âYouâve always been the weak one of the family.â My mother spat at me with venom dripping from her tone. âBad blood.â
My father looked disapprovingly at me. âYouâve betrayed your entire family.â He simply muttered before walking out of my bedroom.
Tears streamed down my face. âTheyâre...theyâre kind.â I weakly mumbled.
âTheyâre blood-traitors.â My mother snapped. âIf theyâre so kind, theyâll happily take you in.â
âW-What?â My watery eyes gazed up at her.
âI want you out of my house.â She folded her arms. âTonight.â
âBut itâs nearly midnight!â I cried.
âI donât care.â She angrily stated.
âBut Iâm your daughter!â
âI have no daughter.â Was the last thing she uttered before leaving me alone.
With teary eyes I quickly scribbled on a scrap sheet of parchment:
My mother and father found out about our friendship. Theyâve asked me to leave tonight. I have no where to go.
Iâm so frightened Freddie. Iâll come to yours immediately but I understand if itâs too short notice.
An owl took my note and I set packing the essentials, the reminants of my life squeezing into my trunk and small suitcase. I hesitated before picking up a family photo, shoving it into the depths of my trunk before slamming the lid shut and tightly locking it.
I heaved my things down the steps where my mother and father were waiting by the grand doors, my motherâs eyes red but stealy and unforgiving. I timidly shrugged on my coat and wrapped a thick scarf around my neck, taking my time to pull on my hat and gloves before turning to my parents.
âPlease reconsider.â I quietly begged.
They didnât say a word: simply opened the door and looked away from my crying face. I sniffed and picked up my luggage, walking out of the premises and jumping as the door slammed behind me. Looking back, I stayed for a minute or two in hopes they would come running out and wrap me in their arms, begging for me to come back inside.
When the door remained tightly closed I sighed and pulled out my wand, with one last hesitation I swished the magical instrument and apparated.
Dazed I looked around, seeing the Burrow to my left.
Fred had invited me around last Easter, and I went without my parents knowledge. It was one of the happiest times of my life; a house so full of wonder and chaos, so different from my own.
The loud clap that echoed from my arrival had notified the inhabitants of the humble home, and soon there was a collection of Weasleys tumbling towards me. Fred was the first to reach me, wrapping me warmly in his arms.
I couldnât help the smile that spread across my face at the familiar warmth, my arms circling around his waist. Soon I was passed around, a mixture of hugs and kisses coming at me from all angles.
âIâm so sorry.â Fred quietly mumbled. âWe just read your letter.â
I smiled sadly and looked over to Molly and Arthur. âI understand if itâs too short notice.â
âNonsense,â Molly quickly excused. âYou can stay with us as long as you need.â
âHere is always home to anyone who needs it.â Arthur said knowingly.
âThank you.â I sighed with relief.
George and Fred fought over who would take my bags in, Fred snatching the trunk and rushing inside. Ginny looped her arm through mine and quickly tugged me into the house whilst Molly asked me relentless questions about what I had eaten that day.
Sadness seemed to leave me as I walked through the threshold of the home, even at night the Burrow alive with energy. Ron quickly pulled Ginny from me.
âGive her some space!â He snapped. âY/N, you can stay in my bed.â Ron kindly offered.
âShe will not! Sheâd much rather mine.â George proudly said whilst placing my suitcase on the floor.
âI got new sheets recently, you can stay in mine.â Fred muscled his two younger brothers aside.
âWell?â Ginny expectedly looked at me.
âI...well-um...â I fumbled over my words.
âIâll put the kettle on.â Molly said before tugging me into the kitchen behind her. âDonât you worry about appeasing any of them, you stay wherever your most comfortable.â
Fred quickly snatched my hat from the top of my head and placed it on his own, taking a seat at the long table and chatting mindlessly with George. I was quickly rushed to sit at the head of the table by Arthur and a steaming cup of tea was placed in front of me.
