Fractured AIAOY 6

Chapter 20

"Dumbledore wants to see us tonight."  Rebecca told Harry as she slapped the letter on the table in front of him.  "Expected, but now confirmed."

Harry nodded and took another bite of his sandwich.  He was quieter than usual, but he seemed to be every time he was in a room where Ginny was as of late, especially when his attention was caught on her as entirely as it was right then.

"You could always talk to Ron about it."  Rebecca offered quietly while Ron and Hermione were speaking amongst themselves in hushed tones about 'doing one's own homework.'  "He can't really have an issue with it."

"It's Ron."  Harry scoffed, looking down at his sandwich with a look he wished could have been angry but only surfaced as sad.  "Of course he'll have an issue."

"Then you can tell him it's no different than Fred and I."

"What about Fred?"  Ron's head shot up.  "He and George apologise yet?"

Rebecca couldn't hide her grin entirely, a shadow of it crossed her face.  "No, Ron, and they're not going to.  You shouldn't have opened my letter!"  

Fred and George had been experimenting with different mail-based pranks to get the Ministry workers that combed through the incoming student mail of Hogwarts and one managed to get through.  One that, upon opening, turned the nose of the opener into a great toucan-like beak that couldn't be charmed away for an hour.  It was Ron's nosiness that left him with features even Tonks would have had to try to imitate.

"I thought it was for me."  Ron muttered, sticking to his story.

"I saw that Professor Slughorn said good morning today."  Hermione remarked to change the subject before the same argument she had already heard too many times could be rehashed.  "That's got to feel good, right?"

Rebecca shrugged, but they could all tell that it really did feel good to her.  Harry was just grateful that someone else's feelings were now the discussion.  Only Ron seemed oblivious to Harry's pining, but that was just fine with Harry.

"Really?"  Harry nudged her.  "You have to admit, I can have the good ideas once in a while."

"Don't make a habit of it."  Rebecca reached for her teacup, sneaking a little smile for him.  "That's my job."

Hermione looked at the two of them and let out a barrage of laughter so strong she had to cover her mouth and bend to try and regain her breath.  It was as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world, ten times over.  "Y-you two would be dead in a ditch without us!  Good ideas?"

Ron had joined her laughter but did so in a renewed fashion at her explanation.  "Dead in a ditch multiple times, at that!"  Hermione laid her hand on Ron's shoulder to sit herself back up only for them both to end up back in pieces after looking at Harry and Rebecca again.  Harry and Rebecca exchanged a glance at the contact between their friends, but joined their fun without a word on it.

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"Congratulations are in order."  Dumbledore addressed Harry and Rebecca proudly.  "I have coveted this memory for many years; I thank both of you for the roles you played in its securing."  The headmaster walked to the pensieve with the vial in hand and a purpose in his step.  "We'll not waste too much time with pleasantries tonight.  The truth awaits."

Harry and Rebecca were in equal states of anticipation.  The memory that they had spent the majority of the school year trying to get, was finally about to be experienced.  Rebecca--just as happy as headmaster and twin alike at the success--was also flooded with underlying relief at Slughorn's return to the Potter twins.  There were only a few months left of term and Rebecca didn't want anything to come between her and more skills she could bring to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes production lines.