4
I opened my eyes once more, expecting to see the drawing of Hogwarts on my ceiling, but instead I only saw the night sky starting to turn into dawn as the stars were slowly disappearing. I abruptly sat up as I looked around my surroundings. I was in the middle of a field; tall grass covering my surroundings as I noticed Dobby was nowhere in sight. “Dobby?” I called quietly as I groaned. That cat was always disappearing.
I stood up slowly, aching from the fall and the night. I must have passed out when I fell from, well the sky. I looked down at my once pink footie pajamas. They were now covered with grass and dirt, giving the impression of pink gone. I had rips on certain parts of my pajama and the bottom of my footie part was pitch black and torn up. I grimaced as I pushed myself up with my burned hand, remembering I had stupidly put my hand in a fire. “What a night…” I sighed to myself as I started to walk through the field. “Okay so how is this going to go,” I started to plan out the scenario to myself. “I could tell them I’m an old friend of Dumbledore, but I’m not old. And what if they ask where I met him? Oh you know I read about him just like I read about you all in this book called Harry Potter.”
I groaned as I placed my hand on my head, my energy was gone, and my wonder was gone. I always wished to go into the Harry Potter world, and now that I was where all I wanted to do was go back to my small flat with my many books, my painting and my sanity. “Do I even tell them my real name? Course I do… but what about Dobby?” I sighed, “If I can even find Dobby.”
I pushed back some grass as I held my breath for a second, there it was. The burrow, just like I drew it. It was a bit far from the cornfield I was in, but it stood there several stories high, only being held up by magical means. It had at least four chimneys on the roof. I smiled in awe at the burrow; it was like Harry had said when he first saw the burrow, “it’s brilliant.” I smiled as I walked out of the cornfield; it was still slightly dark as I made my way to the back of the house where the orchard and the garden lay. The orchard had the beginnings of the setup for Bill and Fleur’s wedding. If I played my cards right I could actually experience the wedding myself.
I walked by the fenced off part where the garden lay and immediately spotted Dobby, pawing at a gnome who managed to escape the garden. “Dobby,” I hissed at my cat that jumped slightly and came running towards me, the gnome looked at me and started to charge. I glared at the gnome and before it was even a foot near me I kicked it over the hedge. “I have no patience to deal with biting, angry gnomes.” I replied to no one in particular as I looked down at Dobby, “Dobby, stop running off like that.”
The cat meowed as he rubbed himself against my legs as I rolled my eyes, and then my eyes caught a light turn on in the kitchen. I realized I was much closer to the burrow than I had wanted to be. I could even see the new Flutterby bushes that they planted prior to the wedding. “Shit.” I cursed as I immediately took cover behind the garden.
“Ronald, would you wake up this is important.” I heard a brisk, firm girlish voice say as my eyes widened. There was really only one person that called Ron, Ronald. I quickly took a peak and spotted Hermione and Ron standing there in all their glory.
“Couldn’t this have wait until the actual morning Hermione?” Ron asked as he looked as if he had just rolled out of bed. His red hair looking exactly like Fred and George’s, except it was a bit longer. I bite down on my lower lip as I contained my screams.
“Well probably, but I’ve been thinking a lot about where we should go first, Harry is going to be stubborn and try to talk us out of it. But we have to go with him no matter what, and I think the best place we should go after the wedding to start looking for the Horcrux is Grimmauld Place. Whoever R.A.B is has to be a death eater or a former death eater of Voldemort. Maybe if we start at Grimmauld Place we’ll find something out.” Hermione replied as Ron nodded his head.
“This couldn’t have waited till later?”
“No Ron, we have to go get Harry later and that in itself is going to be extremely hard and dangerous.” Hermione replied sternly as I gasped lightly. I had arrived the day that they are pulling the seven potters! This was one of my favorite chapters in the Deathly Hallows. I bite down on my lower lip; I wanted to warn them about their plan…
“Has mum tried to get anything from you?” Ron asked as Hermione scoffed.
“That’s all it seems like she’s been doing. Trying to get information on what we’re planning on doing. Your mother is a difficult woman to hide things from.” Ron rubbed the back of his head as he smiled.
I smiled at the two unsuspecting soon-to-be couple, though not soon enough in my opinion, “Awe.” I sighed as I quickly covered my mouth, realizing I had let that one slip.
“What was that?” Hermione voiced as I quickly started to crawl with Dobby in hand further back. What was I going to do! I looked towards the cornfield, if I could make a run for it I could probably take cover in there, but I needed to hide out with the Weasley’s. Damn this was difficult. I sighed; well I’d rather meet them at another time then at wand point.
