Dear Mr & Mrs Potter,

I just wanted to start off by saying I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have yelled at you. You were just trying to help me, and I threw it in your face. I am really sorry for that and for causing a scene for you at the train station. It was really childish.
However, I do stand by what I said. I just should have said it better. I am perfectly happy with my current living situation, and I will be well able to support myself once I leave Hogwarts.
I know the offer was made with my best interests at heart, but I could not accept it, when I am able to stand on my own two feet. It is nothing personal. I'm just tired of being a charity case.

I hope you accept my apology. I really meant no harm.

Yours,

Rory.

I stared at the letter.

It would do.

I folded up the parchment and placed it in an envelope, before leaving my dorm. The other four girls weren't up yet, but they wouldn't care if I was missing.

I was about to turn the last corner, when I ran into something, and managed to go over on my ankle.
And it hurt. A lot.

BOLLOCKS!

"Jesus, Carrow, never had you down as a user of foul language."

Oh. I said that out loud?

"Yup. You did." Another voice chuckled.

"Well, shit, there goes that pure wholesome, I-swear-I'm-not-that-Death-Eater's-daughter image I always strived to maintain." I said sarcastically, trying to get up.

"My god, she has a sense of humour!" exclaimed the first voice.

A set of hands grabbed onto my arms and hauled me up. It the turned out the first voice was none other than Fred Weasley.

I raised my eyebrow. Had he just helped me?

"Here's your letter." Dom, the other voice, handed me my letter.

"Oh thanks!" I smiled. Dom returned it.

"Well I best be off." I tried to step around the pair.

Tried being the important word in that sentence.

"SHIT!" My ankle, as it turned out, was worse off than I thought.

Fred caught me before I hit the ground this time.

"Right so, you're going to the Hospital Wing. Fred, carry her please, it will be faster." Dom ordered.

"Wait what! No, don-!" But Fred had already swung me up into his arms and was carrying me bridal

style.

"Fred, put me down."

"Or what? You can't walk?"

"I'll scream. Or wriggle uncontrollably. Or play dead." I know. Don't judge. I just wanted to stand.
Fred couldn't stop laughing. And Dom wasn't much better.

'How on earth would playing dead work?' She giggled.

'He'd look like a murderer. That isn't good for his image, I'd imagine.' I answered without hesitation.

'God Carrow, if I had known you were this funny, I would have accidentally knocked you over sooner.'

I rolled my eyes, but if I'm honest, it was very sweet of him to say.

'I think I should play dead. To see everyone's reaction.

Fred and Dom glanced at each other.

'You mean… a prank?' Dom asked.

I nodded.

'Oh, I like you more and more, Carrow.'

'If that's the case, then I prefer Rory to Carrow.'

Fred stared at me for a moment before nodding. I grinned, before letting my face go slack and rolling my eyes into my head. I saw Dom and Fred look genuinely worried for a minute, but I winked at them before letting my body go limp, my eyes wide open and blank.

'OH MY GOD FRED, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!'

'I DON'T KNOW! I ONLY KNOCKED HER OVER! SHE MUST HAVE WHACKED HER HEAD OR SOMETHING!'

'FRED! She doesn't have a pulse! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!'

We were in front of the Entrance Hall now. I tried to keep my eyes blank and unmoving, but I could tell there was a good few students around.

'It was an accident, Dom, I swear to God. It was just a stupid prank!'

'Well look where that's got yo-'

'FRED WHAT THE FUCK?'

Oh no. Potter.

'It was just a prank, man, I never meant to hurt her!'

'JESUS CHRIST FRED!'

'SHE'S NOT BREATHING! DO SOMETHING!' I had to hand it to Dom and Fred. They were great actors.
'Put her on the floor,' Potter sounded panicked 'I remember some Muggle thing called PRC or CPR or something.'

Now that was NOT happening.

'WOAH WOAH WOAH!' I said bolting upright, still in Fred's arms 'That is NOT happening!'

There was silence.

Then Fred, Dom and I burst out laughing.

Fred actually ended up on the floor, with me and Dom next to him, crying with laughter.

'Y-y-your FACE!' He laughed, pointing at Potter, who was still standing there in shock. 'Oh my God please tell me that Creevey kid is here. HE IS! AND HE HAS HIS CAMERA!'

'I will pay that kid anything for those pictures.' Dom said wiping her tears before helping me up.

'C'mon Fred,' I smiled, poking him in the side 'I still need you to take me to the hospital wing, if you don't mind.'

Fred grinned widely.

'Anything. I will do anything for the girl that helped me prank James.' He jumped up and had me in his arms again before I could blink. We had just turned around to walk towards the hospital wing when James spoke.

'You...you pranked me, USING CARROW?' James was not mad.

He was furious.

'Calm down, James, she's not bad or anything.' Fred replied easily, but I felt him tense.

'She's a Death Eater's daughter!' James whispered scathingly.

'She didn't even grow up with Death Eaters, James! She grew up Muggle! You know that!'

'Do your own apologies mean nothing to you, Potter?' I didn't say it cruelly. I said it curiously, 'because you either lied or you're bi-polar.'

Potter glared at me. He took two steps forward, before hissing: 'That doesn't change your blood, Carrow.' And stalking away.

'Don't worry, Rory dear. James has just been a little moodier of late.' Fred offered.

'Oh. I was under the impression today was one of his good days.' I said, pretending to be in deep thought.

Fred chuckled.

'They are one and the same, love.'

Madam Pomfrey (granddaughter of the original) fixed my ankle in minutes, leaving us free to finally go to breakfast.

We had just walked into the Great Hall when I turned to go to the Ravenclaw table.

'Bye guys!' I said, giving a small wave.

Dom spun around, putting a hand on her hip. 'And where exactly do you think you're going?'

'To my table?' I didn't mean for it to sound like a question.

'Oh no, no, no, Rory, you are going to meet the assorted members of the Weasley Clan!' Dom ordered, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the Weasley Area of the Gryfindor table.

Lord help me.