Sequel: Loonar

Hand Me Downs.

Give her hell for us Peeves.

After another drizzling walk, this time alone, I was back at Hogwarts and feeling as confused but also in touch with my father than I had been in years. I frowned, letting it play through my head but shaking it away, it didn’t change much, the way he had been for years. All I could hope was for him to be different from now on, however little the change was.

When I finally reached the common room, taking advantage of being able to use spells, although if Umbridge had caught me I would have been in trouble, I levitated my case in front of me all the way to the Common Room where I was informed she had changed the password.

“Seriously? I’ve been gone for four days, you can’t just not let me in!”

“That’s the rule deary!”

“You know me! Honestly, come on!” I was stuck outside for another twenty minutes before a frazzled looking Hermione appeared.

“Oh dear, of course we should have let you know, so sorry Amelia. Excalibur.” She said turning to the portrait who swung out of the way.

“Bitch.” I murmured at her, climbing in before Hermione, finally glad I was inside.

“You have a nice time?” She asked, voice frantic,

“Yeah, are you alright?”

“Not really, I’m trying to get my head around the Evanesco charm and it’s purposes and where the item goes.”

“It goes into non-being, which is to say everything.” I recited blankly, having it been drilled into me the year beforehand, “Has Flitwick not laid that gem on you yet?”

“No, not yet and we’ve so much word to do and revision and I just can’t...” I glanced around for someone to save me but everyone seemed either busy or was not in the Common Room, although Alicia had the audacity to smirk at me.

“Look, I’ll get my work done by like.. Saturday and then anything I can help you with you want helping with....”

“Oh really, thank you! I know you’ve been doing so well lately in Transfiguration and it’s worrying me and oh god, I need to get his book and go back to the library.” She darted off before I could respond and left me almost speechless, I’d never seen her quite so insane before.

“She was way worse on Sunday,” A voice rang out from behind me, making me jump, my suitcase falling, “God, she was?”

“Yeah, she wouldn’t leave Aaron alone pestering him with potions questions, you just got back then?” I nodded, finally turning to face him, his comment the previous week hadn’t been mentioned and he pulled me into a quick hug.

“I’m so glad it’s been so boring without you!”

“Glad to hear, gotta be fun or you won’t want be around.”

“Exactly, yeah.” I giggled although I was waiting for a familiar pair of red heads to appear which didn’t.

“Everyone’s in our room, we wanna know how your super fun long weekend with Tammy went.”
I make a groaning noise and he laughed loudly, “Alright, dump yours stuff then come up.” I finally noticed the large paper bag, “You’ve been to the kitchens?”

“Yeah, nearly ran into Umbridge twice, had to hide behind that stupid hump back witch statue!” I giggled, watching him run off and again levitating my case to my bed, checking myself in the mirror.

As much as I wanted to see George I felt I’d been neglecting my friends as it was recently, and plus, I imagined since he wasn’t here he was busy formulating some more death inducing chocolate so I decided to let him be for a while.

First of all I’d have to explain my Fathers slight epiphany.
And the outfit Tammy had worn when we had gone shopping.
Good lord.
______________________________

After a couple of hours filled with cakes, how Dale managed that I didn’t know, I heard heavy footsteps and decided it was time to make my appearance.

“I still can’t believe she got you a handbag from Harrods.”

“I can’t believe she got that modelling gig, you have to show me.” I grimaced at him, “What? We may not like her but she is dead fit.”

“God Ryan,” Katie scolded, mouthful, blushing as she realised, “Don’t be such a pig.”

“You’re one to speak,” He said, poking her cheeks slightly in a very gentle movement. Dale and I met eyes, widening slightly, the room awkward for a couple of minutes until Aaron successfully changed the subject, and I stood, tugging down my skirt and shirt.

“That’s new as well isn’t it?” Leanne asked, examining me and earning several rolls of eyes.

“It’s pretty much all new, I thought I’d make you jealous,” I pouted before winking.

“Apart from the necklace,” She said gently, my hand drawing up to the small cage, the bird still enclosed. I let it go, meeting Dale’s eyes quickly and feeling myself flush, spinning and stuttering an excuse so no-one could see.

I let out a deep breath as I closed the door, feeling my skin pale again.
What the hell was that?!

Why had Leanne brought it up and why had I reacted like it?

