Before the Dawn | George Weasley

39

Returning to school felt a bit strange after all that had happened. George, understandably, seemed a bit hesitant to leave the still-healing Arthur, but Molly shooed him away with the promise that she'd take good care of him.

I gave George one last kiss before we disapparated to King's Cross Station, knowing that once we were back at school we'd have to return to pretending to hate one another, which I somehow dreaded even more now knowing that the exact opposite was true.

"Just 'til the end of the school year, I expect," George reassured me. "Then we can do whatever we want."

I nodded halfheartedly.

Fred gave me a nudge. "Yeah, you two'll be back to snogging in public in no time."

I wrinkled my nose at Fred, then took a deep breath and laced my fingers through George's, spying the scars newly healed on the back of his hand—I must do as I am told. 

A short moment later, we were back in London, having apparated into a dark alley just outside King's Cross. I met George's eyes briefly before taking off, leaving the Weasley twins to find their friends while I searched for my own.

I spotted Miles as I made my way towards Platform 9 ¾, and jogged to catch up with him.

"Miles!" I called, grabbing his arm.

He turned and flashed me a grin. "How was your Christmas, Doyle? You spent it at McDowell Manor, right?"

"Yeah, it was alright, yours?"

"Rather boring," he said flatly. "No parties or anything this year."

I followed him onto the Hogwarts Express and into a compartment with Pansy and Draco.

"Hello," I greeted them. "How were your Christmases, then?"

"Good," Pansy said, at the same time Draco said, "Fine."

Pansy's eyes drifted down to the pendant around my neck. "That's a lovely locket you've got there, Mackie."

My smile faltered, my fingers rising to touch the pendant around my neck. "Thank you, Pans, it was a Christmas gift."

"From who?"

"From Jamie." I leaned over and opened it. "See, I've put a picture of the two of us in there."

Luckily, I had planned ahead for this one, not wanting to take off George's locket but also aware that it might draw questions. I'd charmed it to show a picture of Jamie and me in our second year to anyone besides me and George, using a spell not so different from the one I used to charm George's trick book.

"Cute," Pansy simpered.

I caught Draco's eye, then. 

"I'm sure you've heard that Arthur Weasley made a miraculous recovery," he said, a note of disappointment in his voice.

"No, actually, I hadn't." I sat back in my seat and fixed him with a curious stare. "He's alive, then?"

"Unfortunately." Draco looked out the window. "I guess it was too much to ask for a Christmas miracle."

I gritted my teeth, but otherwise didn't react, feeling a bit proud of myself for being so in control. "Shame."

Draco grunted in agreement, looking up as Jamie entered, taking the seat next to me.

"Cute locket," she observed.

"Thanks." I grinned, as if she were being coy, and showed her the picture inside. "Look."