It was quiet inside the sleepy Weasley home, or at least quieter. The pots were cleaning themselves, a blanket was knitting itself, the house itself creaked as if in welcome to the four boys sneaking in. Fred raised the window undoing the latch on the door, and before the bell hanging on the wall next to it could ring a brown hand smothered it.

"Thanks," Fred whispered before ushering the other three inside.

"She just got up," Clione told them.

Harry was gaping at their home filled to the brim with magic and love. A tall clock caught his eye and he watched little silver spoons bearing Fred, George, and Ron's face wind all the way back to home. All the Weasley's had a spoon, though Bill and Charlie were now always out, he even spotted Clione's.

Her arms were suddenly around him and he turned into her squeezing her tight. "You got taller," she told him, finding the top of his head now stood above her shoulder. He pulled back and watched her smile wilt into something a bit more serious as she looked him over, but her eyes were bright when they found his.

"It's good to see you," Harry told her, finding something he couldn't place looked different about her.

He watched Fred come up behind her and hand her half his scone. That was new, as was the way she took it without rolling her eyes. Feet on the stairs had Clione ducking behind Fred and had Harry turning to see Mrs. Weasley barreling around the corner.

"Where have you been?" she demanded of her three sons and their startled guest. She gave Harry a warm greeting before turning back to the other three. "Beds empty! No note! Car gone! You could've died – you could've been seen!" Her stern face softened as she turned back to Harry. "Of course, I don't blame you, Harry, dear."

Ron tried to explain that the Dursley's were starving him and keeping him locked in his room, but Mrs. Weasley wouldn't have it. As a reward for their adventure they would be de-gnoming the garden, something Harry didn't understand but all three Weasley boys groaned at.

Fred reached behind him and dragged Clione out and held her in front of him. "Clio was in on it too."

Her mouth opened before she'd thought of something to say. She looked at the now less angry woman and told her innocently, "I've never done anything wrong in my life."

Molly smiled as she reached a hand to the girl's chin. "I know, dear. Go sit." She turned to Harry with a similar warmth, and like Clione Harry tried to soak it all in. "Come on, Harry, time for a spot of breakfast."

Molly bustled into the kitchen to begin cooking, Ron gave Harry a tour, and Clione turned to Fred and stuck her tongue out at him before helping Mrs. Weasley with breakfast. While Ron and Harry went upstairs so Ron could show him around, Clione told Mrs. Weasley, "He looks skinnier."

"I think you're right. We'll fatten him up in no time," she told Clione with a gentle hand on her back. It had surprised her to find out the girl was in Slytherin, Clione surprised her further with her good manners. But nothing had surprised Molly more than finding how kind she was; a kindness that quickly revealed itself and blossomed under their care.

Clione had been sandwiched between Fred and George most of that summer, which started after one of the twin's tricks caused a minor explosion that cracked the table. She was currently shoving Fred's arm off her side of the table, and when she finally had room to start eating George's elbow suddenly slid in front of her. The boys shared a laugh over the top of her scarved head before she raised both hands and caught their mouths with her knuckles. There was a moment of quiet before the three of them cracked up laughing as they ate.

The good mood lasted as long as breakfast, then the boys trudged upstairs to change into clothes they could muddy up. Ron was doing his best to explain what de-gnoming was and Fred and George were doing everything as slowly as they could in case their mom might change her mind. She didn't of course. They did however catch Percy beckoning Clione into his room.

"He locks himself in his room all summer not talking to anyone, and suddenly he needs Clio," Fred stated with narrowed eyes. He and George had been working on charming a pair of ears so they could eavesdrop on things, but they still hadn't gotten the sound to come in clearly enough. It would've been good to have for a time like this.

Percy's door was thrown open and the suspicious pair walked into Clione's room, formerly Bill's, and a minute later Percy came out and shut the door behind him. He then shut himself in his own room and all four boys stood in the doorway of Fred and George's room waiting. Clione came out having dressed and chosen a powder blue head scarf. She turned to Fred. "Mind your business."

"I didn't even say anything," he tried telling her, his hands raised in surrender.

She paid him little mind as she knocked on Ginny's door. "Ginny, there's a mission."

The boys had wasted as much time as there was to waste before they shuffled downstairs, Harry at least looking around wide awake and excited. Not long after they started catching and launching the gnomes the girls came outside each holding a glass bottle. Ginny was wearing an olive green scarf that Clione said complimented her coloring, and she stood as tall as she could trying to match Clione's uncomfortable regal posture.

