Zuko awoke in what felt like a bed. His eyes were too heavy to open. the sheets around him felt warm and soft, he smelled something like lilacs and vanilla. he tried to move his arm but pain shot through his shoulder blade, he growled and opened his eyes. Quilts of purple and pinks were lain over the bed. The room around him was small. the wooden floor boards were mismatched but looked natural. Light shown in from the window making the room bright, Posters of female witch bands were hung around the room. He sat up in bed clutching his aching shoulder, he felt a cloth, someone bandaged his wound. The bandage was white with red blotches seeping through, it felt stuck to his bare skin like a wet cloth. Zuko saw to mounds on the floor, one orange, the other pink, they moved ever so slightly. He realized that they were breathing. He looked harder and noticed hair, it was Ginny and Hermione laying on the floor in sleeping bags. face growing red with embarrassment he tried to find a shirt to wear.
The mounds started to move. Hermione popped her head up and looked at Zuko, her face getting beat red, she too was a bit embaraced to have a half naked man in the room with her. Ginny's head pooped up behind her and had the same reaction.
"Uhhhh-" he didn't know what to say, how did he get there?
"Mom!" The red head called and giggled at the same time, "He is awake!"
Not even 10 seconds later, Molly Weasley burst in to the room looking frantic. She started examining his wounds and asking questions about how he felt and what he would like for breakfast. she spoke so fast he couldn't even understand her. the lady placed an ice bag on the sore on his head. Zuko winced when she removed the bandage. His eyes popped when he saw what was underneath his bandage. a huge punctured gash cut deep into his shoulder.
Molly saw him looking at his wound, "Don't worry i healed it most of the way a few more sessions of spells and you should be ready to go,"
"What happened?!" He gaped at the bloody whole in his chest.
"Wait you mean you dont remember?" Hermione asked. He shook his head frantically. "The twins told us you needed help. we found you in the woods with those two swords, one was embedded into your chest, pinning you down." She pointed at two dao blades propped up against the wall. they have been wiped clean of any residue his blood might have left on them. "You were unconscious for two days."
"what? when was this? who attacked me?" Zuko couldn't remember anything from the previouse night, anything after the quittich world Cup was a blur.
"Wait a minute," Mrs. Weasley grabbed his face and looked into his eyes, "Just what i thought, Memorie altered, I got to talk to Arthur about this," Molly looked infuriated and worried at the same time as the hurried out the room.
Zuko looked around at the room again. it was as bright and sunny as the quidditch stadium the window had the curtains drawn back and was opened, showing the view of an orchard. "Where am i? and where is my shirt?"
Ginny giggled again, standing up, "You are in my room. We brought you here after we found you because the Malfoy's were no where to be seen and you needed care fast." She paused for a second, "Oh yeah," she almost forgot, "We found you in your night pants without a shirt on."
"I remember sleeping after the Quidditch match like that, but why was i outside?" he asked himself in a huff.
Hermione started rolling up her sleeping back and grabbed some clothes from a duffle bag, "You really don't remember anything? nothing at all?" Zuko stared at the floor, what could have happened? "around midnight after the game wizards clad in black with white masks, probably death eaters, started to attack the camp ground." she looked like it was painful to remember, "They- they were taking muggles..everyone went to the woods- it was barbaric," tears beaded her eyes. she taking deep breaths calming herself down, "Sorry," she said wiping her eyes,"Its alot to think about."
Zuko tried to remember but nothing was coming up. the girls walked around the room getting ready for the day. the grabbed a piled of clothes each and left for the bathroom. Zuko got up and walked around the room searching for a shirt. His arm hurt with pain and was stiff but it didn't impair his mobility. he searched for a shirt but all he could find was a pink one with "Weird Sisters"written on it. he sighed and put the pink shirt back on the floor. a knock came on the door. The handle turned and the door opened revealing four boys, Fred, George, Harry, and Ron.
"Wow i have never been in here," Ron stated as they walked into the room."I always wondered what my sister was hiding in here,"
Fred and George ran in and gave him a huge hug. Zuko gave a yelp of pain and the tin released their grip, "Sorry" they said in unison.
