Hand Me Downs.

You could never claim that 12 Grimmauld place wasn’t interesting.

At least that was what I told myself when the damp seemed to seep into me, whenever I felt like the walls were growing closer together and the ceiling lower. “You in there Amelia ?” I shrugged, blinking a couple of times to bring me back into focus.

“Sorry Hermione, what were you saying?” She frowned slightly, giving me the typical glare.

“I asked what I should expect to do in transfiguration in the fifth year, I’ve already asked Fred and George but you know they’re useless.” At this I nodded, pulling myself up on the narrow bed.

“The twins have got better stuff to do.” Hermione snorted and I felt my eyes narrow slightly,
“Anyway, you don’t need to worry Hermione, you know you’re gunna ace everything. Who knows, this year might even be a relatively quiet one...” I glanced towards the door, “So long as Voldy stays on the down low.”

“Amelia,” she half shrieked, eyes wide, “You can’t talk like that.”

“I’m sorry, who was it that said,‘ Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself’.” I winked at her pursed lips and pulled myself up. “You can’t spend all your time so serious sweetheart, I’ve been saying it for years!”

“And I suppose spending all your time pissing around with whatever Fred and George do is a better use of it?” I felt my eyes widen slightly at her malicious tone, the stress of the place obviously getting to her.

That and I had insulted her thought of intellect as all important, bad move Amelia.

“Much more fun.” I said simply, keeping my eyes on her as I left the room, a sigh leaving me as the door clicked quietly behind me. I had always gotten on with Hermione, even though she seemed to spend most of her time rolling her eyes at me.

“What’s wrong with you?” A light voice rang out, Tonks making her way up the steps and tripping on the final one, her face flushing.

“Hermione.” She lifted her eyebrows and shrugged, pouting slightly and causing me to giggle.

“Molly’s done some soup for lunch, hungry?” I nodded, eagerly following her down the stairs and shrieking as a large crack appeared from behind me, my hair flying around as I spun, fist clenched as I glared at the gangly body in front of me.

“Stop doing that Fred, I swear to God one day I will punch you.”

“Only if you’re quick enough m’love,” he smirked, linking our arms and pulling me into the kitchen, shoving me down in a hard wooden chair next to his twin.

“What were you and Hermione arguing about before? We could hear her shrieking,” he did a very accurate impression of the accused and I snorted, shrugging at the two.

“She was bugging me about OWLS already, girl really needs to enjoy herself I mean...does life get better than 12 Grimmauld place?”

“I certainly hope so,” Sirius commented, offering us a smile as he breezed past us, his once hollow cheeks rounder, skin less pale than the end of last year. Conversation grew as Hermione finally came down, sitting herself close to Ginny and muttering, no doubt about me, I rolled my eyes turning back to the twins.

“We need your help,” George whispered, aware of his mothers sharp hearing, I raised one eyebrow, indicating he continue, “We need to test the puking pasties on someone other than us.” Fred added causing me to grimace and shake my head.

“But I already tested them before and I didn’t really enjoy it then,” the puppy eyes began to form, the bottoms lips quivering, “Fine, but what do I get out of it?”

“Our undying love and gratitude?” George offered, I ignored him turning to Fred who tapped his chin staring intently at me.

“Sexual favours.” I spat out my drink, George’s face growing slightly pink as Fred and myself cackled, everyone soon staring at us, Molly instinctively just ignoring us and trying to continue the conversation as we began to choke on our laughs.

We didn’t stop until my throat was raw and my stomach felt like it would burst, the conversation had returned albeit strained and George hit me, glancing down the table towards Remus who was here ever so often and Sirius who looked in deep conversation. I looked down to see George pulling an extendable ear out of his pocket, Fred grinning devilishly.

The extendable ears were simple but very effective, I had helped the boys with the over the summer, seeing as Charms was something I actually found very easy and they both excelled at it, no matter what their OWL results said.

The only problem was Molly’s reaction, too many times she had caught us trying to listen,although seeing as the boys are both seventeen I personally can’t see any reason they shouldn't be able to listen.

And after mum...I think I should be allowed as well.

“Oh, Arthur,” I called down the table, chair jiggling as George and Fred stood, as if to get more bread whilst I kept the attention on me, “I was just thinking, I brought a calculator with me like you asked at the beginning of the summer but I completely forgot to show you it!” He grinned, his love of all things muggle seeming to grow more each year.

“Wonderful, what about the other thing the...”

“Gameboy?” I asked, genuinely smiling at how excited he grew, “Yeah I brought that, with Pokemon yellow of course, I’ll show you this afternoon!”

“Pokemon?” he asked, brow furrowed, the creases around is eyes seemed to have deepened radically in the last month we had spent here, I nodded again, “It’s a Japanese thing, you like collect these little creatures and fight them.” His grin grew.

“Not this afternoon Arthur,” Molly said, her own spirits lifted by her husbands excitement, “We have a meeting remember,” she finished the sentence quietly, “And some of the others are going to get...Harry.” Hermione and Ron’s head instantly shot up,

“They’re getting Harry today?” Ron asked, “Why the bloody hell did no-one tell us?” Molly started to explain before George bending down for a suspiciously long time caught her attention.

