back to school
January 1st, 1996
THE RATHER PEACEFUL afternoon was disturbed by Fred and George, Apparating into Hermione and Ginny's room, with their faces horribly disfigured by a series of close-set purple pustules that had spread across their noses and cheeks, forming the word SNEAK.
Ginny immediately burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
"We think you have something to do with this, 'Mione," George grumbled.
"Well?" Fred tapped his feet impatiently.
"What— Who did you talk to?" Hermione exclaimed then lowered her voice, "You told someone about the D.A.?"
Ginny kept on laughing.
"Yes!" The twins chorused, "Daisy!"
The door was thrown open after a series of hurried knocks and Daisy walked in. "It's difficult for me— to walk up the stairs! Why did you two— ran off like that? Oh."
Ron and Harry filed in behind her.
"What's going on in here— Oh." Ron pointed his finger at his brothers, "Ha! Is that the snitch jinx you told us about?"
"What snitch jinx?!"
"I jinxed the parchment we wrote our names on, so we'd know if someone snitch us out," Hermione explained.
"But it's Daisy!"
"Her name's still not on the list! We can't be too careful."
"I won't tell— anyone," Daisy said innocently.
"That includes Sirius and Mrs. Weasley, too," Harry interjected, "They'll just say we're headed for troubles."
"Okay. My lips are sealed."
"Don't tell me..." Ron squinted his eyes at Daisy in scrutiny, "You think so, too?"
The girl pursed her lips, "Well, no... I think, it's a risky yet— necessary move. It's brilliant."
"Thank you!"
Hermione said, "I can't use my wand here. I'm underaged."
"Tell us the counter spell then."
"No, no, no, no, wait." Ginny butted in, "Let them stay like that for awhile."
"Ginny!"
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January 2nd, 1996
"PSSTT... DUNG, C'MERE!"
Fred ignored George's pleading and disapproving look, then went to a quiet corner with Mundungus in tow.
"Another business proposition?" Mundungus asked, as he raised his eyebrows and folded his arms together.
"Not exactly." Fred threw a hand around his shoulders, bent forward, and continued in a low whisper, "Do you have anything charmed to have two-way communication easily?"
Mundungus cackled happily, intrigued. "Like a... two-way mirror? I think Black has one —won't be too hard to snatch it."
"Don't you have something more low profile? Something that'll fit in with the rest of my stuff?"
"You mean your garbage."
"Exactly. A student's garbage."
"Hmm..." Mundungus rubbed his chin. He acted like he was deep in thoughts, but his eyes had a mischievious glint in them, like he had an idea in mind. "Gimme some time. But, first, down payment. Two Galleons."
"One Galleon first. The rest, upon arrival."
"Ey... It's gonna be a hard catch, it is. Won't be cheap."
"George and I are loyal customers."
"I know, I know, which is why—"
"And it's for safety reason. You know, there should be a quick way for us to, you know... contact the Order, if anything happens, you know... at school."
"Ah... so it is for your girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend!"
"Admit it, and I'll take one Galleon."
Fred eyed Mundungus with a hint of distrust, then put a Galleon into his outstretched, open palm. He grumbled, "She's not, but I— I'm waiting for the right time."
"You make the time right, young man. Nice doing business with ya," Mundungus winked, securely placing the Galleon into his coat's inner pocket. Patting it twice, he skipped away from the scene. "Ah... Young love."
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January 3rd, 1996
"I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL!"
Daisy and the twins' conversation was paused as Ron's really loud scream penetrated through the walls and entered their basecamp, followed by Mrs. Black's foul shrieks then Mrs. Weasley scolding him for causing a ruckus.
"Well," Daisy said, breaking into a grin, "He has such strong— pair of lungs."
"Mrs. Black, too," George quipped, to which Fred added, "Our mother surpassed them both."
Then the three of them laughed.
"I have a question. When you die, someday— far in the future, will you keep on living in— a portrait like Sirius' Mother?" Daisy leaned forward, "How does the panting— work, exactly?"
"I think the painter adds charms and potions to it."
"You know, the way we develop the moving pictures and Chocolate Frog cards, but more complex than that."
"Must be really hard to imbue someone's personality into drawing."
"Bet it's real expensive."
"But a charming proposition."
"Keeping a part of us alive eternally."
"Haunting the next generations."
"Inspiring them to have fun."
"We'll think about that," the twins chorused.
"Who knows," Fred shrugged playfully, "You might get portraits of us for your birthday next year. Life-sized ones."
"As long as you two don't— scare me or my guests— I'll gladly accept."
