Chapter 9

Tracey swore loudly; she couldn't help but feel really annoyed with Pansy. The girl was almost too much, not quite to her older standards but Tracey really hoped that she could be tougher and thicker skinned like she was when they'd jousted insults. She guessed there were some real horrors in her life though and that was something that went a long way to make the girl clam up so quickly.

She kicked at the floor as she walked, there was a misting of silver speckled fog growing around the follow through which happened often. The castle ghosts had a large room not too far from here where they met, and it played havoc with temperature spikes in the dungeon with sudden cold snaps. Soon visibility was only six or seven feet ahead, this was made up of the sudden glowing made by the sparse, intermittent candles. The place was often unearthly, and the fog made the silence feel thick.

Tracey stilled as she heard a rustling up ahead. Her hand automatically went to her wand in her robes pocket and then it grew into a loud clattering of what she thought were raised angry voices. The sounds became clearer until Tracey was sure it was just the one voice, and still as angry as it sounded, she stowed her wand back away on recognising its owner.

"And there is no way…absolutely no way I am going to shi-...", Pansy came out of the swirling fog rambling on to herself, "…-on you after how you've been with me". She came flying out of the silver soup and her arms wrapped up around Tracey's shoulders as they pulled each other in. "Not wasting the best thing that's happened to me because I'm insecure", Pansy continued to mutter to herself.

"Will you stop", Tracey choked back a laugh, she noted the welling in the back of her throat, realising a little cry had threatened to overwhelm her, "bloody mental you", she whispered into Pansy's hair, shocked at how happy she was to have the girl come running back to her.

"I'm so sorry".

"You should be", Tracey whined whacking the girl on her shoulder. "I'm deeply impressed though".

They walked on for another five minutes in relative silence. They'd seemed to forgive each other automatically. They had linked arms again and were strolling on when Pansy, who was shocked into how easily they had fallen right back into step after such a big wobble thought to fill the silence. "Knut for your thoughts", she said softly as a wave of paranoia hit her, she was almost desperate to know what damage it might have caused between them.

"Just thinking how much of a pain in the arse you are", Tracey eyed her but smiled, "In all honesty I'd just thought about how well I think we fared, us surviving our first fight I mean".

"I think that's why I came back", Pansy pulled a face, "I got some way ahead and thought, your marching back to the Common Room alone when you could have someone on your arm, someone who's put you first all day".

The sentiment that was in it threatened to make Tracey well up again, but she appreciated hearing it. "I think someone who's had to live as you have deserved a bit of wiggle room when it comes to trust".

"I trust you", Pansy admitted quietly.

Pansy stopped and Tracey had to turn to look down at her, she had said it so flatly, so matter of factly. "God's Pansy you're going to set me off", she took a breath and smiled, "yeah…yes", she nodded, "I trust you too, completely". She smiled as they walked on, "I think we've adopted each other".

Pansy laughed, Tracey's words lingered though, and she realised she'd given Tracey so much but asked her so little. She felt as though she now knew that she wasn't the main character in everyone else's story as she once narcissistically thought she should be.

The comment of adopting made Pansy think of family. As they walked on Pansy said, "can I ask what it was like for you at home, growing up I mean".

The question threw Tracey, but she felt Pansy was being considerate after all the details she'd heard of her life. It was a welcome question. She was wary about being too honest with Pansy so's not to upset her with the contrast of their upbringing but decided she also wanted to be honest. It was a hard subject for Tracey though and not something she'd opened up about to just anyone.

She told her how she came from a very caring household; it was a very fun and carefree kind of place. A place she'd been allowed to grow up young but surrounded by the kind of language and atmosphere that might be considered unfit for a child. Where very dark humour and over the top ribbing were commonplace. She'd enjoyed her childhood and it had worked for her. She'd grown up respectful and bright but with enough about her to hold her own at a young age.

"Well, you'll know I'm a filthy half-blood", she eyed Pansy with a smile. "My mother's a witch and my father was a muggle, but you wouldn't know it, he fully embraced mum's and my gifts and often complained that he had to walk to the fridge if he wanted a drink unlike us", she laughed. Tracey's arm slipped from simply linking onto Pansy's, to sliding through to hold her tightly. "You know, I can still remember a game my parent's used to play when I was tiny. It would make me laugh so much I was almost sick. He would bang about and make a fuss over needing to walk to the other end of the room and, oh I don't know, grab a hairbrush or something. Only that when he'd get to it and go to grab it, mother would summon it over to us and he'd chase after it screaming and shouting.", Tracey laughed. "I'd be a giggling mess, he'd bang back over to the other side for hair bobbles or clips and he'd get there, reach out and they'd come zooming over out of reach. He'd swear and flap about and I'd scream laughing".

