the Linked Prophet

part one

The burrow was in utter chaos this morning. Every time you turned there was a flash of ginger running by followed by another shooting off in the opposite direction. All the Weasley's were preparing their luggage before heading off on a last-minute adventure with Mr. Weasley, which he had graciously invited my brother and I to this year.

However, this sent Mrs. Weasley into a frenzy. Ginny was running around looking for her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook from the year prior, Molly was running around after her and lecturing her about misplacing her things all while ignoring Fred and George standing atop the kitchen table while singing traditional Irish music. Arthur was peacefully reading The Daily Prophet at the head of the table, too invested in the article he was reading to be aware of the behavior of his two sons. Hermione left me alone in the kitchen as she had to go wake Harry and Ron, so I sat in silence on the other end of the table and sipped my tea. Arthur flopped his paper down for a second and looked around until making eye contact with me, a small smile appearing on his features, "Say, Gemma. Have you been keeping up with the Quidditch World Cup?" He asked, to which I nodded before bringing my cup up to the lips. "Which team are ya cheering for?" He asked me. I gulped my mouthful of tea before clearing my throat.

"Ireland, sir." I had yet to let down my formality towards either of the head of house. The Weasleys had taken Harry and I in as their own over the past couple of years, so it felt at times that I owed them everything. The best I could currently do though is treat them with the civility they deserved.

Arthur nodded his head once with a smile still on his lips, but that was all. He mostly kept quiet in situations, being an observer rather than participate. The only time I had witnessed his kid-like personality was when he had questions about the muggle lifestyle, which I was always gladly answering as best as I could. Either that or whenever he had playful remarks to a profoundly serious conversation. He was rather good at balancing and joy and seriousness in life.

Fred turned his attention to me as I answered Mr. Weasley, grinning widely at my response. "Well of course you are!" He enthused, hopping down from his place on the table with a deep thud that radiated through the kitchen floors, George following suit. "You're not mad!"

"Or at least not fully." George joked as the two rounded the table to stand on either side of my chair. They both reached down and grabbed my chair before raising me in the air between then. I gasped and gripped the edges of the chair tightly, knuckles turning white. They both loudly started singing a tune I picked up immediately, letting out an airy chuckle at their insane antics. The song they sung was a song I introduced them to only the year prior when I had been slipped fire whiskey at the party after a match against Gryffindor's quidditch team. They found me in a belligerent state, so it wasn't surprising when I began loudly singing the Irish muggle song, and even less surprising when they swore to never let me live it down.

"Concerning a young man, I am going to tell you now, who had lately came a-courtin' the maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe," The lads sang to me to which I swung my hands in the air to imitate an orchestra conductor, the toothy grin never leaving my face.

They put my chair down facing them and Fred reached out his hand, grabbing mine to pull me to my feet. George started bouncing around the kitchen as Fred continued the next line to me. "This young man says, "My pretty maid, will you come along with me?""

I laughed loudly as he spun us, tow which George swooped his hand to intercept ours and pulled me playfully over to him as he continued dancing.

"We'll both fly off together, and happy we will be,

We'll join our hands in wedlock bands as I'm speaking with you now,

And I'll do me best endeavor for the maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe."