Chapter 3: Meetings and Confrontations

Willow descended the stairs and before her stood MrWeasley. He was a short balding man, he had the presumably common Weasley clan hair, and he was just removing a cloak. Willow didn't know why, she presumed it was her gratitude towards him, but she ran and hugged the man. He seemed shocked, but when she released him he smiled down at her. She positively beamed at him, "Thank you! You saved my life, I can never repay you. Thank you, thank you thank you!" She gave him one more hug for emphasis.

"Well dear, it was no trouble. In fact, I was happy to help. And we will all continue to help you, so you have no need to worry."

She couldn't believe what a sappy moment they had just had, but she loved every minute of it. She missed her parents dearly, and would wonder about them all the time, but still she couldn't deny how wonderful the Weasleys were.

Dinner at the Weasleys made Willow almost forget all her worries. Mrs Weasley yelled at Mr Weasley for a bunch of reasons, one being an enchanted car, but her smile rarely faulted. Mr Weasley explained all about his job at the ministry; Willow thought it was brilliant but, as Ginny pointed out, not many would agree.

Mrs Weasley announced that it was bedtime, and Willow was grateful. She couldn't wait to meet the Weasley brothers, well except Bill and Charlie. She fell asleep almost instantly.

She was running with two people by her sides. They stopped but urged her to continue. She looked back and there was a black-cloaked figure. They didn't even bother to take out there wands, but with a flash of green light they both fell. The figure turned toward her and she was too scared to move. There was another flash and a blinding scream she didn't know her lungs were capable of. There was a loud banging and it stopped, she looked up and with a swift look at the young girl before her the figure turned on the spot. Willow then crawled and limped as far away as possible.

She awoke to a stinging in her eyes. She had no trouble connecting it with her flashback. She decided not to dwell on it, seeing as it left as quickly as it came. She walked downstairs and joined Ginny for breakfast. Ginny was so excited she was bouncing. "Ginny calm down! Why don't you teach me to play exploding snap? The cards are in the twins' room, right?" Ginny nodded and she went up to get them.

She looked through drawers, but found nothing. She then decided to look under the bed. She didn't find the cards, but she found a picture. There were the twins, Ron, and Ginny. One of the twins had blond pigtails, while his other half was cracking up with their younger siblings. Willow thought it was hilarious as well, and giggled. She figured it must have been a recent picture because the twins did look easily fourteen, which they were and Ginny looked relatively the same. The angry look on the victimized twin was funny, but Willow thought he looked adorable. She blushed at the thought of liking her best friend's brother. She looked at the picture again and looked at George with his pigtails, she had a good feeling it was George. She turned around when she heard yelling.

"What the BLOODY HELL are you doing in my room," screamed an angry George. "Why are you in this house? You're, You're, You're a THIEF." He seemed to have finally found the correct words. But then he saw the picture she was holding. He knew Fred had lied when he said he destroyed it. "Give me that! You have no right!"
He grabbed the picture and she finally found her voice.

"You look good in pigtails you know," she said with bitterness at his accusations. "No need to have a spastic, you're face matches your hair now. And for your information, George, I happen to live here."

His head hurt now. "Okay, um sure? I thought I only had one sister, but I guess I just forgot," he said sarcastically. "Wait, how did you know I was George?"

"I'm not your sister. My parents... disappeared and you're dad saved me, so I'm living here now. Oh, and honestly I just did. I knew you were George because you seem to be the one who jokes and Fred is more into pranks. I matched your eye color, which is lighter than Fred's, to the picture," she finished matter-of-factly.

He was an okay student, but she dumbfounded him. "Wait. You got all that from a picture and some stories from Ginny?" She nodded and he just stared.

"Oi! George what are you doing?" Fred appeared at the door. He saw Willow and screamed, like a girl, like a really frightened girl. She remembered the day she woke up, Ginny's scream, and how dumb Fred sounded and she erupted with laughter. George joined her and they both fell over, pointing at the now blushing Fred.

"I'm… Willow…by…the…way!" she tried to say through laughs. She tried to explain to Fred "I live with you because my parents... went missing and your dad found me." She stopped laughing and wished this had been pre-explained. "Well I want to meet Ron and Percy so come on." She grabbed them both by the wrists and proceeded downstairs.

"Are you okay Willow? We heard you scream." Ginny appeared from the kitchen.

"That was Fred," she said without bothering to hide her amusement. Ginny looked at her brother with raised eyebrows before she just shook her head.

"Hey Willow, I'm Ron," said a boy no to much older than herself, "and this is Percy." He motioned to the older boy behind him in horn rimmed glasses, he gave her a smile. "You're eyes are really cool, you were right Ginny!" Ginny looked sheepish, but Willow had to agree.

"We think they're cool too," said the twins in unison.

"Well how bout some food, dears?" asked Mrs Weasley. They all nodded, obviously hungry. Willow was taught exploding snap by Fred and George while they waited.