Pansy felt Tracey holding her so tightly and she realised in that moment it wasn't her that she was holding onto. She hadn't skipped a single word and when Tracey spoke of her father in the past tense Pansy stilled.

There was a moment, it raged on for only a few seconds and yet felt endless all at once. Pansy heard it in Tracey's throat rather than saw anything of her that suggested she was struggling. "Is he?" Pansy spited herself for allowing her words to come out, her curiosity getting the better of her. She'd had no idea.

"Yes", Tracey whispered, "two years ago, he erm…".

Pansy's arms pulled her in so fast it was likened to a serpent striking. She hated that she'd done it and asked the question, but she really cared. And because she cared she had to know if it meant she be able to support Tracey, just as she had already done for her.

"Ginny, I don't know what's gotten into you but why would you talk to me like that", Hermione sounded hurt.

"It was pretty childish I suppose", Ginny's words sounded no less rude than earlier, but she did consider Hermione for a moment with a pleasant enough look on her face. "Any way", she pointed at Ron over dramatically, "Ron…Parkinson, remember", she waved her hands in the air childishly getting them to look at him and not her, "…discuss".

George spoke up first, "Gin?", he said slowly, "what are you doing?"

"Yeah", came Fred, "we know this, we've seen this". He took a chair from a table and turned it backwards sitting down, "we know you, your more destructive than we are when it comes to having a row. Why are you picking a fight with Hermione".

"Why…" Ginny retorted, an amount of humour in her voice, "isn't anyone rounding on this one for getting it on with Parkinson".

"What's it got to do with anyone", Ron finally found his voice. He too was stunned into staying quiet like the others, but he'd understood his brother's words as they were saying it, it mirrored his own thoughts. 'she's winding herself up for a fight', he thought.

"Oh Ron…", Hermione sounded wounded and when he looked at her face she was pained. "Please don't tell me it's honestly true, you've been flirting with that…that monster".

"Hermi…", he turned to her feeling at a loss, "I…". He didn't know what to say. How could he tell the girl he'd been best friends with, and fallen for, that he was happy he'd spent hours in Potion's getting that kind of attention off someone who relished in making her miserable.

"It's a bit…", Harry frowned, "weird mate".

George had seated himself next to Fred, both sat leaning forward on the backs of the chairs they perched on. "Mate", he ribbed his twin in the ribs with his elbow, "she has gone proper tidy over the summer though…have you seen her".

Fred laughed but Hermione hissed, "Boys!", there was a mock tone to her voice like their mothers, but she couldn't replicate it like their sister could naturally. Ron snorted a laugh too and Hermione eyed him sourly. "Ron do you not understand how upsetting this makes me feel, she's been a staple of bullying and pure vile in this school… to me, to poor Neville". She looked down to Ginny, "even to you Ginny, even you must agree with me on that".

Ginny eyed her silently for a moment smiling and sat upright in her chair. It was then that Ron realised how dark it was in the room, lit by a handful of floating candles and small fireplace. His sister looked positively haunting in the dark corner of the room. "I do agree actually Hermione", and this time she sounded gentle. "I think that she's utterly horrible and I really don't understand what's got into my brother". She coughed, "brothers, for that matter if that's the way their tastes are going". She sighed sadly. "But unfortunately, and completely besides the fact that these two", she glanced at the twins, "will just be pissed off they didn't bring popcorn…".

"Already are", they chimed.

"I've been acting the cow with you because were all family…", she bit her lip sombrely, ignoring the confusion on Hermione's face, a large part of her saddened that it had come to this, "and you never want to really fight with family without psyching yourself up, otherwise it's just too painful". She eyed Hermione, "so I'm glad you've scolded my brother again for whatever it was he's been doing with Parkinson. Because at the end of the day it's got nothing to do with us, what he gets up to…and it makes it all the easier to out you and Harry for going together behind Ron's back".

"We make a bloody pair, we do", Tracey sighed as they walked slowly on. The two of them still joined at the hip and linked by their arms.

