Out of the Shadow – Year 2

The rest of the summer Ginny and I teamed up and pulled various pranks on the twins, which they returned in full. Mrs. Weasley was torn between being happy that her kids had friends and played so well among each other and being angry every time she got caught up in one of the pranks. Our fun came to an end at the end when Mrs. Weasley called Harry and I into the living room.

"She didn't sound too, happy." I said to him as we walked downstairs from Ron's room. Harry shot me a look. "Well maybe because you and the twins have been destroying the house."

"We aren't destroying it! It's still standing isn't it?"

Harry and I argued the entire way down the stairs we didn't even bother noticing the added guest in the living room. "Is that how we act when we are guests in someone else's house?" a familiar voice called out to us. Turning to face the living my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "Mum! Dad!" I said excitedly running into their open arms. "What are you doing here?" Harry asked excitedly.

"We heard about what happened and wanted to thank Mr. and Mrs. Weasley for looking after you. Look how much you both have grown. Holly your hair is getting so long." She ran a hand over my head. My dark red hair was now nearly down the middle of my back. "And Harry, so much like your Dad, always needing a haircut." She added reaching over and messing up Harry's hair more.

I pulled back from my mums embraced. "You aren't coming back then, are you?" she gave me a small shake of her head. I hung mine and sighed. "Fine." I crossed my arms and stood back. "Holly." My dad said softly. "It's fine Dad, really." Mum looked over at Dad with a sad expression on her face. She sat on the couch and patted it for me to sit next to her. She lowered her voice so just I could hear it.

"Sweetheart, I know you are going through changes right now, and you have to trust me when I say that it's killing us not to be with you, but right now we are all targets and we have to keep you safe. School is the best place, and in between we do whatever we can to see you two."

I nodded slowly and let my arms drop from my chest. "I know. It's just hard. We miss you so much, and so much is happening, and I want to talk to you about it all the time and I can't." Mum wrapped her arms around me. "I know, and I want to be there for you, and for Harry. I promise it won't always be like this." I gave her a shrug to let her know I wasn't convinced.

"And I bet you could talk to Mrs. Weasley if you needed too. She is the sweetest, and I know she knows what she is talking about. She is a witch, and a mother just like me."

I nodded as I thought about it. "Right." My dads voice sounded. "Come on we don't have long; can we meet these amazing friends of yours?" Harry and I nodded and Mrs. Weasley who was cleaning the kitchen went to get Ron and the Twins. As they arrived in the living room, they froze as if meeting our parents was the scariest thing they had ever done.

"This is Ron." Harry started. "Fred and George."

Our dad stepped forward towards the twins first and looked them over. I huffed and crossed my arms again. "You aren't being scary Dad." Although the twins looked absolutely terrified. It was like my dad was threating them. "Hey, I just wanted to see who was filling in for me." My dad joked sticking his hand out and shaking Fred first, then Georges. He moved to Ron and shook his as well before turning back to the twins. "So, pranks huh?" They just nodded.

I grabbed my Dads arm excitedly. "Oh Dad, do you have a minute? Please! I want you to see everything they've invented." George rubbed the back of his neck and I noticed a small blush creep into his cheeks. "You helped." He said quietly. Dad looked at our Mum before nodding slowly. "Okay. Show me." I looked at the twins excitedly and we followed them to their room. I watched as they showed my dad some of the inventions they had been working on, and to my surprise my dad gave them some pointers.

"I've never made my own, but it's fascinating."

The twins went back to normal after receiving praise from my dad on their inventions. We returned to the living room where Mum sat chatting to Mrs. Weasley at the kitchen table with Ron and Harry close by. Harry, Ron, the twins and our dad fell into a discussion about quidditch, so I turned to mum and Mrs. Weasley. "Thank you again, I know this is dangerous, but we needed to see them." My Mum was saying as I wrapped my arms around her neck from behind.

