Chapter 17
When Molly finally returned to the common room with Angelina, Matt and Rosie lay fast asleep on the sofas next to the fire. She didn't want to face their questions, not yet, so instead, Molly ran up to her dorm, grabbed some blankets and returned to the common room. Carefully, she covered Matt and Rosie before curling up on the huge armchair. The soft flames of the fire next to her and the gentle swoosh of the wind outside lulled Molly into an uneasy sleep.
The three woke up on Saturday morning to find that the rest of Gryffindor had already abandoned them to get breakfast. Molly yawned, stretched and turned to face the angry demons that were her best friends.
"Sleep well?" Molly asked, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly and trying for an innocent smile.
Instead of replying, however, Rosie, got slowly to her feet, took a step towards her friend and slapped her twice straight across the face.
"Yep," Molly groaned, "I deserved that."
"You deserve worse!" Rosie said as she wrapped Molly in a bone-crushing hug, "So much worse."
"Yeah," Matt agreed thoughtfully, "Maybe the fact we have an assessment in Transfiguration and you don't know what to study."
"Since when do we get assessments in lessons?" Molly asked.
"Since Professor McGonagall decided we need a proper way of monitoring progress throughout the year. We'll have three tests a year until we get to OWL level- one at the start of term, one halfway through the year, and then the end of year finals."
"And we have both the Transfiguration tests in the double lesson on Monday, practical first, then the theory so Professor Flitwick told us all what we need to revise." Rosie finished smugly.
"And you won't tell me?" Molly assumed.
"Definitely not! That's what you get for running off!"
"Urgh," Molly sighed and whacked her head off the arm of the sofa, "But I have the weekend, right? I can revise over the weekend!"
"Except," Rosie began, "We have detention tonight, a potions essay to write, a charms essay to finish, a potion method to learn and we have to practise transfiguring teapots."
"Ok," Molly thought, "But I could do all that today and then I have tomorrow to revise for the Transfiguration theory!"
"Only," Rosie interrupted, "it's Quidditch tryouts tomorrow. I thought you wanted to go?"
"But my broom isn't here yet so I can't try out if I don't have a broom."
"School brooms?" Matt suggested.
"Are you kidding?" Molly laughed, "When you're riding them, you have to do the exact opposite of what you actually want to happen. And if they were any slower, they would end up taking you back in time. And anyway they won't take all day. I'll get the full afternoon and evening at the very least!"
"And you expect to be able to revise over a year's worth of work in half a day? Good luck with that," Rosie said as she got to her feet, "I'm going to get breakfast. Coming?"
"In a minute," Matt replied.
"Alright. See you soon."
Once the portrait had closed behind Rosie, Matt turned to face Molly.
"She doesn't mean to be so horrible, you know," he said slowly, looking at Molly's crestfallen face.
"I know. You're not going to storm out in a huff too are you?" Molly asked quietly.
"Of course not!" Matt exclaimed, clambering to his feet and stepping towards Molly. He squeezed onto the armchair next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "I can't even begin to imagine what's going on inside your little head and I know you're having a rough time. It's not my job to abandon you just because you're dealing with a lot at the minute."
"I have to write back to mum," Molly said, smiling thankfully, "But I don't know what to say."
"Are you happy?"
"Happy?"
"Yes, happy. Are you glad that you're going to get a little sibling to torment, I mean, play with."
Molly laughed, "I suppose it'll be nice. But our house of crazy enough without a baby to worry about. Mum and dad can't go a day without arguing and when they aren't fighting, they're ignoring each other. That's not a house a baby should have to grow up in."
"It's not a house anyone should grow up in," Matt corrected, "You're technically still a child too and it's not fair for you to-"
"But I'm here for most of the year."
"It's your home!"
"Is it? Can it really be my home when-"
"Yes. Yes it can. It's the house where your family lives and I know for a fact that you love your family more than anything and anywhere that makes you happy is your home. Now, how about this- I'll write you a list of what you need to revise for Transfiguration and we'll finish off those Charms essays."
When Rosie returned from breakfast, she was holding a long package with a letter attached to the end of it. She marched over to where Molly and Matt sat and placed it in front of her friends. "Your broom came," Rosie said shortly before turning and heading towards the girl's dorms and storming off.
Molly pulled off the note and unfolded it gently. It read:
Mol, I'm not going to lie and pretend that everything's fine at home. I don't want to upset you but without you there, what was still standing has completely fallen apart. I assume mum told you her news; I don't know what to think but I hope you're excited. George and I are coming up to Hogsmeade next weekend to see about opening a shop there so I'll see if there's a way I can come visit (George wants to see your Aunt Angie anyway).
Hoping to see you soon, dad.
Molly turned the letter slightly so Matt could read it too.
Whatever her friend was going to say was interrupted by Tara, Amy and Steph, the three girls who Molly and Rosie shared a room with, bursting into the common room and, upon seeing Molly, rushing over. A few seconds later, the three girls were followed by Jake Landes, one of Matt's best friends.
"You'll never guess what just happened," Tara said, flicking her ginger hair over her shoulder.
"Professor McGonagall just got taken away!" Steph whispered, somewhat loudly, "She's had to go to St Mungo's apparently."
"What? Why?" Molly asked, dropping her quill and splattering ink all over her parchment.
"She kept insisting that she wasn't headmistress! She came into the hall this morning and stopped halfway to the staff table." Steph explained.
"It was dead weird," Jake said, his dark eyes fixed on Steph. Molly smirked as Jake continued, "She started saying that the people who were in the hall weren't meant to be. She said it was some sort of mean prank and that Dumbledore was still headmaster!"
"She saw Professor Longbottom and Professor Weasley at the staff table and told them off because apparently, 'Students shouldn't be sitting at the staff table'!" Tara shrieked excitedly.
"She thought my auntie was a student?"
"Yep, and she wouldn't let anyone except Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn near her!" Amy confirmed.
"That's mental!" Matt said.
The girls all fled to go and gossip to some other poor Gryffindor, leaving Molly and Matt with Jake whose eyes were still fixed on Steph.
"She likes you too," Molly giggled, "She told me last year."
Jake's dark brown cheeks blushed bright pink, "Really?"
"Really. She's obsessed!"
"Well in that case," Jake wiggled his eyebrows, winked at his friends and turned to follow Steph and the girls.
Matt and Molly laughed as they watched him go, unaware of the dark magic surrounding them.