DOROTHEA {fred weasley}

three

Dorothea saw her mother once for the rest of summer, she showed up in good spirits, saying she'd been in France with some of their relatives. She packed a bag, and announced that she'd see her daughter at Christmas, leaving her with a cold kiss on the cheek and a warning to behave herself at school. She got a letter a week before school started announcing that she was a prefect, which was hardly surprising to her after her OWL grades. Much of August was spent studying, getting ahead on NEWTs for the beginning of sixth year. She helped Missy the elf tidy the house, replied promptly to Elvira or Ezra whenever they wrote, and then wrote to the other girls in her year: Priscilla Parkinson, Lilith Bulstrode and Leila Davies saying that she was looking forward to seeing them in a few weeks.

She felt happier than ever when she stood alone on the platform of the Hogwarts express, alone, observing her fellow students. Barnaby and Ezra Nott approached the witch, both kissing her hand and speaking to her. She absentmindedly nodded along, watching Elvira hug and kiss her mother goodbye. A few meters away from her was Cedric Diggory hugging and laughing with his dad. Then the entire Weasley clan, all laughing, their mother taking turns to hug and kiss each of them. Dorothea kept a straight face as she watched the same scene happening over and over, and then turned back to Barnaby and Ezra, smiling.

"Well, give my best wishes to my mother, Mr Nott," Dorothea said, letting Ezra take her bags and enjoying Barnaby's slightly uncomfortable face.

"Er- okay. Yes, well, of course, Thea," he turned to his sons. "Theo, be good, stay on Draco's good side," he said, louder than he realised. "Ezra, keep up the good work, son."

Barnaby embraced both of his son's and Dorothea found herself feeling bitter that even the Nott's had closer family relations than her. The three stepped onto the train, Theo walking towards Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini who stood outside a compartment waiting for him. Ezra opened the door to an empty compartment and held it open to the witch. Raising a hand to Adrian Pucey and Leo Goyle.

Dorothea shook her head, "I'll see you later, Ezra. Should go and see the girls first."

The wizard nodded and grinned as the two Slytherin boys approached, "where's Felix and Marcus?"

"Talking quidditch," Adrian grinned, nodding at Dorothea, "sounds like they have high hopes for you this year, Rosier."

"Good," she purred, smiling up at the boy. "Seen the girls?"

"Few carriages down," Leo said, cocking his head down the corridor.

"Thanks," she said, smiling warmly.

"Although," Felix said, moving closer to where the three other Slytherins stood, "Elvira is on the platform still, flirting with a certain Hufflepuff."

"And here I thought she only had eyes for me," Ezra Nott said, grinning and feigning sadness with a hand over his heart.

"I'd better go and drag her away," Dorothea groaned, rolling her eyes and giving the three Slytherin boys a small nod before turning her back on them and making her way into an empty carriage, banging on the window at where Elvira stood laughing with Cedric Diggory and one of the Weasley twins. Her friend's face stiffened a little when she noticed Dorothea, and the blonde witch inside the carriage did not miss the look between Diggory and the Weasley, they backed off from the Slytherin girl on the platform, both giving her a small smile.

Elvira piled into Dorothea's empty carriage with Priscilla, Lilith, and Leila following her, the three witches were tanned, Dorothea knew they had all been away all summer, she smiled at the three, and folded the letter she had opened from her cousin in France.