They had gone back to the Burrow using apparation, Harry bringing her suitcase and George being Elaine. It had taken them just under an hour to get everything Elaine needed, grabbing clothes and other things you'd bring for a sleepover of sorts. When they walked into the house the dining room was decorated for a true Gryffindor family. The table cloth was a gold color, the streamers and other small details a vibrant scarlet color. There was food already on the table, and Elaine was confused as to why they switched from birthday dinner to birthday lunch.
"Oh! You're back! Perfect. Harry, if you could help her unpack. Ron, Fred, George, please go help your father with whatever he may be doing," Molly instructed.
Harry and Elaine made their way upstairs, Harry carrying the backpack because Elaine insisted she carried her own suitcase. They arrived at Ginny's room and Elaine put the two bags on her bed. Harry sat down in a chair near her bed, watching her unload the contents of her backpack.
"So, you really have read books about me multiple times?" Harry asked, watching her pile up the books.
"Yes, Harry," Elaine laughed. She handed him the first book and sat down, leaning back on her elbows. "Take a look, Potter."
He raised his eyebrows but did as he was told. As he read, Elaine grabbed her phone and pulled it out. She had twenty-six missed calls, about fifty text messages, and she sighed heavily before looking through her call list.
Her dad had called her seven times, and his texts revealed he was making sure she was okay. The first two were for when she said she would call him after work and never did, and the rest was for when her friend and coworker, Freya, had called him and asked why she hasn't come in to work this morning.
Another eight calls were from Freya herself, along with about thirty of the messages. She was indeed very worried, as Elaine had never missed a shift in 10 months.
The final eleven were split between three unknown numbers, and her siblings, Ryder and Selena. They had both texted her, their dad making them get all worried. She first decided to text Freya, because she needed to tell her she wouldn't be able to work for a bit.
Then Elaine went onto her family, but not before taking a peek at Harry. He was very into the book, his nose nearly in it. Elaine couldn't help but smile at the messy hair in his face.
"Harry, I'm going to call my father, so don't mind me, okay?"
Harry just nodded and waved her off. Elaine laughed at Harry being interesting in a book other than one about Quidditch. She listened to the phone ring, before a familiar voice near shouted at her.
"ELAINE WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK IT'S BEEN NEAR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS! Are you okay?" her father, Ryan, said in a way of greeting.
"Hey, dad. How have you been?"
"No, no no no. You first, Lanie Lou," he said, and Elaine could see him shaking his head in her mind.
"I'm okay, really. I just left my phone at my place and forgot it when I went out and then it was dead. I'm actually with, erm, friends at the moment, dad. But I wanted to let you know I haven't been mugged or anything," Elaine told him, standing and pacing. Harry glanced up at her.
"Oh, alright. That's good, yea. You're still coming home for Christmas?"
"Yes, daddy, i'm coming home for the holidays. But that's not for a while," Elaine reminded him, biting her nails after she spoke. She did not want to go home and be reminded of her mother. She really didn't want to leave, at all.
"I know, darling. But I was just making sure. Today is the 22nd? Yes. so that's... four ish months? I don't know if I can go that long without seeing my favorite Elaine."
"I'm flattered, father, but i'm sure you'll be okay. Maybe I can stop by sooner, because I've been thinking about checking out Florida in the coming months, to go back and get some butterbeer."
"You and your Harry Potter obsession. It's like you think this kid is actually real, sometimes, Lanie. So much like your mother, you are..." he trailed off and before he could get too sad, Elaine sat down and put her phone down and put it on speaker, motioning for Harry to come over and listen.
"What if I told you I was with Harry Potter right this very second?" Elaine smiled. Harry gave her a panicked look before she waved him off, looking at her phone.
"I'd ask you how many drinks you've had, little lady. Very funny though," her father laughed.
"Yea, yea, funny. Is Selena there with you?"
"Oh, yea. Let me get her for you, she's been worried sick. I think your brother has too, but he's been using it as an excuse to text that friend of yours he likes."
"Damn, dad, just go for Ryder like that, I see."
"Haha, Elaine. Here's your sister. Text me goodnight, okay? Love you."
Before Elaine could reply her sister screamed into the phone.
"ELAINE LEE ASHRYVER WHERE IN HOGSMEADE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOU ABSOLUTE TWIT!" Her sister yelled, causing Harry to laugh before he could cover his mouth.
"Who's there with you, El? IS IT A BOY?" Selena was four years younger than Elaine, and being 15 she was a bit crazy for girls and boys.
"Erm, yea. His name is Harry, wanna say hi?"
"As in Harry Potter or Harry Styles, I would accept both and nothing less than them," Selena said. The teen was also quite the fangirl...
"Hello, erm," Harry turned to Elaine before Elaine whispered her sister's name to him. "Selena. How're you?"
"Oh, I'm alright, now that I know my sister isn't dead. You don't sound like Harry Styles, and seeing as Harry Potter is tragically a fictional character, I would like to talk to my sister again now." Selena said the word 'tragically' with such sadness that Harry almost felt sad she didn't know the truth...
"Don't be rude, Lena. Anyways, I have to go soon, I just wanted to say hello, and that yes, I will get you a present from London, if you wish. Is Ryder there or at work?" Elaine sighed, shaking her head. Her sister was quite the character.
"He's with Rhysand right now, actually. Did you know he got a girlfriend? Weird, right? Your childhood crush moving on without you..." Selena sighed heavily as if this was more of a loss for the 15 year old instead of her sister. Elaine felt her cheeks heat and Harry gave her a funny look.
"Well, alright then. I'm going to go eat some birthday cake, so tell dad i'll text him for sure okay?"
"Wait- isn't there a Weasley birthday today?" Selena asked. Fred and George knocked on the door before Harry put a finger to his lips. They came and stood behind the two, curious.
"Sorry, what'd you ask, Lena?" Elaine said, being distracted by the twins.
"I asked you which Weasley had a birthday today. My calendar is like, so far away," the girl replied, drawing out the 'so' for so long it was annoying.
"Erm, Percy, perhaps?"
"Is it the 22nd already? Odd, I could've sworn it was the 16th..."
"Yes, that's nice, Lena. Did you want a picture of the cake like normal or?" Elaine asked, before her sister would forget and then spam her phone. Selena Ashryver had a cake making hobby, and liked to recreate others anyone saw.
"No shit, Sherlock. When was the last time I didn't want one?"
"Fine then, be that way. I'm going to leave now, and talk to Harry Potter and the Weasley twins, love you, Lena." Elaine tried to end the call before she heard her sister's voice.
"Bro, Fred is dead, you can't talk to him. God, now you've made me sad. Gonna go cry and it's your fault." Selena then promptly hung up on her sister.
"Well, that was interesting," Fred said.
"Yes, quite. Elaine's family is a weird one." George nodded, and then he pulled Elaine up from her sitting position. "But Percy is here now. Time for cake!"