An unknown amount of time had past by while Tracey quietly wept in her friends' arms. Pansy was no closer to knowing what had happened to her father as nothing more was said, and Pansy wouldn't push it any further. She imagined this was what it must have been like for Tracey all day with her.

"You know", Pansy found her voice with her, she spoke strongly too, full of a confidence that she didn't have until she felt this need to 'be there for her'. "I was just thinking this is how you must of felt all day with me", continuing on in stride they were close to leaving the Follow Through and rejoining the main route, now intending on getting a little to eat at least. Tracey eyed her as Pansy went on, "delicate subjects, not wanting to pry but needing to know for the sake of each other. It just occurred to me, why think it when I can actually say it".

"And what 'are' you saying". Tracey raised a quizzical brow.

Pansy sighed, "we do make a right bloody pair!"

They both laughed and Tracey whacked her, "So the point of that was?"

"Well", Pansy gave her arm a squeeze, "I can't think of anything more horrible for us to talk about, same with my stuff you've discovered recently", she added quickly hoping she didn't wrongly come across as being insensitive. "But if it means knowing you more to be able to support you, then I can't think of anything I'd rather talk about, when the time comes".

Tracey sniffed, "and that…", she said gently, draping her arm over Pansy's shoulder and pulling her close, "…is why we became friends".

They made it to the great hall with a pace that deliberately slowed them down enough to regain control of themselves and, as much as they could, how they looked with the excess of tears they had shed. This meant that when they got there though there was maybe an hour left before the tables would clear and it would almost be time for everyone to make their way to their houses. Neither of them could say where the time had gone, and Pansy could swear it was one of her longest short walks to dinner she'd had.

When they reached the table, they were surprised to see Harrier, Liza and Farah still there. They all stood up when they saw them, a look of worry on their faces.

"Cancel the search party then?", Liza said with a worried expression.

Pansy inwardly pulled a face as she eyed Tracey, not completely sure a good ribbing on this occasion was best from the girls. She assumed naturally they knew of course; they had been her friends a lot longer than Pansy had. But in this situation, the potential for so many eyes to be on her if she got upset again. She sighed quietly then fixed her face with resolve.

"Oh pay no attention to this one", Pansy declared with a good amount of drama. She walked past them all and went to sit where they had just been sitting, "she's just pissy I wouldn't give her all the details about getting hot for Weasley in potions", she spoke loud enough that only they would hear but there was no hiding her sass.

All their heads snapped to look at her. Tracey had genuine disbelief plastered over her face as she heard Pansy. Harrier, Liza and Farah obviously also had a genuine disbelief to what they'd heard but they were in shock at the news entirely, Tracey was in shock she'd offered it so freely.

Harrier swore, "get out!" she said, the biggest of grins on her face, "you lie!"

Liza and Farah rushed to sit by her. Tracey sat opposite Pansy and stared at her with newfound admiration but quickly took the hint and hid herself behind the drama. "Afraid not girls", she said with her voice getting stronger as she did, "I saw the whole thing. To be honest, another half hour and I think she'd of had him under the table".

"No", Liza shook her head, "there having us on".

They all began to look round the hall, expecting to see Weasley sat at his table then the three turned back to them, "Oh gods you weren't here were you", Farah said excitedly. "This is weird, so all the Red's started getting excited and all the Weasley's were getting into it with that Irish boy in Potter's year…".

Tracey and Pansy eyed each other but continued to listen As Farah went on, "then he's gone and challenged Potter's mate Weasley…well your Weasley I guess", Pansy gave her a dangerous look, "challenged him to House Court and well…they never came back".

"But…", Liza took over, "a load of them came back down complaining and Maisy Trount, that girl from the Gob Stone's club", she pointed over her shoulder at a little Slytherin first year girl taking in the chance to have so many hang off her words. "She's been over to one of the Gryffindor members and they told her that Ginny Weasley has gone mental up there. Apparently she shut them all out and threatened half the Reds with her wand and told them to do one".

Pansy looked over at the Gryffindor's, again no sign of Weasley, only now the pit of her stomach sagged a little but she pulled herself back, "so then what?".

Farah stepped in, "well she also told us that she dragged the Irish one…".

"Finnigan", Tracey and Pansy choired.