While the boys grabbed gnomes by the ankle and spun them dizzy before launching them over the hedge, the girls wandered around the yard filling their bottles with flowers.

"Oh how lovely," Molly cooed taking the bottle of wildflowers Ginny offered and went to find a place for them.

Clione went upstairs with her bottle of flowers, as blue as her scarf, and knocked on Percy's door. He looked like he might hug her when he saw them, but he gave a curt thanks and waited until she'd stepped away before closing the door.

At both lunch and dinner Harry had been given third helpings so that by the time he went to bed he'd never been so stuffed. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were downstairs, Fred and George were in their room where every so often there'd be a small pop or bang, Ginny was spread across Clione's bed reading the last letter Oliver sent her, and Harry was on his way to brush his teeth when he met Clione coming out of the steamy bathroom. She was running a towel over her hair to dry it and it surprised Harry to find how dark it was. "It's really nice here," she told him softly.

"I've never been anywhere like this." What he really meant was he'd never been anywhere he felt this happy, but he got the feeling she still understood.

"Wanna see something neat?" She waved him into her room and shut the door in case one of the older boys came out of their rooms. Hanging the towel on the back of the door, and ignoring Ginny's bright red face from the bed, she grabbed something off the dresser and sat down.

Harry sat beside her seeing it was a jewelry box with a ballerina on a spring inside. Clione dumped out her jewelry before winding the key at the bottom and setting the box on floor. As the music began playing the little ballerina suddenly came alive and they watched her dance gracefully on the very tips of her feet all around her felted stage. "Mr. Weasley brought it back for me my first week here," Clione told him, a shy smile framing her mouth. Harry got the feeling she was particularly fond of Mr. Weasley. It was nice having someone who understood how special this place was, he only wished he could stay too.

..

After breakfast the next morning they excitedly got dressed to go to Diagon Alley. Mrs. Weasley had their school lists neatly together, having fretted over them the night before with her husband. She looked a bit more chipper that morning though. While the others had been getting ready Clione helped Mrs. Weasley straighten up downstairs.

"I was wondering, since I'm taking all the same classes Percy did and I only really need Lockheart's books, could I buy Percy's books from you?"

The older woman took one look at the girl and knew exactly what she was doing, she'd been trying all summer to find ways to pay them back from taking her in and neither Mr. or Mrs. Weasley allowed it. But the books this year were more than the ones last year, they had five of their own children needing them not counting Clione, and Clione had asked with such hope.

So while they went to Diagon Alley, and Harry sent himself to diagonally, Clione only needed books for one class. "Is it alright if I meet a friend?" she asked when they saw the line at Flourish and Blotts. She was by far the nicest dressed of their group; having chosen a blouse with butterflies on it and a scarf to match one of their wings. It was thought out, deliberate.

Percy had already left them, Fred and George were creeping back planning to run off, but Clione stood with her hands folded in front of her asking politely. "Of course," Molly answered the same time Arthur asked, "is it to meet Gail?" The way Clione pressed her lips together had Arthur shaking his head. "Not the boy who's been writing to you all summer," he said sounding surprisingly, and rarely, firm.

Behind them Ron and George gave a teasing, "ooh," while Fred scowled.

Clione shrugged having a hard time meeting his eye. "He wanted me to meet his parents."

"It's alright, dear," Molly told her with a knowing smile. "And send Harry over if you see him." Clione left giving them both a quick peck to the cheek, and Molly turned to her husband. "Honestly, Arthur, do you think keeping her from seeing him will stop them from dating?"

"It might slow them down." He hadn't had to deal with a girl liking a boy yet, it was a different matter than with sons.

Harry had picked up Hermione on the way to finding the Weasley's, and they got Ron and went to look around. It was different this year getting to explore with his friends, though Hermione did have them actually picking up school items on the way. They found Fred and George in the joke shop with Lee Jordan, who caught sight of Oliver Wood outside and waved him in before Fred could stop him.

Oliver greeted them with a big smile, holding Clione's hand. Her mouth was pursed around a grin as she watched him struggle for something else to say now that the hellos were done. The three boys they'd come to see were waiting expectantly, surprised he hadn't already gone in about what he'd planned for quidditch season. "Lovely weather," he decided.

