I don't own Phil Collins. The title's a pun.
37. Wandering
The room was dark. My body ached, muscles throbbing with an abstract buzz of sluggishness. I could feel my stomach in my throat.
This feeling was becoming routine, of waking up only to sleep and die with my eyes open. The duvet engulfed my body, blocking out the dull green that would otherwise invade my vision. The dark was comforting. It offered no false hope or fantasies. It was bleak and gloomy and real. I could pretend it was late at night, if I listened close enough to my breathing and heartbeat and blocked out the sounds of people around the house. If my brain would have registered anything but the deep pants exploding in my ears I would have been thankful Molly had enough thought to allow me uninterrupted mornings.
Like every other time, the heat would get to me, and I would rise from the bed and force myself to get on with the day.
Fred opened the door, bringing with him a flash of light as bright as his grin before quietly shutting it behind himself, encasing us both in the sweet darkness once again.
"Hey, you."
"Hi."
His arms grazed my ribs through a stretch. I flinched away from his hands. There was nothing worse than an unfulfilling stretch after rising from a coffin.
"My bad," he offered, embracing me again. Sorry.
"What time is it?" Whatever.
"Past one in the afternoon. Lunch is on soon, thought I'd get to you before mum."
"Mmm." I melted into his body, nose rubbing into the skin bared over the collar of his t-shirt.
"How was it?"
Hard. Gruelling. Embarrassing. Painful. "Fine."
"What did you work on?" He was persistent.
No answer. It would only be more mortifying. I didn't want to talk about it anymore than we already had. I'm not bloody wonder woman. He must have sensed my reluctance, or interpreted it as lingering sleep.
"You're sweaty."
"It's hot in here."
"Then open the window," he retorted, smiling into my hair where he pressed the softest of kisses.
"Too tired."
Three minutes had probably passed with Fred. It felt like the longest time we had been alone together in…how long? He brought a familiar comfort with him, one that I was more than willing to dive into headfirst and drown in. A more direct and instant death than slow burning every night.
Remus's teaching of my powers had begun the night after Dumbledore had dropped the information on me. After dinner he had led me to the library where I attempted to use magic consciously. Without a wand it would have been very wild and forceful, Remus had said, but all I felt was foolish as I mumbled and exclaimed spell after simple spell to no success. I was ready to call it to an end before he suggested another tactic. Rousing extreme emotion. It was a scary prospect, being so overwhelmed by a single emotion that my instincts took over and lashed out.
Happiness was first. Memories of childhood friends and family, meeting the twins at Hogwarts and being accepted by others. When that failed, we moved on to sadness and anger. It became obvious that Remus was too nice of a man to make me very angry.
That was the first failure of a session. I left feeling more of a squib than ever, thinking that all the incidents before had to be coincidences. But a few meetings later when Moody took over, an entire shelf got caught in flames. It was due to Hermione's garbled cries that we moved to a more isolated room. For days after that my body felt energised and prickly, like a prey sensing an oncoming attack. Once the feeling died down I was in the most intense pain I had ever felt before, the thrumming nerves becoming enflamed and burning me from the inside out. Muscles would coil and tighten until I was sure they would snap, leaving me to sag and decay.
Fred had waited up for me the first night. I had shrugged him off, slapped that hopeful grin off his face with my blunt summary of the failed night. He always waited until morning after that.
My change in behaviour had not gone unnoticed, however. I was staying in bed longer, my patience was short and my frustration grew twice as fast. The twins were good at handling it after a while, laughing it off and chasing the storm clouds over my head away.
"You missed the Hogwarts letters this morning," Fred said. "You'd never believe who made prefect?"
"Hermione for sure. And…not Harry, I'm guessing?"
He chuckled, seating himself on the edge of the bed. "Bingo. Mum's over the moon for Ronnie."
Allowing Fred to pull me onto his lap, I smiled. It was such a blessing to see him every morning when all I wanted was for the world to swallow me whole. With him I was Ella, and somehow I knew who that was. "Good for him. He deserves some attention."
"What, being best friends with the kid who lived against the most powerfully evil wizard in this lifetime isn't enough?"
"No, it's not. And it's easy for him to get lost in your family. What are there, a dozen of you?"
Fred flicked me on the nose several times, eliciting a brief laugh out of me.
