…Love in the Air?...
After the winter break Ginny appeared to be getting better. I was walking around the grounds bored out of my mind when I ran into Luna Lovegood. She was wandering around barefoot. "Hi Luna!" I waved. "Hi Charlotte." she said in her distant tone she normally used. "Where are you off to?" she asked. I look around "Everywhere and nowhere, I guess. You?" "I was playing with some Thestrals." she responded and nodded like it was perfectly normal. We walked the grounds together and chatted about different creatures.
We were on our way to Charms when we saw a dwarf tackle Harry. I heard Ginny's shocked gasp. Harry's bag had torn and everything inside scattered. The dwarf began to sing the valentine it had to deliver. Ginny went red or maybe redder. Malfoy saw her face and started cracking jokes.
"He's the absolute worst." I rant. We were sitting by the lake. "Was it really your valentine Ginny?" Izzy asked twirling a leaf between her fingers. "Yes." she whispered. The timing of that valentine drop-off was horrid. I picked up my sketchbook and began sketching as the giant squid emerged from the water. Luna joined us.
…Ginny Disappears…
Izzy, Luna, and I were waiting for the Quidditch match to start when we heard that Prefect Penelope Clearwater and Hermione had been attacked. We went back to the castle. I stopped. "Where's Ginny?" I asked looking around. We searched a bit for Ginny and found her wandering a corridor looking very out of it. I tapped her shoulder. She blinked and looked around. "What's wrong? You've been extremely out of it." Luna asked. "I don't know. I can't remember." she sounded like she was going to cry. "I think we should take her back to the dorm. We'll see you later Luna." Izzy whispered. I waved bye to Luna. Once Ginny was in bed we went to the common room.
Many students were on edge. Teachers continued to lead us from class to class. No one really believed Harry was the heir after Hermione was attacked. Many people who'd talked bad about him were finding time to apologize.
I was eating a bagel at breakfast when I heard Ginny try to tell Harry and Ron something. Percy showed up and Ginny got up flustered and came and sat by me. "Stupid Percy. Thinks he knows everything." she muttered tearing a croissant apart. "Geez Ginny. You might be mad at Percy but don't murder the food." Izzy joked handing her a new croissant.
We left the hall to go to class. "Go ahead without me I've forgotten a book in the dorm." Ginny whispered. She took off back to the dorm before we could say anything. She didn't show up to any of our classes. We were in the common room extremely worried. We couldn't be out without a teacher's permission and Dumbledore wasn't here either. I begun pacing. "What's wrong Charlotte?" Fred asked from where he was sitting with George and their friend Lee. "Ginny's been missing all day. She said she had to get a book and never came to classes." I whisper. The color fell from their faces. "Do we tell a teacher? Should we notify Percy?" Izzy muttered watching the fire.
We waited for hours until Professor McGonagall came into the common room. She called everyone down. "The danger has passed. The threat to your safety has been vanquished. Now your to make your way to the Great Hall for a celebratory feast." she stated with a smile.
Everyone made their way still tired and very much confused to the hall. She pulled the Weasleys, Luna, Izzy and I to the side. "Mr. Potter went and found Ms. Weasley with the help of Professor Lockhart and Mr. Weasley. She is safe and recovering in the hospital with her parents." We breathed a collective sigh of relief. We entered the hall. Harry and Ron were there. Halfway through the celebrations the petrified came into the hall. Hermione ran over. "You solved it! I knew you could do it!" she praised Ron and Harry.
Ginny was able to come back to the dorm after a short stay in the hospital wing. Izzy engulfed her in a hug and soon as she opened the door. "You scared us. We've missed you so very much." Izzy cried.
Exams were cancelled which only made Hermione, Percy, and Izzy sad. My favorite bit of news was that Lockhart wouldn't return next year. Yes, it was sad he lost his memories, but he was annoying. I helped Luna find her lost belongings. It was quite fun almost like a treasure hunt.
…Back Home…
We took the boats back across the lake and boarded the train. I sat with Izzy and Luna. We relaxed taking in the scenery. The train pulled into the station. We got off and said bye to Luna who skipped over to her father.
"Char!" Ava squealed. She ran over to us so fast she knocked me to the ground. People laughed around us, but I saw mum's expression. I get up quickly and picked her up. I walked over with Ava clinging to my leg. Mum hugged me tightly. I looked to dad for help, but he just smiled. Izzy stood to the side talking to Lucas. Mum finally released me and hugged Izzy.
