"Honestly, what kind of book is this?" I rolled my eyes slightly as I stepped out of the crowded Flourish and Blotts, Draco following behind with our newly purchased school books. I watched in amusement as he examined the Monster Book of Monsters. "Is this some type of joke? With the way Dumbledore runs that place I wouldn't put it past him."
"Oh just shut up. Honestly Draco it's just a book. A quite good one for Care of Magical Creatures. Just remember to stroke the spine or else." I said, nudging my cousin slightly as we made our way down the bustling streets of Diagon Alley. I had noticed the change in Draco as he grew up, more and more of his father's ideals showing up in him. We fought on more than one occasion, especially when it came to the people I associated with. But at the end of the day, we loved each other as much as siblings and that would never change (even though he could be a major prat on occasion).
"So that's what happened to your hair 3rd year. Didn't quite stroke the spine and got it chewed off." Draco smirked, dodging my hand as it went for his head. Before I could come back with an insult, a flash of red greeted me up ahead, moving behind the doors of The Leaky Cauldron. Draco noticed this, his eyes rolling as he scoffed. "Go, I'll tell mother you'll floo back to the manor later." I gave Draco a quick hug, disregarding the mumbled "blood traitors" under his breath before making my way towards the old inn.
Pushing open the doors, I made my way into the lightly crowded tavern, keeping my eyes posted for anything red. A few moments later, I felt the wind knocked out of me as I was tackled to the floor in a hug, feeling 2 pairs of arms wrapped around me.
"Fred, George get off. Your crushing me you gits." I laughed, trying to catch my breath as the 2 redheads continued to lie on top of me.
"No never," I heard one of them call out, a few older witches and wizards giving us quizzical looks. We probably made quite the sight.
"Fred, George let her up this instant honestly you 2." I heard Mrs. Weasley say sternly, seeing her stepping into view. At their mothers warning, the twins quickly moved away, hoisting me up on to my feet. I was immediately enveloped in Mollys arms, quickly returning the hug. That was one of the many reasons why I loved Mrs. Weasly. While I loved my Aunt Cissy and knew she loved me as her own, she was not as warm or comforting as Mrs. Weasley was.
"Hello Carissa dear. I hoped you had a wonderful summer." She said as she pulled away, patting my cheek lovingly.
"I did thank you. How was Egypt? The twins said it was absolutely brilliant." I asked her, seeing her eyes light up at the mention of the trip. "Oh my it was wonderful. It was a lot better at having the whole family together for it too. It's so rare that we get that these days."
I smiled, feeling an arm slung over my shoulder as I was led away by the twins. I glanced and saw that the arm belonged to George, a small blush working its way up my neck and cheeks as he sent me down a quick wink.
I had no idea when it had started or how it even began but my feelings for George had slowly started to shift. If I could pinpoint the moment, I would have to say it started the last Christmas. It was my second time visiting the burrow for the holidays. It had been hard to do so, Lucious going on and on about disgracing the family name by consorting with blood traitors. It had been Narcissa who finally yielded, allowing me to go after the Christmas holiday. But it had not subdued my uncles anger and temper, the evidence lying on the side of my face. I had tried to keep it hidden, especially from the twins and it had gone well until I had been hit with another experimental joke by George, causing water to wash away the cover up that was concealing the bruise. He had noticed immediately and did not listen to my lies of falling or running into a door. I had never seen him so upset, never without a smile but his was gone, replaced by a scowl that Draco would have been proud of. I had begged him not to tell his parents or Fred, trying at bay to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. Not saying a word, I felt his arms wrap around me, my body shaking as the tears finally came. We sat near the forest of the burrow, Georges arms never moving from my body as he held me, letting me cry and comforting me. When his lips kissed the top of my head, a thought had crossed my mind at what they would feel like against my lips.
