the hallows - f. weasley

- c h a p t e r - e l e v e n -

 Gemma fiddled with the ring Fred had given her last Christmas hanging around her neck on a chain as she peered down at the gift Luna had given her, wrapped in her new cardigan.

It had been simply a moving Polaroid of her, Ginny, Luna, and Hermione last year. All of them were outside, sitting by the Black Lake and smiling as Gemma painted flowers on Ginny's arms and shoulders, Hermione was reading against a tree, and Luna was snapping the picture.

Gemma had truly forgotten that moment.

Last year had been such a whirlwind that she wasn't even sure how she passed any tests or exams or had any time to hang out as peacefully with friends as the picture showed. It made her extraordinarily sad, and it absolutely didn't help her downtrodden feelings about Ron vanishing and leaving them behind.

She had been half-tempted to go after him–seeing how Hermione had been affected, but she really wasn't sure where she would have even looked. After putting away the polaroid and re-entering the tent, Gemma made sure that she took care of breakfast and helped all she could with packing–ignoring the heaviness of the Horcrux around her neck and the gravity of the loss of Ron.

When Hermione had lost any other reason to delay them leaving, Gemma joined hands with her and Harry, and they disapparated to a new location. The second they arrived on a wind-swept, heather-covered hillside, Hermione dropped their hands and moved to sit on a large rock–sobbing silently.

Gemma side-eyed Harry and glared slightly at his dubious attitude about Ron.

"Get the spells set up?" She asked coldly–not waiting for his response as she moved to Hermione's side.

Hermione had silently passed Gemma the bag, and the Lupin girl set the tent up by herself before opening the flaps and letting fresh air into the main room. She set up a variety of different things inside: the table, the armchairs, the fire, etc. However, tonight, Gemma pulled out a radio and placed it in the corner of the tent–tuning into whatever station she could find playing music. She didn't find much, but she did find a channel playing some solemn folk music. She sighed distractedly before moving back outside to sit with Hermione in the silence.

That was how the next few days went.

They packed up. Disapparated to somewhere new. Set up. Ate. Slept. Repeat.

Harry had hardly said anything to Gemma–and she honestly didn't mind at the moment. While no one was perfect in the situation, Harry had been a damn twat, and she wasn't really ready to approach him about it.

The only thing that really seemed to bring the three teenagers back together was the fact that Hermione had dragged Phineas Nigellus back out of her bag. He had been consistent in reappearing every few days–blindfolded–as he was apparently "too curious about what Mr. Potter was doing" to stay away for too long. The old headmaster–despite the worshipping of Snape–had actually been helpful in keeping the three updated on what was happening in Hogwarts.

Including the news that there was a group of students who had basically been starting a mutiny within Hogwarts.

One of which was Ginny.

She had actually been banned from going to Hogsmeade, and Snape had reinstated Umbridge's old ban about three or more students gathering in unofficial student societies–probably because Ginny, Luna, and Neville were keeping Dumbledore's Army alive after the search for the Horcruxes began. Well, Gemma decided to think this because it sounded like something the three would do, and it brought her comfort that her friends were also trying their hardest to keep fighting on another front. She just prayed they weren't putting themselves into physical danger.