It seemed all the attention was on me as I slipped off my gloves and awkwardly looked around. âSo what happened?â Ron asked with a cocked brow.
Fred punched his arm. âDonât ask her that, canât you see she doesnât want to talk about it?â
âItâs a reasonable question!â Ron defended as he rubbed his abused skin.
I softly sighed. âMy mother has an awful habit of snooping through my things, my father says she too curious for her own good.â
âShe found the letters, from all of you, and when she asked me about it, I tried to defend you-â
âYou shouldnât have done that,â Molly said. âWe didnât want you to get in trouble.â
âI wanted to.â I said. âShe said I had betrayed our family...that I had dirty blood.â
George quickly cupped my hand in his and squeezed. âWeâll have you.â He said.
âYes! Youâll be a wonderful addition to the family!â Ginny excitedly said. âIâve always wanted a sister.â
âOh no, I couldnât possibly-â
âWe can turn the study into another bedroom, and we can go to Diagon Ally tomorrow and get anything you need!â Ron smiled brightly.
I looked towards Arthur and Molly who gave each other a knowing look. âThe children have always decided what goes on in this house,â Arthur said. âI donât think you have much choice.â
âYouâre all so...â I paused, looking around the many happy faces. âLovely.â
Everyone seemed to share the same bashful blush as they shrugged off my kind comment. The tea was quickly drunk, and it was finally the time to decide whose bed I would steal for the night.
âWhere should I...â Fred asked, hauling my luggage up the staircase.
âYour room.â I smiled as Georges and Ronâs shoulders slumped. âThank you for the offer.â
The family seemed to further fight about who would help unpack my things, until finally Molly screeched for everyone to give me some space. The whirlwind of a family sulked out of the room, leaving just Molly and I.
âDonât hesitate to ask for anything.â Molly kissed my cheek once before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.
For the first time since Iâd come here, I was left in silence. I almost welcomed it, allowing my head to finally breath. Opening my trunk, I pulled out my pyjamas and opted to only take out a few essential items. Rummaging through, my hand touched the cool frame of the picture I had hastily packed.
Sitting down on Fredâs bed, I looked down at the photograph. It was still, no emotion, an accurate portrayal of my family. I was sat in a large chair, my parents behind me, one of their hands on either of my shoulders. Despite the picture being cold, it pricked tears in my eyes at the knowledge of potentially never seeing my family again.
âAre you decent?â Before I could reply Fred barged in. âSorry but itâs bloody freezing in Georgeâs room and Iâm in desperate need of-â
I sniffed and wiped the stray tears from my eyes. âSorry, what did you need?â
âA jumper...â he frowned. âAre you okay?â
My lip quivered at the question and I quickly shook my head. Fred was by my side in an instant, coaxing my head to rest on his hard shoulder as he softly wrapped an arm around me.
âI begged them to let me stay.â I softly cried.
Fredâs hand combed through my hair. âIâm sorry.â He simply said. âIâm so sorry this happened.â
It felt as though I cried for hours, and soon I had fallen asleep against Fredâs chest. I stirred as he softly led me back against the bed, tugging the duvet to cover my body. A kiss was planted on my forehead, and as he went to leave my hand darted out to grab a hold of one of his fingers.
âThank you Freddie.â I whispered out sleepily.
âGet some sleep.â He whispered back, before leaving me to my dreams.
I woke up to the startle of yelling voices and loud bangs downstairs.
âGive me my book back!â
âItâs my book anyway!â
âGeorge, give Ginny her book back!â
With a small smile I got out of bed, wrapping Fredâs dressing gown around me and trudging down the stairs.
George was being chased by Ginny, who was abnormally red and flustered compared to her usual neat demeanour. Fred was attempting to read the newspaper on the sofa, but had to move his feet every thirty seconds to allow George to scurry past. Ron was biting into an apple and explaining to Molly why he should be allowed to drive the car again, and Arthur was bent over the table fiddling with an old Muggle radio, to which to volume dial was clearly broken and kept blaring Russian music.