"Aurora McGonagall, your breakfast is getting cold!" Shouted Molly from downstairs. She had cooked breakfast for the household before her and Arthur went on vacation to see Charlie. When Molly got no response in five minutes, she sent Ginny up to make sure she hadn't croaked.
"Rory?" Whispered Ginny, knocking on the door softly. She slowly opened the door, revealing Sleeping Beauty herself. Aurora was sprawled out on the mattress, limbs hanging off the edge, hair matted against the pillow, candy wrappers everywhere, and her wand under her arm.
"Good Godric, you look terrible." Snickered the red haired girl, poking her in the cheek. Aurora groaned, straining her eyes against the sun-lit room. Her and Ginny were close, despite the three year age gap.
"Never let me party with the twins again."
—
Aurora McGonagall, adopted daughter of Professor Minerva McGonagall. After her parents met the same fate as poor Lily and James Potter, and unlike Harry, she had no other family, Minerva wanted to take her under her own wing.
While being Professor McGonagall's daughter has it's perks, there comes some flaws. She has no set home to call her own beside Hogwarts, which is a school to many. With this in mind, Molly Weasley steps in. Her and Arthur weren't going to let a young witch miss out on the joys of childhood due to not having anyone to be around during the summer and winter breaks, so she allows Aurora to stay at the burrow with her and her very large family. The more the merrier, in her mind.
Growing up amongst seven other children would drive any normal set of normal parents to insanity, but the Weasley parents are no normal parents. When they were in their youths, Mrs. Weasley would have Ginny propped up on on hip, and Ron on the other, and Aurora clung to one leg, while Mr. Weasley tended to the twins and young Percy, and Charlie became sort of a third parent at the ripe age of 9, who because a mentor for Bill.
Though there were many struggles, as any family would have, the Weasley's were strong brutes who raised their children, born and adopted, to do great things. Well, mostly great things.
—
Ginny eventually left Aurora to wake in private, and joined her family at the table. After laying still for a moment, she groaned and got herself up, feeling a wave of nausea. She reached in her night stand drawer and took a few painkillers to numb her hangover, downed a cup of water, and left her bedroom.
The voices of the Weasley children filled her ears as she went down the stairs, getting louder with every step. She tiredly slumps into an empty chair and picks up a biscuit, quietly taking a bite.
"Morning, sunshine." Says George, giggling and elbowing his twin.
"You look like-" Starts Fred, but is interrupted by a slap on the back of the head by his mother.
"Oh, won't you hush up. Good morning, dear." Says Molly, smiling. She took her seat at the head of the table, with Arthur at the other end, and resumed eating her breakfast. Aurora quietly ate her breakfast, listening to bits and pieces of the conversations going on around the table, until Arthur cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.
"Alright everyone, we'll be leaving today, and I expect you all to be on your best behavior. Ginny, we should be back in time for your departure to school, but you'll need to go with someone to get the stuff you need." He says, and everyone at the table nods their head curtly.
Breakfast finished shortly after, and the girls clean the table, whilst the men help Arthur gather the things him and Molly will need for the trip. The family gathered in the den, receiving hugs and kisses from the parents.
"Alright, goodbye children. I'll miss you all!" She says, before gently taking Aurora's elbow and pulling her to the side.
"Aurora, do your best to keep the twins under control. You know how they get, but luckily they listen to you." She says, winking. Aurora gives her a smile and a nod back, and Molly then turns to leave with her husband.
When the parents are officially out of the house, breaths of relief are heard from everyone.
"Bloody hell, I thought they'd never leave." Says Ron, rolling his eyes.
"And just what are you excited to do that the guards are gone?" Questions Fred, followed by his intrigued twin, "Yeah, what's got you all excited?" Asks George. Ron's cheeks heat up, and he rubs the back of his neck.
"Well, I was planning on visiting Harry and Hermione. Possibly Neville and Luna, if they're up to it." He says, catching the attention of Ginny.