I instantly shook the memory away. I had tried to subdue the growing feelings for the red head all summer. He was my best friend and he probably saw me in the same light, or even as a sister. I did not dare reveal any of my feelings, afraid it would damage the strong bond I had with not only him but Fred as well. No, I would not ruin this friendship for any reason.
"Oy Lestrange you with us." I turned my head to look at Fred as he waved his hand before me as George pulled me down to sit beside him, Fred taking the spot across the table from us.
"Oh sorry I sort of spaced out. What did you say?" I asked sheepishly. I felt George nudge me, the smirk still plastered on his face.
"Can't blame you love, especially when you're in the presence of 2 good looking blokes like ourselves." He joked, making me laugh and nudge him back.
"I was asking if your family's been talking about…you know…Sirius Blacks escape and all." Fred treaded carefully, ignoring the shooting glare his brother sent his way or the sharp quick he had sent under the table. I was not surprised by the question, knowing it would come up eventually, either by them or another student at Hogwarts.
"Honestly, not really. I mean I heard my aunt and uncle discussing it quietly in his study a few weeks back but I didn't listen to the whole thing. I mean, he was sort of disowned and all after being put in Gryffindor and I don't exactly know him." I said, shrugging my shoulders, my eyes glancing over to a nearby wanted poster that bared the photo of my murderous relative. That seemed to have been a running similarity in my family.
"All right enough about that. Carissa, you're not going to believe the products we've invented this summer." I was thankful for the change in subject by George. But as I listened to the twins excited chatter, I couldn't help but let my thoughts linger on the issue of Sirius Black. Something, deep inside told me this would not be a quiet year at Hogwarts.
"I still can't believe you guys went to Egypt I'm so jealous," Angelina said from her seat in the compartment. It had been an hour since the Hogwarts express had departed from platform 9 ¾ and I found myself surrounded by my best friends. I sat on one side, sandwiched between George and Angelina while Fred, Lee Jordan and Katie Bell sat across from us.
"It was brilliant. Loads of cool things. Saw a couple mummy's too. Tried to nick one but Percy had to be a snitch." Fred complained as we all laughed. As we continued to catch up, I heard a few voices move by the compartment door. I looked, seeing Alice Johnson, a Ravenclaw in our year walking by with her friends. I saw her glance to George smiling and giving a small wave, her friends giggling as they continued to walk. I rolled my eyes subtly in hopes I was not noticed. Alice was an ok girl but for some reason rubbed me the wrong way. It probably had to do with my last name I reckoned.
"Well Georgie, looks like someone's got a fancy for you." Lee said, wagging his eyebrows as Fred mimicked. I saw George shrug nonchalantly, but the redness flushing his neck said everything.
"Us Weaslyes have that effect on the ladies it seems right girls?" George asked as Katie, Angelina and myself busted out laughing.
"Whatever you say George. Now if you boys don't mind will be going and changing into our robes before we get Hogwarts." Katie said as we grabbed their uniforms and robes before shuffling out of the compartment and making our way down towards the girl's laboratory.
"You can always change in there; we promise not to look." They heard Lee call out, Angelina shouting back a retort that was not so polite as Katie and I laughed. Making our way into the empty room, we quickly started changing in to our Hogwarts robes.
"Allright Rissa, what was that back there with Alice." Katie blurted out, both my friends looking at me as I worked on my tie. I froze for a moment before continuing my task, shrugging my shoulders.
"I have no clue what your talking about Katie." I said, continuing to fiddle with my tie. Looking up into the mirror, I saw the look on both girls faces. I knew they were not buying anything I was saying at the moment.
"Oh please, the boys may have been to daft to notice but we saw the little eye roll you gave her. Is it due to the fact you fancy a certain Weasley?" Angelina raised an eyebrow, her eyes starring at me as if trying to catch any type of lie I would try and fabricate.
"What! Me have a crush on George? Why…I mean that's…" I faltered, my cheeks flushing bright red as the 2 girls smiled to one another. I finally sighed, my shoulders drooping as I turned to face them. "Is it that obvious?"
