Undecided

The steady motion of the train was suddenly starting to get to me and I started to feel drowsy as I stared out the window at the passing by scenery. Mom had made us get up extra early this morning just so we could recheck all of our bags and be sure that we had everything that we needed, even though Grandma Ashling insisted that the house elves wouldn’t have forgotten anything. She was right anyway, nothing was missing and nothing was left behind. Every last bit of Moore twin magic and every pair of underwear was neatly packed away just like Wendy, Iggy, Prince, and Rosewood had promised a week ago.
“Sleepy?” Cat asked as she looked up from where she and Draco were whispering together.
“Very,” I sighed and rested my head against the cool glass of the window, “And my head is throbbing again.”
“You probably need a sugar boost,” she replied and stood up as the old witch with the candy cart slowly passed by the compartments around us, “Three Cauldron Cakes, please.”
I watched out the corner of my eye as she paid for the three decently sized pastry cakes and then handed one to Draco before placing one into my outstretched hand and then taking a large bite of her own.
“So why did no one think to invite us to this shindig?” Fred asked as the whole Weasley bunch walked into the compartment, minus Ronald.
“I wasn’t aware of the fact that we were having a shindig, were you, Mollie?” Cat questioned and I shook my head no as a small smile broke out across my face.
“I simply thought that it was a train ride back to Hogwarts but I suppose that I could have been mistaken,” I answered and shrugged my shoulders lightly before taking a small bite of my Cauldron Cake.
“Don’t get smart,” George chuckled and pecked me lightly on the cheek before sitting down next to me and motioning to the short, red headed girl that was standing closely to Fred, “Ginny’s a first year now, isn’t it great? We can tease her all year round now!”
“Be nice to your sister!” Cat scolded him and patted Ginny softly on the head before smiling brightly at her and then scowling at George again, “Keep in mind that she may be bearing your nieces and nephews someday and she can turn them all against you.”
“I have five brothers, Catherine, nieces and nephews won’t just be coming from this one,” George replied teasingly and I laughed lightly at the look of disgust on Fred’s face as he began to process the thought of him fathering a child.
“Don’t start with me George, I can freeze you,” she threatened and smirked in a teasingly evil manner.
“It’s cool,” he replied and put the emphasis on the word cool, “Mollie will just defrost me.”
“No she won’t, I won’t let her,” Fred interjected with a clear smile on his face.
“Way to be a brother, Fred!” George yelled and Fred chuckled as he shrugged and leaned against the door to the compartment.
“He’s being a bud, that’s all,” Cat commented and smiled approvingly.
“Bros before hoes, man!” George yelled in protest and I quickly covered my mouth with both of my hands before I started laughing.
“Are you calling me a hoe, George?” Cat questioned and her smile quickly turned into a glare as she rounded on him.
“It’s a saying, I wasn’t implying anything by it,” he replied and I closed my eyes as I struggled not to laugh.
“I don’t know if I believe you,” she sighed and shook her head disappointedly, “I just don’t know, George. I may have to curse you now.”
“You wouldn’t,” he chuckled and Cat couldn’t help but to smile and shake her head.
“Bloody hell!” Fred yelped and caught himself before he fell to the floor as Hermione opened the compartment door.
“Sorry Fred, I didn’t see you,” Hermione partly laughed as she helped him steady himself again, “I’m still asleep.”
“It’s alright Mione, just make sure it’s Draco next time,” he joked and winked at her as Draco glared strongly at the back of his head.
“I was beginning to wonder where you were,” I said and smiled at Hermione as she closed the compartment door again.
“It’s getting a bit crowded in here, I think that I’ll head out,” Draco piped in and then rudely pushed his way through Fred and Hermione before leaving the compartment.
“Priss,” I scoffed and Cat shot me a dirty look.
“He’s just upset because you guys always poke fun at him,” she protested and glared lightly at Fred before exiting the compartment also.
“Poke fun at him my arse! He calls me weasel at least twice a day!” Fred yelled and his ears shone red as his anger spiked.
