"WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT!"
Fred came running into Ginny's room, where Tori was packing her trunk. Ginny handed her a shirt and looked at her brother. "Did what, exactly?"
"Never mind. We need to borrow Tori for a moment, bye!" Fred grabbed Tori's hand and yanked her out of the room and down the hall, causing her almost to crash into everything.
Fred yanked Tori into his room and shut the door. George was standing over their desk, a wide smile visible even from the back.
"What is going on?" Tori finally asked once she could get a word out. "Tori, remember that time we played a prank of Filch?"
Tori rolled her eyes. "Can you be more specific?" Fred tapped his foot rather impatiently. "Um... we set dungbombs off in the hallway?"
Tori then nodded, recalling the event. "Well, we were in his office and found something." George turned to look at her.
"A cabinet labeled 'Confiscated and Highly Dangerous'" Fred continued, Tori knew they'd start switching sentences off soon.
"So obviously, we wanted to know what was in there."
"So George went and set off another dungbom and I got in there and we found this piece of paper." Fred gestured to the blank page sitting on their desk.
"We tried everything, Homenum Revelio, Aparecium, like everything."
"But then the map started talking to us. Well, more like writing. It was giving us clues to how to open it."
"What?" Tori shook her head, not believing what they were saying.
"We cracked the code this morning! And it works!" Fred shook her excitedly. He grabbed his wand and looked at the map.
"You're doing magic outside of school?" Tori looked at him with wide eyes, but Fred shook his head. "Not technically. Just watch."
Tori stood over his shoulder as he cleared his throat. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He then pointed his wand on the page and something slowly began to form.
Tori watched in shock as a pretty detailed outline of Hogwarts appeared before her eyes.
"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present, THE MARAUDER'S MAP!"
Slowly, names and footprints appeared too. "No... Is this?"
"Real? We think so." George looked at his twin, pointing to all sorts of passageways. "Once we get back, we're heading for these areas."
"We're going to see if any of these passages are real." Fred agreed. Tori could already tell this was going to be all used for pranking. Then she looked at the twins with an eyebrow raised.
"I'm sorry. You had a super-secret map, and you just didn't tell me?"
"We didn't know if it was going to work," George explained, watching Albus Dumbledore's footprints move back and forth. "We didn't want to get anyone's hopes up and have it be a huge joke." Fred nodded. "Plus, you know how fast word spreads around Hogwarts. We tell one person, and someone overheard, and then it gets out, and then the teachers hear, and now we'd have to turn it back in."
"Alright, I guess that's fair. But you're taking me to explore these secret passageways." Tori pointed at the twisty hallways on the map.
"Deal." The twins agreed, both grinning.
"YOU BOYS BETTER BE PACKED! WE LEAVE TOMORROW MORNING!" Molly's voice echoed through the house, causing the trio to nearly jump out of their skins.
"Well, I probably should get packing." Tori nodded to them. George grabbed his wand and whispered, "Mischief Managed!"
"That's how we keep it safe," Fred told her. Tori nodded and waved them good night before walking back to Ginny's room, who raised an eyebrow at her.
"You want to tell me what that was about?" Ginny asked. She frowned when Tori shook her head. "It's just dumb boy stuff," Tori replied, shoving the last of her clothes into her trunk.
Ginny didn't seem to believe her but didn't push anymore on the matter. She fluffed her pillow on her bed and watched as Tori finished packing. "I'm really going to miss you." Ginny sighed.
Tori turned to look at the girl with a small smile. "I'm going to miss you too. It was a lot of fun being able to be here." Ginny shifted herself on her bed. "Are you coming this summer?" She asked hopefully.
"I don't want to overstay my welcome-"
"Oh, nonsense! You stay as long as you need! As long as you like!" Molly came in with some of Ginny's clothes for her to put away.
"Mrs. Weasley- er... Molly. I don't want to..."
