The day after this rather gloomy birthday, their letters and book lists arrived from Hogwarts. (Y/n) had immediately pocketed the badge she found in her letter, looking very briefly mortified. No one, it seemed, expected (Y/n) to keep her prefectship, let alone get promoted to the Head. Harry's letter also included a surprise: He had been made Quidditch Captain.
"That gives you equal status with prefects!" cried Hermione happily. "You can use our special bathroom now and everything!"
"Wow, I remember when Charlie wore one of these," said Ron, examining the badge with glee. "Harry, this is so cool, you're my Captain— if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha..."
"Well, I don't suppose we can put off a trip to Diagon Alley much longer now you've got these," sighed Molly, looking down Ron's booklist. "We'll go on Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work again. I'm not going anywhere without him."
"Mum, d'you honestly think You-Know-Who's going to be hiding behind a bookshelf in Flourish and Blotts?" sniggered Ron.
"Fortescue and Ollivander went on holiday, did they?" said Molly, firing up at once. "If you think security's a laughing matter, you can stay behind and I'll get your things myself—"
"No, I wanna come, I want to see Fred and George's shop!" said Ron hastily.
"Then you just buck up your ideas, young man, before I decide you're too immature to come with us!" said Molly angrily, snatching up her clock, all nine hands of which were still pointing at "mortal peril," and balancing it on top of a pile of just-laundered towels. "And that goes for returning to Hogwarts as well!"
Ron turned to stare incredulously at Harry as his mother hoisted the laundry basket and the teetering clock out of the room.
"Blimey... you can't even make a joke round here anymore..."
(Y/n) drummed her fingers on the counter she was behind. She was bored out of her mind with no company around. Fleur, who had originally Disapparated (Y/n) to her job on her way to Gringotts, had briefly stopped in, but was turned off by just how dark and depressing the entire store was.
(Y/n) glanced up from the counter as the bell on the door rang and in strode Narcissa Malfoy, who (Y/n) greeted with a small wave. Narcissa strode right in and looked in both sections of the shop before returning back to the flowers. She peered through the windows and whipped out her wand, keeping it out of sight from anyone that may have been passing by. (Y/n), mid-drum, stopped moving her hands, looking highly alarmed.
"In the back," Narcissa commanded, nodding (Y/n) towards the door behind the counter. (Y/n) slowly walked backwards and Narcissa followed with one last cautious glance around. "Severus has told me you were appointed as the Head Girl," said Narcissa. (Y/n) opened and closed her mouth, silently wondering who Severus was. "Severus Snape?"
"Oh," (Y/n) nodded. Her Potions professor. "What about it?"
"My boy no longer wants to be a prefect," Narcissa went on.
"What has that got to do with me?" (Y/n) pressed. To (Y/n) that there was something Narcissa wished to reveal but couldn't.
"He has... He has an important task to finish this school year," Narcissa said slowly. "And he normally would have a bit of protection as a prefect but he's lost that now..."
"So...?"
"I ask that you cover for him," Narcissa said. (Y/n)'s eyes narrowed.
"What is in it for me?" (Y/n) questioned. They both looked at the doorway at the sound of the bell of the door ringing.
"Your life," Narcissa whispered, stepping further into the staff room. "And I believe my son's task may be beneficial for you too." (Y/n) reached into her bag and took out her phone before opening it. She leaned out of the staff room, pretending to be on a phone call. She spotted Fred and George inside, looking immediately relieved to see (Y/n) still alive. She held up a finger.
"Yeah, I am still here. Sorry," (Y/n) said into her phone. "One moment," she mouthed to Fred and George before disappearing back into the staff room. "Come back Saturday during my next shift. I would like to hear more about this task," she quietly told Narcissa, leading the way to a door that would take Narcissa out into an alleyway. "Lock it behind you," she requested. Narcissa merely nodded curtly, briefly wondering why (Y/n) didn't immediately scream for help, though she supposed (Y/n)— just like Narcissa herself— would do anything that could benefit her family.