“Don’t let the spoiled mental case get the best of you, he isn’t worth it,” George replied and turned to Ginny, “If Dorkfoy ever bothers you, be sure to let me know. I’ll give him a second head.”
“He technically already has one,” Fred replied and wiggled his eyebrows.
“Not in front of your little sister,” I scolded him and George raised an eyebrow at me, “What?”
“You know what he meant by that?”
“Just because I’m a bit young doesn’t mean I can’t understand simple jokes that teenage boys think are appropriate to say in front of their little sisters,” I replied and he shrugged innocently as he smiled at me, “Apologize to your sister for your indecency!”
“I didn’t even say it!” George protested and motioned to Fred, who was taking great amusement out of the situation.
“Do. It,” I instructed him and stared him down playfully before he sighed and turned to face his sister.
“Sorry for my inappropriate behavior, Ginny,” he sighed and looked at me again.
“Good,” I smiled approvingly as I spoke and then turned to Fred and gave him a look that told him to do the same thing.
“Me too, sorry for my inappropriate behavior, Ginny,” Fred said and then looked at me again with an annoyed expression.
“Thank you,” I chuckled and then rested my head against the glass of the window, “So what do you blokes have planned for this year?”
“Ron said something about not wanting to get that close to a near death experience again,” George replied and nodded his head in a sort of determined way.
“Speaking of which, where’s Harry?” Ginny asked and giggled lightly at her own mention of Harry’s name.
“She’s taken a fancy to Mr. Potter, if you know what I mean,” George whispered to me and wiggled his eyebrows in a supposed to be seductive manor.
“I have not!” Ginny squealed and hit her big brother as her face flushed white and then started to resemble her hair color.
“It’s okay, Ginny, Harry is quite the charmer,” I teased her and she hid her face in her hands as George and Fred laughed.
“Be nice, Mollie,” Hermione scolded me and I chuckled and took another bite of my Cauldron Cake.
“I am nice! I just like to tease people!” I protested, “Just like the crazy twins here.”
“We are not crazy!” they both yelled together and I started to laugh again as I shook my head in amusement.
“So where’s your brother?” Hermione asked and tried to keep the light blush from her own cheeks.
“Someone is smitten!” I yelled and pointed at her accusingly in a teasing manner.
“I am not!” she yelled back in protest and the twins rolled their eyes at us as they smiled knowingly at each other, “The only feelings that I have towards Ronald are tolerance and disgust.”
I scoffed loudly and she huffed heavily before storming out of the compartment.
“Well someone is cranky,” Fred sang and propped his feet up on the unoccupied seat next to him.
“Now wait a minute, why are the three of us crammed onto one seat and you have that whole bloody one to yourself?” George asked and eyed his brother.
“Because I’m bloody freaking awesome!” Fred replied and smirked.
“You wish,” I laughed and started playing with my hair as Fred glared at me, “Don’t give me that look, Fred.”
“Don’t talk to me in that tone of voice, Mollie,” he shot back and I raised an eyebrow at him as I dropped my hair again, “Please?”
“Nice save,” George chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder in an attempt to keep me from killing his brother.
“We’re going to be arriving at Hogwarts in ten minutes!” Neville said and smiled at me as he opened the compartment door, “You all might want to change into your robes.”
“Hear that Weasleys? You have some work to do,” I sang and the twins groaned as I laughed and Ginny giggled, “Go change, your spots are still going to be here when you get back.”
The twins looked at each other before they both sighed and then stood up and headed out of the door that Neville was still holding open.
“Come on, Ginny!” Fred called and Ginny hopped up before jogging after her brothers.
“So are you looking forward to a new year?” Neville asked as he walked into the compartment and closed the door.
“As long as Vold- I mean He-Who-Must-Not-be Named doesn’t show up again then I’m all for this year,” I replied and smiled friendly at him as he sat down in the spot that Fred had occupied just moments before, “How about you?”
He shrugged lamely and avoided eye contact with me as he stared out the window.
“Are you alright, Neville?” I questioned and sat forward so I could place my hand reassuringly on his knee, “You seem distracted, or worried.”