I quickly stood up and made a mad dash towards the cornfield, “OVER THERE!” I heard Ron yell, as I immediately felt something fly past my head. Did Ron and Hermione just try and stun me? For some reason that scared me and excited me.
“Stupefy!” Hermione yelled as I quickly ducked unsure how I was able to dodge spells. “Come back here!”
“Yeah like you throwing spells at me is going to make me come back!” I yelled back as Dobby dug his claws in my pajamas. I was almost to the cornfield; I could lose them in there.
“She’s headed to the cornfield Hermione!” Ron yelled to Hermione as I rolled my eyes, well duh. I was not about to stick around. I smiled as I approached closer to the field victory was mi—
And then I was on the ground, once again.
“Well hello there love,” I heard an all too familiar voice accompanied with another familiar voice.
“What are you running from?” I looked up to see two pairs of blue eyes looking down at me along with their fire hair. I glared up at the Weasley twins, they were my favorite characters in the book, but they were soon becoming my least favorite in real life.
“I hate you two.” I grumbled as I lay sprawled out on the ground, I gave up.
“You don’t even know us.” George replied with a smile as Fred smirked.
“Unless you’re one of our unfortunate clientele that has been tested on in the past?”
“No, no, nothing like that. Just a girl who hates those who apparate her someplace magical and then leave her behind to fend for herself.” I replied as the twins looked at each other curiously.
“What?”
“You wouldn’t understand.” I replied with a sigh as Dobby hissed at Ron and Hermione who were approaching my sprawled figure with their wands raise.
“Who are you!?” Hermione breathed out as I looked at her upside down.
“Now Hermione, there really isn’t a need for that.” George replied.
“Yeah, doesn’t the girl look a bit pathetic to be a death eater?” Fred asked as I shot him another glare, he only smiled.
“She was spying on us.” Ron replied as he gave me a weary glance, suddenly thinking I was a death eater was becoming very outrageous especially with how I looked I’m sure. “But… I mean she does look like a big pink bunny.”
“Without the ears,” Fred and George added as I just shook my head.
“Well, either way she was spying on us and we don’t know who she is or where she came from.” Hermione replied as I sighed and looked up at the now blue sky. It had somehow managed to become morning.
“Would you believe me if I told you I’m a friend of Dumbledores?” I asked as every wand was pointing at me now, “Well actually we’re more like acquaintances.”
“If you’re a friend you’d know he’s—“
“Dead? Knocked out? Gone to the other side?” I asked, “Yeah I know. Look I’m not some evil being. I don’t even have a wand, hell I can’t even do magic.”
“You’re a muggle?” Ron asked as I looked up at him.
“Eh I’d say more like a squib, I mean I do know about the magical world and I do know Dumbledore, just can’t do any magic to save my life.” I replied as I sighed and then I heard a screech.
“What the bloody hell is going on here!!” I smiled as I looked up to see Molly Weasley storming her way over to where I was laying on the ground surrounded by the four people holding up their wands.
“Mum!” Fred and George yelled as they quickly hide their wands and stepped back while Ron looked horrified.
“Why do you lot have a poor girl trapped on the ground while pointing your wands at her much less!” Molly Weasley yelled as she stepped closer to us.
“Mrs. Weasley, she was spying on us!” Hermione replied as Molly looked from her to me, I did look rather pathetic on the ground.
“That is no reason to be hostile to the poor thing! What if she was looking for help?”
“I was looking for help.” I replied in my small voice as the four glanced at me, I started to make my eyes water. “I was trying to find the burrow to see if you guys could help me and then all of a sudden I was being chased. It’s been such a hard night for me as it is.”
“Oh you poor dear!” Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she helped me up, “Let’s get you inside and get you comfortable and out of those ridiculous clothes.”
“That sounds lovely.” I replied with a smile as Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arm around me while Dobby followed in pursuit.
“She says she knows Dumbledore.” Hermione replied as Mrs. Weasley looked down at me, I sighed.
“I do, but please. I can explain everything.”
“I believe you,” Mrs. Weasley replied as she ushered me to the Burrow, “We’ll get you situated and you can tell us everything.”
I forced a smile towards her; I had to come up with a lie, fast.
