Chapter 22: What I want you to know
It was just a few more days before school began and Zoey was once again in her living room in the middle of total chaos. Her tables and chairs were turned over and there was broken glass on the floor together with a pile of torn up pictures and dead roses. Zoey sat in the middle of all this mess thinking to herself as she faced the fire place. She had been back for a few weeks now and she could still remember her shock when she came home via Floo Network.
Her house was in total shambles.
What's new? She would have thought to herself when she saw the mess but that time she knew the day she left her house for her Third Year in Hogwarts it was in perfect condition, the living room and kitchen that is. She knew for a fact that Mrs. Weasley had tidied up the place before she left for the Burrow. The most Zoey had expected when she got home was a thick layer of dust but no, what she saw was the scene before her now.
Someone was in her house.
That someone was looking for something.
Zoey quietly stood back up and smoothed out her dress that looked much shorter than it had been a few years ago. Her dress was black and had yellow polka dots decorating it. She had found it in her mom's all clothes that were left behind as a child and when she wore it, it reached half her shin that was when she was ten. Now, being fourteen, it reached her mid-thigh. She wore leggings beneath it along with her leg warmers.
She brushed back her bangs and it fell back to her face. Zoey huffed a bit before heading towards her staircase. She grabbed hold of the banister and made her way up the stairs, careful to avoid stepping on pointy objects that lay carelessly on them.
As Zoey walked down the hall she took time in looking up at the ceilings and noted that it was decorated in cobwebs and cracks. The walls seemed to have more scratches on them and even had some holes. Zoey passed by her bedroom and looked through the open door. Her bed sheets and pillows were cut open and all the stuffing was pulled out. Her cabinet's drawers were violently opened and scattered the floor. The door that hung on its hinges was no longer there.
Zoey shook her head and continued walking down the hall she passed by a door that remained unharmed. It was still pure white in color and had no scratches or the sort in it. It was still in one piece. Zoey placed her hand on the knob and slowly turned it. When she heard the soft click she pushed it open and gave a sigh of relief. Everything in it was still the same.
Zoey visited the room every day since she came back. Every day it was still the same. It was still unharmed and the furniture was still in place the only thing different about it was the layer of dust it seemed to have doubled since she left. Zoey looked to the middle of the room and saw the box. The box was untouched and had a new layer of dust on it.
Zoey licked her lips as she walked inside the room. She closed the door with a click and approached the box. Zoey did not dare touch anything in the room for she was afraid that the dust particle would float to the air and cause her to have a coughing fit. Zoey sat in front of the box and looked at it intently.
"Can't use magic to clean it up….," Zoey muttered to herself as she pulled out her favorite hanky and covered her mouth. She took a breath through to cloth and used her other hand to wipe away the dust with the other. The dust swept to the side and made a giant puff of smoke. Zoey squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath.
Zoey swatted the air around her and squinted her eyes. She looked at the box and once again saw her mother's name decorating the lid. She looked to the side of the box and saw a handle. She grabbed hold of the handle and pulled the box up. She gasped when she felt how heavy it was and started to cough for the dust had entered her lungs. She tightened her grip on the handle and limped towards the door. The box was much heavier than she can handle. She fondled with the knob before prying to door open. She fell out the room and coughed into her hand once more.
"Zoey?" a voice called.
"M-Mrs. Weasley?" Zoey gasped as déjà vu hit her. Echo had sent her a letter not too long ago about Mrs. Weasley coming over to fetch her. Zoey was once again going to stay with the Weasleys till school starts.
"Zoey?" Mrs. Weasley's voice became louder as she headed up the stairs. Zoey could hear the old staircase creaking from the speed Mrs. Weasley took as she marched up the stairs. When Mrs. Weasley caught sight of Zoey she gave of a gasp.
"What happened to you dear?" she asked as she approached the fourteen year old, "You look worse than last summer."
Mrs. Weasley made a disapproving noise before helping Zoey up. Zoey thanked her with a smile before looking down. Her bottom half was gray from the dust and when she reached up to the top of her head she felt the disgusting texture of dust mixed with hair.
"What have you been doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she waved her wand. Zoey felt the dust clear off from her and she smiled as she felt cleaner than before. Zoey brought the box to an upright position with great effort.
"I was just cleaning out that room," Zoey jabbed her finger towards the direction of the white door. Mrs. Weasley looked to her right and knitted her eyebrows in concentration.
"Zoey dear," Mrs. Weasley said, "What room?"
Zoey gave Mrs. Weasley a confused looked before looking to her left. The white door was still there. "That room," Zoey said, "The one with the white door."
"I don't see anything dear," Mrs. Weasley said, giving Zoey and worried expression.
Zoey looked equally worried. Was she the only one who could see the door to her mother's old room? She didn't know. Zoey chose to change the topic.
"So… I'll be staying over at the Burrow then?" Zoey asked with a polite smile. Mrs. Weasley returned it.
"Of course dear," Mrs. Weasley said grabbing hold of Zoey's hand, "Are you all packed?"