“I just have a feeling that this year isn’t going to be...good,” he replied and shuttered slightly, “Like something bad is going to happen.”
“It’s Hogwarts, Neville. No one is going to try anything as long as Dumbledore is there. You should know that,” I assured him and he shrugged before sighing deeply and closing his eyes, “Is that really what’s bothering you?”
“It’s not a big deal, really,” he tried to laugh as he spoke but I could tell that he had something on his mind.
“Neville, you can talk to me, you know that, right?” I sighed and squeezed his knee reassuringly again.
“Listen, I have to go,” he sighed heavily and brushed my hand away before standing up hurriedly opening the compartment door, “I’ll talk to you later, Mollie.”
“Bye, Neville,” I called after him and then shook my head as I leaned against the window again and closed my eyes.
“Grandma Ashling says that he’s usually like that for a few days after he visits his parents,” Cat said as she walked into the compartment and sat down next to me, “Do you remember what she told us about the Longbottoms?”
“Cursed into insanity, I remember,” I sighed and opened my eyes to look at her, “You don’t think that my temporary crush on him last year has anything to do with him acting so strange around me, do you?”
“I don’t see why it would. He knows that you don’t feel that anyway and he’s confided in me many a time that he’s moved on,” she replied and looked at me quizzically, “You don’t feel that way about him anymore, do you?”
“No!” I yelled quickly as my eyes shot open and I sat up again, “I love Neville, but not like that. I’m just worried about leading him on again.”
“You worry too much, sis,” Cat laughed and leaned back into her seat as I saw Hogsmeade Station begin to come into view.
“It’s what I do,” I laughed and leaned back in my seat in the same manner that Cat was before smiling at my older sister and waiting for the train to come to a stop.

“Welcome to Hogwarts, bitches!” Cat yelled as the horseless carriage pulled up to the castle and I laughed as George helped me down and then extended his hand to Cat.
“I’ve got it Weasley,” Draco piped in rudely as he appeared out of nowhere and nudged George out of the way before extending his own hand to Cat.
“Be nice, Draco,” Cat whispered to him and I pursed my lips as I struggled not to light his hair on fire.
“Calm down,” George chuckled and took my hand in his before gently pulling me towards the castle.
“I can’t stand him,” I mumbled and pounded up the stairs behind a group of loud sixth years.
“None of us can, Mollie. You just have to keep your cool, literally. It’s going to be hard to explain flaming balls of fire coming from your hands to the student body,” he joked and nudged me lightly as I smiled.
“I’m sure we could come up with some sort of excuse,” I laughed and then fell silent as I saw Professor McGonagall staring at George and me intently, “Hello, Professor.”
“Have a good summer, Professor?” George asked politely and smiled at her innocently.
“Yes, because it was deprived of all Weasley pranks,” she replied and gave George and Fred intense looks, “Which I hope will not return this year.”
“No worries, Professor. We’ve outgrown our pranking stage!” Fred lied and waved her off as he smirked at George quickly.
“Stop lying through your teeth and go sit down Weasley,” Professor McGonagall sighed and I tried to keep from laughing as Fred and George smirked at each other and led to me to the Gryffindor table.
“I think that stick got lodged even farther up her arse over the holiday,” I laughed and sat down between the twins as the last of the people from the carriages began to flow into the Great Hall and take their seats at their house tables.
“Why does McGonagall look so peeved?” Cat asked as she, Hermione, and Neville sat down across from the twins and me.
“No reason,” Fred laughed and then let his head fall against the table as he tried to calm himself.
“It’s really not that funny dear,” I whispered to him and he shrugged before whipping his eyes and pretending to fan himself so that he didn’t faint, “You’re insane.”
“Right-o,” George interjected and smiled at how silly his brother was acting.
“Seriously, does anyone know where Harry and Ron are?” Cat asked and stood up in her seat slightly to see over the heads of people.
“I haven’t seen them since we went through the barrier at Kings Cross,” George answered and started to look around with Cat.
