When You're Young

Running Wild, Running Free

Aurora's P.O.V.

"Mom! Mom! Aurora has another letter from a BOY!"

"Jesus, Hermione. It's only Fred and George. Don't make it weird!"

Hermione giggles at my words before handing me the package and running back to her bed that's covered in books and papers. There are a few weeks till we both go to Hogwarts. It will be Hermione's first year.

She's read every book I had last year for my classes and more. I won't say it out loud, but I'm pretty sure Hermione is ahead of me already in wizard knowledge. Opening up the package, I read the letter and laugh to myself.

The three of us have been sending letters back and forth all summer. They talked about their family, pranks, and things going on in the wizarding world. I tell them about my family and new prank ideas they could do with potions.

The Weasley's father would ask the boys to ask me a few muggle questions every other letter. I liked it since most wizards aren't really interested in the muggle world. I'm almost done reading the letter when Hermione blurts out in an impatient tone.

"What books did they send you this time?"

Hermione waits on her own bed to find out my answer. Finishing the letter, I toss the book package carelessly in the air without looking. Hermione stops it in the air just above her bed and lets it fall onto her covers and opens it herself excitedly.

Grinning ear to ear, I put my letter with the rest of them in a box under her bed. My sister is coming to Hogwarts. She'll see Fred and George in a few weeks and I have twice as many spells and potion ideas as I did last summer. How could things get any better?

~Platform Nine & Three Quarters~

I can tell Hermione's nervous about everything, about being sorted, the classes, and making friends. I've been reassuring her all day that she wouldn't get Slytherin and the rest will be a piece of cake.

Her nerves got worse as we boarded the train because of how dramatically our parents were saying goodbye. Once on the train, however, Hermione seemed less worried and more distracted. My little sister didn't know what to look at first, the students, the train, or the minor spells coming from everywhere.

With everything going on though, the one thing that keeps her eyes focused on is a boy running after a toad. He's yelling for someone to stop him and Hermione instantly feels the need to run and help him. In the blink of an eye, I see her robe disappear and curse at myself.

All it takes is a toad, and boom, I've lost my sister. The train moves as I walk the way my sister went to find her. Before I can find her in the crowd of students, a wagon-lit opens and two pairs of arms pull me inside. I'm about to scream when two familiar boys hug me tightly before pulling away and blurting rapidly.

"I told you she would not grow. Look at her, Freddie."

"Are they feeding you enough in the muggle world, Aurora?"

"Oh, come on..." I laugh at Fred and George before shoving them both playfully, "It's not my fault you two keep growing an inch each month."

"We got good genes." Fred winks proudly as George finishes saying, "What can we say?"

"Oh, shut up."

I shake my head, smiling, before sitting down. Fred and George plop down on the chair in front of me, side by side. They talk about this year, about quidditch and how I should try to join like they are.

I shoot that idea down, saying I'd rather watch. They're bummed out I don't want to join. I bet the boys were hoping I would this year, since we don't have classes together this year.