Illuminate • George Weasley

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A chilly breeze danced outside, rustling the leaves on the trees.
It was just the end of summer, the weather barely dipping down into autumn temperatures. The sky was a lovely pale blue, clouds like cotton stuffing sat lazily in the sky.

She observed all of this out of the corner of her eyes, pausing from her fireplace vigil to look out the window, and then to the clock.

They should arrive in seven minutes.

She lay in her back on the carpeted floor, her legs up on her sturdy school trunk, watching the world upside down.

Two weeks at the Weasley's before school, she was really looking forward to it. That, and of course, the Quidditch World Cup. Bulgaria vs. Ireland. It would be a brilliant match, especially seen with her favorite people.

She rotated her head to stare at the fireplace some more. It was empty still, almost like it was taunting her.

She imagined she wouldn't see Fred and George till she actually got to the burrow, or Ron and Ginny for that matter. She knew Mr. Weasley would probably make them stay home for the floo travel, knowing all the hugging would add a lot of extra time.

The last time she had seen the Weasley's had been the plan to get parents' approval on her staying over for the last two weeks of the summer. For arguments' sake she wouldn't have to buy a plane ticket anywhere, as living in the U.S. made things a little more complicated.

Of course they had won, so it was decided. Last two weeks of the summer.

And Harry, Hermione too. She would be seeing them as well. Another rush of excitement flooded her thoughts, as she remembered back to her first year at Hogwarts, and not knowing anything about the so called "boy who lived." He was just the kid in the compartment with the ginger one, same age as her. A crazy year, that was.

She looked up further, seeing the empty row of small hooks protruding from the mantle of the fireplace. They would hang stockings there in the holiday season, she would be spending that at home unless something else came up. She thought of Christmas, and to the hand-knit sweaters in her trunk from Mrs. Weasley.
She was wearing one of her three at the moment, it was a nice grey color with a big purple A in the middle. Her newest, just from the past Christmas. She also had a red and gold one, of course.

She rolled over onto her stomach, situating herself with her elbows under her chin. She was fully facing the fireplace now.

She held in her fingers her wand.
Rosewood, 13 inches, Phoenix feather core. Slightly bendy. Rolling it through her palms, she thought about the day her Hogwarts letter had came.

Half asleep, reading a book Saturday morning. A heavy knock had sounded on the door, so she trudged to the front entryway in her Star Wars pajamas, not knowing what to expect. She had gone downstairs a little early, the rest of the family was asleep. It was Hagrid of course, who she had grown to love since then, delivering the best news of her life.
Her older sister had been going to Hogwarts for two years, so it's not like she didn't know anything about magic. She just never expected to get her own letter with muggle parents.

Her parents were ecstatic, the only reason they were sad is because Hogwarts meant not seeing another one of their children all year long, but they were happy for her anyway.

Wondering where the magic genes had came from, the family traced it back to their great great great great great great great great grandmother Mathilde. Fortunately, she was a very wealthy wizard, and passed down her Gringotts vault to the next magic offspring. She married a muggle, so had no magic children to share her fortune with. Her muggle children married more muggles, and so on down the line, all leading up to her parents.
Poof.
Wizard baby.

Hogwarts had been the best thing to ever happen to her. Everything about it- Everyone she met, her room in the Gryffindor tower, quidditch, the feeling of wind rushing through her hair. Brilliant food before classes in the morning, the magic of owls swooping down over the great hall to deliver the post. Dark winding passageways to explore with the twins, getting back to the common room, breathless, just in the knick of time to escape Filch's wrath.

It was a whole world she didn't know she was missing before the letter.

She smiled to herself, twirling a loose thread from her sweater around her finger. The clock was moving ever so slowly.

She sat up, dusting off her jeans, and sat back against her trunk, bound for the Burrow. The clock hand jumped forward, it was the arrival time.

With a puff of smoke, vibrant green flames licked out of the fireplace. A crackle resounded through the room.

She was immediately back on her feet, stepping forward to greet Mr. Weasley's welcoming face.