Chapter 5:

The next morning I made sure I was up before anyone, so that I could be down in the kitchen and Harry and Ron couldn't ask me questions. I waited for at least an hour and then I heard Mrs. Weasly banging around in the kitchen. She walked out into the dining room, and said "Oh hello dear." I nodded and pretended to yawn so I didn't have to say anything. She bustled back into the kitchen looking like she was frazzled, and I realized today we were going to Diagon Alley. 'Great' I thought know I can get cornered by all three of them. I'll need a heck of an excuse to pass this one. Finally everyone was up. We all sat down to eat breakfast and it was hectic as usual. I could see everyone throwing glances my way, and knew that everyone knew something was up. I usually was so talkative at the table so this was unusual for me. I sighed quietly and glanced at Harry. He was staring at me intently, I quickly returned to my food pretending it was the most interesting thing ever.

Once everybody was finished getting last minute things, and stuffing breakfast down their throats, or in my case Mrs. Weasly finally giving up on trying to get me to eat, we were ready to go. We gathered up by the fireplace, and Mrs. Weasly bent down and grabbed a small flower pot full of ash. "Here sweetie just take a big handful." I looked at her sorely confused. "Mum, they've never traveled by flu powder before." Ron said embarrassed. "Oh okay, it's quite easy. You just take a big handful, step into the fireplace and say very clearly where you would like to go. Then you throw down the ash, quite simple." I nodded, it seemed all very weird to me and usual I would ask a thousand questions, but I was far from caring at this point.

I took a huge handful of ash, and stepped into the fireplace and I met Harry's eyes when I looked up. I realized that we had the same exact eyes, it was such a simple fact yet it seemed to hold a huge weight on me and I knew that eventually I would have to tell him. It wasn't because we have the same eyes, but because I needed him in my life as a big brother and protector.

I threw down the ash and said "Diagon Alley." My voice was surprisingly strong. It was probably because of my epiphany, that eventually I wouldn't have to hold the secret anymore, but for now I would. Suddenly everything was spinning, and Harry's eyes blurred out of focus, I was released from their spell and all the shame and hurt came flooding back into me, and I had no desire to tell him ever. Everything finally settled and I was looking at the streets of Diagon Alley.

Suddenly somebody came and almost knocked me over hugging me. "Oh thank goodness your okay! How are you?" I just shrugged, and she stared at me so intently that I had to look away. "Arrington-" she started but got caught off by the roaring of the fire. Ron then stepped out and I looked around expecting to see Harry, and that I hadn't noticed him come, but I'd didn't. "Where's Harry?" Ron asked. Hermione still looking at me answered, "I don't know, nobody came through after Arrington expect you." "Oh." Ron said as the rest of his family started coming through. They all looked around and then Mrs. Weasly asked "Where's Harry?" but as she was asking Hagrid suddenly came walking towards us, I looked down and there was Harry.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted. She ran over to him and hugged and almost knocked him over like she did to me. Only difference was Harry smiled and answered "You too Hermione." Hermione whispered something and Harry shook his head and whispered something back.

"Now'll we will meet at the library in an hour to buy your books, and not one step in Knockturn Alley!" She shouted at the twins backs. I realized I must have missed Harry explaining where he was. 'Oh well' I thought. We started walking and I followed them blindly, and when I finally realized where we were I sighed quietly. I guess we were doing this right away, now. We walked into three broomsticks and Hermione led us to a circle booth in the corner, with a lot of privacy from others.

We sat down, and I sat in between Harry and Hermione, with Ron to the left of Harry. The waiter immediately came over and Hermione ordered 4 butter beers for all of us. It was quiet and when the waiter finally came back with our drinks, Hermione cleared her throat and said "So what happened?"

She looked at me but I didn't answer so she looked at Harry. Harry looked at me then without looking away he said, "All I know is that when you sent your letter, there was another one that we didn't see that was meant for Arrington. She took it and then didn't play quidditch, well you know how weird that is. I come up, and we couldn't find her until," then Harry lowered his voice even more and kept talking, "she came through the window as a unicorn you know. Then she transformed into herself again then she lunged for the letter she left on the ground. She l-looked," he looked at me and noticed that I had started crying again. "Well yeah." He said then took my hand under the table and squeezed it. I leaned against him and closed my eyes, pretending that everything was okay but I knew it wasn't. "Arrington, can you please tell-" I shook my head before she even finished talking. "How about you show us the letter?"

I shook my head even more, and on instinct grabbed the locket and started twisting it on the chain. She looked at the locket and suddenly her eyes dawned with understanding. "Arrington is that letter from your old family?" When my eyes widened a little at how she made the jump already, she nodded her head taking that as a confirmation.

They didn't press me after that and I was surprised because nobody could ever care that much about a letter from a family who never loved them or even payed attention to them, so they must know something was wrong. My letter was much worse, it was a reminder of everything that ever happened and that he did to me. We finished our drinks and they made light conversation, suddenly Harry excused himself to the bathroom, and I noticed a piece of paper in his hands. I looked down to make sure my locket was still there and it was. I was confused and I got up, I could feel Hermione's and Ron's eyes on me as I walked after Harry.

He went into the bathroom, so I waited outside. He walked out and saw me, then walked over to me. "What the hell is this?" He asked. He didn't sound like he was mad at me more like the person who wrote the letter. I gulped, and said "What do you mean?" My voice broke at the end. He gave me the letter he had been holding when he walked to the bathroom. I looked down and read:

Dear Harry,

Just in case Arrington refused to read my letter after hearing this I doubt she could refuse. All I need for you to tell her is that since my favorite disappeared her favorite little sister Lily, is know my favorite girl to babysit. Although tell her not to worry, if she comes back she'll definitely go back to being my favorite.

- Jonathan Macmillan

I gulped staring at the name, and the word favorite. I knew what that letter meant but it was probably very confusing for Harry. "I don't know. Jonathan was just probably trying to get you annoyed. It's all just rubbish he's probably high. Who gave that to you anyway?" I said avoiding Harry's eyes because I was going to start crying soon. "Haha. Sure. I think there was a lot of hidden code in there Arrington. Why can't you tell me? I'm your brother, your twin does that mean anything to you? I swear it seems like I tell you everything and I get nothing back nothing. Plus I only hear things from other people and not from you."

"Well, you know what Harry? Would you actually like to know what half that meant. I'll tell you one thing. You never want to be a favorite. Hope your happy. And maybe there is a fucking reason I can't tell you, and you know sometimes it's better not knowing. And it's to late to save me now, it would just hurt you. And-" I just broke off and started sobbing. I could tell Harry felt bad. So I went and hugged him, he hugged me back tightly and I knew we were okay. But I knew I couldn't protect him for long, I knew he would figure out soon. "Arrington what did your letter say?" Harry asked quietly. I just shook my head remembering how graphic his letter was and shivered. I gave Harry so little information that it didn't matter, but it seemed like a big deal compared to the lies I had told him.