"Right... Are you sure you're okay?" Fred asked, referring to Daisy's first encounter with Mrs. Black. It wasn't pretty, that's for sure.
Tonks had tripped over thin air yesterday afternoon (clumsiness was part of her charm), triggering the curtains to jerk open with a loud creak, and Daisy nearly hurled her walking stick at the portrait due to the surprise. She stood petrified as the highly realistic, life-sized, oil-painted portrait of a striking woman in black began screeching hurtful words and clawing her long-nailed fingers at the two girls.
All of a sudden, Daisy's head was attacked by a massive headache. Mrs. Black's scream brought back the memories of her Father yelling, and as her hand moves, she thought it was once again her Father's iron fists...
When the others arrived, she was already squatting down on the floor, blocking her ears and burying her face in her arms, hysterically sobbing 'I'm sorry' as Tonks tried her best to calm her down. She looked up at them with a lost, please-help-me expression.
Mrs. Weasley wasted no time to pull the poor girl into her arms, tearing up herself, while Sirius had a yelling contest with his maternal parent until Harry, Ron, Fred, and George managed to shut the curtains close.
Fred was dying to hug her himself, but Mrs. Weasley took her time to let go.
He did spend the next two hours sitting on the couch with his arm slung over her shoulders, talking about nothing in particular to keep her mind off things, so he was pretty satisfied.
"Of course! I was just surprised."
George sighed heavily, "I don't really want to go back to school either."
Fred blinked as the truth dawned on him at last, "Right... We're leaving tomorrow."
Another term, another goodbye. The week long reunion felt too insignificant and fleeting if he compare it to the seven months ahead.
"It's your last year! You're going to— miss these good old— days one day."
"Fat chance, with that dastardly witch sniffing around."
"Ignore her. She's just one person. Don't let her— ruin your glory days."
"You sound like Bill," George deadpanned.
Daisy mindlessly flipped through George's copy of Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7 and continued, "Oh, have you— heard from Charlie? How is he?"
She glanced up at Fred, who seemed to be lost in deep thoughts.
So far, Mundungus hadn't contacted him. If he couldn't get what he requested, where should he address his letters? Could he even write 'Dearest DJA' so outrightly anymore? His letters would be intercepted, wouldn't they?
"Fred?"
"H— Huh?"
"He's well, we think," George said, casting an undecipherable look at his twin, "Mum keeps in contact with him for the Order and she doesn't look distressed, so he must be well."
"Does he know... About..."
"About you, staying here? Of course. The whole Order knows."
"Hang on, who are we talking about here?" Fred asked.
"Charlie. Ginny heard in passing that he'll make time to come visit and see how you're doing himself, Dee."
"Oh, that must be— a hassle," Daisy looked down, "He shouldn't, if he's too busy."
"No one forces him to. He wants to come."
"And... Percy?" Daisy seemed to sense the twins' reluctance to address the matter, so she continued, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright. We don't like talking about him mainly because of Mum."
"He's a terrible git, but we missed him, too."
"Probably still up to nothing good."
"Dad and the other Order members who work for the Ministry sees him nearly everyday."
"So he's alive. And working."
"We're looking forward to the day he comes begging for forgiveness."
"And we can finally say 'we told you so!' straight to his ugly face."
"What were you thinking about, by the way?" George turned to look at Fred, who quickly dismissed the question with a theatrical eye roll. "Nothin'."
"You sure?"
Should he tell her what he wanted to tell her last Summer?
He had been too busy trying to distract himself from thinking about her for nearly six months now, his prepared speech felt... it felt like a dream from so long ago.
Like a blooming flower forcefully buried underground.
When they meet again, though, the dead mound was once again showered by her soulful water and basked with her sunshine-like presence.
And now, a brand new seedling was growing there.
It felt young now. Too fast.
One week.
"Fred?"
In one single week, he had fallen in love with her all over again.
"Yeah... No, it's nothing."
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January 4th, 1996
DAISY HAD HEARD of the loathsome Potion Master for so long, but it was the very first time she laid her own two eyes on his physique.
Severus Snape was a thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose and dark, penetrating eyes. He was dressed in flowing black robes which made him resemble an overgrown bat. His shoulder-length, greasy black hair framed his face like curtains.
He looked so out of place here in the kitchen.
Daisy wordlessly stared at him, clutching a glass of tea in her hands, and he stared at her back.
Suddenly, his lips curled, and as his eyes darted to the newcomer, he spoke in a soft, contained yet bitter voice: "Black."
Sirius came strutting in with a face contorted by pure disgust. He claimed the seat opposite from him and nodded solemnly, "Snivellus."
Daisy broke out of her trance and said, "I should... probably go..."
