Cold Skin

Twelve: The Final Hogwarts Champion

"Fine." She turned away from him, she could feel her headache worsening. He noticed that she was stirring and sweating,

"Get up. We need to get you to the hospital wing." Fred tried to pull her out of bed but she felt sicker the more she moved.

"Write to Remus, please."

***

For the next four months, Gia remained sick. She went home for three months to recover with Remus and Sirius. Fred wrote to her every day but her condition worsened the longer she was away. She returned home long after the second task, weak and frail. Healers didn't understand what was wrong with her. She was severely underweight but was eating normally. It had nothing to do with her previous stay at St. Mungos. She was paler and had a terrible cough. They took her to muggle doctors and said it looked like Pneumonia. They treated her and she slowly recovered but remained weak.

When she came back to Hogwarts James and Fred never left her side. Draco was constantly bickering with James so he tended to stay away. George was around a lot as well, mostly to keep Fred company while Gia slept. Harry asked Gia if she would help him learn more defensive and offensive spells for the third task. She went with the Trio during every free hour she had. Give them plans of action, teach them more advanced charms, all things necessary for his upcoming victory. Fred always made sure she didn't over-exert herself.

He had added a Protean charm to Gia's bracelet. Any time she needed him a ring she gave him in their third year would get warm to the touch and alert him. He also added a heartbeat monitor to detect if she was getting worse. This was to the request of Remus' constant worrying. Sirius insisted that she was under constant supervision of Mediwitches, but did not argue with his husband.

"I don't need to be watched all the time. I am sure by the last task I will be fine." Gia insisted. Sirius wanted her home for Easter Holiday, but she insisted on staying. He tried not to hover but the amount of owls she got was suspicious.

"I need you to go home, Gia. You're still sick and I'm worried." Fred tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. She has stayed in the hospital wing since her return. He slept on one of the empty beds. McGonagall permitted it. She knew it would take an army to get him out of that room if she wasn't coming with him.

"I didn't even get to see you on your birthday." She leaned over her bed and pulled out a small package from under it. It was beautifully wrapped in glitter wrapping paper and had a perfect bow on top.

"You didn't have to get me anything. You being back is already a gift."

"Just open it. And I have George's too. Also Ronald's. I didn't think it was fair; I missed all three of your birthday's"

He opened the small package and inside was a small handwritten note. He could tell it was in Gia's handwriting. It said "Since I missed your birthday, I decided that I will get you something worth it. I have set an appointment at Quality Quidditch Supplies to pick out any broom of your choice, You, George, and Ron can go this summer. I love you - Gia"

"Gia, I can't accept this. It's too expensive."

"I worked it out with Sirius and Remus, asked your mother if it was alright, and spoke with the owners to work with a solid price of 3,000 galleons. You three are worth much more than that." She pushed the box away as he tried to hand it back to her.

"Three thousand! Gia, are you expecting us to each get Firebolts!"

"Yes. Or whatever latest model they have. If not you can have my 2001 and I'll go get a new broom," she laughed at him. He was stone cold shocked.

"No Gia. I can't ask this of you." He grabbed her hand and rested his forehead against it.

"Well, it's a good thing you didn't ask. Sirius suggested it. I thought you would like it." she pulled her hand away from him and set it in her lap.

"Gia I love it but it makes mine feel worthless." He fiddled with the small round pieces of wood on her wrist, she pulled away and held it close to her.

"You making something for me isn't worthless." She spun one of the rounds around the elastic. "You using it to tell my fathers how I'm doing isn't worthless. This is what I thought would pay you back for being so amazing to me," she looked at him. She didn't know how to go through life without money. She always helped others when they needed it. Money meant nothing if it wasn't helping others.

"Thank you, Gia. Do you want me to go get George and Ron?"

After Fred told George and Ron about Gia's birthday present to them they were overly nice to her. They took her for walks on the lawn. Fred and George showed her all of their new Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. She was getting stronger. She was no longer as frail anymore. She had been getting her lessons from Alice and Fred. Dobby stayed with her all day. Draco was oddly distant. She didn't want to ask him, she knew he wouldn't tell her anyway.

She had gotten him a Black Family Ring for his 15th birthday. He was happy on his birthday. The days after he became sad again. She knew it was his father but she knew not to pry with him.

By the time the third task had come Harry had fully trained with Gia. His charms skills were mediocre at best. She was terrified for her younger cousin, as well as Cedric Diggory. He had come to visit her a few times since her return to Hogwarts.

Fred had tried to convince Gia she should stay back at the castle but she refused. She sat on the cold bleachers very stressed for Harry. She was very cold. Fred had brought a blanket and Hermoine had cast a blue ball flame that Gia carried with her in a jar.

"Gia if this is stressful we can go back to the castle." Fred was wrapped completely around her as Gia shivered in the warm June air.

"I'm fine. The second Harry comes out of that maize alive we can go back." The world seemed to have heard her when she saw the Triwizard cup hit the ground with Harry and Cedric.

Gia could hear Harry's sobs over the music of the band. Dumbledore rushed over to Harry and tried to pull him off of Cedric's limp body. Gia's heart sank. She could feel a knot in her throat.

"He's back! Voldemorts' back!" Harry shouted. Gia saw a limp Cedric Diggory underneath her younger cousin. She fell still. Dead? Her friend? She let out a gasp as she took in her realization. Everyone around her seemed to have barely any understanding of what was going on below.

"Freddie, I need to get out of here." She let her words out with a sob. She could see in his face that he was compartmentalizing the information, thinking, processing.

Fred didn't hesitate any longer. She felt herself being lifted bridal style and being taken back to the castle. George followed closely behind them. He took Gia outside the gates of the school.

"Tell Remus and Sirius what happened. Write to Mum. I'll write to you as soon as I hear about Harry. I will tell McGonagall you left the grounds."

"Fred. Watch out for Harry and James. I'm worried." Gia said before she apparated to the Den. She felt her feet hit the dark wooden floors and their familiar scents filled the air around her. She saw Sirius lying on the dark brown leather couches, his feet were on the arms. He was relaxed. Why wasn't he worried?

"Dad! He's back. Harry said he's back!" She collapsed to the floor. Sirius jumped up from the couch and Remus ran from the kitchen. She felt their bodies approach her, she felt no warmth from them, she felt dizzy, she shouldn't have apparated.

"Who's back baby? Who?" Sirius wrapped the blanket around Gia and pulled her into his chest.

"Voldemort! Harry said he saw him. Cedric Diggory was dead. Dad, what's happening?" She felt tears behind her eyes. She didn't cry, not in front of them. Not in a manner of panic.

"Write to Dumbledore! Now Remus!" Sirius shouted to Remus. He flew up the stairs and wrapped his arms around his dizzy daughter.

The next thing Gia remembers is waking up in Sirius' bedroom in Grimmauld Place. Midnight and Crookshanks were on her face. She could hear Fred pacing outside the door. She heard the booming laughter of Ginny and Sirius downstairs. The scent of Molly's cooking was overwhelming her senses as she awoke slowly. Everything was strange but familiar. She was home at last.