LIGHT ME UP, ginny weasley.

↳ ooooov

"Well, Dumbledore believed him too, didn't he?" She snapped harshly, trying to catch her ragged breathing.

"Effie," Remus says gently. "If he were an impostor, half of the Order's here. We'd figure it out. He's real, alright? Now, try to breathe before you pass out."

She didn't want an inhaler right now, not with all the. . . trauma, so Effie forced herself to inhale through her nose and exhale softly through her mouth. "I'm sorry," She stared guiltily at the shattered mess on the floor that Sirius was already cleaning up.

"It's fine, Effie," Sirius says genuinely. "Crouch caused you a great deal of trauma when he imitated Moody, and no one's blaming you for that."

She avoided his gaze pointedly as he poured her tea in a large thermos, which he hands to her. "Thank you."

"Alright, Effie?" Remus asks kindly, blocking her view of the real Moody.

Effie pursed her lips and nodded meekly, exiting the room. She passed by her dad on the way, who frowned slightly but then got the gist and kissed her on the forehead, staring after her as she walked away. When he walked into the kitchen, he found why.

"You alright?" Ginny asked the blonde, noticing Effie's unfocused look. Pansy looked at her, concerned.

       "I'm okay," Effie said quietly. The two girls looked unconvinced—as if that wasn't enough, Granger and Ronald looked at her worriedly. "I promise. It's just. . . the real Moody. . . brings back. . . "

       "Hopefully they'll let us come home when they get Potty," Pansy says with a roll of her eyes, pulling Effie to sit down next to her.

       "Pansy," Ginny scolds irritably.

       Pansy rolled her eyes, "What? Effie managed a peaceful sleep for the first time last night, so—so maybe the problem is this place!"

       "Fair enough," Ginny mumbled, sneering at Pansy.

✨

        "SO SCARFACE IS A BANSHEE NOW," PANSY BREAKS THE SILENCE. It was followed by the noise of Effie roundhousing the punching bag, while Ginny rubbed a hand down her face. Potter was in another room with Granger and Ronald, screeching and screaming at them because no one contacted him.

       "We should greet him," Ginny says pensively.

       "I want to go back," Pansy says sleepily. "I'm not spending the night here."

       Effie rolled her eyes, bringing Pansy back home and quickly returning, making Ginny jump. She freshened up as quickly as she could—a record of three minutes, by the way—and ran a towel through her damp locks. "We should go."

       "What?"

       "You said we should greet him."

       Ginny grins at Effie, which prompted the blonde to snort as they burst into the room after Fred and George apparated into it. "Hello, Harry! I thought I heard your voice!"

       "Potter," Effie nodded at him with a small smile. "Alright?"

       "So long as you are," Potter said with a small grin, his mood easing.