"I think you ought to consider quitting if you value your good health," Narcissa said vaguely. (Y/n) tilted her head before hesitantly stepping back into the shop.
"Sorry," (Y/n) apologized to Fred and George as she flipped her phone shut and placed it into the back of her jeans pocket. She found it quite odd that clothing brands had stopped making front pockets in women's jeans.
"Who were you talking to?" George questioned.
"Dean," (Y/n) smiled. "He wanted to know when I was planning on doing my shopping, which we are doing this weekend, by the way," she explained. "Now, are you here to get something, or are you here to stand around and chat?"
"Can we stand around and chat?"
"No," (Y/n) said, shaking her head.
"It's deserted in here! Surely you need some company," Fred said. (Y/n) rose her eyebrows, pulling a sigh from Fred. "All right, fine... we'll send a bouquet to Mum... Ginny too."
"Might as well add one in for Hermione and Fleur," George added. "Yourself too... In fact, one for the whole household!" (Y/n) stared blankly at the two.
"That is, like, twelve bouquets!" (Y/n) exclaimed.
"Better get to making them," Fred said. (Y/n) pursed her lips.
"Fine," (Y/n) huffed.
"Only kidding," Fred assured. "We'll do... One for Mum and Dad's room, one for Ginny and Hermione's room, and one for yours and Fleur's," he nodded. "Or should I say our room?" He rose an eyebrow.
"Your room reeks of gunpowder," (Y/n) emphasised, taking up a pair of scissors. "But gunpowder is better than teenage boy," she added, sticking her tongue out.
"Hey! I smell nice," George said, smelling himself as though doubting his words.
"What colour ribbons?" (Y/n) asked, running her hand along those available.
"Your pick," George said.
"I will do purple and orange since that is your brand's signature colour," (Y/n) said, cutting three strips of each colour before grabbing three pieces of old newspaper and setting it all on the counter. "What arrangement of flowers are you thinking?"
"I don't know anything about flowers, (Y/n)," Fred said bluntly.
"Well, you ought to," (Y/n) smiled. "Even just the basics," she shrugged before sliding forward a laminated piece of paper that gave a simplistic run down of the meaning behind the flowers. Fred and George looked over it before making three separate arrangements— All of which were quite the burst of colours that (Y/n) somehow managed to pull off. She wrote three short notes for each of the arrangements in neat, loopy writing before sticking the small cardstock to a metal rod and adding it to the bouquets. She used the newspaper to wrap them and the ribbon to hold it all together. "Are you guys accompanying me to Grimmauld Place or is it Fleur and Bill?"
"Fleur and Bill," Fred answered. "I'm not too sure the adults trust us with that responsibility yet." (Y/n) snorted before pausing.
"Then what are you doing here? Is Lee running the shop again?"
"We closed an hour early," Fred said. "Daylight savings or whatever." (Y/n) stared at him.
"Daylight savings was back in March or it is coming up in October," (Y/n) said bluntly. George turned his head, laughing, and Fred cracked a smile. (Y/n) couldn't help but spare her own smile with a headshake.
"You caught us," Fred said. "We closed early to see our favourite Ravenclaw ever."
"That is a lie."
"What other Ravenclaws are we close to?"
"I do not know," (Y/n) shrugged. She took out her phone to check the time. "Gringotts is closing in two minutes... Just a bit more of a wait."
"You've got the closing shift?" George asked. (Y/n) nodded, slipping into the staff room to get off her apron and grab her bag. They watched as a suspicious, hooded figure took a long peek into the shop before storming off. (Y/n) anxiously tapped her foot and Fred opted to flip the sign to Closed. Within three minutes, Fleur and Bill came hurrying into view just as (Y/n) had shut off the last of the lights and was ready to lock the doors.