"Whatever", Farah shrugged, "apparently, she dragged him in the room and cursed his arse something rotten. But he came down twenty minutes ago and looked fine so not sure how much is true. Didn't half look sheepish when he got back down though, wouldn't answer any questions when they all meithered him".

"Its you", Harrier said through a piercing gaze that she had fixed on Pansy.

"What!".

Harrier leaned in speaking quietly so only they could hear, "no listen, it has to be. You said you were getting hot for Weasley right? and you", she looked at Tracey, "said you saw it all? One of the oldest no no's in the book that, a Red and a Green. Maybe little Irish got a stick up his arse and started mouthing off".

"Rubbish", but Pansy didn't sound so sure.

"Could be?" Tracey suggested.

"So, this lot all know?" Pansy hissed, panicked.

"Bloody Merlin! Its true", Liza hissed, now reading Pansy and Tracey's faces, "You were flirting with Weasley, for real".

"Have you seen him recently", Harrier questioned them, "puberty's been hitting that boy with a stick. You're tapping into some undiscovered potential there".

"Yes well", Pansy had heard enough to start making her pale skin blush a deep rose, "it was just a bit of fun and nothing more, ever!" she added.

"Don't be so quick to knock it", Harrier said with a wink, "besides", she leaned forward speaking more quietly, "were not like the others. Were not going to wind you up or give you a hard time and not just because he's a red". She gave her a kind smile, "you've no need to impress and you don't need to spill all to us. But you chose to tell us and that's, that's pretty amazing all things considered".

Pansy smiled back at her.

She went on to fill them in with as much detail as she dared without going into areas she didn't need or only felt like being so honest with Tracey. But soon she was yawning and Tracey too looked like she was ready to drop and the five made there way back to Slytherin house. All the time Pansy daydreaming of her warm comfy bed and the realisation this day had been far longer than she needed.

"I've only got Bean's", whispered Fred.

"Bertie Bots?", George asked.

"Is there any other kind!" Fred shook his head, "well what have you got?"

George put his hands in his pockets rummaging, "this Honey Dukes mix and some Fire Fudge", he whispered back.

The twins had pulled their chairs back into one of the corners of the room, pooling their sweets together in the absence of any popcorn and enjoyed watching the fireworks.

Ron was stood by the small fireplace, kicking a small piece of coal back and forward just under his foot. He was hardly even aware of the shouting going on behind him that was Ginny and Hermione coming to verbal blows. Harry stood frustratedly trying to stay in between them with a watchful eye on Ron for what he felt was an explosion waiting to happen.

"How could you just blurt that out and expect me to take it any other way than being thoroughly angry with you".

"How can you stand there and even act like you've got anything to be angry for when you know you're the one in the wrong and should be apologising".

"I've got absolutely nothing to apologise for, my personal life is my business, I've done nothing wrong".

"WILL YOU BOTH JUST STOP", Harry pleaded between the two.

"BOO Harry", whispering, George laughed to Fred, out of earshot of the others.

"Yeah Harry", Fred sniggered back to his twin with a laugh only he could hear, "don't throw water on a perfectly good bonfire".

"Why have you done this Ginny for Heaven's sake!".

Ginny paused staring at her, she briefly glanced at Ron. She was shocked by his lack of reaction, she suspected she was only getting rowdy with Hermione to strike something in him and get him to engage, it was worrying. "Ok", she said putting her hands up, "I'll concede, was this the best thing to do, probably not".

"Then why!" Hermione now pleading, sounded very choked up, she too kept darting worried looks at Ron.

Ginny backed away and sat back in her chair in the corner, sinking in, she appeared half complacent, half menacing. "Fine, I've known since you two were careless enough to have me walk in on you both snogging at the Headquarters. Snuffles' study room is my place to get away to, not the best place for what you two were getting up to". She glanced at Ron, a fist now balled tight, and she regretted her words. It forced her to soften. "And I hoped then that you'd tell Ron at least considering he's…", she stopped, and met Hermione's eyes both a worried look and one of pleading, not wanting to say the words out loud.

Hermione again glanced at Ron, noticing his tense frame. She knew though, she knew what Ginny wouldn't say and she knew it was true. She'd always felt a pull between her and Ron. A line she suspected would lead them to collide eventually. "But", she said quietly, "we never planned this, we never saw…'this', coming for either of us. It just happened and…", she looked to Harry, an ache in her chest felt like it pulled her to him even harder. "I couldn't say no to it". Again, she stopped, looking at the ground near Ron's feet almost too scared to look up at him now.

