the order - f.weasley

- c h a p t e r - e i g h t e e n - p.1 -

 Gemma sat next to Harry the whole time, ignoring the concerned and angry looks she was getting from her friends across the train.

She couldn't help but wonder if her friends thought she was possessed too.

Granted, the way she got all protective of him didn't help her case of the suddenly thick tension in the air.

"Are you all right, Harry, dear?" Mrs. Weasley suddenly asked, making Gemma jump a little. "You don't look very well. Are you feeling sick?" Then she looked at Gemma and frowned, "You too...are you alright?"

Both teenagers nodded firmly, not speaking.

Gemma could feel her eyes on them, but she didn't meet them as she zoned out, disappearing into her thoughts as the train rattled on.

"Harry, dear, are you sure you're all right?" Mrs. Weasley asked again when they crossed the grass to Grimmauld Place. "You look ever so pale. . . . Are you sure you slept this morning? You go upstairs to bed right now, and you can have a couple of hours' sleep before dinner, all right?"

Harry nodded, glancing once at Gemma before disappearing.

And Gemma?

She vanished into the library, not staying around to see if anyone addressed her.

She found a deep corner and dropped onto the sofa, pulling a blanket around herself as she settled onto her side.

She lay there, staring into the dark fireplace, and even though she didn't want to, Gemma called, "Kreacher?"

She didn't expect him to show up, but he did and stared at her expectantly.

Gemma blinked several times before asking, "Could you please, uh, start a fire?"

Then he really shocked her.

Kreacher, in all of his Kreacherness, bowed all the way to the ground and said, "Yes, Mistress..."

Gemma's jaw dropped as he snapped his fingers, and the fireplace exploded with fire.

Warmth fell over her, and she immediately felt better.

He turned back to her, his face emotionless, like he wasn't sure what he was actually doing there, and said, "Anything else?"

"N-n-no, you're free to go...thank you..." She stammered.

He bowed again and disappeared with a CRACK.

Gemma stared at the empty spot before rolling her eyes and snuggling into her blanket, which smelled vaguely of dust and cloves. She curled into her side, letting the warmth of the fireplace sweep over her. Her eyes stayed glued to the flames as she fell into a deep sleep.

She was staring at a mirror.

It was gold and ornate, and at first, she thought it was the Mirror of Erised, but it wasn't.

And that's when she noticed the differences in her appearance.

The girl in the mirror had more angular features than she did, and her hair was just slightly lighter than Gemma's own hair colour. But she was beautiful, just as beautiful as in the pictures Gemma had all over her walls at home.

It was her mum.

"Mum?" Gemma called, her cracking voice echoing around her.

The girl in the reflection furrowed her brows, "Wh-Who are you?"