Clione's laughter bubbled out of her and brightened the room around them. "Oh go ahead, talk to them about quidditch." She was still laughing lightly as she stepped away from him and towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "What have you guys seen so far?"

Hermione rattled off every shop they'd walked past and everything she couldn't wait to use, and if Clione had already seen that Gilderoy Lockheart was going to be their professor. When she was done the boys nodded, and Ron gave a quiet, "what she said."

"What next?" Behind them Oliver was still telling Fred and George about the new training regime he'd devised over the summer.

"We've still got some time before we have to meet at Flourish and Blotts," Harry told her. And maybe by then Mrs. Weasley would be halfway through the line. "It's a warm day, maybe some ice cream?"

Hermione fished around in her small bag for her allowance and Ron seemed to shrink as his ears turned pink. Harry counted the pieces in his coin pouch wondering how he could offer to pay so it wouldn't embarrass Ron. But a warm coin being pressed into Ron's small hand had him looking up to find Clione's gentle eyes, and he turned to his friends telling them proudly, "It's on me."

He led the way out of the shop, but he turned back and waved at Clione through the window. A sharp elbow nudging her side had Clione turning to Fred's unusually sweet face. "It's no wonder you're his favorite," he told her quietly.

She shrugged feeling her face warm under the weight of his stare. "Get tired of quidditch?" she asked, getting the conversation off her.

"Always," he answered without hesitation making her laugh. He'd been getting her to do that more lately. "That's a good color on you," came out of his mouth without warning, but at the slow curling of her mouth he wouldn't have taken it back even if he could. "It's the same color as the dress you wore for the ballet recital." A lovely pale blue.

She'd signed up for classes in town after Mr. Weasley got her the jewelry box, and Mrs. Weasley forced every single one of them to go to the recital a few days ago. Looking up at Fred's bright eyes she understood not all of them had been forced. Her mouth opened and he saw the breath she took to speak.

"Ballet?"

She turned to Oliver looking momentarily startled, as though she'd forgotten he was there. "Yes, it's a dance muggles do. I," she cleared her throat and moved to stand next to him, "I started taking lessons over the summer."

"I thought you didn't like sports," Oliver said with a small smile.

"It's not really a sport," she told him with a shrug. "But I figure I can't date you without doing something athletic."

He chuckled and took her hand again. "We'll see you guys later," he told the three behind him as he led Clione to the door. "So what exactly is ballet?" they heard him ask her. They'd never seen the smile that gave her, at him being interested in something she liked.

Fred wasn't smiling as he watched Oliver hold the door for her. His brows were drawn tight together, his mouth pursed around words he only said in his head – look back at me. She didn't.

..

This time on the train Gail pulled Noemi and Clione into a separate train car from Fred and George, who Clione had been following without thought. As long as Clione and Gail went up a car for the prefect meeting, they'd been permitted to sit where they currently were. Gail was splitting at the seams as Clione stuck her head out when she spotted Mrs. Weasley and beckoned Ginny into their car. Ginny sat as tall as she could with the three fifth year girls, all of whom did well making sure she felt included.

"I've been hearing that a Slytherin girl was spotted holding hands with a Gryffindor boy in Diagon Alley. First of all," Gail said throwing her blonde hair out of her face, "how could you not tell me what day you were going? And second, did Oliver Wood finally ask you to be his girlfriend?"

Clione shrugged not saying anything as she refused to look at her best friend. Beside her came a little giggle. "They wrote to each other all summer."

Clione sucked in a gasp and Ginny laughed harder. "I can't believe you've betrayed me!" Ginny collapsed against her in a fit of laughter feeling the way Clione's shoulders shook.

"They remind me of my sisters," Noemi told Gail, who nodded. Clione had been born lonely, it was really good to see her this happy.

When they got to the train station they climbed off and Clione let Gail and Noemi go on ahead to get a carriage as she herded Ginny and several other nervous first years towards Hagrid. Her head stayed on a constant rotating pivot, and as she left Ginny for the first year boat ride she continued glancing past every face as she made her way to where Gail was waving to her. She stopped a cart early and tugged on Fred's robe sleeve as he sat in a carriage full of Gryffindor's in his year.

"Have you seen Ron and Harry? I don't remember seeing them on the train and I couldn't find them getting off?"

