The Little Lightning Girl

48- How to See the World

Dinner at the Burrow was... chaotic. But it was also warm, the food was amazing, and everyone was kind. I finally met Rose's dad, Ron, and saw how close he was to Harry and Hermione. The three of them had been eating meals together since they were eleven, and it was strange to think. Harry and Ron were actually pretty funny, and Hermione's scolding and eye rolling only made them funnier. Each of Rose's cousins were there, mixed together haphazardly, chatting and eating and just acting like family.

When the adults started clearing away empty plates and bringing them to the kitchen, Rose grabbed me by the elbow and began dragging me up the stairs. She pulled me all the way to the top of the house and off into a small room with just a bed and a dresser inside.

"This was my dad's room, when he was younger," Rose explained, "I usually end up sharing it with Lily or Roxy."

Then, before I could ask why she'd pulled me up here, she reached underneath the bed and pulled out an old green trunk. Inside, were several cardboard boxes.

Rose took out a white envelope from between boxes and handed it to me. She excited smile made one grow on my own face, and I tore the envelope open.

Inside were three tickets to an event I didn't recognize. I looked to Rose and she smirked, "How'd you feel about going to see the Quidditch World Cup next summer?"

My jaw dropped open and I looked back to the tickets in my hand, "What?!"

My hot-headed friend squealed, "I got us tickets to the World Cup!"

"How? It was sold out, everyone said it was sold out within minutes!"

Rose's smirk grew, "You never asked me how I spent my summer, other than when I was with you. I spent it interning at the Ministry for the Department of Wizarding Events. They offered to pay me but I said all I wanted were three seats at the World Cup."

I stared at her for a bit before pulling her into a hug, "I can't believe you did that!"

I pulled away, "Wait, they didn't pay you?"

"Nah, they did. Dad said the department head must've really liked me, otherwise he wouldn't have."

The Holyhead Harpies(Ginny Potter's former team) and the Chudley Cannons, were to battle it out in July in Scotland. I'd known this already, but hadn't assumed I'd be able to go because all the tickets were gone.

Before I could hug Rose again, she took the tickets from my hand and placed a box there in their place. I looked down and saw a postmark from New York.

"Adrian, Maya, Noah, and Raegan sent their Christmas gifts for you to my house because they didn't want you to open them early," Rose explained when I looked at her questionably.

"I should have thought of that when I sent theirs," I frowned, "I hope they're better people than they think I am, and don't open their presents early."

I understood why Rose had wanted me to open these particular gifts away from prying eyes when I pulled out a bandolier of fighting knives from the box. It was supposed to be slung across one's chest like a sash, and held six knives. I smiled and pulled it over my head. Though it was plain black material that sheathed the knives, it was durable and practical. It wouldn't be hard to hide under a loose shirt if I had to. A note taped to the inside of the box confirmed that it was from Maya and Raegan, a note that they'd signed in an odd mix Ancient Greek and awkward emoticons.

Noah had gone all out and gotten me a bow and a quiver full of arrows. The bow was stained dark and I could tell he had done all the arrow fletchings by hand.