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "You don't have to explain it to me, dear. I would weather any storm for any of my children."

"It's interesting how our children found each other." Mum said and gave a knowing smile to Mrs. Weasley who returned it. I looked between them having no idea what they weren't saying. Mum turned to me then. "What about your other friends? Have you spoken to them?" I nodded. "Yeah, I wrote when we got here, and we are going to try and find each other at Diagon Alley." Mum smiled and patted my arm. Before they left that evening, they handed us a key.

"It has enough money for all your school supplies. Do not spend a cent more, do you hear me?"

Harry and I nodded. Ron and the Twins joined us as our parents walked away from our house. The turned around one last time and waved. Harry and I waved back and with a small snap, they were gone again. It crushed me to watch them go, with no idea if what they were doing was safe, or even where they were headed.

A few days later we were sitting at the kitchen table having breakfast when the Weasley owl banged into the kitchen window, carrying our Hogwarts letters. "This lot won't come cheap, Mum. The spell books alone are very expensive." Fred said. I looked down at my list. Thankfully our textbook list was short. "There is only one place we are going to get all of this." Mrs. Weasley said sounding happy.

A little while later, we were all standing in front of the Weasley fireplace in our street clothes but wearing our Hogwarts cloaks. I stood in a sea of Gryffindor's, once again. Even if Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny didn't have a school badge on their cloaks I know that they were sorted into Gryffindor, and Ginny was most likely would be too. "I don't think they've traveled by Floo Power before." Ron mentioned.

Harry and I exchanged a look before turning to the others. "Come on then Ron dear, you show them how it's done." We watched as Ron stepped into the fireplace and took a handful of power from his mum. "Diagon Alley." He said clearly and threw the sand into the ground. Green flames flashed up and within a second Ron was gone. Harry and I stared with our mouths handing open. "You next dear."

Mrs. Weasley held her hand out for Harry to step into the fire. He took the power and yelled. "Diagon Alley." But said it all wrong. As the green flames took him away a smacked my hand to my forehead as Mr. Weasley confirmed what Harry said. I stepped up next and closed my eyes. "Diagon Alley."

The green flames flashed and before I realized I was next to Ron. "Where's Harry?" I asked him as he helped me up and I started dusting myself off. "He came though already?" I nodded. "Right after you did. I think he messed something up though." Just then Mr. Weasley arrived with Ginny shortly after him. Fred and George arrived next, with Percy and Mrs. Weasley right behind them.

"Let's get these textbooks first." Mrs. Weasley said heading right to Flourish and Blotts. As we walked towards the bookstore, I wondered what we should do to find Harry. The front of the bookshop was packed. There was a sign stating that a famous author named Gideroy Lockhart. Inside the line was packed with witches hoping to meet him and get his autograph.

"Don't you want to stand in line and meet this handsome man who steals woman's hearts, Hols?" George teased me. "Nope! I'd like to keep my heart in my chest, thanks." I was so engrossed in collecting my school supplies I hadn't even noticed Harry finally joined us, with Hermione. As I stood their waiting for others, Gideroy Lockhart caught sight of Harry and pulled him up to the front.

"Look at this everyone. Strapping, young Harry Potter has walked into Flourish and Blotts to purchase my newest book, but he didn't know he was going home with the complete set."

I choked on my own laughter and Fred reached over to clap me on the back. "Easy there." Then Lockhart announced he was going to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. As woman around us sighed in admiration, I groaned. "Not looking forward to that?" George asked. "Are you?" I asked him to answer his question. Harry took the stack of books and gave them to Mrs. Weasley who was going to get them signed.