Fred, George, Ron and Hermione followed in behind us as Mrs. Weasley led me into the kitchen. I smiled as I looked at the cluttered mess of the furniture and an assortment of things in the burrow. I spotted the kitchen table, which held enough room for at least eight people, and outside one of the kitchen windows was the perch for their owl. “Sit down dearie,” Mrs. Weasley said as she looked at Fred and George, “Fred, George, go get your father and Bill, they’ll probably want to have a talk with miss, oh I’m sorry dear I didn’t catch your name.”
Ron had handed me a cup of tea while Mrs. Weasley was talking to Fred and George while Dobby jumped up on the table, “Oh um Rowan, Rowan Smith.”
“Rowan, that’s a nice name. Now off you two go.” Mrs. Weasley shooed Fred and George off as they glanced back at me.
“Don’t leave without saying goodbye love.” Fred called out.
“We’d be heart broken without you!” George finished as I rolled my eyes.
I highly doubt I would be leaving anytime soon, anyways there was no place for me to go. “Rowan, you say, where are you from?” I heard Hermione ask me as I glanced at her.
“London, well I moved here not long ago, I’m originally from the states.” I replied truthfully as Ron looked over at me.
“Why are you here?”
“Enough, you both can ask her questions when your father is here. The poor thing must be tired, do you want something to eat?” Mrs. Weasley asked as I smiled at her, this woman was so sweet.
“That would be great, yes thank you very much Mrs. Weasley!” I exclaimed as she smiled at me and then stopped what she was doing.
“How do you know my name?”
My eyes widened for a split second as all three of them looked at me, “Oh! Dumbledore! He told me, that this was the Weasley’s burrow, so I only assumed that you’d be Mrs. Weasley since you seem to take care of everyone.” I replied quickly letting the lie go through my teeth easily.
“Well you assumed correctly, might I ask how you know Dumbledore?” Mrs. Weasley asked as she put a plate of bread and cheese in front of me.
“Actually I just met him last night.” I replied truthfully, hopefully I knew where I was going with this.
“So how’d you get here if you don’t know how to do magic?” Hermione interrogated me; I didn’t blame her for her suspicions.
“Hermione please it looks like the dear has had quite a night.” Mrs. Weasley replied as I smiled awkwardly.
“No it’s okay, she has a right to be suspicious. What with Dumbledore dying and all this mass hysteria about Voldemort. Yeah I know about him, I may be a squib, but I’m in tuned with the news of the Wizarding world.” I replied.
“What is the meaning of this?” I heard another brisk voice say as I turned around to see Arthur Weasley and Bill Weasley right behind him, Bill had the scars from Fenir Greyback on his cheek, yet even with his scars I found him handsome. I immediately stood up as I smiled at Arthur Weasley, the man obsessed with muggles.
“Hello there sir, I’m Rowan Smith, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” I replied eagerly as I noticed a few people look at me, “I’ve heard a lot of your family in the daily prophet and what not.” I added with haste hoping that wouldn’t throw me under the bus.
“Well thank you! I’m sorry, but who are you again?” Mr. Weasley asked as Fred and George butted in.
“That father is Rowan,” George replied ad Fred continued.
“Isn’t she a beaut?” Fred asked with a smirk as they both winked at me, I just stared at them monotonously.
“Anyways, you guys probably have tons of questions.” I replied as Hermione nodded her head.
“Well as you all know I’m Rowan Smith. I met Dumbledore later last night. I was apparated to Hogwarts with someone else, but I lost them in the process. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again. See… my place was getting attacked and I needed to get out. This person helped me escape, I’m pretty sure it was the Death Eaters coming to kill me… because you know Voldemort hates squibs and anything muggle. Anyways, so they helped me escape, but I lost them when I got to Hogwarts. So I was looking for some help, I knew Hogwarts was dangerous ever since Dumbledore died, but I needed some help. I somehow managed to get in the headmaster’s office and that’s where I met Dumbledore. Well painting version of himself anyways.” I replied with a smile, “he told me come here, that I’d be safe here. That he trusted the Weasleys, so he pointed me in the right direction. He had a portkey hidden in his desk drawer for whatever reason, but some death eaters came in before I could grab it and that’s why there’s a burn on my hand. I threw some hot… coal at them and then grabbed the portkey and landed in your guys’ cornfield. Sneaked up here, spotted those two talking and well the rest is history.” I let the lies spill over as I looked at the people staring at me in the kitchen.
Somewhere between my storytelling Ginny and Fleur came into the room and were now listening to me. “Well, seems like you’ve had quite a night.” Mrs. Weasley responded as I nodded my head.
“You have no idea.” I replied as I took another sip of my tea.
“And where’d he come from?” Hermione asked staring at Dobby, I smiled.