"New Defence Against the Dark Arts professor – again. The book we need to get for it seems daft. Who d'you reckon it'll be this time, hot vampire?"
"Keep dreaming."
We sat there for a while until the noise from downstairs grew in volume.
"Ready for lunch?"
"What's to eat?"
"Mum's made pie and mash, something about wanting to try out Hermione's mum's secret ingredient or something. Who cares, food!"
The thought of the heavy meal didn't sit well with me, but I had skipped out dinner and slept through breakfast.
George greeted us as we descended the stairs to the dining table, already in his seat.
"Alright, young lovers? Took your time getting down. Didn't know there were so many stairs. Fancy seeing you down here so early, Ella. What's up, couldn't sleep?" he winked, nudging me in the ribs as I sat between him and Fred.
"With all the time away from each other we took the time to reacquaint ourselves with a little quickie," Fred answered, scooping up mash potatoes into his plate before passing on the bowl.
"I hope you guys savoured that moment. I overheard mum earlier saying something about Diagon Alley and," George paused, ensuring eye contact with me before continuing, "She's taking you."
"Me? What for?"
"Hell if I know, but we're coming too," George grinned. "Mum won't notice us take a little detour into Knockturn Alley."
"We're running low on some supplies and want to experiment with some others. We got an owl from one of the shops saying they've got some new stock and we're buzzing to go and get it!" Fred whispered, leaning in close as Ron walked past, chest puffed out exposing his new prefect badge. Fred sneered at Ron's back.
"I thought you couldn't get owls or communicate from here?" I asked.
"Well…I didn't, did I? The shop guy owled us, not the address. So instead of going to the Burrow it came straight to us. Get it?"
"Hm. Smart owl," I acknowledged.
"Owls are smart creatures," George inserted, his voice loud enough to gain the attention of Hermione and Arthur. As if on cue, both began informing everyone about the characteristics and qualities of owls, dominating all conversation.
Fred shoved pie into his mouth. He hadn't realised what he had told me when I first met him in the summer was a complete contradiction to what he had just said. Molly had banned all form of communication in Grimmauld Place, regardless of who was sending it. The owls would have been suspicious, especially so many in the city during the day. What had I been expecting? For him to nod and tell me that he was bullshitting and he had communicated with Angelina from Grimmauld Place? Or maybe the letter had been from when he was at the Burrow. That still didn't sit right with me.
Or perhaps…I had misheard. Maybe they were all allowed to send an owl each at the beginning of their stay here, just so it didn't look suspicious that they had all disappeared at once. Surely Ron or Hermione would have owled Harry then? But Harry was a special case with Dumbledore giving the orders.
And why hadn't the twins assured me of their whereabouts?
I hated how much it still bothered me in spite of how much shit I had on my mind.
Molly pulled me to the side after lunch. From her apron pocket she pulled out an envelope.
"I snatched it before either of the twins saw it," she said, handing it over to me.
I knew what it was before even having to look at the waxed emblem on the back. Opening it was a surreal feeling, one that felt outdated. It felt wrong to open it now. But the childish anticipation and excitement within me glowed from the words swirled neatly inside.
"How would you like to come with me to Diagon Alley? We can get all of your things and then go out for some ice cream."
"I'd like that. Thank you."
Unexpectedly, I gathered the short woman into my arms briefly before rushing off for a change of clothes, feeling a wonderful sense of excitement for my first visit to Diagon Alley.
Travelling by Floo was the fastest way to get there. We entered the Leaky Cauldron, a seemingly ordinary pub with the only indication of it being full of wizards was the cloaks, pointed hats and outstretched wands. Molly sent a quick greeting to the wizard behind the bar before bustling out into the cobblestone streets. A moment delayed by four years could not be savoured, as with a quick budge from the twins I was pushed outside into Diagon Alley.
Imagination and dreams conjure up things beyond logical reasoning, but even in my wildest and most fantastic dreams I could not have pictured such a scene.
The dry heat from the sun cast a honey glazed glow through the street. An assortment of buildings loomed high, displaying a variety of shining and whizzing and bubbling objects. Ahead stood a monster of a building with "Gringotts Wizarding Bank" carved in white marble. Even for the last day before the beginning of school there were people bustling about from shop to shop buying last minute supplies.
