Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and Whatnot

The next morning, I awoke early and got ready. I was leaving for home in about an hour, and I was staying with my parents for a few days before going to the Burrow. Hermione woke up not long after me.

“Are you excited to be going home?” she asked.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen my parents since spring break last year. Mum will want to take me shopping, of course. She loves shopping in Muggle stores, especially around Christmas time. And I want to hear what’s happening with my Dad’s job and the Ministry. I have a feeling it’s worse than they’re letting on, you know?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, “everyone seems to be trying to pass it off as being under control.”

“What about you? Are you excited to be going home?”

“Well I’m glad to be getting away from here, that’s for sure. But I’m going to miss you once you leave for the Burrow”

“I know, I’m sorry, I’m going to miss you too”

She shrugged a little sadly, “It’s alright, I know you want to spend time with Fred and George”

“You could come too, you know, if you just – “

“Not happening”

I sighed, “Yeah, I figured”

We went down to the common room to say goodbye to our other friends. I tried to distract Hermione when Ron and Lavender began their very nonverbal goodbye. It didn't work so well, but what can you do?

When it was time to go, Hermione and I went to McGonagalls office. We were travelling by floo powder for safety measures.

“See you soon!” I said to her before stepping into the fireplace.

The next minute I was sitting on the floor in my own living room, covered in soot with my mom hugging me tightly.

“Caroline, honey, oh your father and I have missed you so much!”

She finally let go and I stood up and brushed the rest of the soot off.

“I missed you too!” I grinned and hugged my dad too.

"Hey baby girl," he said "nice to have you home"

“Look at you,” my mother had grabbed my face, “you get more beautiful every time we see you”

“And tall” my dad added.

“Yeah, I got that one from you Dad,” I said, smiling up at him.

“Do you want to unpack? Or would you just like to rest? We’re having the Grangers over for dinner tonight, around 7 I think I told them. We cleaned up your room for you, new sheets and everything – “

I hugged her, which shut her up, and said “Thanks Mom”

I spent the rest of the day talking to my parents about school and everything that had been going on. They informed me of what they knew to be happening at the Ministry, and my dad talked about his job. Being in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, he’d had some encounters with alleged Death Eaters. Sometimes it was investigating illegal magic being performed, sometimes they had to search mansions for Dark objects, but whatever they were doing, the Death Eaters were unhappy about it and had been causing some disturbances. Not only had they threatened a few people from the department, but they had a guy followed once so far, and another man had been cursed. It was a mild curse, but an attack nonetheless. I was worried about my dad and what might happen to him, but he was never one to give up in a fight, so he was sticking with his job for as long as he could.

That night, the Grangers came over for dinner, and Herms and I hung out all night. It was fun staying up most of the night talking. Sure, you'd think we could do that all the time, living in the same dorm, but you'd be wrong. During school, Hermione almost always makes sure to get to bed on time. Since she didn't have class the next day, though, we talked for hours, about anything and everything. Although I avoided the subject of Ron like the plague.

Over the next few days, they came to dinner almost every night. Mum also took me shopping and insisted on buying me a massive amount of shoes. Not that I really minded. Dad brought home news from the Ministry every night and taught me a few more nonverbal defensive spells that he thought I should know. Dads…always so overprotective. We exchanged Christmas gifts early, along with the Grangers, but then it was over too soon. I was excited about going back to the Burrow, but I missed my parents when I was away all the time.