Ron was hearing the words and it was all sinking in, each bit of it landing a blow. But the whole time he felt absent from the room, outside looking in and it stemmed the anger in him. His thoughts kept phasing him in and out of the moment, threatening to bring him into the fray. Harry, "how could he?". Hermione "how?"

Ron gritted his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut with his face turned away, fists balled. "I don't want to think about this…". The anger in him wouldn't stop threatening and he wanted to turn and fire his thoughts at Harry and Hermione, at Ginny for telling him, his brothers because they likely deserved it for something they had probably done. Then his foremost thought repeated over again and again, "but you can't, their all you have".

A whisper of something else struck him and he felt that similar urge he'd had all day, "just go with it". But the thought brought a flash in his mind. A flash of images of when he'd last chosen that same approach. Those images, of delicate, deep lips on deathly white skin. The image clattered him from his train of thought and brought more that began to fill his head. A girl leaning up to meet him, her eyes never leaving his as she whispered something about keeping score. Her hand touching his and the electricity he felt as she stilled against his touch.

Absent mindedly he smiled to himself, the dark look on his face remaining but now grinning as Pansy pushed her way into his head demanding attention. "Go on then Weasley", she purred with a sparkle in her glowing amber eyes, "just go with it".

The room fell silent as Ron cleared his throat evenly, "I think I'm going to go get some practice in, Quidditch trials are in a few weeks".

Hermione and Ginny were stopped in their tracks, exchanging a look of disbelief while still trying to remain angry with one another. They both turned to glare at Harry, gesturing to Ron. Harry looked around in a panic, his eyes found Fred and George, he glared at them trying to pass the buck. He waved his hands at them manically behind Rons back when he strode past them without another word.

Fred coughed, his mouth full, "naw…Won…on't go yet"

George too was choaking to swallow what was in his mouth, "err…Raw-On…it's jus getting guud", he waved his hands at him as Ron got to the door and pulled it open.

Ron left, without slamming the door or causing any further ruckus. The other three all turned and glared at the twins.

"What", George demanded finally swallowing, "wait…you three are angry at us...us!"

Fred jumped in, "you expected us to be the voices of reason? Us? You lot of all people, what did you expect?"

"Meh" George agreed, tipping more sweets into his mouth, "wot he sed!"

"Bertie Bots Bean's anyone", Fred offered out the bag.

Moments later, without any remorse, Ron caught his Cleansweep Eleven in mid-air as a group of third years screamed, diving to duck under it. He'd summoned it from his dormitory which was highly frowned upon considering the dangers and likely damage such acts could cause. But with no idea as to what had happened after the drama that brought everyone to Gryffindor tower and his sudden stormy appearance, no one dared question him as he disappeared out the portrait hole.

A short time later Ginny came out looking for him, she had just had to fight Harry back to keep him from going with her. She didn't think he could do anything to help the situation. She'd been expecting to run out the castle to catch him so was surprised when she found him stood in front of her as she came out.

Ron had his back to her, he was leaning against the railing that looked down onto the grand staircase, his broom stood in the crook of his arm.

"Thought it would be you", he said quietly.

Ginny stopped next to him, leaning forward as he did, she eyed him carefully. "How can you just leave like that?"

He chuckled and it sent a shiver down her spine, "I don't have to stay there and listen to you lot when I can just leave".

She shook her head, "but aren't you…".

"Of course I am!" he snapped viciously. It made her recoil and Ron had to take a moment. "But I don't have to deal with it, with any of you".

"But how!" she whined.

Ron turned to her, now propping himself on his broom and leaning his head on his arms, he sighed. "This wasn't just about me was it". She looked down at her feet and remained silent for a long moment until she began to make soft sniffing noises, she gave her head a shake. Ron placed an arm round her neck and pulled her in, his chin resting on her head. "I thought I was the thick one, maybe it's just blokes in general", he said softly.

"I've waited years for him to notice me", Ginny sniffed into his neck.

"I'm sorry Gin".

