Brighter Than the Sun

Chapter Two

I didn't know Ron had such a big family.

But here they were. And apparently it wasn't even all of them.

I sat wedged between Ginny and Hermione. Ron's mom, Mrs. Weasley (who was, as far as I was concerned, the kindest woman I'd ever met), asked me about America and Ilvermorny. Percy Weasley, Ron's older brother, asked what I'd studied there and wanted to know what career I wanted to go into when I'd finished school. I told him I wanted to be a healer.

The twins, Fred and George (whom I can't tell apart) asked me if I'd ever pranked anyone. I told them I had, and mild versions of what I'd done. I did not tell them I'd pulled these pranks with children of Hermes. They wanted to pull these pranks with me sometime soon.

Ginny, Ron's younger sister, wanted to know about my friends in America. I told them about Alyssa and Lindsay, my friends from Ilvermorny. I told them about Thunderbird and my Quidditch team. I even mentioned Chiron was my guardian, but I didn't say anything about him being a centaur.

During dessert, Mr. Weasley mentioned he was renting a car from the Ministry of Magic. Percy asked why.

"It's because of you, Perce!" Fred- or George- said.

"Yes, and there'll be little flags on the bonnet-" the other one added.

"With HB on them-"

"For Humungous Bighead!"

The twins had been teasing Percy about becoming Head Boy. Everyone snorted into their dessert at this comment. Well, everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley.

"Why are the Ministry lending us cars, father?" Percy repeated, annoyed.

"Well, there are a lot of us, and seeing as we haven't got one anymore..." He trailed off, and I could tell he had been lying about the first part. I caught Harry and Ron exchanging a guilty look and I wondered what happened.

After we'd finished dessert, we went upstairs to finish packing. I was in the room next to Ron and Percy, and I wondered what went through the Mrs. Weasley's mind when she paired them up. I didn't understand the logic of it. Those two argued louder and more aggressively than an Aphrodite child and a Huntress of Artemis.

The next day, my grandmother arrived to take me to King's Cross.

Grandma'am was supposed to have been there the previous day, but she'd ended up going who knows where else instead. She'd promised to go to King's Cross with me to make up for it.

Not long after we'd finished breakfast, Grandma'am came sailing into the pub. She was wearing a royal blue feather boa, which matched her royal blue robes.

She spotted me and came over. "Aisling, darling, come here and say hello to your grandmother."

I hugged her awkwardly. "Hey, Grandma'am."

She scoffed. "I have told you not to call me that. And speak properly when you talk. 'Hey' is for horses."

"Yes, Grandmother," I corrected myself. "Uh, these are the Weasleys."

"Charmed," Grandma'am said to Mrs. Weasley, but she didn't look very charmed. "Thank you for looking after my dear granddaughter, I hope she wasn't any trouble."

I winced. She was doing it again, treating people like they were her servants. But Mrs. Weasley smiled graciously and replied, "No trouble at all, Mrs..."

"McKeon," Grandma'am said loftily. "Dorothy McKeon."

Then she saw Harry, and she was a lot nicer.

"Truly an honor to meet you," She said.

"Er, thanks," Harry said, looking uncomfortable.

We drove in the Ministry cars to the station and Grandma'am gave me what she considered inspiring beginning-of-year advice. "I do not care which House you are sorted into, as long as you bring pride to the family name."