Embers of the Heart ; George Weasley

Fourteen

Some of you are going to hate me for this chapter.

It's a trope that is hated a lot in the reading community, but it's one of my favorite tropes and I promise you won't regret it if you stick around after this.

- Julie

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Christmas rolled around, and it was time for us go home for break. I wouldn't say I was alone right now, because Angie and Lee were here, but Fred and George were already home.

A few days ago, their dad was attacked and is now in the hospital over at St. Mungo's, so all the Weasleys went home.

George promised to keep me updated, so I was just waiting on that, but today was the day we went home, so hopefully I could see him. Even if I couldn't, that was okay. I knew he had to be scared shitless when he was told what happened to his dad.

We were on the train, Angie, Lee, Alicia Spinnet and I, and I was feeling horrible. Absolutely horrible. I had a feeling it was the movements of the train and the fact that I hadn't eaten today, but I found myself rushing to the bathroom to throw up. I was on my knees with my head hovering over the toilet bowl when Angie walked in, swooping my hair back.

"Hey, you okay?" Angie asked, concern lacing her voice as she held my hair back. I could only nod weakly, my stomach still churning. I hadn't realised just how much the events of the past few weeks had taken a toll on me until this very moment. The stress, the nightmares, the constant worry about George and his family— it all seemed to catch up with me.

After a few minutes, the nausea subsided and I leaned back against the wall, taking deep breaths. Angie handed me a bottle of water, and I took a grateful sip, the cool liquid soothing my raw throat.

"Thanks." I muttered, managing a small smile. "I think it was just the motion of the train and maybe not eating enough."

"Probably." Angie agreed, sitting down beside me. "But you need to take care of yourself, Aurora. You've been through a lot, and it's okay to lean on us, you know."

I nodded, appreciating her words. It was easy to forget that I wasn't alone, that I had friends who cared about me and wanted to help. "I know. It's just... everything's been so overwhelming."

Angie gave me a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "We'll get through it together. Now, let's get you back to the compartment. You need to rest."

I allowed her to help me up, and we made our way back to our seats. Alicia and Lee looked up with concern as we entered, but Angie quickly reassured them that I was just feeling a bit queasy. I sank into my seat, closing my eyes and letting the gentle rocking of the train lull me into a light doze.

The rest of the journey passed in a blur. By the time we reached Kings' Cross Station, I felt marginally better but still weary. We gathered our things and stepped off the train, the bustling platform filled with students reuniting with their families. I scanned the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of George, but there was no sign of him.

"Hey, there's my mum." Angie said, waving. "You want to come with us? We can drop you off at your place."

I shook my head, forcing a smile. "Thanks, but I'll be okay. My foster mum's supposed to be here somewhere."

"Alright," she replied, giving me a quick hug. "Take care of yourself, okay? And call if you need anything."

I nodded, watching as she, Lee and Alicia made their way through the throng of people. After a few minutes, I spotted Mrs O'Malley, her face lighting up when she saw me. I made my way over to her, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.