An American Fangirl at Hogwarts 《2》of the ☆Ink and Pixels series☆

Chapter One: "Love, Fred"

  "She hasn't left the house in weeks," Madison's father said in a hushed whisper to her mother.

  "Forget about the house. She hasn't come out of her room in days," her mother snapped back.

  "What are we gonna do?" Her father asked in a tone much quieter and gentler than that of his wife.

  "There is no 'we' in this situation. I'm not dealing with her. If she wants to mope in her room all summer over this boy, then she can go ahead because I'm not stopping her." Her mom stood up from the table quickly and allowed her chair to fly backwards and clatter to the floor with a loud thud!

  "Isn't she supposed to be going to the Weasley's sometime soon? Maybe she can go a little early. I'm sure they would underst-"

  "Whatever, just see if they care and get her out of here and let her be someone else's problem," Her mother shouted back to her father.

  Several minutes passed before Madison heard quiet footsteps approach her door. There was a small knock on the door.

  "Hey can I come in?" Her father asked.

  Madison didn't answer and after a few moments, her father fiddled with her bedroom door that became stuck from disusage. When he finally pushed it open, he stepped into the dark bedroom. The only light in the room came from the open bedroom door and it illuminated the scattered clutter on the floor.

  Madison was curled in a thick bundle of blankets on her bed with her back to the door. Her pillow case was stale from her dried tears and her eyes were bloodshot. She knew her father was there, but she couldn't bear to turn over and look at him. Her fuzzy head didn't allow the motion and she couldn't face him knowing he had tried. Tried to help her get out into the world.

  All summer, he suggested she try going to events in their town. He even found places willing to hire a fifteen year old, just in case she wanted to get a summer job. He even encouraged her to visit friends, even if he had to drive a hundred miles to meet them. He had tried and she stayed here in her own personal hell.

  Now he stood there with one last attempt. One that could get her out of the house for a year. One where she wouldn't to have to see this place until next summer and maybe even secure her a place to stay most of next summer. One where she had friends. But how could she stay with them when she didn't even want to leave this room, let alone her bed?

  "Hey," her dad said, pulling himself up to sit on the foot of her bed, "I talked with your mom and we think it could do you some good to get out of the house. Maybe go stay with the Weasleys, if it's okay with them."

  Madison didn't say anything as she continued to stare at her bedroom wall, picking out small patterns in the paint. Her dad sighed.

  "Maybe you should go get a shower and pack your bags. Why don't you start with the shower? Then get some lunch?"

  His words were once again met with silence. Madison knew if she spoke now, then she would start crying again. That's all she ever did anymore. Cry. She thought that when she got home, she would be okay. Maybe she could get settled and take up projects and hobbies to distract herself. Write to friends and visit and keep herself as busy as possible. But the moment she stepped foot in her front door, it all came rushing back. The full and crushing weight of Cedric's death.

  She was right about how her parents would interrogate her and, in some weird brain shortage, she decided to tell them the truth. That she and Cedric had been something of an item before he died. Her father felt sympathetic, but her mother just pushed her to get over it. She pushed and pushed and pushed until Madison felt obligated to barricade herself in her room all day. Alone with her thoughts.