(2) The New Ones// The Curse Of Slytherin

4/Mini Mo

As soon as we had let Hedwig out I immediately turned to Harry.

"What's the story, why haven't you been answering our letters?!" Ron demanded, cutting me off.

"Yeah I literally wrote you more than ten times!" I said.

It took a while to get the explanation out but apparently some house elf decided to pay him a visit, had been intercepting our letters, and also smashed some pudding and gotten him a warning from the ministry.

"But how?" I asked, confused. "House elves can't do stuff like that without orders and they usually only belong to old rich families."

"Malfoy." Ron said.

"As in Lucius Malfoy?" George asked, looking back at us.

"Well it's not a common name so it must be." Harry said.

"He hates you, it must be." I said. But something still didn't sit right with that decision in my brain. Why would Malfoy send a house elf to tell Harry about an evil plot or something? It seemed to have more meaning than just a prank.

"You're steering too far west Fred," George pointed out and his twin twiddled the wheel.

"Why are you with the Weasleys'?" Harry asked me. I looked at my feet, and exhaled silently.

"Because, mom, um, has to do some stuff..." My voice gave out and I could feel my face going bright red. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ron stamp on his foot and pretended I hadn't noticed.

**********************************

The sun was just rising as we started to get closer to the ground. A patchwork of fields came into view and I sensed that I wasn't the only one looking out the window anymore.

"We're a little way outside the village," said George. "Ottery St. Catchpole." He was speaking more to Harry than anyone else but I still looked up.

Lower and lower we flew and the sun kept rising until the horizon was reddish orange.

"Touchdown!" Fred said as the car gave a slight bump.

It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added hereand there until it was several stories high and so crooked it was clearly held up by magic. Four or five chimneys were perched on topof the red roof, each probably on the same floo network. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW.

Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brownchickens were pecking their way around the yard.

"It's not much," Ron said.

"It's wonderful," Harry sighed happily.

"Yeah." I agreed. Compared to our flat it was much more chaotic, but it was also larger and much more eccentric. Our flat was orderly when dad was around but now its got a messy feel to it since mum has taken over.

"Elaine," George jabs me in the side. Apparently I was spacing out. Great.

"Sorry!" I say quickly, jumping out of the car.

"Now we have to get upstairs before-" Fred starts.

"Mum." Ron says.

"Yes before mum you git now-"

"Mum," Ron looks almost too pale. He is staring at where a very angry Mrs. Weasley was marching her way across the yard, scattering chickens with Erin bobbing along behind.

I tried to mentally tell Erin no! by waving my hands around but she just glared at me and continued advancing.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" Mrs. Weasley bursts out.

"Ah," said George.

"Morning mum!" Said Fred.

"Hey Mrs. Weasley," I whispered.

"Beds empty!" Erin nods her head vigorously behind Mrs. Weasley's back, crossing her arms as well. "Just like that, gone! And the car!" She spits that word out with hatred. "That car," She points at it and Erin does too, screwing her face up. I try my best not to burst out laughing. It really isn't funny, Erin is probably furious with me.

"But mum-" Ron starts.

"Don't 'but mum' me Ronald Weasley!" Erin nods faster, still standing to the left of Mrs Weasley. She looks over us all severely, noticing Harry. "Harry! How delightful to see you!" She embraces him and he shoots me a look like "help!".

I laugh and Erin shoots me a glare. She is really getting into the mimicking Mrs. Weasley. Or she is just really mad at me.

She lets go of Harry and oversees her children. For some reason she seems to be missing me with her wrath, I have no clue why. Loyalty to my mum probably.

"Come in and have some breakfast," she says more to Harry than anyone else, putting her arm around his shoulder. The twins and Ron slouch after her. Erin goes slower with me.

"Actually?" She grumbles.

"What?" I ask, playing dumb.

"You know what!" She says, smacking me across the head. I tried to duck but it really didn't work.

"How were we supposed to bring you?"

"You think because I was asleep," she said, getting angrier and scattering chickens, "you couldn't bring me?!"

"Yeah," I say plainly and trying not to step on a particularly fat chicken. "And what was that? Look at you turning into a mini Mo."

"She is me," Erin says, taking the teasing easily. I snorted. "Come on you goon," she says, putting me in a headlock. "Breakfast."