He looked down at her unbearably pretty face wanting to hate her, it'd be easier if he could just hate her. "They're fine, Clio," he told her, sounding sure enough she let go of a breath and nodded.

"I was looking for them too."

Fred sighed at that familiar young voice, feeling Clione's grip on his arm tighten as she turned to Hermione. "I swear," he grumbled to himself as he jumped down from the carriage. "Go on, I'll meet you inside," he told George and his friends.

Clione turned to Fred as if this proved her point, but at the way he stared back with his brows raised she huffed and turned back to Hermione. "Fred says they're fine. Would you like to sit with us?" She ushered Hermione into the carriage where Gail and Noemi waited with Cedric, then she turned holding an arm out to the shy pudgy boy Fred hadn't noticed. "You too, Neville."

Fred climbed in the carriage last and sat nearly on top of Clione on their crowded bench with Neville and Hermione on the other side of her. "Do you have to be everyone's mother?"

She turned and blinked at him a moment before giving a short and simple, "yes." She turned away from him watching the thestrals trot down the path, something she'd learned a couple years ago not everyone could see. But Fred stared at the side of her face a moment longer, and across from them Gail turned wide eyed to Noemi. "I told you so," Noemi mouthed.

Fred hopped down when they drew to a stop and he turned holding a hand out to Clione. She was too busy looking at the students filing inside to notice she was the only one he did that for.

This year the Hufflepuff table sat between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Gail sat with her back directly to Clione's as they talked during dinner. This time it happened that the back of Clione's green scarf was directly in Fred's view.

"She was right," George told him. "Look."

Fred turned to see his brother and Harry peering into the Great Hall, half an hour late. He turned waving to get Gail's attention and pointed behind her. Gail slouched to the side and called to Clione who turned finding Fred. She followed his finger to the doors and let out a big breath at seeing the two boys being found by Filch.

It wasn't until the next morning with the boys sat across from Hermione, who'd done a bad job at ignoring them out of spite for flying a car here, that Clione found them. As soon as he'd seen her coming Ron quickly ducked his head. She was on the other side of the table from them, planning to sit with Gail. But she plopped herself in between Fred and Seamus and glared down at the two guilty looking boys. "I assume you both know how dangerous what you did was."

Ron nodded still not looking at her but Harry gave a small, "yes ma'am." Her prefect badge gleamed in the light, it seemed to taunt them.

"I cannot believe you thought that was a good idea. Mr. Weasley could lose his job. He could be fined."

"But the gate was closed, we thought mom and dad couldn't get back to us," Ron tried but he wilted her stern gaze.

Behind her Fred chimed in, "it was wicked." Her elbow dug into his side and he quickly corrected himself. "We're very disappointed in you."

Clione took a breath as though to say something else, but she settled for rolling her eyes. "You are just like your father," she muttered as she stood.

From across the table George reminder her, "you love our father."

She backtracked several steps, giving a quiet, "yes I do," as she made her way back to Gail. But she stopped beside Oliver feeling him take her hand. "Morning," she told him warmly.

Before he could respond a loud screech sounded and she looked up catching a familiar ragged brown owl holding a bright red envelope. Her hand slipped from his as she turned on her heel and marched right back, this time she flat out sat on Fred as Ron gaped at his mother's handwriting. "Why don't you just eat here," Fred said squirming out from under her.

"Probably best to open this in our room," Ron suggested, and Harry was quick to agree.

"You'll open it now."

Her stern voice had Ron gulping, not sure which one he was more afraid of. But he gave a shaky, "yes ma'am," and did as he was told.

Molly Weasley's shrill furious voice filled every inch of the Great Hall as she berated her youngest son. The letter tore itself into a hundred little pieces and it left him gaping shell shocked as thick silence settled heavy on his small shoulders.

With a sigh Clione leaned across the table pushing his goblet closer. "Take a drink," she told him gently. He nodded and took a small sip. "Another." By that time conversations had resumed, a few snickers could be heard as they talked about him, but the moment passed.

Ron took a bigger drink this time and he set the cup down and gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

She gave him a little smile back, enough he was able to eat a little and act like he was fine. Turning so her back was to the table she looked at Fred. "You lot are gonna be death of me," she told him seriously.

His reply was to raise a biscuit to her mouth. She blinked at him unamused before snatching it from him and popping the whole thing in her mouth as she finally made her way to Gail.