A Master Of Mischief ~ George Weasley Love Story ~ Book 1

Chapter 7

**Maddie’s POV**

                               

I get off the bus at my stop, and suddenly realise that my trunk is at the Weasley's house. I sigh and begin walking down to my house. The sun is sinking and a cool wind blows. I round the bend and see home. I start to run and in seconds I'm standing on the familiar doorstep, I'm in the hallway, up the stairs and in my room. I inhale deeply. It smells like home!
I let Odie out of his cage and change into some different clothes.
"Let's go raid the kitchen," I tell Odie, suddenly feeling ravenous. As I walk downstairs I switch on the hall light. It's friendly glow makes me feel like singing.
"Hold your head high, this is just a game," I sing. Odie hoots and flutters to the window sill. I fling the window open and inhale the soft smell of flowers. Odie swoops out to hunt. I go through the kitchen and find some pasta. I walk out to the garden and trail my hand through the over grown grass to the vegetable patch. I pick some tomatoes and pull up a couple of carrots.
"Just show 'em what you've got, there's no shame," I sing, washing the carrots in the kitchen sink. I put some water in a saucepan and put it on the stove to boil. I reach out to pick up a knife when I see a movement in the corner of my eye and duck. A stunning spell hits the wall behind me. I reach into my pocket for my wand, only to realise it's in my other pants.
"Maddison?"
Remus steps into the light.
"Uncle Remus?" I say, relieved. He steps forward and gives me a hug.
"What're you doing here?" he asks, "and what smells like burning?"
"That would be me," I say, hastily extinguishing my burning sleeve and moving away from the stove.
"Why aren't you at the Weasley's?" Remus asks, beginning to cut up the carrots.
"I dunno," I sigh, "I just need space."
I put the pasta in the boiling water and give it a stir.
"You're not used to having people around," Remus says, "and I'm sorry for that."
"Don't be," I reply quickly, "I like being alone."
"No, you're used to being alone," Remus shakes his head, "and you shouldn't be. You've got a people personality, like your father. People want to be around you, but you've grown up without that, so you push them away."
I quietly cut the tomatoes up.
"So what made you snap?" Remus asks. I sigh and lay down the knife.
"We ran into the Malfoy's in Flourish and Blotts," I tell him, "and after wards Ron insulted Draco. He's the closets thing I have to biological family... I don'treally like him, but..."
"He's family."
"Yeah."
We eat in silence, then Odie swoops in and drops a dead rat on the table.
"Ew, Odie! Take that out!" I tell him, moving my plate away from it. Odie hoots at me with a gleam in his eye.
"You know that bird?" Remus asks, grimacing at the blood on the table.
"I own him," I reply, cleaning the mess up.
"And his name is Odie?"
"Odawa," I say, "Odie for short."
"I presume he's the bird you'll be sending to the Weasleys to explain everything?"
I bite my lip.
"Actually, I thought you could do that, since you're my guardian and all," I tell him. Remus smiles at me.
"I'll go over first thing for your trunk," he chuckles, I suppose you'll be running wild through the fields by then?"
"Probably," I laugh.
The next morning whenRemus returns from the Burrow I runto meet himfrom the garden, covered in dirt. I stop dead when I see Fred and George.
"What-"
"They're going to stay here for the rest of the holidays," Remus explains.
"Umm, but..." I give him a significant look.
"I made the visit last week," Remus says casually, "I'm free for the rest of the holidays."
I make a quick calculation in my head, then nod.
"But, why-"
"You need to get used to people," he says, clapping me on the shoulder and walking inside.
"I'll show you around," I say, feeling a little embarrassed about my behaviour.
"Yeah, Madz?"
I turn and raise an eyebrow at the boys.
"Don't sweat yesterday," Fred says. I smile sheepishly. George ruffles my hair up and hands me my trunk.
"My place isn't as big as yours," I tell them, "we've only got two bedrooms."
"It's cosy," Fred says. I open the door to my bedroom.
"You'll be on the couches," Remus says, sticking his head in the door, then walking away again. George whistles softly.
"He's got the dad job down pat," he says.
"The bathroom's across the hall," I tell them, pointing it out before heading down stairs, "this is the living room, and the kitchen."
"How'd you sleep?" I ask the next morning.
"Fantastic," George groans, stretching. I laugh.
"It's only a week until we go back to Hogwarts," I point out.
"True," he says, "what're we doing today?"
"Umm..." I brush my hair off my face and bite my lip.
"That's adorable," George sighs.
"What?" I ask. George blushed and Fred tries to hide a laugh.
"Umm, the curtains," George says lamely. I frown at him.
"The curtains?"
"Yeah, the rosebud pattern," he says, "it's cute."
"Right," I say, glancing at Fred who shrugs, "that's just weird..."
"Maddison," Remus shakes me awake, "time to go."
I scratch my head and get up to wake the boys. When I walk into the lounge room Fred is lying straight out with one hand tucked under his face and George is lying curled up with his thumb in his mouth.
"Now that is cute," I whisper. I gently shake Fred awake and point at George. Fred lets out a burst of laughter that wakes George.
"Ew,"he mutters, wiping his thumb on his shirt.
"Come on," I say, "we have to take the bus into London, so we have to leave early."
I run upstairs and pull on some skinny jeans and a baggy, grey shirt. I look in the mirror and frown. My hair is getting really long. It's past my waist. Oh well. I brush it into a side ponytail and grab my stuff to take it downstairs.
I meet Fred going down the stairs as he goes up to change.
"What do you want for breakfast?" I ask. He yawns as he replies.
"Toast it is," I laugh. I leave my stuff in the front hall and go into the kitchen where Remus is pouring over the Daily Prophet.
"Any special news?" I ask, putting a couple of slices of bread in the toaster.
"Nothing stand out," Remus sighs. I put some water on to boil for tea.
"Have you got any work?" I ask, fingers crossed. He smiles sadly.
"I got offered a night job, but unfortunately, that doesn't quite fit in with lunar allignments," he replies, trying to joke.
"Morning," Fred greets Remus.
"Goodmorning," Remus replies. He never addresses Fred or George individually.
"Here," I pass Fred his toast and tea.
"Is George up?" I ask.
"Present!" George says, bounding into the kitchen and tripping over Snowy. Snowy yowls and leaps into my arms.
"Naw, precious!" I croon, stroking her head, "George, toast?"
"Thanks," he grins, taking the plate.
"Alright, time to go," Remus says, folding the paper up. We quickly fish out any last belongings and walk out along the road to the bus stop.

