mud stains from where I landed.

I walked across the hall and to the bathroom.

Stripping of my clothes, I clambered into the hot shower and washed away the grime and dirt that covered my body.

Climbing out, I wrapped a soft white towel around myself.

I grabbed the blow dryer and did my hair.

I walked back into my room, and slipped on a pair of jeans and a tight black T-shirt. I decided that for the first time all summer, I'd put on some make-up.

I sat down on my vanity chair and opened the drawer.

I picked out some dark eyeliner and applied it. The only other thing I put on was some shiny lip-gloss.

I heard a knock at the front door.

Harry Potter had arrived.