The Heart Is Not Black or White

Chapter 33

"Marissa dear!" Mrs. Weasley pulled me into a suffocating hug and rumpled my hair. This caused me drop my trunk and Corvus's cage. Corvus was not in her inside it, she was outside flying around with Errol.

I breathed in the familiar scent of the Burrow. Apple pie with a hint of rat dung. The rat dung part didn't bother me anymore. It came from Scabbers, Ron's pet rat. I hated that animal they kept as a pet, but the smell was almost non-existent to me.

The sound of feet bounding down the rickety stairs could be heard, along with shouts from the fiery red-headed Weasley children.

"Ron, move!"

"Scabbers just peed on my hand!"

"Marissa is here!"

Mrs. Weasley let go so that her children could bombard me. Ginny ran over and hugged me. I loved Ginny, even though she could be a little spit-fire sometimes. This would be her first year at Hogwarts.

Ginny was pushed aside and a strong pair of arms embraced me. Fred picked me up off the floor and spun me around, making me frighteningly dizzy. George took my feet and the twins swung me back and forth. I squealed with laughter and fear.

"Boys!" Mrs. Weasley shouted. "Put Marissa down! I won't like it if you break her right before the new Quidditch season starts."

"But if she gets injured, Slytherin loses their best beater and then Gryffindor has a better chance of winning," George stated.

"Glad to know you two care if you snap my neck," I said sarcastically. I knew they cared about me, but they had a real funny way of showing it.

With Fred holding me under my arms and George holding my ankles, they walked me over to the couch, swung their arms, and let go of me so that I landed on the lumpy cushions.

Before I had the chance to sit up, George sat on my face and let out a great big fart.

"Blech!" I exclaimed, pushing George's butt off my face and coughing from the disgusting fumes. Right after that Fred decided to tickle me. I screeched and laughed, trying to kick him away. I had officially received a proper Weasley greeting.

Before Fred and George had so rudely attacked me, I had just arrived with my parents before they would take a portkey to America. I would be staying with the Weasleys before I went back to Hogwarts.

"You boys are going to kill the girl!" Mr. Weasley scolded them. He lifted the twins up by the collar of their sweaters and said, "Now get off her, she has to say good-bye to her parents."

Fred and George scampered off and I caught my breath. When my breathing went back to normal, I walked over to my parents standing in the doorway.

"Sorry we can't stay too long, we really have to get going," my father explained.

"Have a safe trip you two!" said Mrs. Weasley. She gave my mother a hug and kissed my dad on both cheeks.

"Make sure you talk to the folks at the American Ministry about the collaboration for muggle studies," Mr. Weasley told Dad.

"Of course!" he replied, shaking Mr. Weasley's hand.

Next my parents turned to me. They enveloped me in a long, warm hug.

"We'll miss you," said Mom.

"I'll be safe, Mom. I'm just at Hogwarts," I grumbled. "We've done this before."

"That doesn't mean it gets easier," explained my father.

"Not you too, Dad!" I exclaimed. The three of us shared a laugh.

"Grumio, we really have to get going," my mom warned him.

"You're right. Bye everyone!" my dad shouted.

The Weasley's shouted their good-byes from various places on the first floor, Mrs. Weasley charming the dishes to clean themselves at the kitchen sink, Fred and George playing wizard chess in the living room. We even heard Percy shout his farewell from his bedroom on the third floor, probably studying for an exam that wouldn't happen until May.

"We love you, Marissa," Mom reminded me.

"Love you too, Mum," I replied. "Love you, Dad."

My parents gave me one last hug and then went out the door, my mom blowing kisses along the way and my dad shouting, "Remember to send us owls!" I gave him a thumbs up and closed to door behind my parents.

I whirled around and found Fred and George right behind me. They both had sly smiles on their faces, and I knew they were up to something.

"Come upstairs with us, Issa," Fred whispered.

"We're going to have a meeting," George said. The two of them scampered away and up the stairs. I wanted to know what their plan was, so I trailed behind them.

I followed them up eight flights of stairs to the top floor, where Ron's bedroom was. I was confused because Ron was not usually included in their plans.

We entered Ron's bedroom, where he was sitting on his bed with Scabbers in his hands. The twins took a seat on the shaggy rug and patted a spot between them where they wanted me to sit. I closed the door behind me and sat down.

"Marissa, you have to promise that you won't tell Mum, Dad, Ginny, and especially not Percy about this plan," said Ron.

"I won't," I promised and meant it.

"So my friend Harry lives with his horrible muggle relatives-"

"Harry Potter?!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, now shut it," said Ron irritatingly. "So I've sent Harry a giant load of owls this summer, and I haven't gotten any owls back. I think it's his muggle aunt and uncle who aren't letting him send any. So tonight-"

"We're going to rescue him!" exclaimed George.

"Using Dad's flying car!" finished Fred.

"Let me speak for once you two! We're going to fly Dad's car to where Harry lives and then take him back here," Ron repeated.

"Wicked!" I said. "When are you going? Can I come?"

"We're going tonight when everyone else is asleep," explained Ron. "You can come as long as you tell no one."

I nodded in assurance. It wasn't summer until you went on a dangerous adventure with the Weasleys.