The Tabby, the Phoenix and the kitten

Chapter fifteen

After making sure that Arianna was alright from the appration, Minerva lead her to the front door of the burrow. Arianna was sad to leave Hogwarts, but she knew that she would be back in a weeks time for the rest of the year. It was just after that she didn't know where she would go. She certainly wasn't going back to the Winters' farm.

Minerva knocked on the door. Arianna heard a woman yell "Just a minute" before the door opened. There stood a plumpish red headed woman, with a kind face and warm smile.

"Oh, hello Minerva, and you must be Arianna Winters." She said and Arianna nodded.

"Come in, come in!" She said and they followed her into the house. Arianna looked around, she had never seen a house this, homey, it was great. As she looked around, she noticed a pot stirring itself, a clock that showed where each member of the family was, and many other magical things going on all over the house.

"Our guest is here!" Mrs. Weasley yelled up the stairs, soon severel footsteps could be heard making their way down the stairs. When everyone was down, Mrs. Weasley started the introductions, pointing to each family member and saying their name.

"This is Arianna Winters everyone! Arianna, this is my husband Arthur, my sons Fred, George, Percy and Ron, and my daughter Ginny." each said hello in their own way, wheather nodding or actually saying hello. Arianna smiled and politly said hello to the large family.

"Thank you again Molly for taking her in on such short notice. Here are your school things Miss Winters, I will see most of you in a weeks time, enjoy the remainder of your holiday." She said before she left, back to Hogwarts.

After she left, Molly came up to Arianna, "you'll be staying in Ginny's room, she'll show you where, while Arthur takes up your trunk." Ginny smiled and began to go upstairs, Arianna followed. The house wasn't much bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. But Arianna didn't mind, in fact she quite liked it, it reminded her of the space she had in the chicken coop back at the Winters' farm, but here was more lively and welcoming.

"This is my room," Ginny said after climbing what seemed like 20 floors of stairs, "You'll be sleeping on this bed here." She said pointing to a cot near Ginny's bed. Arianna smiled and thanked her, a moment later Arthur came in with her trunk. She thanked him as well. She started to sort out her things, when she noticed a book that was piled amungst her text books, confused she picked it up, it was a wizarding fiction novel.

"Ginny is this yours?" She asked, holding the book up for Ginny to see, Ginny read the title and shook her head. Arianna opened the book and a small slip of paper fell from the pages. Picking it up she read,

Arianna,

I thought you might like to read something other than your textbooks, it's a favourite of mine, so I hope you enjoy it as well.

Professor McGonagall

Arianna smiled, it was so generous of her Professor to buy her a book. It was the first gift she had ever gotten, she set the book beside her bed, and finished sorting her things, while keeping in mind the wonderful gift she had been given.

Just then Mrs. Weasley hollered up the stairs that dinner was ready. Ginny, Arianna and Arthur all made their way down to the kitchen to have a nice home cooked meal.

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The week was passing quickly, and Arianna had made friends with the Weasley's very quickly. She learned that Ron was her age and would be going to Hogwarts with her this year, she also learned that he had two more older brothers who had moved out already.