Almost

Chapter 8: Reunions

"Alright, alright," Professor McGonagall said, trying to hush the competing Weasley voices. "Settle down now. You're acting like—"

"A babbling, bumbling, band of baboons?" George asked, an old glint in his eye. McGonagall only clicked her tongue between chuckles in reply.

Katherine leaned against the large clawfoot desk, watching her cousins flock around George and Charlie. George was standing in front of Rose and Molly, with his arm around the shoulders of his daughter, Roxy. She was thirteen and, while she was normally too cool for her father's affection, the surprise reunion with none of her friends around to impress gave her the mettle to stay at his side. Fred, his son, was whispering with his cousin James. They were passing something back and forth as if fighting about whose pocket it would be found in. Dominique, Louis, Albus, and Lucy were chatting with Charlie. Hugo and Lily, the youngest, were looking around McGonagall's office with nearly the awe Katherine shown not long before.

The many Weasley grandchildren were quite a sight, a sea of robes with all four lining colors represented. When they were all together, there was no shortage of excitement; they knew just what would rile the others or make them laugh. And, while they could rib one another to high heaven, Katherine well knew that they any one of them would never let a hair be touched on the head of another.

"What do you think of the castle?" a voice said, pulling Katherine from her quiet cocoon. She looked up and saw Dominique standing in front of her.

Katherine liked all of her cousins, but Dominique was her favorite surprise. Victoire had never cared much for her imposed eldest cousin, but Dominique was always kind to her, going out of her way to make her feel included. She assumed it was on Fleur's orders, but she was grateful, nonetheless.

"It's spectacular," Katherine told her. "The pictures and books don't do it justice. What class did you pulled out of?"

"Charms," Dominique said with a shrug, her strawberry blonde hair just brushing against her shoulders. "Probably should have stayed. We have tests coming soon."

"By this point, I had senioritis," Katherine answered jokingly. Dominique didn't laugh with her, however, so she smiled awkwardly. "I don't know that it's a muggle term or an American term. When you're in your last year of school, you're a senior. We take tests the year before, not really at the end, so the term describes how checked out everyone gets right before they graduate. Maybe here you'd say a seventh-year slump or something of the sort."

"I wish we could have a relaxing end," she replied. "Once the tests are done, I'm sure it will be a relief. We have quite the summer of celebration to look forward to."

"Have you figured out what you are going to do after graduation?" Katherine asked, pushing the attention back to her. Graduating school was a big deal, it should be celebrated.

"I'll move back to Shell Cottage for a while, but Charlie's been helping me come look into jobs like at the dragon sanctuary. Of course, not much help now if he's coming here, but a start."

"Dragons, huh? Does this family do anything that isn't life threatening?"

"Well, there's a Hippogriff rescue that would be perfect, but hard to get a foot in the door there. Aunt Hermione offered to help, but I don't want to be that girl. Charlie is one thing, but the Minister of Magic..."

"I can respect that," Katherine said, unsurprised that the magical world was as plagued by nepotism as the muggle.

"Do you think you'll ever get a job, Katherine?" Hugo asked, coming up next to them. Lily followed close behind, the two always as close to one another as human and shadow.