"To us yes. To the twins of course not. Oh Carissa this is wonderful! I always said you and George would make a lovely couple." Katie gushed. The way she was acting was as if we were married already.
"All right, all right calm down Bell. Geez were not on our honeymoon. He's my best friend. Yes, I have a crush but what if he doesn't feel the same way about me? What if I tell him and it ruins our friendship? That would be the worst thing that could happen. I don't know what I would do if it was ruined." I slumped down onto a small bench, my head falling into my hands. I felt the girls on either side of me, both moving there arms around my shoulders in a comforting embrace.
"You won't know if you don't tell him. And what if he likes you back. Maybe its worth it, taking the risk if the reward can be so much more." I heard Katie say from my right as I lifted my head. I looked to both girls and hugged them, all three of us close in a group hug.
"Thank you guys. Maybe I'll think it over, maybe your right." I pulled away, smiling at both their grins.
"All right come on, let's go make sure the gits haven't blown up the compartment while we've been gone." Angelina said as she linked her arms with us and made are way out to the hallway. I took note of the dark grey sky that laid out before the windows, the rain steadily increasing over time. We made it to the compartment, the boys already changed into their robes when suddenly the train jerked to a halt. I stumbled, falling through the compartment. Before I could hit the floor, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist, pulling me flush against a body. I glanced up, noticing it had been George, a small look of concern on his face. "You all right there Rissa?"
"Um yeah thanks. What was that?" I said, moving so I was sitting next to him, my cheeks trying not to blush at the contact we had had a moment before.
"We can't have broken down and were still a good 30 minutes from the castle." Katie said, peeking out the window and towards the landscape before us. I gasped suddenly as the lights went out, leaving all of us in darkness. I could hear other student's exclamations coming from the compartments around us, the train remaining motionless as the moments ticked by.
Suddenly, my body started to tremble, a coldness trickling in that had not been there before. I could see I was not the only one experiencing the change in temperature as my friends started to shake as well, their breaths coming out in small puffs of air.
"Blimey! Look at the window." Freds outburst had us all glancing towards the window, the glass slowly frosting over. My eyes widened, the familiar feeling of dread and despair finally rearing its ugly head. I knew what this was, what was causing this. I had felt it on occasion on the days when I had been forced along to Azkaban, to visit the mother I did not care for.
"Dementors." The word came out in a shaky breath, my voice hitching slightly as the feeling pressed against me tighter. I could feel the room closing in, the darkness growing if that were even possible. I watched in horror as a dark cloaked figure slowly glided past out compartment door, the door icing over as it passed. I could feel my breaths quicken, feeling on the verge of a panic attack.
I suddenly felt my body pulled back, my eyes looking not at the compartment door but the back of a black Hogwarts robe, a mess of red hair falling around the shoulders. George had pulled my body behind his own, shielding me from the horrible monster. I peeked out from behind his shoulder, a shaky breath leaving my lips as I saw it continue forward, not even giving out compartment a single glance.
I gripped onto the back of Georges robes, trying to collect myself as the moments ticked by. Before long, the lights flickered back on and the sudden lurch told us the train had resumed its course. "What the bloody hell is a dementor doing on the train!" I heard Katie exclaim, her face still white as a sheet.
"Carissa? Love, can you hear me?" I glance up, noticing George had turned around to face me, his face filled with worry. I shook my head, my hands still trembling against my lap.
"I'm sorry. I..I froze I don't…" I did not have to finish the sentence as George pulled me into his chest, his arms wrapping securely around me.
"Your all right. I won't let anything happen to you I promise." I heard George whisper quietly against my hair, pressing a quick kiss to the top of it. I closed my eyes, burying my head further against his chest, letting his familiar presence replace the dread I had felt moments ago. Maybe the girls were right. I would think on that later on I was content to be held by my best friend.