Éveil

502 𓆩♡𓆪

Severus sighed heavily, his lungs filling with the musty, dusty air of the Weasleys' burrow. The atmosphere was thick with nostalgia and memories, though not all of them pleasant. Meanwhile, Sophorina stood still, absorbing every detail of the quaint house and its surrounding scenery, feeling curiosity and apprehension.

With a reluctant nod, Severus agreed to let her stay, his mind already preoccupied with the upcoming business he had to attend to with Dumbledore over the weekend. "The door's just up there," he muttered, gesturing towards the staircase, while Sophorina grunted under the weight of her luggage, its burden slowing her down.

As she struggled, Severus reached out his hand in silent offer, and with a defeated sigh, Sophorina relinquished her baggage to him. Together, they made their way towards the door, the sound of scattered chatter growing louder with each step.

Finally, Sophorina pushed open the door, revealing a scene of bustling activity. Ron sat devouring pancakes, the twins' laughter filling the room with its infectious energy, while Neville listened  to Ginny's conversation. Her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue as Neville's gaze met hers, his own face instantly igniting with a charming shade of pink.

Sophorina stole a glance at her father, love conspicuous in her eyes. "Ah, Severus, nice to see you as always," Molly greeted warmly, taking the luggage from him with a smile.

"Molly," he replied with his usual curt tone, nodding in acknowledgment. The children all stared at their professor, surprised to see him outside of the school environment.

"Sophorina, is it?" Molly addressed her kindly as Sophorina turned her head towards her. "Yes," she replied softly, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the attention.

"Right, well, there's cooked breakfast on the table for the both of you," Molly informed them cheerfully as she whisked Sophorina's luggage upstairs. "I have to go, Dumbledore is waiting," Severus stated, his voice sounded as Sophorina nodded in understanding.

She hugged her father tightly, feeling a pang of sadness at the separation. "If you need anything at all..." he trailed off, his gaze softening as she looked up at him. "You know what to do," he finished, kissing the top of her head gently as she reciprocated by kissing the side of his cheek

"Bye, Father, love you," she whispered, her voice filled with affection.

"Bye, sweetie, I love you," he replied, his words tender as he quickly apparated away,

As everyone observed the rare display of affection from their usually stoic professor, their faces filled with curiosity and wonder. However, when Sophorina turned around to busy herself with breakfast, they all resumed their conversations,

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ¤✩¤ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

After Molly and Arthur called away for urgent Ministry business, the twins were left in charge, a prospect that filled the younger members with worry.

Meanwhile, Sophorina found herself drawn to the simple delights of the Weasleys' backyard, where chickens roamed freely. As she wandered, Ginny approached "You can pet them if you'd like," Ginny offered with a warm smile, gesturing towards the clucking chickens.

Curiosity took over Sophorina as she inquired about their names, prompting Ginny to chuckle softly. With a gentle hand, she lifted two of the feathered animals. "This is Jessica," she introduced, as the chicken clucked contentedly, and then, indicating another, "and this is Michael," she continued, as the bird fluttered its wings in response. "He's a bit of a naughty one," Ginny added with a grin, earning a chuckle from Sophorina.

As their attention turned to the rowdier duo in the coop, Ginny revealed their amusing monikers. "And those two back there are Freddy Fizzlebottom and Gertie Gigglesnort," she announced, pointing to the pair of chickens engaged in a squabble.