Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. They all belong to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Eighteen: Show Me The Way Home
Lottie's Point of View
"He's back!"
"He's back?" Alex and I chorused, sticking our heads around the corner of the landing. Fred and George were standing at the bottom of the stairs grinning up at us,
"He's back! He's back!"
"He's really back!" We chorused again, thumping down the stairs to see Mr Weasley, two tiny kittens following in our shadows. We scooped them up when we reached the bottom of the stairs and followed the group of Weasley's into the dining room of Grimmauld Place,
"Cured! Completely cured!" Mr Weasley beamed, still wearing his stripy pyjamas. I noticed Alex had Tiddles perched on her shoulder like a parrot, and I had to roll my eyes, "What's happened here?"
"Huh?" I stuck my head around the door to see Sirius and Snape with their wands held up against each other, and Harry struggling to push Sirius back into his chair,
"What is it?"
"Hold my cat." I carefully passed Dingo to Alex. It didn't answer her question, but I didn't have time. I marched into the dining room and opened fire, "What on earth is going on here?!"
"Lottie!" The two men said, lowering their wands immediately. Harry was knocked over onto the floor. I stared at him then back to Snape and Sirius, who were both awkwardly shuffling away from each other. I folded my arms, looked from one to the other and starting tapping my foot,
"I'm waiting."
"Nothing!" Sirius innocently held up a hand, then quickly swapped hands when he saw he'd held up his wand and given away any cover he thought he had,
"I don't believe you." I told him. There was another silence, until Snape swished his robes impatiently and looked at Harry,
"Monday evening. Six o'clock Potter." Snape said quietly, before Sirius glared him out of the room and watched him down the corridor and out of the front door. Harry was still sitting on the floor. I rolled my eyes at him,
"Get up." Was all I said to him. Idiot,
"Well!" Sirius said happily as he re-entered the room and Harry fumbled to get up, "Cured eh, Arthur? Brilliant!"
"You're not even off the hook darling, there's nothing brilliant about the situation you're in." I told Sirius. He nodded, and slowly shuffled along the table and slumped back into his chair. The Weasley's and Alex followed me up the table and Mrs Weasley forced Mr Weasley into his usual chair,
"What's being going on then Sirius?" Mr Weasley asked. Alex sat next to me and set the kittens down on the table, who were pawing gently at each other,
"They're so cute."
"Yes Lottie, well done."
"Arthur, it's nothing." Sirius said, laying a hand on the table, "Just school ... friends having a, erm ... chat."
"Oh right yeah whatever."
"Shut up Alex."
"I haven't even started yet."
"And you're a lot better then?" Sirius' smile seemed to be taking a lot more effort than should be necessary,
"That's great news!" I smiled, and Alex nodded,
"It's really great."
"It is, isn't it?" Mrs Weasley said, putting her arms around her husband's neck loosely and grinning. Mr Weasley rolled his eyes to us, but the small smile appearing on his face showed he'd been missing her too,
"Healer Smethwyck eventually managed to work his magic. He was the one who found an antidote. Whatever that snake's got in its fangs, it's not something common."
"And Arthur's learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine, haven't you, dear?"
"But Mum! Muggle medicine is great!" George said,
"Lot's got these little white pills that stop them blood quills hurting so much! And when I fell off my broom she used the two two tw--"
"Be quiet Fred."
"Okay yeah that's fine." Fred then sunk into his chair and retired from the conversation,
"But no, he's right. Muggle medicine is great when you know how to use it." I defended Fred since he didn't want to do it himself anymore,
"See Molly?" Mr Weasley held out a hand in my direction, "Lottie knows how to use it and she says it works! It's only because we didn't that it didn't ... go as well."
"It's true. You had stiches right? Should've said, I learnt the art of them at about twelve." I said casually,
"Really? You've being doing first aid that long?" Alex asked, catching Tiddles with her hand before she fell off the table,
"Oh yeah, I got a bunch of various certificates back at Mrs Figg's."
"Teach me the two twenty forty seven trick you did on Fred's back?" Alex asked,
"Yeah, and me!" Fred jumped in,
"That actually isn't a proper thing you know." I told them. Everyone looked distraught, "Sorry guys."
"How ... no." Alex said, trying to turn her back on me,
"Mrs Figg used to do that when I scraped my knee or something similar. Fred, admit it worked though." I raised my eyebrows at him. He was reluctant to do so, but he nodded. I smiled triumphantly as Alex slowly turned back towards me,
"So what's for dinner?"
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"Come on! We need to leave! Right now!"
"Oh shut up Nymphie!" Alex told her sister irritably as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs, "Here Lottie. Have some kittens."
"Oh, exactly what I wanted." I said sarcastically, then passed them and their box along the corridor to Fred who passed them to Mrs Weasley then Tonks and onto the Knight Bus,
"Come on!"
"Alright, shut up!"
"You going to be alright, Harry?" I heard Sirius asked, "Look, I want you--"
"COME ON GIRLS!"