"You're going to see Harry? Why didn't you tell me?" She asks, jumping up from the couch where she was previously sitting, "I'm coming along." She finishes, making Ron's eyes go wide.
"Ginny, babe, I don't think he's planning on seeing Harry at all. Neville and Luna, neither," Aurora chuckles, making him frown at her, "You and Hermione have plans?" She asks, and his cheeks heat up once more, and he looks to the ground while nodding.
Ron and Hermione are the most quiet and private, yet obvious and loud couple anyone's ever met. Everyone knows they fancy each other, yet neither of them will admit to it.
"Well I'm going to see Harry nevertheless, I'll be back sometime." States Ginny, heading for the staircase, where her older brothers stop her.
"No, I don't think so," Says George, followed by Fred, "If I recall correctly, Mum told us you need to gather your things for school." Ginny rolls her eyes, and Aurora scoffs at the twins' protective side.
"Oh, bloody hell, I'll take her to Diagon Alley myself when she returns, just let her go have some fun." She says, making Ginny smirk at them. They firmly shake their heads no, causing Aurora to roll her eyes.
"Why can Ron go see Hermione, but I can't visit Harry?" Questions Ginny, making Ron's cheeks flare up.
"I'm actually going to help her prepare for school, as well. She's retaking her seventh year since she wasn't able to. Bloody crazy, if you ask me." He respond, making Ginny roll her eyes.
"Fine, I'll take Ginny to get her stuff today." Aurora states, making Ginny frown at me. The twins shrug their shoulders at her response.
"Sounds good to me," Says Fred.
"At least we don't have to take her." Responds George, elbowing his brother.
"Stupid gits." Mutters Ginny, pushing by her brothers and going up the stairs, Aurora following close behind her. Opening the door to the shared room they have, Ginny's sitting at her desk, writing a letter to who she presumed to be Harry.
"Go away, I'm getting ready to go get my stupid school stuff, I'll be down in a moment." Mutters Ginny, dropping her quill and crossing her arms. Even though they're close, the girls argue just as regular sisters would.
"Ginny shut the hell up, I'm not taking you to Diagon. I'm taking you to see Harry, I just needed an excuse." Scoffs Aurora, causing a smile to break out on Ginny's face.
"You're the best," She says, smirking and grabbing a hairbrush, "I don't know why they wouldn't let me just get my stuff another time, it's not like I haven't visited Harry before." She finishes, making Aurora shrug. She crosses the room and takes a seat on the edge of Ginny's bed, messing with the rim of the sheets.
"You know how stupid those boys are. They switch like the drop of a hat." She retorts, making Ginny chuckle. She helped her sister finish getting ready, and they walk back down the stairs, going into a now empty den.
Listening to the shouting from outside, she assumed the twins were outside, messing with items that would probably go in their shop. Writing a note and leaving it on the table, she grabbed Ginny's hand, apparating to the Leaky Cauldron, where Harry said to meet. Ginny was 17, yet she didn't pass her test that allowed her to apparate on her own.
Making sure Ginny was safe with Harry, she waved goodbye and apparated back to the Burrow, where she would hide in her room until Ginny returned. She could hear the twins laughing outside, and assumed Ron had left to go see Hermione.
With nothing else to do, she grabbed her diary and quill, doodling constellations she learned in Astronomy back in Hogwarts. Call it cheesy, but Aurora enjoyed astronomy and astrology quiet a bit. After learning what her name truly meant, she fancied the idea of knowing more about what's above her.
It was around noon when Ginny returned with Harry, and the pair looked quite messier than how Aurora last saw them. Chucking at their disheveled states, Aurora gave Harry a quick hug before he left, leaving the two girls alone.
"Want to tell me about it?" Aurora questioned, leaving Ginny red faced and smiley.
"Maybe we should go to Diagon instead, wouldn't want the twins to question why I don't have my things." She laughs, making Aurora chuckle and shake her head. She grasped Ginny's hand, and the two left to actually get Ginny's school things this time.
The oblivious twins just outside would never know, and both Aurora and Ginny appreciated that.