"I never unpacked to be honest. I've just been living off from my suitcase," Zoey said with a chuckle.
"Why's that dear? Surely your parent's told you to unpack," Mrs. Weasley said stopping in front of Zoey's room.
"M-my parents aren't here," Zoey looked down at her feet. She couldn't bear to look into Mrs. Weasley's motherly brown eyes.
"They're not? Then what about your Guardians? Your parents didn't leave you all alone did they?" Mrs. Weasley questioned.
"Ah…er…Mrs. Weasley, do you mind shrinking this box? It's very heavy and I don't really want to carry it everywhere if it's this big," Zoey changed the subject as she motioned towards her mother's box, "Please?"
Mrs. Weasley gave her a suspicious look that read 'We'll talk about this another time' and waved her wand again. The box shrank to the size of a muggle key chain. Zoey held it in the palm of her hands and Mrs. Weasley waved her wand again, "Accio," she said and Zoey's suitcase flew towards them.
Zoey hooked her keychain sized box to her suitcase before holding onto the handle of her suitcase.
"Ready to go?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
Zoey gave a smile before nodding her head. I can't keep everything a secret anymore, she thought nervously to herself as she followed Mrs. Weasley down the steps heading to the fire place
"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!"
Zoey shot upright from her bed and almost fell off. She was having one of her rare dreamless dreams. She looked around the room and noted the Ginny was just slightly stirring. Zoey crawled out of the bed and looked out the window. She saw a blue car parked outside with Mrs. Weasley with her hands on her hips yelling at the twins, Ron, Echo and even Harry was there but she was sure he wasn't getting any of the scolding.
Zoey threw her blanket back onto the bed before quietly exiting the room. She looked down at herself and thought she was pleasant enough to go outside. She was just in and oversized shirt and leggings nothing to be embarrassed about. Zoey crept down the stairs and entered the kitchen that was slightly cramped. Zoey looked at the special Weasley Clock and watched as Ron's and the twin's pictures move towards "Home".
Zoey fully showed herself and saw Harry sitting on one of the kitchen's chairs. Zoey watched as Mrs. Weasley continued to cook breakfast at the same time she was shooting dirty looks at her sons and Echo. Zoey looked at Echo and mouthed "What happened?"
Echo only shrugged and smugly pointed to Harry, "Ask him"
Zoey gave her a questioning look before fully looking at Harry. Harry caught her gave and smiled, "Good Morning," he greeted.
"Morning," Zoey greeted in return. She took a seat beside Echo and sent curious looks to the Weasley boys who were present at the table. None of them caught her gaze for they were busy munching on their breakfast as Mrs. Weasley continued to tell them off.
"flying an illegal car halfway across the country – anyone could have seen you-"
"It was cloudy mum," Fred interrupted her
"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating," Mrs. Weasley snapped.
Zoey gave him a shock look, "You did what?" she asked in disbelief
"They were starving him!" George said to his mother.
"I would have to agree with George, you know, Mrs. Weasley, no one could last a day without hungering for something…," Echo trailed off
"Hungering?" Ron asked in disbelief, "You can't even last an hour without chewing on a pastille or what not!"
"Like you could last a week without anything to eat!" Echo crossed her arms and looked away.
Zoey raised her eyebrow at the two of them. Echo had made her statement rhyme and it amused her. Zoey licked her lips and caught sight of Ginny. Ginny's eyes widened at the sight of Harry.
"Ginny, my sister, she's been talking about you all summer," Ron whispered to Harry.
"She'll be wanting your autograph," Fred grinned before catching his mom's eye and bending his head over his plate. Zoey thumped him on the arm. Fred looked at her with an eyebrow raised but Zoey returned the look with her eyebrows furrowed.
Fred shrugged before stretching his arms, "Blimey I'm tired! I'll just head of to-"
"Not so fast mister," Mrs. Weasley said before telling her sons that it was their fault that they didn't get any sleep last night. She had sent them off to de-gnome the garden and told Harry that her could go right on to bed. Harry declined her offer and said he wanted to help in the de-gnoming.
"You should just go to bed. De-gnoming is dull work," Echo said before finishing her food at lightning speed. Harry stared at her plate wide-eyed while the others acted as if the disappearance of Echo's food at lightning speed happened everyday,which it did.
Mrs. Weasley then picked up a book written by a bloke named "Lockhart" and checked if he had any tips on how to de-gnome a garden. George groaned.
"We know how to de-gnome a garden mum," He said.
Zoey watched Fred lean over to Harry and whispered, "Mum fancies him"
Zoey made a face at him and Fred laughed. Zoey then turned to Echo, "What's so fancy-able about the Lockhart bloke?" she asked with a look of disgust, "He isn't that attractive"
"I couldn't agree more. His face looks like a rat's arse if you asked for my opinion," Echo utteres as she leaned against the kitchen table.
"That's a bit harsh," Zoey muttered with a laugh before watching the boys leave the kitchen and headed to the garden, "I want to watch the de-gnoming process," Zoey said, "I've never seen a gnome before"
"Come on then," Echo grabbed for Zoey's wrist and lead her outside.