I had no feelings for Dale, I was sure of that...almost. I held the charm again, letting the cool pretend iron bars run over my fingers, “There you are!” I turned, smiling a little at Lee, “You aright? I’ve just been looking for you.”

“Oh yeah sorry,” I said easily, “I was just with everyone filling them in, you all upstairs?” He nodded,
“You alright? You look weird.”

“Insulting my clothes?” I joked, easily distracting him.

“Nah, you look really nice.” I smiled at the compliment, but the necklace was burning around my neck, over my collar bones. I resolved to take it off that evening.

Perhaps leave it off permanently.

I couldn’t be having that kind of reaction, feeling, not anymore. It wasn’t fair on anyone, including myself.

And I knew the minute I saw George I couldn’t imagine wanting anyone else.

As foolish a statement that may be for a seventeen year old. I twisted my hand together, the gleaming gold ring that had been his main present to me, in the shape of a star caught the light, the reflection, due to some charm, a small rainbow.

It made me smile and by the time I saw them, hair frizzy, heads over cauldrons and him and I met eyes I felt one hundred percent better.

“You guys have more boxes,” I said simply, finally gaining their full attention, George leapt up, hugging me quickly, “Yeah,” he exclaimed, all three of them look overexcited, “We’ve been working really hard and we’ve got a lot of stuff, and a plan...”

“A plan?”

“On our brilliant exit to come.” I swallowed hard, but he didn’t seem to notice my discomfort,

“Your brilliant exit when?”

“Sometime after Easter, probably during the first week, whenever we can piss Umbridge off enough.”
Just four weeks before exams they would never sit, NEWTs they would never have.

I was sounding too much like a mother again, and the words were pointless.

“Is Diagon Alley all set up then?”

“We’re sorted out a team decorating it, so that’s happening now.” Fred answered, grin gleaming at me. “And we’ve got plenty of stuff ready, of course once we get there it will be a while until we open properly.” I nodded, trying to ignore the feeling of dread at them, George leaving me.

I hadn’t been without them at Hogwarts, not that it was like I didn’t have other friends, people I loved and wanted to spend time with. It would just be so odd without them, and I’d assumed we would have until at least the end of summer, but with them working what was bound to be ridiculous hours to set up their shop, their dream.

I was bound to see them less than I ever had.
And then I would come back here to the hell of NEWTS.

“Cheer up,” George said lightly, and I blinked hard quickly, smiling up at him.

“I am cheery, I’m just tired, had to get up ridiculously early to sort everything out.”

“Leave packing until the last minute?”

“Of course I did.”

“Good girl.”

“Still not a dog George.”

I spent the next couple of hours easily sliding back into it, being told, and in some cases shown what they had made, plans. I was forced into drawing, thankfully with a pencil rather than quill, some more design ideas. And mostly we just relaxed, George didn’t really ask about my Dad and I was glad, it wasn’t something we ever spoke about, had ever spoken about so I could have been more concerned it he had suddenly become interested.

“So, this is all you’ve been doing?”

“We’ve been quiet,” He told me, long legs crossed like bambi attempting to walk as I sat facing him, “Figure we’ve got two straight weeks to get as much done as possible, plan as much...and...” he grimaced a little, “We thought it may actually be unfair if we disrupted everyone doing work.”

“Like you should be?” He grinned, “But I’m impressed, you two being all mature. Or did you get on the wrong side of Hermione?”

“She may have screamed at us on Saturday when she was doing schedules for the three of them.”

“I pity your brother and Harry.”

“You never know, Hermione might put them into Os.”

“You just want Ron to do well so your mother isn’t quite as furious at you both.” He grinned,

“You caught us.” I smirked, shifting back so I was lying down, head dangling over the edge, hair touching the carpet. He mimicked me, shuffling awkwardly until he was comfortably.

“So, what are you plans for this fine holiday?”

“I’m going to have all my work done this week, and then I agreed to help Hermione out.”

He snorted, “Good luck with that!”

“I already regret my decision.” I said honestly, yawning, “She’s going to murder me.”

“She may.”

“Are you guys just going to be making things then?”

“Pretty much.”

He didn’t lie and by the time the Easter Holidays were over, all my work done, although it was sadly worth only ten percent of my overall NEWT grade and felt highly unworth it for the amount of time spent, and many hours clocked in with a tense Hermione they had boxes and boxes of merchandise ready to sell, and Fred reported the shop was decorated, in bright red and oranges. Very fitting.

