A Weasley Mess *ON HOLD - REWRITE*

IV.The Joy of Family

Now Thomas would stay in Moscow and Jack would bury his head in Istanbul. No doubt they were avoiding their parents; they had never gotten along.

Claire headed for one of those places where she expected to be left alone, the library.

Since her usual company, the twins and/or Percy, were thoroughly occupied. Percy had not released his Transfiguration homework and the twins? She had no idea where they were and what they were up to.

Máni kept close to her and was now perched at the opposite chair from here, where they sat by a table in the library.

The fully grown, odd Kneazle was staring at her unblinkingly. The rather large creature looked like a dad would if she had come home late at night, yet there was at least something soft to him.

She did not bother speaking to him, she knew that the semi unresponsive feline was worried about her lousy mood.

He had, with his uncanny intelligence, realized that the letter she had gotten was from her father - and his Claire was never in a good mood when Brutus sent his owl.

Máni, or Banana as the overgrown twins tended to call him, was very adamant of the fact that Claire belonged to him. He had chosen his human witch when the both of them were mere children - they had grown up together. The fact that they had literally shared a crib did not lower his sense of protectiveness when it came to her.

Of course he valued the entire family he had grown up with, but he saw the way Brutus and Myrtel treated her. It had grown to be enough, did they have to hurt her over and over again?

It was probable that they were spending another Christmas at school. Like the past few other ones.

So there he sat, watching his slightly green friend read the same line over and over again. Of course she would not admit it, but the constant feeling of rejection from her own family was eating at her.

He wanted to do something, anything. Yet he did not feel like anything he could do would help that much right now - or wait... Could he?

With the weirdest cat smirk, Máni jumped down from his chair and strutted out of the library.

Oh yes, indeed. He knew what to do, because he was the best friend Claire could ever have.

With his tapered tail high in the air he stared grumpily at a younger student whom had come in and shut the door. Right by this poor student sat some older specimen of the male race.

"Just hold the door open for him." He whispered to the younger wizard. The kid did so and Máni rewarded him with an appreciative chirp.

And so he continued down the hallways, scenting out several other beings, but only one of interest nearby. He headed down left and up the stairs, closer to the tower that he stayed in with Claire.

Not too far up the stairs he saw the hunching frame of Krookshanks, the only other intelligent being he could converse with. Kind of.

He watched his younger friend, the red being who was so adamant about the false rat.

"Where are the Weasley twins?" He chirped in a way that only another Kneazle would get. Sure, he had also realized that other cats understood, some even replied. Oddly enough Misses Noris only muttered things about filth and idiots.

"Inside the tower, friend." The orange tabby kept his eyes locked on an upside down bucket, but Máni did not bother to check what was so interesting this time.

Instead he followed the lead and ran up and stared at The Fat Lady until she huffed and let him in.

Inside were the twins sitting by the unlit fireplace. Prancing like the show pony he was, he ran up to them and sat down right in front of a box of explosives. His probing green eyes demanding their attention.

"What, Banana?" The one known as Fred smiled down at him.

"Here for treats?" The identical brother filled in.

Máni made a grumbling noise and stepped forward, pawing at their shoes. The boys looked bemused, so he turned around and walked a few feet before looking back at them.

The twins looked at each other before shrugging and getting to their feet.

"Follow the cat, they said -" Fred started.

"What could go wrong, they said." George laughed, and they followed the Kneazle.

Máni had led them straight down to the library, which Fred and George found to be odd. Nevertheless they followed the pony sized cat inside, opening the door for Banana - the cat King.

Inside was the usual mess of studying idiots, but Banana took them further into the study area. And there sat Mrs Banana herself, Claire.

The twins slung themselves down in their own respective chairs and Máni jumped up at the window ledge - awfully pleased with his brilliant self.

"So, Frenchie." George started.

"You have one bossy Kneazle!" Fred had one eyebrow raised as he pointed to the feline whom was ignoring them as best as he could.

"Well, you are the ones who allow themselves to be bossed around by a cat." She shot them a quavery smile, not convincing anyone.

"You could ask anyone in this castle; everyone obeys Banana." George pretended to fistbump

"But I'm starting to think that the great B didn't get us down here to study." Fred looked inquisitive, his dark brown eyes fixing in on her face. Claire looked up at hi with a bored expression.

"What's wrong, Claire?" George put the question plainly.

"Aren't I entitled to one bad day now and then?" She muttered, looking down at her books again.

"I don't know, are you?" Fred grinned, but he didn't look like he was extremely happy.

"It's none of your business." She pursed her lips, picked up her books and got up to leave. Both of the twins of doom got up immediately and pushed her down, one at each shoulder.

"Oh, but Banana thinks it is!" George smiled, sitting down again while Claire glared down the both of them.

"So, why don't you tell us what's got you down today." Fred folded his hands together and sat calmly down, taking in the psychologist form.

"If you must know!" She huffed, fiddling with the letter she had in her pocket. "I've been informed that my parents are leaving the country this Christmas - and they are very pleased that I can just stay here." Her lips were still pursed, pretty annoyed once again.

"Seriously?" George seemed offended himself as he looked from Claire to his brother.

"They're just abandoning you on Christmas?" Fred seemed outraged, but she only shrugged her shoulders.

"It's nothing new, really." She sighed, still clasping her books tightly.

"That does it!" George announced, a tad royally.

"You are officially invited to celebrate Christmas back home with us!"