I felt far too big in the Wizarding Street.
"Oi, move it or you'll lose mum," George hissed in my ear with an accompanying nudge to grab my attention.
"Keep her attention for about fifteen or so minutes so we can get our things from Knockturn Alley. We'll meet you at Fortescue's for some ice cream. It's on me." Fred pressed a quick kiss to my cheek.
"Where's Knockturn Alley? And Fortescue's?"
"Don't worry about that."
"Just keep mum distracted."
"And have fun shopping!"
They were lost in the small crowd within moments, and I was left to find Mrs Weasley. She was hanging out of the door of a store called, Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions.
"Where are the boys?" she asked, peering over my head with narrowed eyes. "I knew they'd get up to no good. What was I thinking, letting them come? You know, I honestly thought they had wanted to be with you for your first time here. Rotten boys…"
"I think they said they were going to look at Quidditch supplies while I get measured up."
Her wrinkles softened slightly as she settled her eyes back on me, giving up on her search for the twins.
"Alright, at least you have your privacy for this part. Come on now, we've lots to do."
Getting measured for my robes took almost no time at all. Madam Malkin had measuring tapes flying around me within seconds before she began altering robes to fit me as well as the other uniform. She chattered on as she worked, dragging out the process to find out as much information as me as possible. Molly didn't seem to appreciate this. She spoke up for me every time and constantly changed the subject. I couldn't have been more thankful.
After leaving Madam Malkin's we went to get everyone's books from Flourish and Blotts. We had to carry them through several shops before bumping into the twins outside Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, where they suggested Molly shrink the purchases so we wouldn't fall under the weight. She was so red I thought she would have punished them there and then, but she thrust everything into their arms and hurried off into Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Did she get suspicious?" Fred asked, beginning to shrink the items.
"Of course. She's not stupid, you know," I huffed, shaking my sore arms out as soon as the twins shrunk everything and placed them into their bags and pockets. "Did you get whatever it was you needed?"
Their grins glowed. "That and more."
As soon as Molly emerged even more frazzled than before, the twins treated us to some ice cream where we let our feet rest at a table outside the store. The last stop was Ollivander's.
My feet dragged as we approached the shop with peeling gold lettering above it. I didn't quite know how to feel. It couldn't have been real. I was on my way to get a wand. A wand. Was I dreaming? No, I wasn't fortunate in having such pleasant dreams lately. I couldn't dwell on it longer as Fred tugged me inside.
It was dark, a nice dark with little lighting around the boxes piled up to the ceiling. There must have been thousands just from what I could see. Who knew how far back they went. Floating dust caught in my throat. I coughed. There was a man.
"Hello, Mrs Weasley," he greeted, his voice thickly and rich. "Fancy seeing you here. I thought I was all done with your lot. Any broken?"
"Oh, no, nothing of the sort. I'm just escorting a new customer here. It's a bit long overdue, you see."
"How wonderful. Where is this new customer then?"
The Weasley's turn towards me. Shifting slightly, I raised my hand. "Hi."
Ollivander's aged eyes widened in surprise and his mouth wobbled. His speechless stare seemed to last forever before he composed himself. "Well, now. I've been waiting quite some time for you."
With that, he retreated back to his shelves of wands.
"Do I know him?" I whispered to the twins.
"Nah, but he knows you."
"He knows everyone."
"It's why he's the best wandmaker."
"How does this work? Does he automatically know which wand is good for me?"
"Bless you," George cried.
"The wand chooses its owner. Look, he's coming back now. Just remember to focus," said Fred with an encouraging squeeze on my shoulder.
"Here you are, let's try the Alder one first," Ollivander announced, opening a box and pulling out a long wand.
Taking it from his hand, I stared at it.
"Is…this it, then?" I asked, angling the plain wand to observe it better.
"No! Wave it about. See what happens."
Ollivander may have known me, but he definitely did not know that I was as skilled as a baby. Their eyes were all on me, waiting, expecting to see a miracle. A wave of guilt churned the bottom of my stomach like a whirlpool.
"Um, Mr Ollivander, you see…I can't exactly…you know –"
"Just wave it, Ella," one of the twins said.
"Focus."
A sigh. Without another thought I flicked my wrist.
