𝐎𝐃𝐃 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐓 harry potter.

3: Smells Like Almost-Teen Spirit

THE REST OF THE BLISSFUL MONTH passed with the children racing across the lawn, catching gnomes in the garden, and playing Quidditch by the paddock. The younger twins laid out a mat on the ground, watching wistfully. They alternated between flipping through a magazine, playing Gobstones, and joking around with their new wands—until their mum had to confiscate them, promising to return them when it was time to go.

Ally Weasley watched as Harry flew skillfully as a Chaser alongside Fred and George, who were now solidifying their roles as Beaters. The twins were so alike that Ally often wondered what it would be like to have an identical twin. Her gaze shifted to Ginny, who sat with Errol on her lap, playfully teasing the owl with breadcrumbs.

At eleven, Ally had never really been concerned with appearances or crushes. She figured she must be more immature than Ginny, who, at a tender age, could already recognize her feelings for Harry. Ally glanced back at the boys playing Quidditch, then turned to her sister.

"Ginny, do you think I'm pretty?" she asked in a small voice. A sudden wave of self-consciousness washed over her, making her feel strangely foreign in her own body. The thought of attending a boarding school with girls and boys her age—and some older—filled her with insecurity.

Growing up with only brothers, neither Ginny nor Ally had much experience in embracing their femininity. In their cluttered home, there was little room for it. The only feminine figure in their lives was their mother, who was often too busy managing the household and caring for her children to teach her daughters how to be, well, girls.

Ginny stared at her, distracted, leaving the breadcrumbs unattended. Errol seized the opportunity, hooted triumphantly, and flew away. Ginny looked disappointed for a moment before returning her attention to her sister. "I dunno," she muttered. "I would've said yes if we looked alike."

Ally nudged her, immediately regretting the slightly masculine gesture. Ginny laughed, holding up a magazine between them. "I dunno! I haven't got anyone to compare you to!"

"You could've just said yes!"

"Okay, yes! Yes!"

Ally playfully tackled Ginny, sending the magazine flying as she tickled her sister's sides. "Now I don't believe you!"

Ginny giggled helplessly, trying to wriggle free from Ally's grasp. But Ally had grown taller and stronger. Just as Ginny was nearly out of breath, an apple swooshed past them, narrowly missing Ally.

This gave Ginny the chance to escape. "Merlin, Ally, you're so strong!"

Ally beamed with pride for a moment, but the feeling quickly soured. Had she become too much like her brothers? She didn't want to be. She didn't want stinky socks or unwashed hair. She didn't want her nails to be constantly filled with dirt. She wanted her nails to be clean and painted, like Mum's on special occasions.

"What're you kids fighting about?" Fred approached them, sweat dripping down his forehead. Ally winced—did she look like that when she played? George followed, broom over his shoulder, giving Fred a high-five right after picking his nose. Ally grimaced—did she do that too?

Ron and Harry were still playing over the paddock, chasing each other until Ron dove unexpectedly, rolling across the ground and getting mud on his face. Harry laughed so hard at the sight of Ron that he pointed at him, prompting Ron to toss a handful of dirt at him. Harry coughed as the dust entered his lungs.

Ginny beamed as the boys finished playing. "Ally asked—hmph!" she tried to say, but Ally clamped her hand over Ginny's mouth, dragging her away from the boys.

Ginny bit Ally's hand, making her yelp in pain. Ginny ran a good distance before yelling, "Ally asked if you lot think she's pretty!"

Fred and George looked at each other, confused. As if no one had ever asked that question before, and as if they didn't understand why it mattered. "I suppose if you looked more like us, we would've said yes!" Fred said.