“NOT THOSE BLOODY EARS AGAIN YOU TWO!”



“Harry sounds happy,” George commented lightly, Fred just mumbled, my gameboy tight in his grasp as he battled to understand it.

“Muggle stuff is so cool.” I giggled.

“Well I know what to get you guys for your birthday don’t I?” I paused, “Why don’t you look into it, when you start the shop? Selling muggle stuff as a kind of novelty.”

Fred ginned, “Genius, I knew there was a reason we kept you around!“ I stuck my tongue out at him, watching as he turned the small console off, dropping it lightly on the bed as the shouting down the hall continued.

“Reckon we should go calm Mr Potter down?” I suggested, standing up and squealing as they both grabbed one of my arms and disapparating.

Disapparating is a horrible experience, especially along-side. My body felt like it was being squashed through a narrow tube, my stomach flipping, eyes bulging until half a second later we were sat on Hermione’s bed, my head still spinning as the twins greeted Harry with a usual sarcastic remark, waiting until he properly calmed down.

“You both passed your apparition tests then?” he asked bitterly and I nodded,

“With distinction. It’s been horrible.” I exaggerated, collapsing on the bed and ignoring the finger that started to poke my face, listening as the conversation grew, and turned to Percy.
"You do yours this year don't you?" Harry continued and I shrugged, not keen on it.

Although I was terrible on a broom as well.

"I think I'll just learn to drive." I commented, listening as the others began to speak.

Percy was...is a complete dick. We'd never been close but the story still angered me.

I wasn’t at the Weasley’s at the time, I spend half my holidays at the Weasley homestead and half at Katie’s normally, with a few days wedged awkward at home... but I saw Molly the next week, her eyes still rimmed with red, Mr Weasley still distraught and hurt, Percy’s name never mentioned without tears and anger.

“You guys should read the quibbler,” I interrupted a few minutes later when the conversation turned to the slurs in the Prophet and Harry had finally calmed down, “Luna...”

“Lovegood, her?” Hermione cut me off, a small apologetic smile on her lips as I nodded.

“Her Dad does it, it’s hilarious.”

“It’s full of rubbish.” Fred scoffed, as I grinned at him.

“Just like you sweetheart...Actually that reminds me, can I borrow dearest Pig, I need to owl Katie, I still haven’t replied to her.” Ginny nodded and I thanked her, “Oh...” I added, pointed to Harry, “Katie wants to know which of you are aiming to play next year, her cousins going into second year and is eager for a place and Angelina’s already bugging her to find out.”

“Taking her role quite seriously already then?” Harry asked quietly and I nodded, “Well she can’t be as bad as Wood was, maybe we’ll actually get lay ins this year.” I snorted, looking at the three in turn,

“You guys have seen Angelina pissed off right?” They all nodded, “Well imagine that all year and I’m betting that’s what you’re getting in to.” I laughed at their horrified faces and stood, “I’m going to go start my letter.”

“No point,” Ginny said, as footsteps grew louder, “Dinner will be ready now.” The twins jumped up and once again I was being crushed, my lungs gasping for air when we appeared back in their room.

“I honestly hate you guys.”



Dinner had erupted in an argument that was long overdue.
How much did Harry need to know?
It was ridiculous, Harry deserved to know everything, we all did.

Molly and Sirius had continued to shout, both standing before Remus cut in, spitting at his friends to sit and listen.

“Okay,” Molly finally admitted defeat, “Ginny - Ron - Hermione - Fred - George – Amelia- I want you out of this kitchen, now.” The uproar happened immediately, and rightly so, Fred and George were of age, Ron and Hermione would be told everything that happened and I needed to know stuff.

I needed to know what she died for.

After a few more minutes it settled again, and we all, apart from Ginny were allowed to stay, Ron’s eyes were fixed on my face however thanks to Remus’s last remark,
“Amelia has as much right to be here as anyone.”

Because Ron didn’t know, only Fred, George and Katie.

About her.



“What did Lupin mean?” Harry asked a few minutes after in the dark room, sitting up on one bed next to Ron whilst I sat opposite, Fred and George on either side and that familiar unpleasant feeling in my stomach.

I shrugged, “Probably just that I’m second eldest?”

“Bollocks.” Ron said loudly, causing the three to shush at him whilst I felt Harry examining my face.

“My mum was in the order the first time.” I said, giving as little detail as possible,
Ron looked guilty immediately and he winced as Harry, Harry who knew me but never that well asked the fatal question, “Did...did she die?” he was muttering, stumbling over his words, “I mean, I’ve seen your Dad at the station and...”

I felt my throat burn, my eyes pricking, “Well you’ve never seen her have you?” I went to stand but creaks in the hallway alerted us to Molly and a second later I was back in the twins room.

“Can one of you take me to the girls bedroom please?“ I asked quietly, and for once there was no jokes.