Nothing. Humiliated heat flooded my body. My skin prickled under scrutiny. Nothing happened.
"Focus," a voice whispered. Squaring my shoulders as if it would channel magic easier, I pointed the wand and twirled.
The lamp on the desk shattered and slumped to the floor. On the left shelf several boxes flew out with such force that they crashed into the opposite wall, barely missing Mrs Weasley's head.
"Right," Ollivander clapped, pulling the wand from my hand and encasing it once more, "Not that one then."
"No, actually, that's how her magic goes. I think that was pretty good, in fact," George teased with a wink.
Ollivander didn't hear him as he bustled off into the hallway behind. A thwack echoed, followed by a pained grumble.
"The hazel wand may work better," Ollivander mumbled to himself as he brought out another wand.
This time I refused to acknowledge everyone else in the room. Breathing deeply, I thought of being back under the covers at dawn, hiding from the world in a darkness where no luminous beams could ever penetrate. Like before, no surge of energy filled me, no warmth or intense emotion.
An icy fog clouded my mind and soul. On the surface it was minty and fresh, but lingering ice forms shards, burns and grips and stills life. Upon opening my eyes, there was no obvious sign of any destruction.
"Ella?" Fred called. "You alright?"
"Did…anything happen?"
His face was void of emotion, hollow, but his eyes gave away his fascination. His eyes forcefully held mine. "Your eyes…"
His voice was a breathy gasp through barely parted lips, so light I barely managed to take in his words. My fingers probed around my eyes, feeling the skin and bone beneath.
"What?"
"They clouded over, blue and grey," Molly answered, eyebrows pinched. "Like a storm."
"And now?" I asked, tilting my head down to hide another abnormality.
"It went almost straight away."
Ollivander broke the awkward silence. It wasn't the right wand. He brought out three more, all of which left me even more drained. How did all the eleven year olds feel when the process of getting a wand took so long, with wand after wand rejecting them? Unless it didn't happen to them as much. How typical. Even the wands thought I wasn't worthy. Maybe I should have just stayed in Ottery. I wasn't needed in the wizarding world, I surely wouldn't be able to function. Perhaps I should just work with Filch and gain experience from him, aspire to clean and be grouchy for the rest of my life. Anything as long as I could remain in this world. This topsy-turvy life of mine that had no direction, no purpose, no identity.
Was it worth it?
The pain, the humiliation, the bullying, the sneering, the constant doubt and falling, always falling.
Would it ever stop? Would I land on two feet, or crash and burn and bleed into the cracks of the stone?
Did I even care anymore?
Fred was holding me close, murmuring sweet encouragements and false possibilities. His hand dangling over my shoulder was clutched firmly in mine, fingers interlocked; strong covalent bonds chaining us together.
Ollivander emerged once again, a thoughtful gaze and slow steps. I hope he wasn't annoyed, but there were no other customers so he couldn't have been too troubled by the time I was taking up. The mess bothered me, I didn't want to leave him to clean it all up on his own, but then I remembered that he was a wizard and was capable of magic that would clean it up while he got on with other business.
"I have a feeling…" Everyone was quiet as he held the wand aloft. It almost seemed to glow in the dim candlelight, a deep azure. Grey eyes flicked up, dancing with something close to triumph. "Do you feel that?"
I couldn't feel anything but more disappointment and Fred's body. I don't think he was paying attention anyway, his attention back to the wand.
"Give it a go."
Squeezing Fred's hand, I used my other hand to take the wand.
My body froze over, blanketed by a wet air that soaked through my pores and invigorated my soul. It was the sweetest breeze on a hot summer's day, aloe on a sting. Then the wand did glow, a hazy sapphire encompassing my vision.
It was there. Just within reach but still too far away, like trying to hold on to a complete dream as reality dragged me into the tangible world.
And just like water spilling through fingers, the feeling of magic dissipated.
"That's it," Ollivander declared. "That's your wand."
He didn't look all too pleased like the Weasleys, all three grinning with something akin to pride and relief.
"What's wrong?" Fear began creeping over the sunshine and rainbow moment I had just experienced. It was too soon.
"What kind of wand is it?" George questioned, ignoring the look on Ollivander's face and my question.
"Hawthorn," he replied. "I don't normally…can you cast a spell with the wand? At your age, what, fourteen? Yes, you should know a fair few. I just need to see how you can handle it."