"We're ready Remus! Merlin damn it!"
"Okay, time to leave." I pushed Alex out of the front door, then pulled her back to give Sirius a departing wave then pushed her down the stairs into Mrs Weasley's hug,
"Oh, have a good term!" She smiled. Alex huffed,
"I promise any deaths which happen to occur will not be entirely my fault." She held up her hands, then climbed onto the bus. I rolled my eyes, and was following her once Mrs Weasley had let go of me. We was then stuck waiting for Harry,
"Alex, are you and Fred tog--"
"SO HERMIONE!" I yelled over Ron, "What is your erm ... opinion on ... traffic lights?"
"Well ... erm, well ... well they make crossing a muggle road much easier. And they ... in turn save lives."
"Correct answer." I said awkwardly. Hermione gave me a slow nod whilst the rest of the group stared at me,
"What was you trying to cover?" Lupin whispered to me. I stared at him then mouthed,
'Like I'd tell you.'
"I'm sorry, you what?"
"HARRY!" I shouted in greeting, causing another diversion as he climbed onto the bus. We then waved to Mr and Mrs Weasley, and Sirius who was in his animagus form sitting at their feet,
"Keep an eye out for any snakes!" Mr Weasley shouted, and stuck his thumb up,
"No muggle medicine--"
"Without Lottie!" The twins warned their father. I rolled my eyes and blushed lightly,
"You flatter me."
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"Off, off, off!"
"Alright bossy, who put you in charge?" Alex said sarcastically as she got off the bus,
"Well, since I'm the oldest--"
"But I'm the oldest."
"Shut up Remus." Tonks said as I got off the bus, pulling my trunk behind me,
"Yes Nympha--"
"Don't even--"
"Guys, shut up! It's like you're married!" Alex said. There was then an instant feeling of tension between Lupin and Tonks. I was looking around to see if anyone knew why, yet by the confused faces of Alex, Fred, George, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny I concluded I was in the dark as much as they were,
"Riiiight, well ..." Lupin said awkwardly, then clapped his hands and smiled, "Better get you in."
"You'll be perfectly safe inside the gates." Tonks said. We each carried our own luggage up the hill and towards the gates of Hogwarts. Once we reached the gates, Lupin shook all the males hands and Tonks came to talk to us females,
"OH LOOK! WALKING WISDOM!"
"I really don't like you."
"I'm your sister, you have to fucking like me."
"I don't have to do anything."
"Yeah you do."
"Who goes out on missions?"
"NYMPHIE YOU'RE A BITCH!"
"Ignore her." I said casually, placing my hand over Alex's face and blocked her out of the conversation,
"Look guys, regarding Umbridge, remember there isn't a ton of time left until it's summer. Just ride it out, get Allie to write me if you need anything." Tonks told us,
"All the Dark Arts teachers get fired anyway."
"I really don't understand why you are this casual." I stared at Alex, and she shrugged,
"I'm practically a straight line."
"I really hope she doesn't put the owls under surveillance." Ginny sighed,
"Maybe I should go to a prefect meeting this term." Alex wondered aloud,
"Yeah, me too." I agreed,
"No one else really does." Hermione shrugged, "I mean, it's just a couple of Hufflepuff's, a Ravenclaw and me."
"You're pretty thin on the ground then." Ginny nodded,
"If we're all going to be honest, I think we've got plenty of bigger things to deal with over prefect meetings. For now at least. It's not as if she lets us do anything anyway. And now if she's going to be the one to take our opinions on things ... whats the point?"
"I don't believe what I just heard." I thought verbally. Hermione blushed and looked down at her feet,
"It's just ... the truth really."
"OH! WEASLEYS! POTTER!" Alex yelled,
"Yeah, whatevs." Fred waved an arm at her, then turned his back and they continued their conversation,
"THERE'S CHEESECAKE FOR DESSERT!"
"Cheesecake?" Fred, George and Ron chorused. They then bolted up the rest of the hills and swept Alex off into the hall,
"BYE NYMPHIE NOO!"
"BYE ALLIE BEAR!"
"I'll go keep an eye on them." Hermione said, then grabbed Ginny's sleeve and dragged her up into Hogwarts. They waved goodbye to Lupin and Tonks then disappeared into the Great Hall,
"And they're the crazies that you call your friends." Lupin said as he and Harry arrived at the top of the hill with Tonks and I,
"Well, that's my ... best friend and my boyfriend and the other best friend then very close friend, brother's best friend and brother's best friend's sister. Actually."
"She doesn't have any friends." Harry sniggered,
"Exactly." I stuck my tongue out at him and folded my arms. Lupin put his arm around my shoulder,
"Look after yourselves." He said, and squeezed my shoulder,
"Which roughly translates to 'Lottie, look after everyone else'." I said and rolled my eyes,
"Well, females do it best." Tonks grinned. Lupin then pulled me into a hug and Tonks began casual conversation with Harry,
"You will b--"
"I'm always careful. Unlike George, I'm not lying when I say that." I told Lupin. His tired looking face slowly began to smile,
"You know I'm so proud of you."