“I doubt that there’s anything to worry about, it is Ron and Harry after all,” Fred said and I turned in my seat to look at him, “Alright, so maybe we should be slightly concerned.”
“A little bit more then slightly concerned would be a good idea,” Hermione sighed and looked up towards the head table, “Oh look! There he is!”
“Who?” I questioned and followed her line of vision to see Gilderoy Lockhart sitting down in his new spot at the Head Table, “Mione, you can’t be serious!”
“He’s just so magical,” she mused and stared at him with a lost expression in her eyes.
“Gag!” George and Fred yelled together and made fake gagging motions at the same time.
“Hush up you two, Professor Dumbledore is going to speak,” Percy scolded from his place down the table and glared at his two younger brothers before turning his full attention back to where Dumbledore was rising in his seat.
“Priss,” I coughed and the twins both snickered as Hermione and Cat rolled their eyes.
“Hello and welcome to another magical year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!” Dumbledore roared and looked around at each table as he smiled brilliantly, “I assure you all that the same rules that applied last year are still very much in effect this year and if any of you need to refresh your memory on as to what the rules are, you can voluntarily go to Mr. Filch’s and look over the entire list. Though I’m sure that some of you will end up in his office by the end of the first week anyway.”
I saw him smile at the twins momentarily before scanning the entire room again and then looking behind him at the head table.
“As many of you probably know by now, the teaching post for Defense Against the Dark Arts is going to be filled by Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart. I’m sure you all will give him a large, friendly, Hogwarts welcome on your first day of classes!”
Not less than a moment after Dumbledore had finished his sentence the majority of the female Hogwarts population burst into applause and whooping cheers.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumbled and George and I exchanged a perplexed glance as Hermione jumped to her feet in applause.
“I never knew that she would give anything besides a new spells book a standing ovation,” he whispered to me and I nudged him lightly in the side as I started laughing.
“You’re horrible,” I replied and shook my head as I looked back up at the head table and the girls all began to take their seats again.
“Yes, yes. I’m so very glad that you all are so excited to have Professor Lockhart here with us,” Dumbledore said and I thought that I saw Professor McGonagall roll her eyes from where she was standing in front of the door that the first years would soon come filing out of, “I greatly anticipate what I believe will be a very magical year here at Hogwarts!”
“Here here!” Fred yelled out and raised his fist into the air in a sort of triumphant manner.
“Weasley!” McGongall yelped back harshly and glared lightly at him.
I hid my face in my hands again as George snickered at his brother and Fred smiled proudly as the first years began to file into the room. McGonagall led them all to the front and I watched her as she placed the same stool and old, tattered hat from last year in front of everyone. Several students looked at it quizzically and I couldn’t help but to smile at the memories of last year when we all got sorted by the strange hat.
My smile grew as the sorting hats seem ripped open into a mouth and it began to burst into song. The song was different from the one he sang last year but I guess if I had to spend a whole year in Dumbledore’s office with nothing to do and no one to talk to, I’d write a new song, too. The shocked faces on the first year’s faces were enough to make me grateful that no one ever spoke of the true way that they sorted us at Hogwarts, their faces were just so priceless! Every single one of them was!
“You had that same look on your face when you went up last year,” George whispered to me and I blushed lightly as I watched the face of a young boy with mousy brown hair grow excited as he was sorted into Gryffindor.
“Did I really?” I whispered back and he nodded and let out a low chuckle as I blushed a slightly deeper red.
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, everyone has that look on their face when they get sorted. Especially the muggel-borns,” he replied and smiled teasingly at me.
“Muggel-born as I might be, I’m still more powerful then you could ever hope to be, George,” I mumbled just loud enough for him to hear and his eyes squinted into a slight glare as he tried not to smile, “Plus, my mother isn’t a muggle. She’s a squib. There is quite a difference.”
“Oh yes, quite a difference indeed,” he rolled his eyes as he spoke and I returned the favor before turning my attention back to the sorting.
The sorting dragged on and I couldn’t help but to let my mind wonder a bit as the last few students had the hat placed on their heads.