"Oh, Ollivander, I'm sure that won't be necessary," Molly cut in, beginning to usher us away from the desk and pulling her purse out. "Dumbledore has given his consent."
Obviously discomforted, he nevertheless agreed and took the money from Molly.
Leaving Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron, a mantra was spinning in my head, dazed with the weight of my wand – my wand – in my pocket.
Did the wand make a witch or wizard?
A party was being thrown in place for dinner for the new prefects. I was all too happy to slink in the shadows as everyone mingled with each other, but still latching onto the twins. Instead of spending their last evening before school fooling everyone with tricks and pranks, they were huddled in a corner with Mundungus, the little odd ginger one. His shifty eyes put me on nerves, especially when they settled on me a little too long. His gaze blurred between wondering what I looked like underneath my clothes or what things I could have possibly stashed on my person for him to nick. Neither option was appealing.
Harry came over soon after with a nod of acknowledgment. I was forgotten to all the boys again. It made little difference. I couldn't keep track of the goings on of their business.
I was pleasantly surprised when Moody shrugged off having a lesson on the last day. Too sucked in by the party and jovial atmosphere, he said it was worth me taking a break. Without another word he trudged off to the food table. The wand stuck into my thigh through my pocket. I hadn't taken it out since leaving Diagon Alley.
Turning back to the group I found that the twins had disappeared. Mundungus had fled to another corner of the room, leaving Harry and myself standing awkwardly watching the rest of the occupants in the room.
"Hey," I greeted, curling my hair behind my ear.
"Hi."
"You alright?"
Harry nodded, eyes wandering the room. "Yeah. And you?"
"Can't complain. Much."
"…Excited for Hogwarts tomorrow?"
"Still hasn't hit me yet."
The conversation died away as the white noise from around the room came into focus. With stiff steps, Harry turned and left. I didn't blame him. If there was an opportunity to get away from myself then I'd take it with both hands.
Feeling suffocated in the bursting room I was about to leave to a deserted area of the house when Remus waved me over. I joined him by Sirius and Moody.
"Ella." His smile was crooked and sweet.
"Hello, Remus."
Sirius pulled out a seat and patted it, showing off his wicked grin.
"Thanks." The wand dug deeper into my skin as I sat down. I shoved it to the side until it was bearable. "Hi, Sirius."
"Where's your other half?" he inquired, searching around the room for the twin heads of red hair.
"Doing what's good for him and staying well away from you." A tug at the corner of my lip revealed a smirk. Sirius was always good for a laugh. I soon realised that it was easy being around him when you stopped thinking. He emitted a carefree aura, one that I absorbed like a sponge and mimicked. It was a shame I only had the slight surge in confidence when we were together with Remus.
His hand gripped his shirt over his heart. "Ouch! Such words bite me with venom. Do you behave this way with your boyfriend?"
"I'm not his pet."
"Does he punish you?"
"I'm not a child."
"What's tha' shit coming out your mouth?" Moody growled, thumping Sirius on the back of his head. Recognising the shadows and highlight in his eyes, I could only imagine what was on Sirius's mind.
"Leave her alone, Padfoot," Remus said. He offered me a bottle of cool butterbeer. I declined.
"We're on good terms now, Moony, let me have my fun before I'm starved of her presence. Fuck, these kids are leaving tomorrow. What am I going to do all day, then?"
"Going to miss us?"
He snorted in his wolfish way. "Miss seeing your knickers in the laundry, that's what."
"I'm underage. I declare paedophilia."
"No, I won't miss you." His voice rose, and I could have sworn a slight flush took over his usual pallor, hidden by his dark hair. He looked otherwise unruffled. "But, y'know…it'll be quiet. I'll have to find other ways to keep myself occupied."
My heart went out to him. After all those years stuck in an isolated prison with only the company of shrill screams and greedy demons, he was thrust into another prison. Even if it was his home it wasn't at all homely. It reeked of dusty ghosts living within the walls, mocking him every second. And he would have to bare it alone from tomorrow with very little company to keep his sanity intact.