“He’s my cat, I took him with me when the Death Eaters came, I couldn’t leave him. He’s the only one that knows what I’m going through, really.” I replied truthfully as Dobby meowed at me and licked my nose.
“What’s his name?” Ginny asked as I stared at Dobby, I couldn’t tell them his real name. They’d know something fishy was up then.
“Frank.” I said the first thing that came to my mind as the rest of the group looked at me oddly.
“Frank?” Fred was the first to ask as him and George both started to laugh until Mr. Weasley hit them both.
“Sorry,” George replied with a laugh as Fred just wiped the tears from his eyes.
“Just doesn’t seem to fit the guy. It’s very… frank.” Fred laughed some more as I glared at him.
“Don’t mind them sweetie, you are probably exhausted. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need. You can have… Percy’s old room.” Mrs. Weasley stammered when she said Percy. I had forgotten that he was a little bit of a traitor right now. That would change though, everything would change, and I looked over at Fred and George laughing with each other. There had to be someway I could change that.
“Are you sure you don’t mind? I don’t want to be a bother!” I replied quickly even though I really didn’t care at this point if I was a bother. I was exhausted.
“You’ll be a better edition to the family than Percy is,” Fred replied as George nodded his head.
“That stupid git.”
“Fred, George! We do not talk about your brother like that!” Mrs. Weasley yelled as I noticed tears start to form in her eyes.
“Um I didn’t quite catch every bodies’ names!” I yelled as I stood up trying not to cause tension in the room. Even though I already knew every ones’ names, they didn’t know that.
Everyone looked at me awkwardly before someone finally broke the silence, “I’m Ginevra, but just call me Ginny.” Ginny replied as she shook my hand and smiled at me, she was much prettier in person.
“Fleur Delacour,” Fleur responded in her French accent. I suddenly felt very self-conscious of myself as Fleur grabbed my hand in her soft hand. She was definitely part veela and now I understood just how pretty she was. I could only imagine what a full veela would look like. “Your ‘air iz very pretty.”
“Thank you,” I replied with a smile as I looked to see Bill next to her with a smile.
“Bill Weasley, don’t mind the scar, just a werewolf scratch.” Bill replied with a laugh as I smiled.
“I’m guessing it’s not as bad as it seems. You probably just like your meat rather rare.” I replied with a smile as he looked at me oddly.
“Why yes I do, how did you know?”
“I’ve been told that I’m a good guesser.” I replied with a smirk, I looked over at Ron and Hermione next as Ron gave me a nervous smile.
“I’m Ron, sorry about earlier.” Ron replied as he rubbed the back of his head, I shrugged.
“For all you know I could have been a mythical pink creature come here to destroy you all.” I replied with a smile as Ron looked at me quizzically as Hermione grabbed my hand.
“I’m Hermione Granger, I am truly sorry about how I acted early.”
“Again, could have been pink mythical evil creature.” I replied with a smile.
“Arthur Weasley, and of course my wife Molly Weasley.” Mr. Weasley responded as he smiled down at me, “We will have to have a conversation about the muggles!”
“Arthur not now, the poor thing is probably exhausted. Why don’t Fred and George go and show you to your room. When you are rested we can talk more.” Molly replied with a smile as I nodded my head and followed the twins out of the kitchen.
“Thank you all again, you honestly don’t know how much this means to me.” I replied as I turned around and noticed from the corner of my eye that they all started to converse. They were probably going to start talking about what they were going to do tonight.
“Oi! Earth to Rowan!” I heard a voice say as I felt a flick on my forehead; I glared up at Fred who smiled down at me. “You didn’t ask for our names. How are you supposed to know which one is which?”
I smiled cockily, “You’re Fred and you’re George.” I replied as I pointed to the two, they glanced at each other.
“Blimey, first someone has been able to guess that right on the first try.” George replied as I smiled.
“What can I say? I’m a good guesser.”
“Well here is your new humble abode, right next to us.” Fred replied with a grin.
“Which means fun 24/7.” George replied with a smile as I rolled my eyes.
I stepped into the room and placed my hand on the door, I smiled at the twins, “Don’t you two have a joke shop to run or something?”
“How did you—“ They both started out confused as I shut the door in their faces, a smile erupting on my face as I walked towards the bed.
I fell down on the bed face first as Dobby jumped up next to me, “Lying to the Weasley’s and soon to the chosen one is going to be a challenge. Fred and George are much more attractive in person though.” I said to myself with a smile on my cheeks and then I was out.