"I just didn't want it to go on any longer, I know how you feel about Hermione and if it would hurt me knowing then I didn't know what it would do to you if it kept going behind your back". She sniffed again, trying to regain herself. "Then that business with Finnigan and I saw how you were…and I thought, if there's any truth in this. I knew how Hermione would be and I just couldn't stand her giving you crap over anyone when she's kept this from you". She dropped her head again and Ron could see she was as upset over fighting with Hermione as she was over the cause. "And I just thought, there's no way I can bite my lip and keep quiet, but I didn't want it coming out in public and embarrassing us".

"You should tell her that", Ron suggested.

Ginny lowered herself to his more placid level, "but, how, how are you so calm about this. I mean, its you, Mr Hot Head". She glanced at him, "but you're not even bothered".

Ron sighed, knowing he was angry somewhere within him, "Because I love them", he softly explained carefully. "And so do you! Its why we're not throwing fists in a tiny room, it's why I can up and leave and you feel so bad now". He huffed quietly, "those two bloody pillocks are the only two things that have ever mattered as much to me as you and the rest of our effing tribe has".

Ginny made to argue but when she couldn't she gave him a half inch shoulder barge in annoyance. The two stayed where they were, oblivious to the fact that student after student were eyeing them suspiciously as the last dregs came up from the Great Hall.

"And your wrong by the way", as Ron spoke, she looked up at him, "I don't think you know how I feel about her…I don't think I knew in all honesty". She made to speak but he hushed her gently, "I don't doubt how you feel for Harry, but funny enough its only recently I've been questioning just how much I really like her in, that, way. I'm just not convinced I ever did now", he added flatly.

She scoffed in response, "Ron you like Hermione", she wasn't asking.

He pulled a face, "I liked her", he tried to argue. "But here's the thing, she's all I ever had. Well, her and you, but I'm pretty sure neither of us want kisses anymore now were not three and four". She hit him but he carried on, "I've been bricking this year, I felt like I knew this was the year I tell her how much I like her in…alright, yes, that way". He smiled at her smug look, "but when we got here, I felt it, Harry and Hermione, I knew it was going on and I kept rationalising it as a load of rubbish". "Then I'd hate the two of them in my head for the long glances I was seeing or odd way they were always stood so close, then I'd hate myself for thinking that way about my best mates". He gave his sister a side glance, unsure how much he wanted to admit to. "And then I felt what it was like to really feel my stomach turn for someone and my blood pump and…well its just not what I felt for Hermione". "Look, I'm pissed", he said flatly, "but its just shock and hurt about being kept in the dark, but I know its just not what I thought it was for her anymore".

Ginny respected his honesty, and strangely, almost sickeningly she felt a pinch of over protectiveness for any girl coming onto her brother. She shook off that feeling straight away, not wanting to be involved. But again, she was questioning where this maturity in him had come from.

"So…now what, you're just going to disappear off to play Quidditch in the dark and ignore them".

"No, I'm going to disappear off to play Quidditch in the dark and ignore everyone", he corrected her.

"You can't ignore everyone".

"I'm pretty sure given enough time I'll be found arguing with Hermione and taking the piss out of the world with Harry like the gods intended", he said evenly, "but there's no way I'm sitting through awkward silences and dramatic apologies. They did what they did, or, they've been doing, I guess, whatever they've been doing. And really its none of our business, all we can do is manage how we feel and what were going to do about it". He smiled to himself, "and I'm going to replay the image of a girl who hung on my every word and looked at me like I was made of precious metals until I feel better and eventually, hopefully…with any luck, we'll all fall back in line". "But until then, you bet your arse I can ignore the world".

"It's that easy?"

"It's that easy", he squeezed her shoulder.

"I've no idea what's got into you", She said almost in awe. She gave him a sideways glance again and pulled a face with a mild amusement, "my stupid mates all think your dead fit now by the way".

He cocked his head, "good to know", he laughed pulling a suddenly satisfied face, "nice to now I'm hot now". "Not just the minger I used to be", he added sarcastically.

"I said fit, not hot, big head".

Ron gave a casual glance over his shoulder then turned back and lazily kissed the top of her head before dropping his chin to her shoulder. She stilled in shock, "well I'm off…and for what it's worth Harry and Hermione have been stood behind us for Merlin knows how long".

Ginny's face, a picture of shock at the drop of a kiss from her brother now froze with the same look as she glanced back and saw them both stood with almost the same expression. Clearly in equal parts awe, as she had been listening to her brother and then watching him leave with his broom over his shoulder.