Forever... Always

Summer - 14th Birthday

Things have gotten a bit better at home with dad in the last couple weeks. He has assured me that I'll be returning to Hogwarts this fall and Remi will be returning to Beauxbatons. Neither of us would have to change anything. Remi and I have become incredibly close, I like being at home a lot more now that I have someone there to do stuff with. George had also sent me back a letter that helped calm me down.
'Dear Rayne,
You'd better start sending letters earlier in the day. When Daisy arrived it was already quarter to twelve and you know how I need my beauty sleep, you can't looking this good overnight. In all seriousness, I'm sorry to hear that you had a fight with Uncle Oliver. I'm sure he'll come around and realize that if he moves you to Beauxbatons, he'd have to send me too. I'm also excited to meet your new sister. You'd said she's in Ron's year, right? Keep sending me letters. I'll see you on your birthday Winnie.
                                        -Jelly bean
P.s. Don't forget to show us your Animagus form.'
I'm very excited to see everyone today. I'm not sure when I'll be able to show them my Animagus form, maybe before or after we go to the theme park. Seven out of the nine Weasleys are coming, Cedric and Uncle Amos, Ash and Vixen, Neville, Amber, dad, mom, me and Remi. I think this will be interesting because Amber and I are the only ones who've been to a theme park before, well at least in the muggle world. Amber is muggle-raised, we don't know her blood status because she and Marcus were both adopted, though it doesn't really matter. Before just a few months ago, Remi was living in a secret wizardry orphanage and hadn't been into the muggle world. The Weasleys, Longbottoms, Diggorys and Lyres are all pureblood families, they don't venture much into the muggle world. This will be a fun outing.
"Hello Rayne!" Neville said as invited him in.
"Please take care of him." Mrs Longbottom told mom and I.
"Of course Mrs Longbottom." I replied.
"Do call me Gran dear, have a good time." Gran said as she left.
"Goodbye Gran!" Neville called after her.
I led him to the living room, where the Weasleys, Diggorys, Remi, Amber and dad were already sitting and chitchatting. I heard another knock at the door and I knew who it was.
"Ash! Vixen! So glad you could make it!" I told them as I pulled them each in a hug.
"Happy Birthday! Are we the last to arrive?" Vixen asked.
"Yes, but that's alright! Let me introduce everyone before we get going." I said leading them to the living room. "Everyone, this is Ash and Vixen. Now for the hard part, this is Uncle Arthur, Ginny, Aunt Molly, Percy, Ron, Neville, Amber, my dad, Remi, my mom, Uncle Amos, Cedric, Fred and George."
"Mind going over that again?" Fred joked. "I think I missed the name of this redhead boy sitting next to me."
I rolled my eyes and laughed. Fred is always a bit faster at telling jokes than George. I can tell that sometimes it really gets to George, he feels very second best to Fred. I try to always say George and Fred instead of Fred and George because even that small gesture reminds George that I notice him just as much, that for me, he's not just Freddie's shadow.
"Let's go kiddos! We need to figure out who's riding with who." Dad said.
We went out into the driveway and us children stood in a cluster as the adults decided who would ride in who's car. Uncle Arthur and Aunt Molly took the five Weasley children, Uncle Amos told Cedric, Ash, Vixen and Amber and Neville rode with Remi, mom, dad and I. We drove for a while before we reached the theme park. Neville and Remi seemed to get along quite well. Apparently Cedric and Vixen hit it off as well because when we were getting out on the cars, the two of them were still talking. We walked over to gates of the 'Luna Park Funfair Brent Cross' and bought wristbands for our rather large group.
"Here you are sir. 17 wristbands." The worker said as they handed them to dad.
Dad made his way around us all, putting on our wristbands as he passed us.
"What do you kids want to do first?" Uncle Arthur asked us.
"How 'bout the ferris wheel?" Neville suggested quietly.
"Great idea, Neville was it?" Ginny said.
"Yes, and you're Ginny?" He asked.
We all walked over to the ferris wheel and Neville and Ginny were still talking. I'm glad to see that everyone's getting along. We got into the short line and a worker escorted us 12 children into groups of four and into three different seats. Neville, Ginny, Remi and Fred got into one, Amber, George, Cedric and Vixen and that left Ash, Ron, Percy and I to get into the last one.
"Rayne, I was wondering if I could ask you about something." Ron said nervously, turning to face me.
"What's the matter?"
"You know that Harry's become a good friend of mine and I invited him to spend some of the summer holidays at the burrows with us?" I nodded. "Well, I've sent him multiple letters now and he hasn't responded once!"
"I'm sorry to hear that Ron. I'm sure there's some explanation. Like perhaps-"
"You know Ron, Harry is famous. You can't blame him for not exactly having time for you." Percy said without looking at Ron.
"Percy!" I said as if I was Aunt Molly scolding him. "That's no way to try to comfort someone, let alone your own brother! When did you become so cold?"
Percy looked at me in disbelief. I know my words weren't the kindest, but they needed to be said.
"I- w- what? I'm not c- cold!" He said in a stutter.