“There’s Ginny!” Fred whispered excitedly and pointed to where Ginny was climbing unsteadily onto the stool.
“I can see her pixie face,” George scoffed and stared nervously as the sorting hat carefully considered where to place Ginny.
“Gryffindor!” the hat yelled out suddenly and all three Weasley’s that were present stood suddenly as they cheered and clapped.
“Thank God!” Fred yelled out as Percy clapped his hand on Ginny’s small shoulder proudly and sat her down next to him, “I was worried she might get Slytherin!”
“Oh hush up, Fred!” Hermione whispered harshly and I looked up to see McGonagall giving the twins another intense glare.
“Is that it for the sorting?” I asked quietly as I failed to find anymore small first years standing in front of the Head Table.
“I believe so,” Cat whispered in response just as Dumbledore stood again.
“I would like to congratulate all of our new students on their new placements!” his booming voice yelled and he opened his arms and looked around at everyone as he smiled broadly, “And now! Let’s feast!”
“Finally!” I cried out thankfully as large plates of food magically appeared in front of us on the table, “I’ve been waiting for the welcoming feast since it ended last year!”
“Where do you suppose Snape is going?” George asked curiously as Professor Snape excused himself from the table and began to walk towards the exit.
“Who bloody cares?” Fred scoffed and shoveled another mouthful of mashed potatoes into his mouth as I eyed Snape carefully.
He had a satisfied, smirkish expression on his face that made me suspect that he was either up to no good was about to get something that he’s desperately wanted for a long time.
“Creeps you out, doesn’t he?” George asked and I nodded silently as he exited the Great Hall and I slowly started to eat my food.
All I can say is that I hope Harry and Ron haven’t gotten themselves into trouble already. Not only would Hermione kill them both, but Cat would be less than satisfied with their lack of self-control.
“Stop worrying!” Cat scolded me and I looked to see her eyeing me carefully as she cut up her fish, “You do too much of it as it is.”
“Like I said sis, it’s what I do,” I chuckled and looked down at my food again as George laughed at something someone had said, “It’s just a part of me, like my fire within.”
“Well, can you send your worry and your fire on a vacation for a while? Both get quite annoying at times,” Fred whispered and my head snapped up to look at him as I quickly heated my hand up to prime burning heat and then jabbed him in the side, “Ouch!”
“Be grateful, that could have been a fire ball aimed at your balls,” I scoffed and he looked at me with a frightened expression, “I love you, Fred, but if you want to have children someday then I suggest that you stop pissing this one off so much.”
“George, I thought you said that you were going to work with her on her anger,” Fred said and looked over my head at his brother.
“I’m trying,” he laughed in response as his hand gently caressed my knee in an attempt to calm me down, “She’s just too fiery.”
“Yeah, I’ll say,” Fred scoffed and George sighed before kissing my head gently and then returning to his food.
“Oh shut it,” I mouthed to Cat as she made kissy faces at me and George. She smirked and swirled her finger slightly and then flicked it splashing my with a few drops of water. I glared at her but stopped as Filch came into the hall and walked up to the head table and talked to the headmaster and our head of house.
“Looks like our worst fears have been realized. Harry and Ron are in trouble.” Cat sighed.
“What do you suppose they did?” Hermione asked as she rubbed her temples.
“I know how we can find out.” I told her and my five friends all looked at me.
“How?” The twins asked.
“Apollo.” I said simply and my red and gold phoenix appeared on my shoulder in a burst of flame that made me laugh. “Go find out why Harry and Ron are in trouble.” I told him and he disappeared the same way he had appeared.
“How long do you think it will take?” Neville asked curious.
“Don’t know.” I said.
“Not very, he’s as good at getting info as Arti is.” Cat commented as Apollo came back and dropped the Evening Prophet on my lap. I opened it up and stared at the picture of a flying car and Harry and Ron in the front seat on the top of the front page.
“Oh crap!” The twins said looking at it too.
“They’re screwed, and so is dad.” George sighed as Fred nodded his agreement.
“This is bad.” Cat sighed and we waited patiently for the teachers to return.