"Now I know exactly how your family expects you to be, and I won't cuss them or anything in front of you... but I will not be able to sleep properly if I know you are over there suffering for a whole summer," Molly told Tori, placing Ginny's socks in a drawer.
"You are welcome here, always."
"Thank you, Molly." Tori smiled. Molly smiled back and patted Tori on the head before leaving to give the boys their clothes.
"You heard her. Now, will you come over this summer? We can play more quidditch!" Ginny begged her, and it reminded Tori of Dove.
"I'll think about it."
"You didn't say no!"
Tori laughed but started to think about her siblings. How was Dove holding up? Was she mad at her? What about Avalon? Ever since everything happened, they weren't on good terms. But they were still siblings...
"Come on, up! Up! You're going to miss the train if none of you get up!" Molly's voice came from downstairs, and Tori jumped up immediately. She didn't remember talking asleep, and her neck ached.
"Come on! Breakfast is on the table!" Molly yelled once more as Tori rushed to get dressed. She put on her Christmas sweater and her jeans before brushing her hair. Ginny got up slowly, just getting out of bed once Tori was fully dressed and finished braiding her hair.
"Excited?" Ginny asked her sarcastically. Tori chuckled, "A little."
Once Ginny was dressed she helped Tori carry her trunk down the stairs and out to the car, which yes, was a Muggle thing. They loaded the back of the car and headed inside to meet everyone at the table.
Molly placed eggs and bacon in front of everyone and began talking to Charlie about his N.E.W.T.S. while Fred and George whispered to Tori about their plans.
"If we go at night, we should be able to use the first passage out of Hogwarts. Then we'll see where that takes us." George explained. "Where do you think it'll lead?" Tori asked, but both the twins shrugged.
"According to the map, it should take us somewhere near Hogsmeade." George tilted his head as he took a bite of his bacon.
"I reckon we can sneak out with the third years." Fred chuckled. "Yeah, because we look like third years," Tori replied sarcastically.
"I don't know what you three are talking about, but I don't want anyone trouble at school you two. Do you understand?" Molly came by Fred and George, who both sighed.
"Yes, mum." They agreed together, watching her walk away. "So... tonight?" Fred turned back to Tori who laughed. "Tonight's good."
✧ ✦ ✧
"Tori!" The call for her name caused the girl to turn, seeing Cedric Diggory run towards her.
They were already inside platform nine and three quarters, which was filled with other witches and wizards. It was very loud, so Tori was lucky to hear him.
"Cedric! Hey!" She greeted, hugging him. "How was your holiday?" He asked, a smile on his face.
"Good, it was good. How... How was yours?"
"Brilliant. Oh, wait, I have something for you!" He quickly shuffled through his bag and handed her a wrapped gift.
"Thank you! Oh... I didn't get you anything..." Tori frowned, taking the package. Cedric shook his head. "That's alright. Make it up to me by taking me on another adventure, huh?"
"Deal." Tori grinned, nodding. "Tori, come on. We gotta go." Fred appeared next to Tori with his hand on her shoulder. "Mum's gonna want to see us before we go."
"Oh okay. Bye Cedric!"
"Bye Tori!"
Tori followed Fred back to his mother. She noticed he seemed to be in a bad mood. "What's wrong with you?" She asked him, tucking Cedric's present into her bag. "Nothing," Fred mumbled. Tori was going to reply when Molly grabbed both of them.
"Now you all behave alright? I'll miss you so much!" She hugged each and everyone before reminding Tori she was welcome for the summer. Tori told her she'd think about it and they quickly bordered the train. Tori looked through the crowd of people to see her sister stand with their parents.
Tori wanted to say something but decided against it as she was pulled into a cart with the twins and Lee Jordan.
"Hogwarts, here we come!"
Happy Mother's Day to one of my favorite fictional mums!
Also, Mom, if you're reading this, happy Mother's Day as well! Also... please stop reading this. Love you!