"You make people tense when they see you, that shows you're cold, especially to me. I used to look up to you. I still do, but it used to be more than just academically. You used to treat me like a sister and now, it's like I'm a stranger unworthy of your time." I admitted.
"Well..." He started, unable to meet my eyes. "You aren't my sister, are you?"
"Percy! Rayne grew up with us all! Doesn't matter that she's not biologically our sister!" Ron yelled at him.
Percy just turned away, crossing his arms and didn't say another word. I thanked Ron for standing up for me and apologized to Ash, who was sitting in the corner awkwardly. I reminded Ron that Harry's Aunt and Uncle were muggles who don't care for wizards and witches and that they might be stopping him for receiving mail.
"Really, who knows? Either way, you'll see him at Hogwarts so if you can't see him this summer, you can ask him about the letters later on." I assured him.
Ron thanked me as we finally got off the ferris wheel. Percy and I ignored each other for the rest of the day, as we did at Hogwarts all last year, though it was much easier there.
We rode a few other rides and finally, we made our way to where all the carnival games were set up. Fred, George and Cedric challenged each other at one of the games. Unsurprisingly, they all lost because they didn't know what the game was. I went over there and explained it to them.
"The only goal is to get as many of these balls into the net as you can in only 30 seconds. If you can get 15 or more, you win a prize."
"Sounds easy now that you explain it." Fred told me.
They tried again and to almost everyone's surprise, they each won a prize.
"Look at that!" Fred said.
"Here Rayne, I want you to have it." George told me as he handed me his prize; a medium sized stuffed Winnie The Pooh.
I took it gratefully and pulled Georgie into a hug that was probably a little too tight. I noticed that Cedric was giving Vixen his prize, which was a medium sized light green stuffed dog.
We played games a while longer. I ended up winning a small jelly bean shaped stuffed bear. Of course I gave it to George. We started to get a little worn out so we piled into the cars and headed home. Gran and Mr and Mrs Lyre were there when we got back. I thanked Neville, Ash and Vixen for coming and gave them each a hug before they left. Amber's parents came soon after and that left Cedric, Uncle Amos and the seven Weasleys. Everyone had again made their way to the living room as I told them I had a surprise, giving George, Cedric and Fred a wink.
"Dad, mom and Remi have already seen this, but I worked really hard to be able to do this." I said before swiftly turning into a hedgehog in front of their eyes.
Ginny slowly approached me, as if I was a real animal and she was trying not to scare me off. She put her hands out and I climbed into them. She stared at me in awe and then Ron begged her to let him see. Ginny gently passed me to him.
"Ron, you should give her a hug." Fred suggested.
Poor Ron. He did as Fred suggested and I tried to get out of his hands, but Ron brought me right up to his face and basically squeezed me into his cheek.
"OW!" He squealed. "Those quills hurt!"
I jumped out of his hands and ran towards George and Cedric. George picked me up and Cedric gently petted my snout.
"I'm sorry Ron, I didn't realize that hedgehog quills are actually sharp. You couldn't expect me to test it out myself." Fred told him as he turned his attention back to me.
I jumped out of Georgie's hands and turned back into myself while Fred was getting scolded by Aunt Molly.
"I'm sorry Ron. I tried to get out of your hands, but you had me in a very tight grip. I hope the quills didn't hurt too much."
"I'm fine, just cross with Fred, that's all."
All of the adults congratulated me, even mom, who this time didn't look like she'd witnessed death or something. The Weasleys and Diggorys were getting ready to leave. I'll see the Weasleys again soon for Ginny's birthday. They were walking out the door, when Percy stopped.
"You did well, with Animagi." He said before walking off.
"See you later quills!" George yelled out the window of their car.
"Don't forget my birthday Rayne!" Ginny yelled.
"I won't! See you all soon!"
Dad, mom, Remi and I went back inside and headed to the kitchen. We prepared dinner together and once we'd finished eating, mom and dad disappeared to their room while Remi and I cleaned. They returned with a beautifully wrapped box. Mom went into the cabinet above the fridge and retrieved a small cake. The four of us sat back down at the table.
"Alright sweetheart, make your wish then you can open your present." Mom told me with a huge smile.
I turned to the cake, thinking about what I'd wish for. I really have everything, great parents, a wonderful sister, the best friends anyone could ask for and of course, I have Daisy, an amazing pet.
"I don't need anything else. I'm perfectly happy with everything I have." I said finally and blew out my candles.
"A wish doesn't have to be something you need, it can be something you want dear." Dad explained.
"I suppose, but I've already made my wish this year. I'll keep that in mind for next year."
"Here's your present." Mom said while passing me the box.
I opened it and I was beaming to see what they'd gotten me.
"More records! Queen! Bon Jovi! Billy Joel and The Police! Oh my, the Police record has 'Roxanne' and 'Message In A Bottle'! These are some of their best! Thank you so much!"
We ate cake and talked about the fun of the day. Soon we were completely tuckered out, Remi and I cleared the table and then headed to our rooms to get ready for bed. I brushed my hair while 'Strawberry Fields Forever' by The Beatles played quietly. I got into my pjs and got into bed, cuddling the Winnie The Pooh bear Georgie gave me. As I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep, I could ever so faintly hear the song end.