𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐇𝐁𝐏 𝟏𝟒

Late in the afternoon, a few days after New Year, Emily, Harry, Ron, and Ginny lined up beside the kitchen fire to return to Hogwarts. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return students quickly and safely to the school.

Only Mrs. Weasley and Emily's brothers was there to say good-bye, as Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Bill, and Fleur were all at work.

Mrs. Weasley dissolved into tears at the moment of parting. Admittedly, it took very little to set her off lately; she had been crying on and off ever since Percy had stormed from the house on Christmas Day with his glasses splattered with mashed parsnip (for which Ethan, Fred, George, and Ginny all claimed credit).

"Don't cry, Mum," said Ginny, patting her on the back as Mrs. Weasley sobbed into her shoulder. "It's okay. . . ."

"Yeah, don't worry about us," said Ron, permitting his mother to plant a very wet kiss on his cheek, "or about Percy. He's such a prat, it's not really a loss, is it?"

Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever as she enfolded Harry in her arms.

"Promise me you'll look after yourself. . . . Stay out of trouble. . . ."

"I always do, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry. "I like a quiet life, you know me."

She gave a watery chuckle and stood back. "Be good, then, all of you. . . ."

"Have a good time, Emily." Eric smiled, pulling her into a hug and kissing her lightly on the forehead, "Be safe and be fun, but do your work."

"I know, Eric." Emily laughed.

Ethan pushed Eric out of the way and pulled his sister into a rough hug where he eventually pulled her into a headlock, rustling her hair.

"Get off!" Emily shouted, also laughing, "I've got to go."

"Be good, kid."

Emily stepped into the emerald fire and shouted "Hogwarts!" She had one last fleeting view of the Weasleys' kitchen and Mrs. Weasley's tearful face before the flames engulfed her; spinning very fast, she caught blurred glimpses of other Wizarding rooms, which were whipped out of sight before she could get a proper look; then she was slowing down, finally stopping squarely in the fireplace in Professor McGonagall's office.

She barely glanced up from her work as she clambered out over the grate.

"Evening, Emily. Try not to get too much ash on the carpet."

"No, Minnie."

Emily brushed her fingers through her hair as Harry came spinning into view with Ron following after him.

When Ginny had arrived, all four of them trooped out of McGonagall's office and off toward Gryffindor Tower.

Emily glanced out of the corridor windows as they passed; the sun was already sinking over grounds carpeted in deeper snow than had lain over the Burrow garden.

In the distance, she could see Hagrid feeding Buckbeak in front of his cabin.

"Baubles," said Ron confidently, when they reached the Fat Lady, who was looking rather paler than usual and winced at his loud voice.

"No," she said.

"What d'you mean, 'no'?"

"There is a new password," she said. "And please don't shout."

"But we've been away, how're we supposed to — ?"

"Emily! Harry! Ginny!"

Hermione was hurrying toward them, very pink-faced and wearing a cloak, hat, and gloves.