My One and Only

Chapter 13 - Year 2

MAIA STOOD BEFORE THE FIREPLACE, sandwiched between the Weasley twins. Mrs. Weasley was clutching a flowerpot, her brow furrowed as she peered into it.

"We're running low." She sighed. "Oh well, there's enough for now." She glanced around at the group of nine, her eyes settling on Harry and Maia last. "Guests first." Mrs. Weasley thrust the flowerpot to Maia, who instinctively grabbed it, though she nearly spilled its contents in her surprise.

"What I doing?"

"We're traveling by Floo network." George said, leaning his elbow onto his twin's shoulder.

"Sorry, we forgot to tell you." Fred grinned sheepishly at Maia's blank look, and Mr. Weasley looked to the young girl, his expression puzzled.

"You've never traveled by floo? How did you get to Diagon Alley last year?"

"Hagrid took us on the underground-"

"Really?" Mr. Weasley interrupted Harry, his eyes wide with excitement. "What was-"

"Arthur." Mrs. Weasley stared sternly at her husband, who flushed and lowered his gaze. "The Floo Network is much quicker, but if neither of you are used to it-"

"They'll be fine, mum." Fred interjected, stepping towards Maia. "Just watch us." He grabbed a pinch of the glittering powder from the pot and threw it into the fireplace. A gust of wind erupted from the flames, turning them emerald green in an instance. Maia gasped as Fred stilled into the heat, a wide grin on his face as the flames engulfed him. "Diagon Alley!"

Maia blinked, and he was gone. George hurried forward to follow his twin, snickering at Maia's astonished gaze.

"Remember to speak clearly." Mrs. Weasley said to the Potters, as George disappeared into the fire. "Muddle your words and you just might end up in the wrong place.

Maia's stomach twisted with nerves at that, and she bit her lip. Her head tingled and she knew without looking that the tips of her hair had turned gray, though she was too anxious to care.

"You'll be fine." Mr. Weasley said, smiling kindly and grabbing a pink of floo powder for himself. He too disappeared into the flames, leaving Maia alone before the mantel. She barely heard the Weasley's hurried advice as she took a bit of powder in one shaking fist and handed the pot to her brother, swallowing down a cacophony of anxiety. She stepped into the fire, gasping as the heat engulfed her, but it did not scorch her like she'd first thought it would. It was more like a warm pulse, almost like a heartbeat, and she felt some of her nerves evaporate into its embrace.

Harry smiled encouragingly at his sister, giving her courage enough to lift her chin high.

"Diagon Alley!" she dropped the powder at her feet and squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to cry out at the sudden feeling of being squeezed through a tube. Her body spun and she kept her arms wrapped tightly around her torso, breathing shallowly so as not to inhale any soot. After a few seconds of twirling, her movements stuttered and she shot forward, instinctively throwing her hands out to break her fall.

Cool stone slapped against her palms and she winced as the top layer of skin scraped away. A jolt of pain shot up her arms and she collapsed in a heap on the ground, groaning as her stomach flipped over itself.

"Not too bad for your first time."

Two shadows loomed over her, and she squinted up at their owners. The Weasley twins peered down at her with matching Cheshire grins, their arms crossed around their chests.

"Yeah, some people vomit their first go."

Maia glared up at the twins, who held their hands out to pull her up, though she was too stubborn to accept their help. She winced and pushed herself to her feet, her palms burning as she brushed them across her legs.