Complicated

Chapter 12: Reunited

Kathy's POV

We stumbled as we landed inside the castle and my mom groaned.

"Remind me to teach you how to perfect Apparition." My mom groaned as she put her hands on her knees and looked down at the ground, inhaling and exhaling evenly, clearly nauseous.

"My Apparition is fine." I retorted.

"It's fine, but do you feel that disgusting feeling in your stomach? It's because of your landing. It has to be smoother." She pointed out.

"I'll work on it." I confirmed. I'm only 16 mom, I'm trying.

I sighed and placed a smile on my face, packaging up the annoyance I felt with my mother and putting it away.

My mother is amazing, I have a good relationship with her, which is more than a lot can say. I know I am very fortunate. But we still have our issues, I think it's because we are too much alike. And like things repel, according to basic laws of science.

"I have to show you something." I told her and took her hand, leading her out of the Ravenclaw common room.

"Woah, this is your common room? It's beautiful." She admired before I led her out the door.

"Yeah." I confirmed and kept walking, determined to get to show her something she needed to see.

"I haven't been here in like... 15? 20 years? This looks so different from what I remember." She said as she admired the structures. "Hey, that's me!" She smiled when she saw a painting of her, Auntie Mione, Uncle Ron, Padrino, Auntie Ginny, and Professor Longbottom holding their wands, ready for defense, hanging on the wall near the stairs that led to the dining hall. "Goodness, I was so young. Aging's a bitch." She huffed and I rolled my eyes but laughed.

"You're still beautiful. Come on, Mami." I pulled her along and she hurried behind me.

We finally got to the double doors of the dining hall entrance and I stopped us there.

"The dining hall? Did they make a lot of renovations, or something?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Close your eyes." I told her and made her kneel slightly so I could cover them for her.

I opened the double doors and smiled when I saw Uncle Fred, sitting on the far end of the Gryffindor table, with his back turned against the dining hall entrance, and their for against us as well.

He hadn't noticed we arrived. Good.

I led my mother inside with me and placed her at the perfect position to look at Uncle Fred. I uncovered her eyes.

"Ok. Open them." I whispered in her ear and she glanced around the dining hall, not surprised by anything, until her eyes landed on his back.

Mal's POV

No. This is impossible.

I stared at my brother's back, he was sitting on the far edge of the Gryffindor table, where we all used to sit on special occasions to get the best food first.

This isn't real.

I approached quietly, and hesitated for a moment before trying to tap his shoulder and immediately feeling cold at the touch and my hand went through his ghostly body.

"Crazy, isn't it? I mean—" He finally turned around and stopped speaking when he saw me.

We stared at each other for a couple seconds, completely mesmerized and at a loss for words.

He's here. In front of me. He's a ghost, but he's here.

"Pancakes." He whispered and I nodded, tears pooling in my eyes.