I hadn’t told anyone they were leaving under several threats, each more ghastly than the last.
And most including my hair.

We’d done little else, I’d hung out with the twins, helping occasionally and spent a lot of time doing what my group of friends and I did best, hanging around talking utter rubbish, taking advantage of the cluster of warmer days and spending time on the grounds. One day we had come across Marietta, the vile line of boils still over her features. “I still can’t believe her.” Leanne had said casually, a slight hint of venom, “How can Cho even stand to talk to her, I know I wouldn’t forgive something like that!”

And that brought us to the first day of term, Hermione still stressing over work, poring over a charms book as she ate, just two weeks until their exams started.

Just three until my Apparation test, but with the practises each Saturday I felt I had finally gotten a grip of it, letting myself feel less stressed definitely helped. But that itself came with other things, McGonagall and I no longer had lessons, it was too risky with Umbridge permanently skulking about, no Dumbledore, but I still made an excuse to go to her Office occasionally and test it out, relieved beyond belief that I had turned into it, after seven months of work and could manage to shift most times, having to think of Bellatrix to do so.

“So, what exactly are they doing?” I asked in a low tone, the toast in front of me seemed chewier than normal, tasteless, worry hitting me. “You know Harry wants to talk to Padfoot.” I nodded,
“He thinks the only place to do this is...”

“Her office.” I said, well aware of the main pieces of information, “I know all that, my point is what exactly are the twins doing to cause a distraction?”

“I don’t know they didn’t say, I’d assumed you’d be more aware than any of us.”

“Yeah,” I breathed, taking a large sip of orange juice, neither of them at the table, “You’d think so...I’m going to go find them.”

“Look, there are so many ways this could go wrong and so many bad outcomes...”

“I better make sure the twins put on a good show then,” I answered, standing, “Bye guys,” Ryan and Dale turned to me, nodding, still in mid conversation and I left, quickly, “We have Defense against the dark arts first!”

I ignored him, darting up the stairs and making my way to the common room, irritated when a set of stair moved and I have to take another longer route, soon bursting into the seventh year boys dormitory.

“Morning sunshine.”

“Morning,” I picked up a shirt, folding it neatly and placing it in the opened trunk, feeling odd and slightly resentful, “What time are you erm...going?”

“We agreed five, as soon as the day ends for latest lessons, you’re free then aren’t you?”

“Yeah I finish at three.”

“Awesome, we may need help setting up, but then you better disappear before Umbridge ‘catches’ us.”I nodded silently, continuing to neaten odd pieces of clothing, including, I noticed with a hint of annoyance the bits I had brought them for their birthdays.

“You okay?” I glanced up at my boyfriend, shrugging.

“Fine, how much have you sold to continue torturing Umbridge when you’ve left then?” He couldn’t fight a grin, “A heck of a lot of snack boxes for one.”

His arms snaked around my waist, “Are you mad we’re doing this?” He didn’t speak for a few minutes, having watched me silently rearranging his things into some kind of order.

“No,” I said honestly, trying to break past my old views, “You guys are right, having the qualifications won’t affect your dream or what you want to do in life, so...For you, you’re doing the right thing.”
“Wow, how philosophical.”

“I try.” Letting him spin me, hand gripping onto his shirt as he embraced me, “But it is going to suck not having you around.”

“I know, but like, well if we can get letters past Filch I’ll write and you haven’t got that much left of the year, then you can come see us taking over Diagon Alley.”

“Yeah,” I hated the tense growing feeling in my throat, “Yeah, I’ll do that. It’s closer anyway than the Burrow...although I will have to pop back to see your mum, that is if she doesn’t slaughter me for letting you two do this.”

“She knows you have no say over what we do.” I lifted a brow, “Okay, well, we listen to you but still, not about this.”

“Tell me about it.”

Another giggle and another kiss, “Aren’t you supposed to be in lessons now?”

“It’s only Umbridge, I’m sure she won’t be bothered about this after you do whatever is it your doing.”
They shared a wicked smile as I pulled up a jumper I intended to keep. “What are you planning on doing?”

I was met with two comical evil laughs.
And then I was drawn into their little plan.
________________________________

“Okay, so you have the dungbombs?” He didn’t wait for a reply, “Let them off in the main staircase then both ends of the second eastern tower corridor, then get down to the main hall before anyone notices you, alright Amelia?” I nodded, the usual hit of excitement hitting me at the opportunity to add to their wrong doing.