"Letting a seventeen-year-old girl close shop, honestly..." Bill said, shaking his head as (Y/n) got on her coat and left the keys in the mailbox, which could only be unlocked by the owners themselves.
"She technically is old enough," George murmured.
"Doesn't mean it's safe," Bill said. "What if it was Ginny, huh?"
"I never said it was safe," George said. "I'm saying that you can't report it."
"I can handle closing up shop," (Y/n) said defensively.
"I'm sure you can," Bill soothed. "But you're still in school and we worry for you."
"Especially with how often Malfoy's mum is around," Fred added.
"Malfoy?" Fleur and Bill repeated in dismay.
"She regularly buys flowers, that is it," (Y/n) stated. "If I was ever uncomfortable, I would let you know, I promise." The Weasley brothers and Fleur exchanged a glance that (Y/n) most certainly did not miss. Fred and George were not at all certain as to what (Y/n) was explaining had happened between Hermione and the telescope, but they promised to find her the cure the moment they got a look at Hermione.
Fleur offered her hand to (Y/n) and she took it. The five Disapparated into an alley near number twelve, Grimmauld Place before casting Disillusionment spells and making for the house. They patiently waited to be let in before heading straight for the basement kitchen.
"Closing shift, how'd it go?" Remus asked at their appearance.
"Not even a 'hello'?" (Y/n) mused. Remus rose his eyebrows and (Y/n) huffed. "Splendid. No issues other than these two turning up half an hour before closing to request three flower arrangements," she said, tossing her thumb in George and Fred's direction. "There was something that has been peeving me all day, though," she said, alarming nearly everyone in there. (Y/n) reached into her pocket and brought out a pin that came amongst the many other pins for the clubs and societies she was a part of. It took a moment for anyone to recognise the pin after (Y/n) set it down on the centre counter.
"You're Head Girl!" Lily exclaimed, flying to her seat. "What—? How? I mean, I don't doubt you, but I really don't think you need the extra stress..."
"Oh, that's wonderful, (Y/n)!" Alice exclaimed.
"We ought to celebrate," Sirius said gleefully. (Y/n) rapidly shook her head.
"No, thank you," (Y/n) murmured. "I had the same questions as Lily, actually. But I, uh, got an extra letter that did not come with Ron and Hermione's prefect badges." She took that out from her pocket too and gave it to Remus before clasping her hands behind her back and rocking on the balls of her feet.
"'You are undoubtedly confused as to why you getting this badge and title, I am sure,'" Remus began reading, "'but I do hope I need not remind you of how very deserving you are of this badge, regardless of your memory or not. It was with much debate that it was finally decided, yes, you will be that Class of 1996's Head Girl as we do not deem it fair for your years of hard work to be tossed away over something that will, undoubtedly, return with time. It is with the highest regard that I congratulate you for the influence you continue having. Professor Albus Dumbledore and I will require a meeting with you before the Start of Term Feast on September First. Best regards, Professor McGonagall.'"
"Good on you, (Y/n)!" James said, clapping (Y/n) on the back.
"No, not good! You guys are not getting it—"
"What's there not to get back? When you get your memory back, I'm sure you'd be disappointed to not be the Head Girl— If you're considering turning it down, I mean," Marlene said.
"What you said is exactly—"
"There's a reason they still chose you to be Head Girl, you know?" James said. "I mean, before the night in the Ministry, we all knew it'd be you— and I will admit I didn't think it'd continue to be you, but it doesn't make you less deserving."
"Would you—?"
"You'll probably be the only cool Head in the family," Fred said, tossing an arm around (Y/n)'s shoulders. Bill gave him a stink eye but agreed nonetheless. (Y/n) opened her mouth to speak, but Mary interrupted her.
"Come on, have a drink," Mary said brightly, pouring multiple glasses of Fire Whiskey. (Y/n) pressed her lips together, accepting the drink. She swirled the drink in her hands before tilting her head and taking a large drink.