A BEAUTIFUL HOME was the Burrow. The description in the books and the representation in the movies made it seem so familiar and homey. She always wanted to visit it and now she was right in front of it. She just never excepted to visit it after such tragedy. The night still enveloped the sky and the fresh air skimmed through the children's fairly light clothes. They were all headed inside, especially Ron so eager for something to eat. Wendy hesitated as she was never really invited into the house, but had nowhere else to go as she lost sight of the Malfoy's.
"Wendy, come in!" Ginny said from the entrance, "you'll catch a cold in there."
Wendy smiled and followed to come in. The inside was wonderful, everything resembled the movies. The beautiful warm colours that symbolized the Weasley family were all around her, very much in contrast with her blue dress and heels.
"Wha—?" A new voice said from the kitchen, "why are you all here?"
It was Mrs. Weasley, the wonderful woman that gave to the world the seven most precious children.
"I'll explain it to you later, dear, but I think the children need something to eat after what has happened."
Ron was quick to react at the mention of food, which Molly, happily obliged. Soon after sandwiches were made and placed on the dining table, Ron grabbed two and the rest one each. Wendy couldn't bring herself to eat and just sat at one of the soft sofas.
"Sweetie, are you not eating?" Molly asked.
Wendy looked up at the woman, and her eyes began to feel heavy and watery. She didn't want to cry to someone she just officially met, so she swallowed the knot in her throat and smiled at her, "I'm alright, thanks."
Molly, having so many children, she knew when a child was lying and especially when one was feeling pain. She sat beside the girl and brushed her messy hair back ignoring and so respecting the reason to which why she lied, "you have such beautiful hair."
She previously had her two braids on her but one of the ribbons fell as she was running around. Molly softly managed her hair and made a very simple braid which she tied with a rubber she found in one of her pockets. Wendy loved it when people did her hair. It was a feeling so refreshing and so relaxing. She reminded her of the soft touch of her own mother.
She had a theory where she could tell how much people cared through how they managed her hair, and dance. Molly, with her soft touches and fingers light as the white teeth of a brush, cared.
"Thank you," she said as she turned around back at Mrs. Weasley.
"You must be Wendy, am I right?"
"Yes, I am."
"I knew it," Molly's gaze fell on the kitchen for just a second, but Wendy saw, "you're quite popular in this house, you're very close friends with Ron, Harry, and Hermione, aren't you?"
"I guess so..." She said.
"You guess? Oh my, I'm sure they'll be sad to hear that you don't feel the same," Wendy looked up at her, the feeling of guilt clear in her eyes, "I'm sure whatever happened won't affect a strong friendship like yours."
She felt the knot coming right back up in her throat and soon after, tears started falling without her consent. She left them fall, pretended like they weren't there and smiled, "I just-I don't know— it's hard... it's been so hard."
Molly felt the heavy pressure that the girl has been holding on her shoulder. No kid should feel that way, not one. She would have died in anguish if any of her children were left feeling alone. She hugged the girl and Wendy let out the sobs she has been holding this whole time.
Wendy missed the feeling of a mother by her side. Sure, Mrs. Malfoy was an incredible woman, but she always felt like the woman had so many other people to take care about and she didn't want to be another burden. But Mrs. Weasley, no matter how many children she had, by blood or by bond, she still had that little bit of love left for others.
The love of a mother was what she has been missing. Thirteen years old or twenty-nine, one always needs their mother.
Fred and George, after finishing their sandwiches, they headed into the living room hoping to find Wendy. Which they did, but unfortunately, she was in poor conditions. Crying into their mother's shoulder, they started getting worried something has happened to her. But the look from Molly advised them not to come closer. Knowing Molly knew best, they headed upstairs and in their room.
Fred sat on the chair near the messy desk and George layed down on his own bed, covering his eyes from exhaution.
"D'you reckon she's okay?" Fred asked looking at the floor.
"No idea, Freddie," George huffed, "no idea."
Fred looked over at their desk, unfinished projects and plans they had were all there. He wanted to do something special for Wendy, something that would have made her happy, make her forget about all she has gone through for a while. But what could he do?
George peeked from under his forearm to take a look at his twin. He was looking over their plans and wondered what he was planning on doing. The two were inseparable, they knew everything about each other, but lately George felt like there was something he couldn't understand about Fred, and he had a feeling it was something about Wendy.
"Come on everyone!" Molly said, "Don't you, children, worry about what happened, study well and let the Ministry handle it."
Everyone was in line following Mrs. Weasley to the platform 9 and 3/4, each one with their own trolly. Wendy had a little bag with her, carrying only what she brough with herself to the World Cup. She left all her belongings at the Malfoy's, expecting to be coming back, but after several letters between Mr. Weasley and Lucius Malfoy, they both decided it was to the girl's best interest to stay at the Burrow for the few remaining days of summer.
She borrowed clothes from Ginny, who kindly offered; fortunately, they weren't so different in size. The Malfoy's promised to bring all her things at the train, so she could find them at Hogwarts upon her arrival.