And this was the last one, boy were they going out with a bomb.
Literally.

“Awesome, once we charm the swamp we’ll let out a couple of whiz bangs, and the exploding stinksap balls if anyone comes close. Then, we’ll wait until Malfoy and his cronies are after us and make our way nicely by the main hall and entrance, so get there.” I nodded again.

“What’s the reversal for the swamp again?”

“Forget it, it doesn’t matter, Flitwick would be able to sort it easy.”

“But he won’t.” I added, “He hates her as much as anyone, and really you guys...” Already there was a small section of swamp perhaps a foot by a foot in the corner of the corridor, and it was done extraordinarily well, a mix of charms I would never have put together. “This is pretty impressive.”

“You’re making us blush.” Fred said, waving his hand at me, “Anyway, we’ll left you those Nifflers down past the Whomping Willow, so find whatever way you can with Lee to piss off Umbridge and I think that’s it...”

“So you’re getting your brooms and leaving?”

“Yeah, just try and make sure that McGonagall sends our cases to us,”

“No problem, I’ll sort it with her.”

“You remember the address?”

“Yes George you’ve told me about eight million times.” His hand held mine quickly, “Alright,” there was a large ringing, the end of lessons, five to five. “Get going then, we’ll see you soon yeah?” I pressed my lips against his hard and darted off, down the stairway and over to the main staircases, pulling two dungbombs from my bag and letting them drop, barely escaping before the foul smelling smoke erupted and I could hear screaming.

No time to waste before I reached the corridor, throwing another as I sprinted down it, luckily still empty and crashing into Lee at the other end, “Come on, we have to go down, they’re doing the floor up, got caught out, come on!”

I chucked the last of them, following him down a narrow staircase, bringing us out a floor lower and blending in with the disgusted crowd, the fumes easily spreading throughout the whole school, making it hard to see, Lee clinging to my wrist cackling.

I coughed, hearing shouting, running, Pansy Parkinson shoving past me, “Get them Draco!” I felt my eyes pop a little, dragging Lee further forward, seeing familiar red heads taller than most of the crowd that was starting to gather in the smoke free main entrance.

“Excuse me,” I snapped, pushing past other students so I could see, a circle forming around the unbothered duo, a red huffing Umbridge appearing and coming down the wide staircase. I grinned at the mess of make-up around her eyes, her tangled hair.

“She’s so pissed.” Lee said, struggling to keep a straight face,

“So - you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?” I bit on my lower lip hard, everyone completely silent and several teachers appearing behind her. Sprout hardly tried to hide her smile, “Pretty amusing yeah,” Fred answered, nudging George and both meeting my eyes quickly, the latter sending me a wink.

I was fairly amused, through Filch’s proclamation that he had found something allow students to be whipped, although this drew several gasps from the crowd and I could feel Hermione’s horror even if I couldn’t see her in the mass. But of course they had little chance, the twins going over their little chat they had planned earlier that day, to be as amusing as possible without it sounding contrived.

Honestly.

And then there was a loud bang, a roar as they accioed their brooms and they appeared, no doubt smashing through Umbridge’s office door and into their hands. I felt that sting, already missing them as they mounted them, calling to the students as they hovered in the air. Fred doing the talking.

George held my eye contact and I blew a kiss, sure if Umbridge saw I was going to pay for it later.

“Give her hell from us Peeves,” Fred concluded, earning a salute from the poltergeist and seconds later they were soaring out of the large wooden doors and off. They only planned to fly to Hogsmeade, to have a drink and then apparate to London, but this was far more dramatic.

And, as Hermione said constantly whenever it was brought you, You can’t apparate inside Hogwarts walls.

I think for them it was more than they hadn’t been on their brooms in months and they desperately needed that.

The students erupted into chatter and applause as they vanished, dots against the sun was Umbridge tried to take control, banning, and therefore instantly drawing everyone up, to the corridor now coated in a thick layer of sludge and swamp.

“Brilliant!” Ryan somehow found me through the crowd, Leanne looking less than amused about the sticky sap all over her, “That was brilliant, did you know?”

I didn’t worry about being heard over the crowd, “Who do you think let off the dungbombs?”