I playfully hit dad on the shoulder. "I was in need of help back there.", I whispered. "I've never truly been that interested in fighting with your mum. According to your Uncle Remus she's got quite the mean punch." dad said with a chuckle. Once Harry said bye to everyone we went through the barrier. We dropped Harry off at the Dursley's.
Izzy and I took our luggage upstairs. I shook my head as I heard mum scolding Ava for her behavior at the station. I put all my books except Lockhart's on the shelves I put them in a trash bin with all the scraps of trash from the food on the train. I organized my supplies I had left over and put Blue's cage by the window. I opened it and she flew over to shelving looking at her cage in disdain. "I'm sorry you had to be cooped up so long." I tell her as I store my trunk in the closet.
I help Ava and Lucas with the last of their assignments from mum. I was writing letters to Ginny and Luna when Izzy knocked on door. "Can I see your homework? I want to compare it with mine." she asks walking in. I swivel around in my chair. I smirk. "Over there on the dresser.", I nod at the dresser. "Thanks, I think I missed a key point." she muttered scanning my essays. I scoffed and she stared. "If any would be missing something it'd be me. You've inherited mum's smarts." I roll my eyes playfully. She waves me off and went back to her room.
I finished writing the letters and put them on the corner of my desk for Blue to take after she was awake. I went downstairs and looked around for something to do. I went to the study and perused mum's scrapbooks of her vacations with her friends. I was flipping through what looked like a school one when I saw a photo of dad and his friends in southern belle costumes. Underneath the photo in mum's handwriting were the words: Revenge prank on the boys. I shook with laughter. It made me wonder if this was one of the reasons that dad, never got on mum's bad side.
"Nope, can't have that." dad said plucking the book from my hands. I pout at him, but he ruffles my hair and places it on a shelf out of my reach. "What'd you do to mum that made her do that?" I asked putting the other books away. Dad smiles as the memory pops up. "I poured honey on her because she gave me false directions when I was chasing after James." he gives a weak chuckle shaking his head.
Every now and then mum and dad would talk about auntie Lily and uncle James. Most of it was happy but sometimes it was sad. Mum walks in the room. "What's going on." she gives us a look that said she thought we were misbehaving. "I found photos of dad and his friends in dresses." I state looking back and forth at them. Mum bursts out laughing. Dad hangs his head in defeat.
I grab some of my art supplies and put them in a bag with my camera and wallet. I let mum and dad know I was going to the park.
I sat on a bench in the park enjoying the scenery for a moment. I sketched random things that I saw that didn't go together. "Here you are!", Izzy shouted, "I've been looking for you for two hours!" I close my sketchbook. "Did you need something?" I ask grabbing my camera. "Not really. Ava and Lucas are at it again and I thought it'd be safer outside." I took a few pictures of animals and fauna as she spoke.
Ava and Lucas did get into trouble a lot. So I often went to the park with Izzy while mum scolded them. "What'd they do this time?" I turn to capture a picture of a cat skulking in the flowers. "They found some of the treasure dad brought from his last job and was assigned to take to Gringotts and were playing around with it in mum's workshop." I stand up and look at her. I was going to say something, but she held up a finger to show she wasn't done. "They were playing catch with it and destroyed several of mum's artworks for very important clientele." she finished glancing at me for my reaction. "Hell. Mum's going to be mad for weeks, not to mention dad." I give a shudder. I put my camera away. We went to get some snacks to eat until we thought it safe to return home.
Ava and Lucas were already in their rooms doing a written essay for mum about why what they did was wrong. Dad decided to start his punishment tomorrow morning. I shook my head solemnly. Dad's punishments normally weren't that bad compared to mum's, but when they involved something dear to him or his work, he was much worse. Like when Ava had taken an artifact, he'd found to show some kids in the park. The artifact had bitten several children and was terrorizing others in the park. The bitten children had to be taken to the hospital as the bite of the artifact was poisonous. Dad was livid and the Ministry had to be involved in the clean up.
His normal jokey self was abandoned for a very logical demeanor and he'd replay the incident over and over again until we learned our lesson. But it seems Ava and Lucas never learn. For this level of misbehaving mum and dad cancelled their birthday plans. Which in turn was also a punishment for the rest of the house.
The next morning dad's punishment began. He woke them early. He'd been back and forth from the car to the house multiple times this morning already. Mum handed him some packed breakfasts and lunches and hurried Ava and Lucas in the car. Dad drove off and mum shook her head. "This is the worst punishment to date. Cleaning Grimmauld Place for the day, no magic, no help from Kreacher." she sighed went inside. Izzy gaped at me open mouthed. We follow mum inside.
