Yellow - {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 10

Dad and I were lying in the grass in our front yard looking up at the stars. "What's that one, Daddy?" I asked, pointing up at the stars above us. Dad looked where I was pointing and grinned. "Well, you see it's shaped like a dog, right?"  I nodded. "It's called the Canis Major and you see that big bright star right at the top middle?"

I nodded again. He turned to grin at me and said, "That star's name is Sirius." My eyes widened. "Daddy, that's your name!" He laughed and ruffled my hair affectionately. "It sure is, MJ." 

"Hey, you know what else Canis Major is called?" He asked, poking me in the ribs. I giggled and shook my head. "The Dog Star." For some reason, I burst out laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. "It's shaped like a dog so it'll be easy to remember," Dad pointed out, giving me a squinty-eyed smile.

*

"Are... are you sure?" I asked Mum as I flopped down on my bed. She smiled sadly and nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry honey, but your father's very sick now. We can't take you to the fair tonight." She brushed some of the hair away from my face.

I nodded. "Okay." Mum laid one of her hands on top of mine. "I promise that we'll go next year," she said and added, "I'm sorry we waited until the last day. We just thought the crowds would be smaller."

I nodded again. "I understand Mum." Dad started coughing loudly down the hall. Mum looked toward the sound and back at me. "Go ahead. I'll be okay," I told her, faking a smile until she turned her back. I curled up in the corner with one of my favourite books. I was rereading it for the fifth time now but it was like I was reading it for the first time.

I don't know how long I sat there reading, but Mum came into the room with a bright smile on her face. "MJ, you have a visitor." I looked up and seen Uncle Remus standing behind her.

"Uncle Remus!" I shut the book and threw it down on the bed as I ran over to hug him. "I heard your dad was sick so I decided I'd take you to the fair for him," he said as he hugged me back. 

The realisation of what he said set in and I gasped and stepped back. "Really?!" He laughed and nodded. "Yeah, just get your shoes and a jacket and we'll go."

"Thank you!" I rushed over to my closet to get my shoes. I sat in the floor and put them on, getting frustrated with the shoelaces because I couldn't tie them fast enough. I grabbed the first jacket I found in my closet and dashed over to the doorway. "Ready?" Uncle Remus asked, chuckling lightly. I nodded eagerly and he looked over to Mum. 

"We'll be back before nine," he said, adding, "Probably before then." Mum nodded and said, "Okay. Be careful, honey. Try not to have any accidental bursts of magic, most of the people there will be muggles." I nodded. "Okay Mum."

She smiled and pulled me into a hug. "Have fun and be good for Uncle Remus, okay?" I nodded. "I will."

Once we got to the fair, we realised most of the rides had been taken down. But the one thing we did get to ride was the Ferris Wheel, and I pointed out all the constellations to Uncle Remus. "Did your father teach you those?" He asked with a knowing smile. I nodded. "He said his favourite was Canis Major," I added, pointing it out the next time we got to the top. He nodded. "That's always been his favourite... probably because he was named after it." Uncle Remus chuckled lightly and shook his head.

I turned to look at him. "Really?" He looked confused. "You didn't know that?" I shook my head. "No, I honestly just thought it was a coincidence he had the same name..." Uncle Remus nodded slowly. "Trust me, nothing related to Sirius is a coincidence," he teased and I laughed. "You've got a point, Uncle Remus."