Zoey sat on the closed toilet seat as she played with her keychain sized box. She tossed it into the air before catching it with the other hand. She repeated the process not really caring what happened inside. She knew that her mother, being smart as she is, would have casted a spell that let whatever inside the box stay in one piece not matter what happened, after all if it survived the destruction of her last home it could survive being tossed into the air by a fourteen year old.
Zoey let out a gasp when a hand caught the box when she tossed it in the air. Zoey turned her head to the side and saw Fred grinning down at her with the box in his hand.
"I could have been dressing up in here you know," Zoey said as she stared at his hand which held the box.
"You couldn't have," Fred said.
"What makes you so sure?"
"You didn't lock the door"
"You could have knocked," Zoey said
"I did," Fred said, "Five times actually. When I didn't receive a response I just twisted the knob and pushed it open. Found you tossing this…this…what is this exactly?"
Fred opened his hand and picked up the box and held it with his pointer finder and thumb brining it close to his face as he observed it. Zoey felt her heart skip a beat.
"I-It's a keychain," she stuttered out as she stood up to take the box back. Fred held it out of her reach.
"A what?" he asked.
"A keychain. It's a chain muggles use for their keys," Zoey explained as she tried to reach for her box again. Fred once again held it out of her reach by putting it behind his back
"And why would they use that?"
"I don't know!" Zoey said as she tried to get her box back. She reached behind him with her right hand but he moved it to his other hand. She reached for it with her left but he did the same thing again, "Do I look like a muggle to you?"
"No, Zwei," Zoey gasped as she looked out the door to see Echo standing there, "But you do need privacy if you're going to do that," Echo pointed a finger at their position.
Zoey looked at the position she and Fred were in and noted that she had her arms wrapped around his waist when she tried to reach for her box with both her hands. She felt heat rise to her cheeks as she released her hold on him and took a few steps back. She could hear Echo's laughter disappear as Echo walked farther down the hall and away from them. The door softly shut close from the push of the wind.
"Can I please have it back?" Zoey asked after a few moments had passed.
"No, I don't think so," Fred said as he pretended to pocket the keychain.
Zoey's eyes widened, "Please give it back"
Fred headed to the door and placed his hand on the knob pretending to leave the bathroom. Zoey panicked.
"Can I please have it back?" She said a little bit louder, a cold sweat forming on her forehead.
Fred pretended not to hear her.
Zoey felt her mind go blank and before she knew it she tackled Fred to the ground trying to reach for the box, "Give it back!" she yelled tears forming in her eyes as she struggled to retain what was hers.
Fred's eyes widened at the sight of Zoey. He hadn't seen her in such a state before, not counting the time in the Astronomy Tower. That time it was tense times worse than her current state. Fred sat back up a bit and placed his hands on her shoulders stopping her.
"Zoe calm down," he said as he moved his hands to her wrist keeping her from getting the keychain back, "I wasn't going to keep it"
"Give it back….give it back," Zoey mumbled as she shook her head from side to side. She fell slightly limp.
Fred released Zoey's right wrist before reaching into his pocket to pull out the box.
"Why's this so important to you?" he asked as he placed the keychain into her freehand.
Zoey didn't reply…she didn't thank him; she simply stared at her right hand that now held the box.
"Zoe?" Fred asked, "Is there something you aren't telling me?"
Zoey's body went frigid as she slowly looked up to meet Fred's eyes. She felt a tug in her chest. She wanted to tell him everything. Right then and there she wanted to pour out all her problems and prayed he would understand. She prayed that he would accept who she truly was.
Zoey bit her lip and wriggled her left wrist free from Fred's grip.
"I never knew the function of a rubber duck," she whispered trying to keep her feelings in check.
"What?" Fred asked in confusion
"A rubber duck," Zoey repeated, "Mr. Weasley asked me what its function was the other day and I honestly don't know what it is. I know it's a muggle squeak toy sort of thing they keep near their bathtub but I don't know what it does. It isn't soap or anything. Maybe it's for decoration? I really don't know."
"Zoey… what are you-"
"I want to know what the function is….," Zoey said as she stood up and walked towards the bathtub, "Maybe if you had one in here I would know…"
Zoey didn't look at Fred she looked down and let her hair cover her face.
"I want you to know…," she muttered.
Fred's eyebrows knitted in confusion. She wanted him to know the function of a rubber duck?
"I want you to know… I want you to know…," she repeated over and over.
Stress-levels going up a notch! I might not make it! GAH! D:
Anyway, here's chapter 22! Yey~!
Hopefully, the next chapter will be a little more light-hearted. Bridgit would be making her appearance again! I miss that girl she hadn't appeared much in these last few chapters! So anyway, stated tuned!
My eye's are getting sleepy XD
Friday tomorrow, stress-levels lowering? NOPE! It will not lower till I get my dilpoma! joke... XD
Anyway, thanks for all the reviews and favorites and what not very much appriciated.
Sigh... I really want to sleep now :D
Don't forget to review and ask questions!
I only own what I own!