"For what? I've not done much to be 'proud' of." I shrugged, "Apart from this one picture I drew last year. Now that really is something."
"For being the strong independent young woman you are." Lupin said, "I know I couldn't be like you are."
"I get it from Alex."
"You get your sarcasticness from Alex."
"I'm nice sometimes."
"And I can guarantee that's from your mother." Lupin told me. I gave him a small smile, then another hug, "You'll be fine. Promise."
"If I die, I'll be back to haunt you." I laughed lightly,
"I should hope it'll be me haunting you. You've got a brood to have yet, and name them all after me and Alex."
"Oh wow Dad, great. Yeah. Right. 'Here Remus number seven, don't be pulling on Alex number ten's hair'."
"You should have took Divination." Lupin laughed, then gave me another hug, "You really are the best daughter I could have wished for."
"Even if we fought?" I asked. Lupin rolled his eyes,
"That doesn't stop me loving you." He told me. I looked up at him and smiled again. My dad is so cool. Really.
"LOTTIE! LOTTIE! THERE ACTUALLY IS CHEESECAKE!"
"Gotta go bye." I said quickly, giving Lupin a hug that turn out being more of me slapping the side of his arms swiftly and running up the stairs,
"Lots of love!"
"Have fun Lottie!"
"Bye Dad! Tonks! I'll be seeing you guys!" I waved, then disappeared into the Great Hall with Alex to find me some cheesecake.
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"Headless hats!" George's voice echoed around the room, "Two galleons! Watch Fred now!"
"Seen it, doesn't get better." Alex mumbled sulkily, staring into the fire and leaning forward from the back of the couch,
"You really don't like their product demonstrations do you?"
"You know what Lottie? I don't know what it is about them, but I hate them. I just do. Hate them."
"They've got to promote themselves some how."
"Yeah but--" Alex was interrupted by several girls screaming and an uproar of laughter,
"And off again!"
"There must be other ways."
"No place like the public, no time like present eh?" I knelt up on the couch to watch the twins. Alex heaved a great sigh, then twisted around. I could see her staring at Fred as he handed a third year girl a hat and winked at her. Her eyes were going a slightly dark colour of green, "Your emotions are taking ahold aren't they?"
"Oh look, there's George." Alex said, swiftly avoiding the conversation. I looked across as George handed a hat over to another girl and winked at her,
"See? It doesn't bother--"
"OI! WEASLEY!" Alex yelled, jumping across the back of the couch and marching over to the twins,
"Ah! Alex! Want to try a hat?"
"No actually Fred, I don't." I sunk into the couch. Her lid was about to blow right off, "I don't know if you've noticed George, but you've got a girlfriend. Right over there actually. And she isn't you, sorry I don't know your name--"
"Mabel."
"I didn't say I wanted to." Alex held out her hand to silence the girl then turned back to George, "And she's distraught!"
"I'm what?"
"Distraught!" Alex shouted again, staring at me wide eyed, "Maybe you should be paying attention to her than your silly little inventions now! It's not like you will ever get another shot with Lottie!"
"Is she being serious?"
"I don't really know." I slowly whispered in reply to Hermione, who had knelt on the couch next to me. She had just entered the common room with Harry and Ron. There was a deadly silence floating about in the common room. I saw George looked at me out of the corner of his eye
and I shrugged ever so discreet and slow with a single shoulder. Alex then looked sharply at Fred and stared him down. He took a step back and looked mightily confused,
"I'm fucking joking, gimmie one of them." Alex laughed, snatching a hat from George and jumping next to the twins. I tried to speak but I couldn't,
"She's absolutely insane."
"I bloody know that."
"What honestly just happened?"
"I don't know Hermione but jeez, I hope this holds no significance in my life like, ever again."
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"What's happened now?" Alex asked next morning at breakfast, taking in Hermione's worried, Ron's distressed and Harry's quite vacant expression and jumping to a correct conclusion,
"Mass breakout from Azkaban." Harry explained, "And Fudge is blaming Si--"
"Don't talk so loudly!" Hermione hit him with the paper and told him sharply to, "Just read."
"I don't even want to read it today. No. Not today. I've shown my face, I'm now going back to bed to brood until my free periods end at OH the lesson before lunch. What was the point of getting up, you ask? Exactly, there wasn't one." I said irritably, rising from the table and getting ready to march back to the common room, "Bye H, Hermione, Ron. See you three in Dark Arts."
"And Herbology? After lunch, right?"
"Yes George. And Herbology. After lunch. Right." I answered with an annoyed sigh then began walking off,
"She's on her period."
"I'm not on my period Alex!"
"Don't bullshit me! Our cycles have been mirrored for nearly a year!"
"Oh whatever!"
"And that's another thing!"
"No! I'm leaving! Right now!" I threw my hands in the air, then left the hall and headed for the common room with Alex hot on my tail.
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