The Beginning of the End

Effie stared out of the window of the train, everything was so beautiful when it was covered in snow. She, Harry, Ron, and Ginny were going to the Burrow for the Holiday's. Effie would be going home but her dad took some Auror job so he wouldn't be home until after the new year. Despite everything that was going on, she was looking forward to being at the Weasley's.

There was a knock at the compartment door and Effie looked up. There stood Harry with his hands stuffed in the pocket of his jeans. Effie waved him in and he slid the door open and then shut again. Effie took a bite of her chili cheese flavored Fritos as he sat down.

"How are you?" Harry asked, looking into her honey brown orbs. He was searching for some kind of answer hidden in them. He wasn't sure exactly what answers he was looking for though. Effie shrugged and continued to eat her chips.

"I'm fine. Just have a lot on my mind is all." She answered, fiddling with her fingers. Harry lowered his gaze to her hand and reached out and grabbed it. Her heart stopped for a fraction of a second but then she realized that this wasn't the first time he had held her hand.

"I know you miss your mum, Effie, but you can't let that keep you from being happy." It was like he read her mind.

"You don't understand, Harry." She whispered, feeling the tears build up in her eyes. Harry gripped her hand tighter and moved to sit beside her.

"But I do. Sure my parents didn't leave me but they did die. I've gone my whole life without my parents. Yes, I do miss them, more than anything in the world but I don't let that keep from being happy and feeling something." By this point, Effie was crying slightly. Harry reached up and wiped a tear that had escaped her eye. She felt selfish for feeling so upset. Her mother had only left a short while ago. Harry's parents however, had been gone his whole life.

"I know but, I just feel so angry at her, all the time! She just up and left because she wanted to go see the world! She left me!" Effie was in hysterics. All of the emotions that she had been bottling up were spilling out. She couldn't help it.

"It's okay to feel that way, it really is. It's better that you get it all out in the open." Harry said pulling Effie to him. He wrapped his arms around her and ran his fingers through the ends on her hair.

"It's going to be okay." He whispered in her ear. Effie had his shirt in a death grip, her fists squeezing it as tight as she could. It was the only thing she could do to keep from falling apart. She took slow breaths to calm herself down, each breath was catching his scent. She pushed herself away from him before something happened like last time.

"Thank you." She mumbled, wiping her eyes and sniffling. Harry smiled at how adorable she looked.

"Anytime. I'm sorry to have to go like this but I have to get back to Ron. I can send Hermione in if you want?" He asked standing up. Effie shook her head.

"No, I think the time alone would be good for me right now." She said with a small smile. He nodded and left the compartment. Effie was a little bit happier now. She felt better about her mom and she had actually had a decent conversation with Harry. Maybe things would get better from this point.

***

The large ministry car pulled up in front of the Burrow and everyone piled out. The wind nipped at Effie's face causing her to squint her eyes a little. She slung her duffle bag over her shoulder and walked inside with everyone else. Warmth invaded her body, making her shudder. She could already smell that night's dinner being cooked and it smelled heavenly.

A second later, Mrs. Weasley came bustling into the room, a wide smile on her face and her arms opened wide. She first hugged Harry, then Ron, then Hermione, the Ginny, and then Effie.

"Hey Mrs. Weasley, how are you?" Effie asked, brushing her hair back from her face.

"Same old, same old." Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. Effie laughed and then went upstairs to set her bag down in Ginny's room. She had to admit, it was good to be back. She had forgotten how homey the place felt.

She turned and left the room, walking back down the stairs. Everyone was gathered in the kitchen, waiting for dinner to finish cooking.

"So, how are classes? You're not being a rebel now are you?" Mrs. Weasley asked Effie as she sat down. Effie laughed and shook her head.

"No, it's been a quiet year for me so far. I think I might keep it that way." She said biting her lower lip gently.

"It's too bad Fred and George never learned anything from you. If they did, perhaps they would have stayed in school." She said, giving her twin boys a firm look. Effie grinned.

"They're too stubborn to really listen to anybody so I'm not sure how well that would have worked."

"Hey, we're right here!" Fred and George said in unison. Effie giggled and picked up one of the rolls that was sat in the middle of the table. Fred grabbed Effie's hands and pushed her sleeves up.

"When did you get those?" He asked referring to Effie's wrist tattoos. She had Hope written on the inside of her right wrist and Dream written on the inside of the left one. Both were done in a fancy script and we shaded in completely black. On the side of her right wrist, she had a little black cross.

"Oh, I got these just before I came here before this school year started." Effie said looking at her wrists.

"How come we didn't notice them before?" George asked.

"We did." Hermione said gesturing to herself, Harry, and Ron.

"I'm not sure why you didn't see them. It's not like I was trying to hide them. Maybe you just weren't paying attention." Effie said sticking her tongue out at the twins.

"Effie Reynolds, you really are something else." Fred said with a shake of his head. Effie smiled and continued to eat her roll. Oh yeah, she missed this.