As we headed out of the store Malfoy stopped in our path. "The famous Harry Potter. Can't even walk into a bookstore without making the front page." Anger bubbled up inside me but before I could react Ginny stepped up. "Leave him alone." She said sternly. "Oh, look at that Potter. You got yourself a girlfriend." Malfoy joked. However, before anyone could respond a silver snakes head dropped onto Malfoys shoulder and a cold voice said "Now, Now Draco. Play nicely."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as the man, I was assuming was Draco's father moved Draco aside and stepped up to face Harry and Ginny, who were at the center of our semi-circle. "Mr. Potter. Lucius Malfoy." He stuck his hand out for Harry to shake it and to my surprise Harry did. He pulled Harry close to him. "If you'll excuse me." He took the snake head from his walking stick and moved Harrys hair aside.

"Your scar is legendary. As is the wizard who gave it to you."

I stepped away from the Twins and took Harrys other arm pulling him lightly back to us. Harry took a step back. I held my glare on Mr. Malfoy who just gave me a cold smile. "Ah. Miss. Potter. Yes, I should have known. You do look just like your mother." If I could have growled like a wolf, I would have. I gritted my teeth instead showing now signs of being phase by his comments.

Ron stepped up beside Harry, and I felt a warm hand interlock with mine. I turned to see George reaching for me, and I allowed him to pull me back to my position between him and Fred. They stood on either side of me as ridged as statues. "Voldemort tried to kill our parents, and us. He was nothing more then a murder." Harry said through gritted teeth.

"You must be very brave to mention his name, or very foolish."

"Fear of a name only increases fear within itself." Hermione said joining us, beside Ginny. Mr. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her. "And you must be Mrs. Granger. Yes, Draco's told me all about you. Your parents, muggles, are they?" When Hermione didn't answer Mr. Malfoys gaze turned to Ron, Percy and the Twins. "Let me see. Red hair, vacant expression, tatty secondhand book. You must be the Weasleys."

I hadn't realized in that moment that I was still holding Georges hand until his grip tightened on mind. I touched his arm with my free hand, and he blushed slightly as he let me go. Thankfully in that moment Mr. Weasley arrived. "Children. It's mad in here. Let's go outside." He said in his usual chipper tone.

"Well, well. Weasley senior."

"Lucius."

Mr. Weasleys tone was flat. They clearly knew each other, and Mr. Weasley was about as much of a fan of the Malfoys as the rest of us. Their discussion darkened quickly as Mr. Malfoy accused Mr. Weasley of disgracing the wizarding community by associating with Muggles. "I'll see you at work." He said coldly before turning and leaving the store. "See you at school." Draco added before following his father. I watched them go and was surprised to notice Rhea just outside the shop.

"Rhea!" I ran out after her. She hugged me. "Hi! I didn't know if I'd get to see you. I was so worried. I feel like everyone is here for Lockhart." I rolled my eyes. "They are." Together we giggled even thought I noticed one of his books in her possession. We walked down the street looking at all the other shops. I stopped in front of a shop that had all the quidditch supplies.

"Are you going to try out this year?" She asked me. I shrugged. "I don't know. It's Harry's thing."

"But you are a great flyer! One of the best in our house!"

I just shrugged. This was the year I could bring a broom to school and try out for the team. "I'll think about it." Just then we ran into Ashley. "Hi!" She said happily. "Are you going to buy a broom for the tryouts?" I looked at her surprised. "What are you two trying to do?" I asked them. "Nothing!" They both said. "We just think you'd be good at quidditch." Rhea said. "And you are an excellent flyer." Ashley added. I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling. We sat together on a bench outside of Florean Fortescue's ice cream Parlour.

"Did you hear Lockhart is going to be our new professor?" Ashley swooned. "He is just so beautiful."

"I thought you had a thing for Lee Jordan?"

"Shh! Not so loud!"

I smiled at her. "You are going to be a disaster this year." Rhea and I laughed as Ashley just shrugged her shoulders. A little while later the rest of the Weasley's found me and we said our goodbyes. "See you on the train!" I called to them before following the Weasley's back to the burrow. The next couple days the burrow was filled with excited chatter from all of us excited for our next year, and Ginny getting to start her first. I was grateful she was opening a little more around Harry. Ginny had really grown on me. She may have been little, and the youngest girl, but having six older brothers makes you tough.

