starstruck, george weasley

xlix. the missing gingers

CHAPTER XLIX:
the missing gingers

( December 1995 )

DAYS AFTER BEING INVITED TO THE BURROW, GINGER HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM AMOS REGARDING HER ASKING TO SPEND THE HOLIDAY WITH THE WEASLEYS.

Ginger,

Of course you can spend the holiday with them! I was actually meaning to owl you regarding work needing me a bit more than usual for your break and I was worried you'd have to be here all alone. But I'm relieved you'll be spending it with the Weasleys as I trust Molly and Arthur will take stupendous care of you. I've sent a camera along with this letter so you can take as many pictures as you'd like. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and have fun! 

            Love, Amos.

            P.S. do give that twin his sweater back if you haven't already so he can use it.

      She giggled reading the ending of the letter while knowing the sweater was sitting in her trunk ready to be brought to their home. Ginger adjusted her posture once she realized how bad it had been while reading the letter when Alexander came to join her.

"There's a lack of gingers in here and it's weird," he spoke turning his head to search for any Weasley in the Great Hall but failing to find even one. Ginger raised her head at his words doing the same as he did.

"You're right..." She stood confused. The Gryffindor table had a lack of the red-haired siblings that usually gave it its flare. She stood from her spot with Alex letting out a small groan from having to stand again.

      "Lee, have you seen the twins? Or rather, any Weasley today?" Ginger sat down at Gryffindor's table with Alexander right behind her.

      He shook his head, "the twins were gone from our dorm and Seamus said Harry and Ron were too." Just as he finished his sentence, an owl came flying into the Great Hall with a letter fluttering down in front of Ginger. She smiled lightly at the owl leaving as she grasped the letter in her hands. "Who's it from?" Lee took a sip of his pumpkin juice while she opened the letter.

      A smile pearled on her face at the two different kinds of handwriting that scribbled on the paper. "The twins."

            Ginger,

            You're probably wondering where we are and the answer to that question would be a secret we can't say through the mail as our father was just admitted into St. Mungos. He's alright though! But sending this letter is sort of us telling you Christmas isn't going to be at the Burrow but somewhere else and we'll get you when we can since where we are is still safe to spend it here.

            Sincerely, Forge.

      "Merlin's beard, they're terrible at writing letters," Lee laughed shaking his head reading it after Ginger had. "You would think since there's two of them it would make the letter better by wow that was terrible."

"We'll get you when we can' how vague," Alex commented since he had read it over Ginger's shoulder. "I don't think they've ever written a letter before because that was absolutely atrocious to read."

Ginger laughed, "you two are so mean!"

"You can't deny that it seems like they've never even written before because the changing handwriting is ghastly." Lee pointed at the scribbles on the paper that formed words.

      Alex pointed over Ginger's shoulder, "forget the fact that it has changing handwriting, just look at the handwriting in general! My cat could probably write better than that."

      THE DAY WENT ON AS IT USUALLY DID BEING THE DAY OF BREAK WITH STUDENTS SLOWLY LEAVING THE SCHOOL TO GO TO KINGS CROSS. Ginger sat with her trunk beneath her waiting for the train to arrive. Her gifted copy of The Lovers Under the Moon sat in her hands as her fingers flitted over each word retaining everything she read while she bounced her leg that had been crossed over her knee.

      Just as she turned the page, two figures suddenly appeared in front of her causing her book to fall from her hands with her fright.

      "Hello, Lovely!" One twin picked up the book dusting it off.

      "A warning next time would've been nice." She put a hand over her chest while taking her book back into her hands.

"Sorry, Moon, but I don't think there's a way to warn people when others apparate." George shrugged. "Now, ready to go?" He held out his elbow for her to take, as did Fred.

      "I suppose seeing as I've sat here in the cold for long enough." She stood shrugging.

      "Brace yourself," Fred muttered and before she could even process what he said, their bodies were turning and twisting through the air.

      Ginger lunged forward on the hardwood flooring, desperate for solid ground after the apparation that almost got her splinched.

      "My..." she huffed with her hands on her knees. "Next time... I'm doing the apparating." They both nodded pressing their lips into thin lines also breathing heavily while leaning against the door.

      Sitting up, Fred and George turned her to face the longer part of the building they had brought her into. Vintage and outdated wallpaper littered the walls with moving portraits of people who most likely used to live in the home. Light brown flooring beneath their feet that creaked slightly with every movement that was brought upon them almost trying to seem warm and welcoming but failing miserably.

      "Welcome to Grimmauld Place, Lovely."

NOTE. what i was doing while writing this chapter: tiktok, writing in my peter pettigrew fic, tiktok, watching a movie, watching a show, literally anything BUT writing this 🧍🏽‍♀️