"I called you over to tell you about your new role at Hogwarts," Remus started, crossing his legs. "Your Hogwarts letter enrols you as an official student. Under normal circumstances you would have had to go to Dumbledore's office before the sorting begins to get sorted in privacy. However, Dumbledore has allowed for you to remain in the company of Gryffindors. It's up to you whether you'd like to move into the Gryffindor tower – there is a bed assigned to you if you so wish with the other sixth year girls, although you would be continuing with your fourth year curriculum. If not, you may stay in your dorm in the kitchen dorms."
Moody carried on in his no nonsense, blunt way. "Your lessons will be continued in the same way. You are to meet with your professors one to one, with the exception of Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"What does that mean?"
"Your new professor has been informed of your condition but still demands her lessons be met accordingly. You are to be in her class with the other sixth years."
"But I've yet to do my fourth year exams."
Remus fidgeted. "Your professor demands you to catch up."
"What? That'll be three years of knowledge - it's insane. Do I have to? And I barely even know anyone."
"Well get to know them. And don't do anything out of line." There was something about his magical eye stilling that had my skin prickling.
"I can't do the practical." My voice was but a mumble. They still heard me.
"Yes, you can, Ella," Remus said, squeezing my knee. "You'll have the twins there to practice with. And McGonagall has even offered to give you extra lessons."
"God, I feel like this year is going to be a bitch," I groaned, my fingers raking over my scalp.
"Can you feel it coming in the air tonight?" Sirius sang.
A shout met our ears. It wasn't so loud as to silence the rest of the room, but it was near. Scrambling up the stairs I first noticed the room the sound came from. Looking in from the outside had me stumbling the last few steps, recalling the incident when we were playing hide and seek. The second thing that caught my attention was the horrific sight of Molly on the ground, her dead family before her as Harry watched on.
Remus was the first to act. His wand was out within seconds as he cast riddikulus. Even after the corpses disappeared the image of the lifeless twins were fixed into my mind.
The carriage ride was over too quickly and before I knew it we were back in Hogwarts. It seemed like the summer was but a distant memory as we walked into the Great Hall.
"Our last first day back," George noted, taking his seat beside Fred at the Gryffindor table.
"Better make every day count," Fred smirked, eyeing the students filling the Hall.
"You lot better not forget about me once you're out of here," I said.
"Never!" They cried in unison.
Fred looped his arm around my neck, bringing my face within inches of his. His breath ghosted over my skin before his lips locked onto mine. I sighed into the kiss, feeling starved of his touch and affection. With Molly's probing gaze at Grimmauld Place, their business plans and my magic lessons we hadn't had much time to ourselves. His other hand came up, fingers grazing along my cheekbone down to my jaw where he angled my face and delved further into my lips. It was a mind blowing kiss.
In the back of my mind I was aware of being in the Great Hall with all the other students and professors taking their seats. I was never much for public displays of affection. But all I could focus on was his moist lips slanted over mine as he made up for time wasted. My hands rested on his neck and chest as his began to wander. Delicious heat surrounded me and my lungs grew weak. We ignored the sounds of gagging and the giggles and the groans. A loud hem, hem, grated my nerves. We ignored that too.
Fred's head snapped back as he hissed through his teeth, his hand flying to the back of his neck. I jumped back before turning his head to see.
"Sorry," I apologised, thinking I had tugged too hard on his hair. I still wasn't used to the short length.
"It wasn't you," he said.
George nudged him and nodded to the front where the professors and other members of staff sat. Sitting upright like a rod was jammed up her arse was a tubby, toady looking woman. If that wasn't bad enough, the abundance of pink nearly blinded me among the row of dark cloth. Her small eyes smirked down at us. She tutted, shaking her head.
"Who the hell is that?" Fred groused, his hand now sitting on my thigh.
"Our new victim." George's voice curved with his grin.
"DADA?"
"Holy shit, she's teaching DADA?" Fred had to hold back a laugh. "Her face would scare even Voldy away, that's for sure."
"He'd probably disappear for another decade just to get his vision back."
"I'm actually glad I have to suffer being in a class with her," I said, finally turning away from the pink eye sore. "I don't know if I could have managed being taught by her alone."
"You definitely dodged a curse on that one," Fred agreed, lacing our fingers together. It always surprised me how open he was with his emotions.
If her appearance wasn't bad enough, her interrupting Dumbledore during his speech had everyone seething. Even McGonagall's distaste of the woman showed plainly on her face.