"Yeah i am so glad you're alright!" Fred Beamed at him. "We owe you one!"
"Yeah!" George continued, "The way you were throwing flames everywhere and how you saved our butts from the death eater,we wouldn't be here without you!"
the room quieted down and they stared at his blank confused face, "Did you guys forget already?" Ron said, "Mom just said it like five minutes ago, his memory has been erased, he doesn't remember anything from last night,"
"Oh yeah," the twin's said in unison, "sorry mate,"
Harry came forward, "Why didn't you tell us about your fire?"
Zuko sighed, "Because if i did, the Malfoys would tell my father,"
"Boohoo you get a time out, so what?" Ron huffed, he started looking around his sisters room.
"It's not as simple as that," he stated, "It is a long story"
the boys stood there awkwardly, "Well what if we could get the family together? then tell us all at once," Harry said.
"Yeah mate," Ron chimed in,"we deserve to know."
"Fine just give me a shirt, i don't want everyone looking at me half naked," Zuko mumbled, the family did deserve the truth.
"Don't worry" Fred tossed him a red tee shirt, "Every one already did,"
Zuko slipped on the shirt real quick. "Why are there all of these boys in my room?" Ginny had arrived at the door looking curiously into the room. her eyes looked slightly disappointed to see the prince in a shirt.
"I have something to tell everyone," Zuko said, "can we have a weasley family meeting?"
the group lead him out onto the main floor. The living room was cozy, there were alot of chairs and a huge sofa, zuko assumed they had enough chairs to fit the whole family. A clock stood near the wall but instead of telling the time, he saw the face of each family memeber on a hand and where the numbers should be there were words, youre late, home, lost, away. Zucko thought it told the status of the family, everyone was home now all of the arrows pointed there. He stood in front of a huge fire place and faced the big sofa. we waited the family members slowly trickled in and sat down.
Zuko took a deep breath, "I haven't been completely honest with you," he started, where should he begin? "Well, i am actually Prince Zuko of the fire nation, and as some of you might have noticed i am a fire bender not a wizard."
"You have to be kidding me," Percy stated, "A prince?"
Zuko nodded, "I am not related to the Malfoy's in any way but am under their watch. When i was younger i was banished for talking out against my father, Fire Lord Ozai, i received this scar from him that day. i tried to regain my honour by capturing the avatar..." Zuko continued to tell them his story about the war, his life, him betraying uncle and injuring the avatar. "My father sent me here so i wouldn't mess up anything with the war plans, he doesn't trust me after all i did for him. I just wanted my father to love me," Tears stung his eyes, "But the only man who ever treated me with care and love was my uncle, but i betrayed his trust." Zuko took a minute to regain his poise, "I was sent to live with the malfoys under a false name, they treated me terribly, especially Lucius. because of my age and because i couldn't go anywhere else they were going to send me to hogwarts for a year. " Zuko paused, "I guess that's it,"
The group just sat there staring at him saying nothing. Hermione was in verge of tears, she got up and ran out of the room before she could cry.
"I knew we couldn't trust you! you are a terrible person!" Ron growled at him.
"But I have changed! my Uncle always said "A person is like a caterpillar going through metamrophasis, they may go in a pest but emerge like a beautiful butterfly""
"Or a moth," Ron huffed.
"Ronald Weasley, did you not hear this boys story? Not only was he unloved by his parents but he was banished, came here and was abused by the Malfoys!" Mrs. Weasley shrilled at her son, "How would you like it if i banished you and sent you to the Malfoy's?" She glared at her son who just grumbled and stared at the floor. "Don't worry you are just going to have to stay with us deary, We will send for your things from Lucius. We wont tell anyone about this if you don't want us to," She was so sweet to him when he didn't deserve it.
"I would like it if no one knew," Zuko admitted.
"You hear that boys? not a word!" Her shrill voice pierced the silence. "Now i am going to go make breakfast. Molly left and headed to a small kitchen sounds of pots and pans could be heard clattering in the other room.
"Even though you are a messed up dude, it was your past and we can't hold it against you," Harry said he gave a smile to Zuko, "I had a bad family life too, but ironically while your uncle is nice mine was terrible. Kind of opposites there i guess" he chuckled.
