LOST ↝ G. WEASLEY [1]

18 | Confessions

"Alright you lot, have a great Christmas," the group chorused as one by one Joey, Nicolette, Magnus, Tommy, Rowan, Lissy and Ginny hopped up into the passage to get to Aberforth's.

While Magnus remained in the Slytherin dormitories so the other students wouldn't grow suspicious, he was aware of the interactions in the Room of Requirement and had agreed to keep it a secret for the rest of them. However, since they were headed to where the Order was still in hiding for the holidays instead of taking the Hogwarts Express back with the other students, they were meeting a few Order members at Aberforth's to travel home, allowing Magnus to join them for the last day.

"Bye," the remaining members chorused as the door shut behind the group.

"This is bloody amazing," Magnus mused, looking around in awe at the damp tunnel.

"You've missed so much these last few months, mate," Tommy said, a grin written across his face.

Magnus followed behind his older brother, a sympathetic expression on his face as he watched his movements. While Magnus hadn't been the one to aim the curse at Tommy, he still seemed unable to shake the guilt that came from being involved in the class that day, even if it was unwillingly. He had been the one to freeze Nicolette from being able to do anything, and wasn't able to do anything himself to stop it from happening.

"How far does this go?" Magnus asked then as they began to descend the staircase.

"It's quite the walk, I'll be honest with you," Joey said, leading the group ahead to Aberforth's.

When they finally reached the end, Ariana's painting swung open, revealing the group waiting for the kids all enjoying a cup of tea with Aberforth. Even the older man himself had taken the liberty of decorating his tiny home for Christmas by hanging a small wreath above the kitchen table, and a small tree sat in the corner of the room, undecorated but still adding to the feel of the approaching holiday.

At the table sat Remus, Sebastian, Bill and Arthur, all looking up towards the passage with relieved grins. One by one the kids hopped down onto the stone floor, and the adults stood to greet them with hugs and warm wishes.

"There you are," Remus said, hugging his brother-in-law last and rustling the top of Rowan's head. "bet you lot are thrilled to be out of the castle for a couple of weeks."

Joey couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment and hurt that George hadn't been one of the group to come retrieve them from Aberforth's. Even if she'd still be seeing him as soon as they arrived at Shell Cottage, she hadn't spoken to him since that night in Hogsmeade, and was still anxious as to what he would say when they finally saw each other again. Part of her still worried that he'd say it was a mistake, and that she'd lost her best friend that night, whom she'd grown to love as so much more.

"For Merlin's sake, Remus, let's get out of here." Nic sighed exasperatedly. "I'm ready to see my baby sister and relax without having to fear the Carrows punishing me for something."

"Alright, Joey and Ginny are with me," Bill said, holding a hand out to each of the girls.

Joey grabbed onto Bill's right hand, Ginny grabbing the other, and she braced herself as the still-not-yet-familiar feeling of Apparating took over. To Joey, it felt as if she were being pushed in on from all sides, the air being squeezed from her lungs before she landed on the cold ground. She noticed green fields around her, the sky a bit dreary and the faint smell of sea breeze lingering in the air.

"Here we are," Bill said, leading the girls up the grassy hill ahead. "it's not far from here. But Apparating directly to the house breaks the enchantments, so we had to go outside the barriers. Mum's orders. She's very excited to see all of you. I don't think she's stopped knitting at all these past couple months, and she's been cooking and baking for the last day or so. Dinner should be ready in the next hour or so"