Kreacher was cleaning the kitchen from breakfast. "Wait they have to clean without help?!" Izzy gasps. Mum winks and takes out some leftover tart and gave us each a slice. "Go on now you two. I have to work on the destroyed artworks today, so do try to keep it down and clean up after yourselves." she shoos us up the stairs.
We went to my room to enjoy the tart. "That's cruel. It's hard enough cleaning that place with 10 people helping." I sigh taking out my sketchbook. "You barely have any empty pages left. Can I see what you've drawn so far?" I showed her the drawings. Most of it was Hogwarts through the different seasons with students scattered amongst the rest of the pages. She gave it back and sat on the floor.
Izzy reads while I draw. Every so often she'd read a passage aloud and I'd draw it for her. I finished coloring the last scene when we hear the car pull up to the house. We peek out of the window. Ava was covered in dust and cobwebs and walked tiredly in the house. Lucas got out 5 minutes later with dad.
They washed up and came downstairs to eat dinner. Dad looked satisfied with the way the day had gone. He'd already filled mum in on all the tasks he had them do.
I was in the backyard lying on the grass when I saw dad storming angrily through the house. Is it the twins again? I thought as I sat up. I went inside. Izzy, Ava, and Lucas were already listening in at the Study room door. They made a shushing motion at me. "He's escaped Azkaban, Fae! What are we going to do? Should we tell Harry?" I heard dad's worried voice from the study. Mum replied but it was too faint to hear. "They're alerting the entire magical community. I hope they recapture him soon." mum said finally audible. It was silent again. Then the study door was yanked open and the three of them fell to the ground at dad's feet. I turn to walk away, "Not so fast young lady!" dad called.
"How much did you hear?" mum asked as we sat rigid on the couch. She paced in front of us while dad sat in a chair watching us very closely. Lucas began fiddling with his hair and Izzy looked at the ground like she was just seeing it for the first time. "Almost everything" I tell them honestly. Ava pinches my side and I elbow her back. Mum sits down on the arm of dad's chair. Dad clears his throat. "The man we were talking about is someone we knew for a very long time and put every bit of trust and confidence in. However, he betrayed us and is one of the reasons Harry no longer has his parents. He's escaped Azkaban. We hope he's recaptured soon, but if that's not the case then we expect that you'll have a very difficult school year."
For once, Ava was silent and seemed very well behaved. "Is he one of the people in the scrapbook?" I ask hesitantly. Mum nods looking at dad with a worried expression. Everyone was quiet. Mum got up first and left the room. "Do understand this though. We're doing everything in our power to keep you four safe." he leans forward looking at each one of us. Ava runs over to him and hugs him. One by one we join her.
The next morning there his picture was in the Daily Prophet. He looks extremely rat-like. He didn't seem like the type to betray his friends' trust. I guess that must've hurt them even more when he did. Blue flew in and delivered letters from Ginny and Luna. Izzy read Luna's while I read Ginny's then we swapped. Luna's letter was just filled with the normal Luna tales and a bit about the Daily Prophet news. Ginny's was about her trip to Egypt.
After breakfast dad headed off to work. Mum told us to get dressed for the day. I put on a simple shirt, jeans, and flats. I was combing my hair when I realized how much longer it'd gotten. It was down to my waist. I put it into a high ponytail and trimmed a few inches off.
I made my way downstairs. Ava and Lucas got their Hogwarts letters, so we went to get their supplies. It'd be a hectic year. Not only were the twins starting school this year, but quiet a few cousins were as well. The twins Oliver and Emmett Colins, Adaya Smith, Aderyn Snape, Aithley Richards, the twins Anna and Alexis Davis, and Odeya Smith.
Me and Izzy went to get some parchment and ink while the twins got their wands. We were just looking at color-changing ink when we saw Luna. We waved her over. "What brings you guys here today?" she asked looking over inks with us. We tell her that the twins were starting school.
We walked around gathering school supplies with Luna and enjoying the sunshine. She left after she saw her father "See you on the train." We went to find mum. The twins were gawking at the brooms in the Quidditch shop. We ate lunch then went to get some new clothes for the twins. Lucas was in the middle of a growth spurt and Ava needed new shoes. I bought more art supplies and Izzy bought a few new books she was interested in.