"Yeah," George said, "You did save our lives so you can't be that bad."
Eventually each one of the family members either forgave him or gave him a sympathy hug. Zuko never thought he would be excepted by people who new his past, sure enough no one else did. He gave a small smile as everyone left the room. He turned to see Percy gleaming at him.
"Prince Zuko, what an honor it is to get to know you," the boy gave an abnormally big bow.
"I prefered if you just called me Zuko, and we met at the game remember?" the fire bender felt awkward as the boy praised him like he was a god.
"I will give you the grand tour," Percy grabbed his arm and dragged him through the house. "You already know the first floor, so lets go to the second."
Following the boy up the staires he opened each room to show him the inside. "This is my room," opening the door and practically shoving the prince inside he happily showed him around. the room was small like Ginny's but was really tidy, everything looked to square and pristine. Zuko didn't want to touch anything, afraid it would break or get disorganized, pushing the room into chaos. he looked out the window and saw a large garden outstretched in the yard. "Next is the twin room" He held the door open for zuko and gave a small bow as he passed out into the hallway. They opened up the next room to see the twins sitting on the bunk bed. Cardboard boxes lined the walls with labels saying "Weasley Wizard Weezes" in purple ink. The room spelt of gunpowder and was filled with various inventions. The twins jumped off their bed and met him.
"Hey! can you show us some of your bending moves some time,?" George said.
"Yeah!" Fred coninued, "Well when you feel better of course," he laughed.
Percy scowled, "Zuko isn't going to do that he is a prince! show him some respect,"
"Don't im a normal kid okay? stop calling me a prince, i got banished remember?" Zuko was getting annoyed wth percy but he seemed not to notice. "I would love to show you some if you show me some magic tricks,"
Percy started to push zuko out the door in a huff. the twins yelled to him before their brother closed the door "Sure thing! its a deal,"
the rest of the tour went about the same way, percy bowing every so often and acting like Zuko was the prince of the gods. the third floor had bill and charlies room, and the fourth was the master bedroom for Molly and Arthur. Zuko gave Percy a thank you and a small respectful bow that almost made the boy faint. They returned down to the kitchen where the entire family was trying to squeeze into a table. elbow to elbow and shoulder to shoulder the family made do with little complaints from the squooshed wizards. Zuko was going to head back to is room when his nose picked up on something delicous.
"Do you want some pancakes Zuko?" Mr. Weasley offered. zuko nodded and grabbed a plate. he leaned up against the counter to eat, not wanting to try and sit at the already crowded table. eating the pancakes was the most heavenly thing he had ever eaten, soft and fluffy, the syrup ran sweetly down his throat.
"mmmm this is delicouse Mrs. Weasley," He said shoveling more pancake into his mouth.
"Thank you dear." She started to clean up the dished with a swish of her wand. they ate so fast Zuko tried to keep up but couldn't he just held on to his plate as everyone else dispersed. "Oh Zuko, Its time for your healing," She cleared off the kitchen table with a tap of magic and sanitized it with another. "Lay down and take your shirt off. "He stripped of his tee and heard some giggling. Zuko turned red when he saw Hermione and Ginny peeking around the corner. "COme on hopp up," Mrs. weasley patted the table and the young prince did as he was told. the table felt cool against his back. Molly put her wand and hovered it over his wound. a cool watery feeling filled his whole body, he looked down to see the wound slowly heal up bit by bit untill all that was left was a small scar across his pec. He took a deep breath and sat up, he felt sore but other than that he was fine.
"Thank you," he said to her.
"No problem," she smiled sweetly to him, "You are a fast healer, determined to get better. on anyone else it would have taken two more days of healing,"
Zuko got up and put his shirt back on, hushing the giggling from the corner or the room. He glanced over at the girls who turned bright red and ran up the stairs to hide. He smiled and headed out to the garden to look around. The twins ran around playing with their wands and had a mini duel. They saw Zuko and ran up too him.
"Can you show us? PLease?" They begged him to give them a show of fire bending.
Zuko chuckled, "Okay you might want to stand back," The twins ran back ten yards to give him space. Zuko took a deep breath to focus his energy," this one is called a Fire comet,"