"There're mum and dad!" Fred says once we're on the train, settled in a compartment.
"Ginny looks nervous," I say, "Ron and Harry had better hurry, or the train will leave without them."
"Too late," George says as the train starts to move. We lean out the window to wave goodbye to Remus, Mr and MrsWeasley.
"How do you think they'll get to Hogwarts?" Fred asks.
"They'll probably apparate with your parents," I reply.

"Flying car?"
"Yeah, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley!"
The whisper flew around the hall. I lean over to Fred and George.
"Do you think they could have?" I ask, my eyes shining, "have we really influenced them that greatly in one year?"
"If they have it may be tempting to admit they're related to us," Fred says.
"They'll be in so much trouble," Hermione scowls.
"Let's go up to the Common room and wait for them," I suggest to Fred and George, "then we can find out for ourselves."
"Password?"
"Wattlebird," I reply. The common room is already half filled with people.
"Is it true?" they ask us, "did they really do it?"
"Look!" Lee jumps through the portrait hole, brandishing a copy of the Evening Prophet. I seize it and look at the front page.
"It's true..." I mutter.
"It's true!" Fred announces. The whole of Gryffindor bursts into applause. The portrait hole opens again and Harry and Ron are dragged in.
"You couldn't've called us back?" Fred and George ask simutaniously.
Harry and Ron grin, but quickly excuse themselves, seeing Percy moving towards them.
"Proudest moment of my life," I comment to Fred, wiping away an imaginary tear.