"Oh!" Molly jumped.
A little boy bumped into her, no older than eight years old and appeared to be all alone.
"Are you alright?" Molly bent down, "are you lost?"
The boy was stuttering, not sure if he should answer the woman. But he seemed to shake himself from his thoughts, "Sorry, I'm looking for someone. Please, excuse me."
Wendy, still thinking about her belongings, didn't notice the little chat between Molly and the boy, until he screamed her name. Wendy looked towards him and her heart skipped a beat, "Michael?"
"Wendy!" He screamed looking for his sister.
Wendy was about to run towards the boy but Fred and George stopped her, "Let us handle this."
The little curls of the boy bounced at every step and stopped when the twins talked to him. Wendy couldn't take off her eyes from her brother. He was so young and small, she forgot how innocent he looked. It has been more than a year since the last time she saw him and, at that time, he looked like a grown man ready to meet the parents of his six-years-long girlfriend.
Now he was a worried boy looking for his younger sister. Something inside her didn't feel right, he wasn't supposed to be there, he wasn't supposed to be this young. She wasn't supposed to be older than him. This was not right.
"I'm sorry, have you seen two children?" A voice from behind Wendy talked.
A voice she knew as much as her own voice. The voice that sang her to sleep and the same one that would wake her every morning. The voice she missed so much; her mother. She had to fight all her instincts not to run to her and give her a hug.
"They're this tall, a boy and a little girl, they're both wearing blue jackets and-"
"Darling, talk slower... it's all okay."
Her father, the deep voice and so reassuring that made her knees feel so weak. She could only imagine how wonderful it would feel to be in his arms right now. The protective hugs from his father were the best thing through her childhood, and there was nothing in the world she wouldn't give up to talk to him at that moment.
"This is not the first time!" She could hear her mother beginning to sob.
How dreadful it was to hear the strong woman in the midst of a cry.
"Mum!" Fred and George screamed from a bit afar.
Wendy saw them coming but didn't process it until they called out for Molly, as her thoughts were on her parents. She saw them hand in hand with two little children, one that she knew it was her brother, safe and sound. The other was a small girl, with a little blue jacket and little blue ribbons. She looked rather happy in the company of the twins and her brother. Unaware of what was yet to come. That was herself, when she was just four years old.
The four passed by her, her brother barely noticing the older version of his sister. Although, passing by, Wendy looked at the little girl who stared directly back at her.
She frowned as it was a detail she couldn't recall from her memory; seeing herself as a teenager. Probably due to the age, children tend to forget things, but she could swear she remembered everything about that time she lost herself in King's Cross. Seeing the stripped cat, the mother and her children with trollies, who now she recognizes as Molly and her friends, and the moment she found the twins and her brother.
But there was nothing about seeing a teenager in the verge of crying.
"Oh, thank God!" Her mother exclaimed, "Michael! Wendy!"
She couldn't take it anymore. A minute longer with her family so close to her yet so unreachable was dreadful and decided to head to the platform 9 and 3/4 by herself. With bag in hand, she ran towards the wall and immediately transported in front of the Hogwarts Express. Being her first time, she had to admit she was pretty scared, but running against a magical wall sounded better than having to deal one more second with keeping herself from her family.
She looked around and decided it was time to enter the train. She couldn't wait for Draco and her stuff, she was sure he would have brought them in, anyways. She ran inside one of the random empty compartments and stayed in silence as she fought every muscle of her body from running back to her family. She missed her parents and, incredibly, her brother. They fought all the time, but when it came to serious matters, she could count on him with her life.
She couldn't believe herself that there was a chance she might not be able to talk to her brother ever again.
"Wendy?"
The girl looked up, finally moved from her bad thoughts, "Cedric."
"Mind if I come in?"
Wendy shook her head and smiled weakly at the boy, moving closer to the window. Not really needed as there was enough room for many more people. He put his baggage on the top before sitting in front of the girl.
"Sorry I didn't get to say good bye after what happened at the World Cup... My dad had to deal with so much and I had to go with him."
"No worries," she finally talked, "I understand."
"Are you okay?" Cedric asked noticing only then how down Wendy sounded.
The girl only replied with a forced smile, not really up to let out anything as she was too emotional to hold any secrets in. Cedric respected her decision, and nodded once looking at the window and observing all the new students saying goodbye to their parents.
"I remember my first time in the train, it was quite exciting going to school, wasn't it?"
"It's my first time really—" Cedric looked at her puzzled, "last year I was unconscious upon my arrival."
"What?!" He leaned in in shock, gaining a chuckle from the girl, "what happened?!"
The train ride didn't end up as bad as Wendy thought it might have been after seeing her family; it was rather delightful. Ron, Hermione, and Harry joined in the compartment and after a short while Cedric left to find his friends. Wendy was left with the trio who were amusingly mad at Wendy for leaving without telling them. As they scolded her for being reckless, Wendy found out that she might have not had her blood family with her from home, but at least she was coming back home with her family.
Notes
I'm sorry if I haven't posted in a while.