Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Fifth Year // Chapter 5

Sadly, the happiness didn't last. Poor Ron didn't do too well at his first training session and it honestly didn't go too well. Ron's self-confidence dropped drastically causing him to almost smash his broom into bits. I made sure to keep an eye on him after that, and made a mental note to hex a few Slytherins in a few days. 

Now a bunch of us were sitting around the fireplace doing our homework. Neville was scribbling out an essay for Herbology, I was working on our transfiguration homework, while both Ron and Harry were finishing up their long essays assigned by Professor Sinistra. 

"You know, we probably should try and get more homework done during the week," Harry muttered to us, as he finally laid aside the essay about Jupiter's moons. 

"Yeah," said Ron, rubbing his slightly bloodshot eyes and throwing his fifth piece of parchment into the fire. "Listen ... shall we just ask Hermione if we can have a look at what she's done?" 

I scoffed as Harry replied to his suggestion. That's when I saw that Neville was staring at me. 

"Can I help you, Nevy?" I said with a smile. Neville's eyes went wide and he quickly cleared his throat. 

"Uh - no! I was just-just -" Neville's cheeks started to grow red as he got more and more flustered. He suddenly started to pack up his stuff before sprinting up the stairs to the dorm. Once we heard the door slam shut, I looked over at Harry and Ron who were looking at me.

"What?" I said, raising my hands up in the air. "I didn't say anything!"

"Yeah, you didn't that's for sure," Ron smirked. I leaned over and smacked him on the shoulder. After I smacked him we all went back to work on our homework. As the sky outside the windows became steadily darker; slowly, the crowd in the common room began to thin out more and more. At half-past eleven, Hermione wandered over to us, yawning. 

"Nearly done?"

"No," said Ron curtly.

"Jupiter's biggest moon is Ganymede, not Callisto," she said, pointing over Ron's shoulder at a line in his Astronomy essay, "and it's Io that's got the volcanos." I held back a laugh as Ron quickly scratched out the offending sentences. 

"Thanks," 

"Sorry, I only -"

"Yeah, well, if you've just come over here to criticize -"

"Ron -"

"I haven't got the time to listen to a sermon, all right, Hermione, I'm up to my neck in it here -"

"No - look!" 

We all turned to see Hermione pointing out the window. A handsome screech owl was standing on the windowsill, gazing into the room at Ron.

"Hermes?" I said laying down my quill and rushing over to the window. I opened it and barely had time to duck before Hermes flew inside, landed upon Ron's essay, and held out a leg to which two letters were attached. Ron took them off and the owl flew back out the window it came from. Sadly, leaving ruddy footprints on Ron's essay.

"That's definitely Percy's handwriting," said Ron, sinking back into his chair and staring at the first envelope. After a few moments, he flipped to the next one and handed it to me. "He wrote one to you, Lori." 

I rushed over and snatched the letter from his hands, shaking my head. 

"Percy wouldn't've -" I stopped at my eyes latched onto the front of the envelope, where written in glorious red ink was: To Lorrinda Maye Weasley, Gryffindor House, Hogwarts. My hands started to shake as I took a breath, not even noticing Ron reading out his letter. I was completely zoned out until I heard Harry speaking. 

"Well," he said, "if you want to - er- what is it? Oh yeah - 'sever ties' with me, I swear I won't get violent." I walked over and grabbed the letter and quickly read it since I didn't hear Ron read it. 

"Give it back," said Ron, grabbing the letter from my hands. I clenched my jaw as I worried what my letter would contain. "He is -" Ron said jerkily, rearing Percy's letter in half, "the world's" - he tore it into quarters - "biggest" - he tore it into eighths - "git." He threw all the pieced into the fire.

"What does yours say, Lori?" Hermione asked. I slowly peeled open the wax seal on my envelope and pulled out the parchment. It was significantly long, and beautifully written cursive. I cleared my throat, and began to read:

Dear Lorrinda,

I feel like I must start off by apologizing for what I said to you last. It was uncalled for and out of line, and I deeply apologize and wish you can forgive me. 

"Forgive him?!" Ron spat. "Like hell, you will!" 

"SHH! Ron! Let her read it!" Hermione spoke harshly. I smiled weakly before continuing on. 

I've heard through the many channels here at the Ministry that you too had a falling out with Dad. I even heard that he raised his wand at you. Lori, I beg of you, if that happened to leave that family immediately. It just goes to prove my point about how being around Dumbledore has done to his brain. If you do leave, send me an owl and I will be more than glad to put you up in my flat in London over the holidays. 

I suspect you've heard what I wrote in Ron's letter about Harry, so I shall not write it all again. Just, please consider all your options before you act around him. Harry Potter is a danger to us all. 

"Danger to us all?!" Ron shouted. "Now, I've heard everything!" I tightened my grip on the letter as I read the last paragraph.

I realize you may not even read this at all considering what I said to you, however, if you've made it this far, I plead to you. Stay loyal to the Ministry! I do not wish to lose you on account of Dumbledore, for he has made some pretty daft decisions these past few years, and I don't wish for you to make another number in the lives he's either gotten hurt or worse killed.
Take care, 
                      Percy

I crumpled up the letter and tossed it into the fire with a shout. I stuffed all my books and parchments into my bag and stormed up the stairs to Fred and George's dorm room. I banged on their door until a slightly disheveled Lee opened the door. 

"It's your bloody sister," Lee moaned walking back over to his bed and going under his covers. I apologized as I entered and walked over to sit on Fred's bed. He instantly wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into a tight hug. George got out of his bed and came over on the other side of me, and I didn't even have to say a word. 

After about 20 minutes of just sitting there hugging with a little bit of talking, started to head to my dorm for bed. I slowly opened the door and noticed Hermione was still awake. She lifted up the covers and started walking over. 

"You really shouldn't keep running off from us, Lori," Hermione whispered.

"I'm sorry, but ... I just needed my big brothers," I said grabbing some Pj's from my trunk and changed into them. "I love Ron, but lately I just need the comfort only big brothers can give," I said emerging from the bathroom where I changed.

"Understandable," said Hermione quickly hugging me. "Just know, we are all here for you. Even if you're closer to Dean, Neville, and Finnigan, you'll always have us."

"Thank Mione." I smiled. "G'night."

"Goodnight, Lori!"