unforeseen [h.p.]

THE WEASLEYS

Alex and Amelia walked side by side quietly together, the crunching dirt under their feet the only thing preventing complete silence. Alex took this time to sort through her whirring thoughts. She's only been away from the orphanage a day and already her new life is completely weird.

She still had trouble processing that Wizards were real, and she witnessed Mark perform a spell right in front of her face. Twice! And all the other unordinary stuff from earlier...

Alex cleared her throat. "So, that weird sucky thingy that brought us here yesterday..."

Amelia gave her a funny look before realizing what she meant. "That was apparation, a form of transportation --Or teleportation, I should say-- that wizards use to get places quickly," Amelia clarified. Alex grimaced, she definitely didn't like apparation.

"Not very pleasant, I know," Amelia laughed at the face Alex pulled. "You get used to it after so long."

Alex hoped she'd never have to travel that way again. It was horrible.

"The Burrow is just up a bit farther," said Amelia. Squinting, Alex indeed could see a brightly lit building down the road.

Alex wasn't very excited at the thought of meeting these people. Especially since there were other teenagers. But she'd rather do this than watch Mark dance around in his briefs.

Approaching the house, Alex could make out details of it she couldn't before. Like how it was several stories tall, or how the building seemed so crooked that it might topple over.

"Is this house entirely safe?" Alex asked.

Amelia laughed at Alex's ignorance again. "Definitely. It's held together by magic."

"Wait," said Alex. "They have magic? They're wizards too?"

"Every family in Ottery St Catchpole is a magical family," explained Amelia. "That's why we live so far from the village. The Weasleys, the Diggorys, the Lovegoods, Mark and I; we're a Wizarding community."

Oh, God, Alex thought. She didn't think she would be meeting more wizards so soon. She was so unprepared for this.

Arriving at the door, Amelia knocked a couple times. It wasn't long before the door opened, a motherly woman with red hair smiling at them.

"About time!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah. Where are my pies, woman?" Amelia joked, stepping into the house, Alex trailing behind her.

"In the kitchen, of course," the woman replied, closing the door and adjusting the strings on the apron she was wearing.

"Lovely, I haven't eaten at all today. Been bonding with this one all afternoon," Amelia put her hand on Alex's back, finally acknowledging her. Alex smiled awkwardly.

"Is this your niece you were going on about? From the orphanage?" The woman asked. Amelia nodded. "Merlin, she looks just like Charles!"

"Innit? Especially the eyes and the hair," Amelia gushed.

The woman stuck out her hand to Alex. "Hello, dear. I'm Molly Weasley," she said, smiling warmly at her.

Alex shook her hand, which felt soft and warm. "Alex."

"Alex, you must be hungry. Come on, Molly makes the best mince pies." Amelia grabbed her hand and led her toward the back of the house, into the kitchen. In the center was a long wooden table, surrounded by eight chairs. Alex sat down next to her aunt.

"I'll make some tea," Molly said. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out what Alex surely thought was a wand. She gave it flick, and a kettle over on the stove started boiling water.