I spent most of my days trying to decide if I wanted to try out for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. I hadn't spoken to anyone about it since my run in with Rhea and Ashley. Most afternoons, Harry, Ron, Ginny and the Twins would play quidditch in the fields around the house. I had originally only agreed to join as a spectator, but they needed another chaser and I got roped into it.

Apparently, being better then just okay, surprised the boys. "Why didn't you tell me you could play like that?" Harry asked. I shrugged. "I didn't know I could. You've always been the player, not me." I liked the sport, but I wasn't crazy about it, and the fact that I could play made it even more awkward. As I sat in Ginny's room later that night, I found myself wondering if playing would affect my schooling.

Finally, the day arrived to travel into London to catch the train to school. Ginny and I packed up all of our things together chatting excitedly about the new year. "It's going to be weird." Ginny started. "Having you as a room mate for the last couple of weeks and tonight, we won't even be in the same house!" I smiled at her. "Yeah, it's a bit odd for me too, but eventually you won't even notice! I'm around a lot more than you think."

"I believe it! You are almost the only thing the Twins talk about, when they aren't blowing stuff up in their room, or tormenting Percy or Ron."

I laughed at that knowing how easily Fred and George get under Percy's skin. "Do you fancy one of them?" She asked me excitedly causing me to burst into laughter again. "Oh, Gods. How do I always get asked that question?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I saw George holding your hand the other day." I felt my cheeks flush. "I don't think it meant anything. George and I are just friends, just like Fred and I."

Ginny gave me a small smile, and I found myself wondering what she was assuming. "I haven't really had the time to sit down and think about feelings like that, and while things are different with me personally, I don't think George sees me…. like that anyway." Ginny smiled and patted my arm. "You never know." I wanted to ask her what she meant. How was an eleven-year-old giving me advice on boys? Man, this was awkward.

Mr. Weasley called out for us to hurry up, and my chance at digging deeper was gone. I sighed picking up my trunk and taking it to the car. Mr. Weasley had charmed the car to be able to hold all of us. It was a tight fit, but somehow, we made it work. We arrived at the station with just enough time to get through the barrier and on the train. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went through first with Ginny, followed by Percy, then me, Fred and George.

I waved goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley thanking them for allowing us to stay the rest of the summer, then ran off to find Rhea and Ashely. They were already seated on the train when I found them. I plopped myself down in the seat next to Rhea. "Are you ready for another year?" Rhea asked excitedly. I shrugged. "Ask me that after I know if we are stuck with Helen again as a roommate." Ashley and Rhea nodded in understanding.

"Have you decided yet on try outs?" Rhea asked. I shrugged and explained to them that over the summer I learned I was a great chaser. "I really think you should try it. Our last chase graduated school last year, I know that's a position they wanted to fill." Ashley added. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Since when have you known all the Quidditch gossip?" I asked. Ashley giggled. "I just do. I hear people talk in the common room. It isn't a big space you know."

A little while later there was a knock on our compartment door. I looked up to see Hermione standing there. "Hey Hermione." I said as the door opened. "Have you seen Harry or Ron?" I shook my head. "No since we got to the station. Why?" Hermione sighed. "I can't find them." I thought about it for a second instantly feeling guilty for not checking on Harry. "I should have waited. The minute I got through the barrier I got right on the train. I never saw where they went off too. I'm sorry Hermione."

"You don't have to apologize!" she said sounding shocked that I did. "I was just wondering. I'll catch up with them eventually." She said standing up to leave. "You are welcome to sit here if you want." Hermione gave us all a small smile and sat back down. Instantly the conversation turned to school and Rhea and Hermione were in a deep discussion. Hermione and Ashley also shared some stories of differences to growing up with Muggle parents.

None of us noticed an old blue flying car following the train in the distance.