The twins continued to throw their own commentary during the pink demon's – Professor Umbridge's – lecture. Lee snickered behind his hand from across the table.
"Coming to Gryffindor?" Fred asked as everyone got to their feet once the introductions were over, ready to reacquaint with friends and prepare for lessons.
"Sure," I nodded, taking his hand.
Being in a uniform that fit me with the Gryffindor colours helped make me fit into the crowd. Less people stared from the previous year, when even the twins' too big robes attracted attention. Some even smiled. Passing a gaggle of girls whispering about us still being together – a record for the Weasley twin. Was there tension over the summer? Had we matured our relationship? Who exactly was I and how did I come to meet Fred let alone grab his fancy?
Who the fuck cared?
I recognised a girl step away from the group and approach Fred.
"Hey, stranger," she smiled prettily, batting her eyes and swaying from side to side.
"Oh, you," was his response. I hid a smirk.
"How was your summer? I didn't hear from you at all."
"I was busy with my girlfriend."
Her lips twitched. "I see. You still could have owled for a friendly chat."
Fred leaned heavily on one foot, his hand holding mine pulling me almost in front of him. Melissa didn't get the picture. "I have friends for that."
Before he even fully ended his sentence he dragged me through the hallway and up to the stairs that led to Gryffindor tower.
"Merlin, that girl needs to get laid, and not by me."
"I must admit, she's got taste."
He kissed my temple. "Mine's better."
"Don't get all sappy on me, I don't want my uniform ruined on the first day."
"How about I take it off of you, then?" His voice was husky as he breathed into my ear. My heart thumped. This wasn't his usual teasing.
"Bloody ace!" George exclaimed, shoving between us. "I got the poster ready for the noticeboard and the girls said they'd meet us in the common room. Damn, the girls in our year have changed over the summer."
"Changed how?"
Lee ran up in front of us and walked backwards. "Alicia has the hottest tan, Angelina's even fitter, Katie's boobs –" Lee's hands cupped the air a decent bit away from his body; his mouth widened into a circle, mouthing "wow."
"Katie's not in our year," Fred corrected.
"She still counts."
The journey continued with Lee and George naming all the girls they had seen that had improved over the summer holidays. Soon we arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady. George gave her the password, and as soon as we entered they sauntered straight towards the noticeboard where they pinned up their poster.
Wearing the Gryffindor colours and emblem made me lost in the sea of the other students in the House, but it did nothing to make me feel part of their family. A strong urge to go down to the kitchen and meet the elves twisted my intestines. I needed to go down and see them, find out how they were and what they did during the summer. They were familiar company and I felt more at ease with them than the students I was pretending to be like.
Fred, George, Lee, Alicia, Angelina and Katie claimed their positions on the sofas, catching up. Fred winked across the room, tilted his head as an order to go to them. Upon reaching them he pulled me down into his lap, resting his chin on my head and rubbing my leg with his thumb. It appeared they were done admiring Katie's newly developed breasts – which were rather impressive, I admit – and had now moved onto Alicia's holiday to Thailand. She divulged of a summer romance with hot sex, sunny beaches and sharp drinks. Just by looking at her she seemed more of an adult.
"You staying here tonight?"
"…No. I want to see the elves."
"Sure?"
"Yeah."
He didn't press any further. A quiet response of, "my bed's always open for you," was all he offered. Everyone inquired as to their whereabouts during the summer. That was when Harry got into it with another student.
The first day back and already shit was going down.
I wondered if I was more like Harry or the elves.
You know how for the last update I put in the AN that I hoped this year was pleasant? I'm working on it. Not going too well as you can probably tell by this looooooong wait. I've been dilly dallying for a while with this. I hope it's good?
Thank you to the Cloti fanfiction I read in a day that gave me the urge to finish this at 2.28am. Don't you just love it when you read something so fantastically written and plotted that you feel the need to express your own story as well?
Also, I was looking back at some old chapters a while ago and thanks for still reading even though a lot had no point to them and were a load of bollocks. I would say watch this space because I might edit it but I honestly can't see that happening. So thanks for sticking with this, I guess. Almost 50,000 views! I never imagined something I wrote would ever be read by so many people all over the world. You guys!