She placed her still half full glass onto the counter and took her walking stick.
"Look how repulsive you are. Even the sweetest girl can't help running away from your dank presence."
"Oh, no," Daisy stuttered, "I didn't— I wasn't—"
"We've been fine in this room for quite some time before you got here, Black. Don't you think she's running away from you?"
"Unlikely, considering this is my house. Which gives me the right to ask why you are here and if you could leave now."
"Sorry, excuse me," Fred barged in, politely bowing several times, "Sorry— have to rescue somebody."
Daisy looked at him like he was a superhero, swooping her out of the battlefield and into safety. But she held onto the doorsill and held her ground. "I'd like to watch."
"What?" Fred whispered incredulously.
"Why are they so— hostile?"
"Long story. Like, decades long."
"Oh... I'll ask Sirius— about that later."
"I'm hurt," Fred crossed his arms, "You used to ask anything to me."
"But I can't ask you. You're leaving soon."
"You also used to cry at the thought of me leaving for school."
"I am sad."
"Don't look like it," Fred said cooly, glaring at her back. She was too busy trying to see what Sirius and Snape were up to. "And you used to scold me for eavesdropping adults' conversations."
"Yes, but I still listened— in alongside you— every time," Daisy threw him a cheeky wink.
"Did Snape call you, too?"
They turned around to see Harry, messily dressed for his trip to Hogwarts. Tonks and Lupin were supposed to come in an hour and accompany the children as they travel by Knight Bus.
"Nope. He called you?" Fred asked.
"Yeah," Harry said, glancing into the chilly room. Sirius and Snape had resorted to glare in opposite directions. "Er..."
"Good luck, soldier," Fred squeezed his shoulder, "I gotta go pack my stuffs. Dee, you comin'?"
"Hang on. You're leaving in an— hour and you haven't— packed your stuffs?"
"There's the nagging girl I know best," Fred grinned, pulling her along.
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January 4th, 1996
AFTER A HURRIED breakfast, the children and their pair of escorts pulled on jackets and scarves against the chilly gray January morning.
Tonks was heavily disguised as a tall, tweedy woman with iron-gray hair. Lupin was, for once, wearing a pretty decent robe instead of his shabby ones.
The hugs and good-byes took a long time. The time Daisy spent with all the others' combined didn't beat the time she spared fixing Fred's scarf and listening to him rant on and on and on and on about anything and everything.
Don't stay in one vicinity with her Father alone.
She should send him news the minute she returned from Allen Residence.
If there was a way, she should stay in contact with a friend from home. Preferably Lucy.
Where did she keep her Magic mementos? She should move them to Grimmauld Place before her Father found them.
If she needed anything that Sirius couldn't provide, like girl stuff, she should talk to Tonks or Mrs. Weasley. Whoever came visit first.
She stopped him right there.
"Don't waste a sweat— on me, Fred. Worry about your— N.E.W.T.s and joke shop— and your younger siblings. They are your— responsibility now."
"I can't do that. Worrying about you is kind of like my breakfast."
Daisy turned pink, flustered.
Too soon, Fred was twirled around by his Mum, who gave him a quick hug then hurried him out of the house.
The door of number twelve slammed shut between Daisy and her friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley immediately excused themselves to attend to their abandoned responsibilities. They Apparated away almost immediately after giving her a squeezing hug.
"Just you and me now, kid."
The house used to be so lively. With most of its occupants gone, it felt so lonely now. She couldn't imagine how isolated Sirius must had felt before she came to live here.
Only her, Sirius, Buckbeak, and Kreacher.
To think of it, she hadn't seen Kreacher since he got thrown out for insulting her Muggle status.
"Yes," Daisy said, beaming. "Any plans in mind?"
Sirius played with the tip of his moustache thoughtfully. "Not really, no. You?"
"Care to retell the— tale of your 'decades— long rivalry' with— Professor Snape?"
His eyes immediately glowed. "Absolutely! It comes in a package though, the Complete Tale of the Marauders—You know about the Marauders' Map?"
"Yes, but only as an— empty parchment. Fred and George were— unable to unlock it— without performing underage— wizardry. Harry has it now."
Sirius clicked his tongue, "We should've asked Harry to show it to you before he left! Ah, maybe next Summer."
He gestured for Daisy to follow him back into the kitchen, and she gladly limped along by his side.
"You've probably heard —I was best friends with Remus and Harry's father, James, in Hogwarts. Us three and that squeaking, betraying rodent, Peter Pettigrew... Now, Snivellus was initially a friend of this girl James had a crush on for years, Harry's mother, Lily..."